100 Best universities for Geology in France

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in France ranked based on their research performance in Geology. A graph of 17.2M citations received by 560K academic papers made by 131 universities in France was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Pierre and Marie Curie University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Geology

#7 in Europe

#46 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 35,114
Founded: 1150

2. Claude Bernard University Lyon 1

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Villeurbanne

For Geology

#42 in Europe

#144 in the World

Enrollment: 38,007
Founded: 1809

3. University of Montpellier

Occitanie | Montpellier

For Geology

#75 in Europe

#224 in the World

Enrollment: 49,000
Founded: 1289

4. Paul Sabatier University - Toulouse III

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Geology

#81 in Europe

#246 in the World

Enrollment: 29,680
Founded: 1960

5. Grenoble Alpes University

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Saint Martin d'Heres

For Geology

#91 in Europe

#268 in the World

Enrollment: 53,949
Founded: 1339

6. University of Aix-Marseilles

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Marseille

For Geology

#104 in Europe

#302 in the World

Enrollment: 66,378
Founded: 2012

7. Paris-Sud University

Ile-de-France | Orsay

For Geology

#115 in Europe

#330 in the World

Enrollment: 23,270
Founded: 2014

8. University of Bordeaux

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Bordeaux

For Geology

#120 in Europe

#338 in the World

Enrollment: 46,845
Founded: 1441

9. University of Lorraine

Grand Est | Nancy

For Geology

#132 in Europe

#362 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 60,404
Founded: 2012

10. University of Lille

Hauts-de-France | Lille

For Geology

#175 in Europe

#471 in the World

Enrollment: 69,000
Founded: 2018

11. Normal Superior School

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Geology

#187 in Europe

#508 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 2,536
Founded: 1794

12. University of Strasbourg

Grand Est | Strasbourg

For Geology

#201 in Europe

#548 in the World

Enrollment: 10,077
Founded: 1621

13. University of Clermont Auvergne

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Clermont-Ferrand

For Geology

#204 in Europe

#554 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 14,690
Founded: 1854

14. Polytechnic School

Ile-de-France | Palaiseau

For Geology

#205 in Europe

#555 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 2,790
Founded: 1794

15. University of Burgundy

Bourgogne-Franche-Comte | Dijon

For Geology

#228 in Europe

#625 in the World

Enrollment: 29,508
Founded: 1722

16. University of Western Brittany

Brittany | Brest

For Geology

#232 in Europe

#636 in the World

Enrollment: 22,303
Founded: 1461

17. University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Nice

For Geology

#237 in Europe

#646 in the World

Enrollment: 25,327
Founded: 1965

18. Normal Superior School of Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

For Geology

#241 in Europe

#652 in the World

Enrollment: 2,297
Founded: 1987

19. Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University

Ile-de-France | Versailles

For Geology

#245 in Europe

#667 in the World

Enrollment: 13,816
Founded: 1991

20. University of Nantes

Pays de la Loire | Nantes

For Geology

#260 in Europe

#710 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1460

21. University of Orleans

Centre-Val de Loire | Orleans

For Geology

#277 in Europe

#770 in the World

Enrollment: 16,629
Founded: 1962

22. National Graduate School of Engineering, Paris

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Geology

#293 in Europe

#811 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 1,500
Founded: 1783

23. Paris Institute of Technology for Life, Food and Environmental Sciences

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Geology

#294 in Europe

#817 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 2,300
Founded: 2007

24. Paris-Est Creteil Val-de-Marne University

Ile-de-France | Creteil

For Geology

#301 in Europe

#834 in the World

Enrollment: 37,313
Founded: 1970

25. University of Poitiers

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Poitiers

For Geology

#302 in Europe

#835 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 27,820
Founded: 1431

26. National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Geology

#309 in Europe

#854 in the World

Enrollment: 4,148
Founded: 1969

27. Grenoble Institute of Technology

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Grenoble

For Geology

#311 in Europe

#861 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 7,646
Founded: 1900

28. University of Savoy Mont Blanc

