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Domain · Physical Sciences · France

Physical Sciences research in France

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ranks first in France for Physical Sciences research in 2022–2025 (#10 worldwide), followed by Université Paris-Saclay and Sorbonne Université.

France's world rank
#6
of 157 countries, 2022–2025
Works, 2022–2025