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Chambery

For Geology

#326 in Europe

#912 in the World

Enrollment: 14,498
Founded: 1979

29. University of Rouen Normandie

Normandy | Mont-Saint-Aignan

For Geology

#330 in Europe

#921 in the World

Enrollment: 31,500
Founded: 1966

30. Paris Diderot University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Geology

#332 in Europe

#924 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 25,523
Founded: 1970

31. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

For Geology

#335 in Europe

#934 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Enrollment: 6,067
Founded: 1957

32. University of Caen Normandy

Normandy | Caen

For Geology

#337 in Europe

#936 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 27,465
Founded: 1432

33. University of Picardie Jules Verne

Hauts-de-France | Amiens

For Geology

#375 in Europe

#1067 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 27,900
Founded: 1970

34. Francois Rabelais University

Centre-Val de Loire | Tours

For Geology

#394 in Europe

#1128 in the World

Enrollment: 27,388
Founded: 1969

35. National School of Bridges and Roads

Ile-de-France | Champs sur Marne

For Geology

#396 in Europe

#1132 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1747

36. University of Rheims Champagne-Ardenne

Grand Est | Reims

For Geology

#398 in Europe

#1136 in the World

Enrollment: 24,480
Founded: 1548

37. University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Geology

#400 in Europe

#1156 in the World

Enrollment: 42,700
Founded: 1971

38. Paris Descartes University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Geology

#403 in Europe

#1176 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 31,690
Founded: 2019

39. Paris Institute of Political Studies

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Geology

#412 in Europe

#1204 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Enrollment: 11,196
Founded: 1872

40. University of Pau and Pays de l'Adour

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Pau

For Geology

#416 in Europe

#1234 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 12,629
Founded: 1970

41. University of Angers

Pays de la Loire | Angers

For Geology

#417 in Europe

#1240 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 25,687
Founded: 1971

42. University of Technology of Compiegne

Hauts-de-France | Compiegne

For Geology

#429 in Europe

#1284 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 4,367
Founded: 1972

43. University of Franche-Comte

Bourgogne-Franche-Comte | Besancon

For Geology

#432 in Europe

#1292 in the World

Enrollment: 21,677
Founded: 1423

44. University of Perpignan Via Domitia

Occitanie | Perpignan

For Geology

#433 in Europe

#1296 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 8,238
Founded: 1970

45. National Advanced School of Engineering

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Geology

#451 in Europe

#1360 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Enrollment: 6,000
Founded: 1780

46. University of La Rochelle

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | La Rochelle

For Geology

#452 in Europe

#1361 in the World

Enrollment: 7,832
Founded: 1993

47. University of Limoges

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Limoges

For Geology

#453 in Europe

#1363 in the World

Enrollment: 17,658
Founded: 1968

48. Montpellier SupAgro

Occitanie | Montpellier

For Geology

#454 in Europe

#1365 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Founded: 2007

49. TELECOM ParisTech

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Geology

#484 in Europe

#1476 in the World

Enrollment: 2,000
Founded: 1878

50. Normal Superior School of Paris-Saclay

Ile-de-France | Cachan

For Geology

#487 in Europe

#1479 in the World

Enrollment: 1,382
Founded: 1912

51. University of Toulon

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | La Garde

For Geology

#488 in Europe

#1480 in the World

Enrollment: 11,014
Founded: 1979

52. Central School of Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Ecully

For Geology

#497 in Europe

#1515 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 2,920
Founded: 1857

53. Paris West University Nanterre La Defense

Ile-de-France | Nanterre

For Geology

#498 in Europe

#1518 in the World

Enrollment: 31,975
Founded: 1964

54. Agrocampus Ouest

Brittany | Rennes

For Geology

#502 in Europe

#1531 in the World

Enrollment: 2,000
Founded: 2008

55. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Toulouse

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Geology

#506 in Europe

#1559 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 3,077
Founded: 1963

56. University of Paris 8

Ile-de-France | Saint-Denis

For Geology

#508 in Europe

#1564 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Enrollment: 22,023
Founded: 1968

57. Upper Alsace University

Grand Est | Mulhouse

For Geology

#509 in Europe

#1580 in the World

Enrollment: 9,921
Founded: 1975

58. School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Geology

#511 in Europe

#1593 in the World

Enrollment: 2,613
Founded: 1947

59. Central School of Nantes

Pays de la Loire | Nantes

For Geology

#523 in Europe

#1625 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Enrollment: 2,287
Founded: 1919

60. National Graduate School of Chemistry, Paris

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Geology

#529 in Europe

#1669 in the World

Enrollment: 565
Founded: 1896

61. University of Avignon and the Vaucluse

Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur | Avignon

For Geology

#536 in Europe

#1721 in the World

Enrollment: 6,434
Founded: 1984

62. Paris Dauphine University

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Geology

#539 in Europe

#1747 in the World

Enrollment: 11,281
Founded: 1968

63. School of Industrial Physics and Chemistry of the City of Paris

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Geology

#550 in Europe

#1791 in the World

Enrollment: 1,000
Founded: 1882

64. Jean Monnet University

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Saint-Etienne

For Geology

#552 in Europe

#1799 in the World

Enrollment: 17,195
Founded: 1970

65. Paul Valery University, Montpellier 3

Occitanie | Montpellier

For Geology

#562 in Europe

#1840 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 21,997
Founded: 1970

66. University of the Littoral Opal Coast

Hauts-de-France | Dunkirk

For Geology

#566 in Europe

#1857 in the World

Enrollment: 10,381
Founded: 1991

67. National Veterinary School of Toulouse

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Geology

#571 in Europe

#1868 in the World

Founded: 1828

68. Artois University

Hauts-de-France | Arras

For Geology

#586 in Europe

#1949 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 12,051
Founded: 1992

69. Cergy-Pontoise University

Ile-de-France | Cergy-Pontoise

For Geology

#587 in Europe

#1959 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 20,784
Founded: 1991

70. National Graduate School of Chemistry, Montpellier

Occitanie | Montpellier

For Geology

#591 in Europe

#1984 in the World

Enrollment: 427
Founded: 1957

71. Central School of Lille

Hauts-de-France | Lille

For Geology

#597 in Europe

#2002 in the World

Enrollment: 2,272
Founded: 1872

72. CentraleSupelec

Ile-de-France | Gif-sur-Yvette

For Geology

#603 in Europe

#2021 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 4,300
Founded: 1894

73. University of Technology of Belfort-Montbeliard

Bourgogne-Franche-Comte | Belfort

For Geology

#616 in Europe

#2076 in the World

Enrollment: 2,455
Founded: 1999

74. University of Le Havre

Normandy | Le Havre

For Geology

#626 in Europe

#2140 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 7,591
Founded: 1984

75. University of Southern Brittany

Brittany | Lorient

For Geology

#633 in Europe

#2168 in the World

Enrollment: 9,477
Male:Female: 53:47
Founded: 1995

76. New Sorbonne University - Paris III

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Geology

#639 in Europe

#2200 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 15,232
Founded: 1971

77. University of Corsica Pascal Paoli

Corsica | Corte

For Geology

#661 in Europe

#2337 in the World

Enrollment: 4,183
Founded: 1981

78. University of Technology of Troyes

Grand Est | Troyes

For Geology

#662 in Europe

#2340 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 3,196
Male:Female: 77:23
Founded: 1994

79. National Engineering School of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering

Nouvelle-Aquitaine | Futuroscope

For Geology

#669 in Europe

#2383 in the World

Enrollment: 768
Founded: 1948

80. University of Evry-Val d'Essonne

Ile-de-France | Evry

For Geology

#673 in Europe

#2400 in the World

Enrollment: 6,458
Founded: 1991

81. University of New Caledonia

New Caledonia | Noumea

For Geology

#676 in Europe

#2410 in the World

Enrollment: 3,536
Founded: 1987

82. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Rouen

Normandy | Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray

For Geology

#677 in Europe

#2411 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 2,003
Founded: 1985

83. National Veterinary School of Alfort

Ile-de-France | Maisons-Alfort

For Geology

#681 in Europe

#2437 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 800
Founded: 1765

84. National School Mines - Telecom Lille Douai

Hauts-de-France | Douai

For Geology

#701 in Europe

#2554 in the World

Founded: 2017

85. Graduate School of Chemistry, Physics and Electronics, Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Villeurbanne

For Geology

#716 in Europe

#2635 in the World

Founded: 1994

86. University of French Polynesia

French Polynesia | Puna'auia

For Geology

#722 in Europe

#2687 in the World

Enrollment: 2,944
Founded: 1987

87. Polytechnic University of Hauts-de-France

Hauts-de-France | Valenciennes

For Geology

#724 in Europe

#2694 in the World

Enrollment: 10,994
Founded: 1964

88. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Rennes

Brittany | Rennes

For Geology

#729 in Europe

#2715 in the World

Enrollment: 1,854
Founded: 1966

89. University of Rennes 2

Brittany | Rennes

For Geology

#735 in Europe

#2748 in the World

Enrollment: 23,365
Founded: 1969

90. EHESP School of Public Health

Brittany | Rennes

For Geology

#743 in Europe

#2771 in the World

Enrollment: 433
Founded: 1945

91. Jean Moulin University Lyon 3

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

For Geology

#745 in Europe

#2777 in the World

Enrollment: 26,754
Founded: 1809

92. National Graduate School for Advanced Technologies

Ile-de-France | Paris

For Geology

#747 in Europe

#2788 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 897
Founded: 1970

93. National Graduate School of Engineering, Caen

Normandy | Caen

For Geology

#749 in Europe

#2797 in the World

Enrollment: 818
Founded: 1976

94. University of the French West Indies

Guadeloupe | Pointe-a-Pitre

For Geology

#772 in Europe

#2922 in the World

Enrollment: 11,593
Founded: 1850

95. Catholic University of Lyon

Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Lyon

For Geology

#777 in Europe

#2954 in the World

Enrollment: 12,000
Founded: 1875

96. ESSEC Business School Paris

Ile-de-France | Cergy-Pontoise

For Geology

#781 in Europe

#2975 in the World

Founded: 1907

97. University of Nimes

Occitanie | Nimes

For Geology

#789 in Europe

#3001 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 5,993
Founded: 2007

98. National Graduate School of Chemistry of Lille

Hauts-de-France | Villeneuve-d'Ascq

For Geology

#797 in Europe

#3043 in the World

Enrollment: 363
Founded: 1894

99. Higher Institute of Aeronautics and Space

Occitanie | Toulouse

For Geology

#822 in Europe

#3171 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 1,700
Founded: 2007

100. HEC School of Management

Ile-de-France | Jouy-en-Josas

For Geology

#828 in Europe

#3222 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 5,453
Founded: 1881

The best cities to study Geology in France based on the number of universities and their ranks are Paris, Villeurbanne, Montpellier, and Toulouse.

Environmental Science subfields in France

Agricultural Science101

Earth science and Geophysics102

Environmental Chemistry85

Environmental Engineering70

Environmental Management110

Geography and Cartography130

Geotechnical Engineering89

Hydrology and Water resources management12

Meteorology and Atmospheric Science109

Mining Engineering18

Oceanography117

Paleontology128

Petrology and Geochemistry92

Urban and Regional planning26

Wildlife and Fisheries Management & Conservation80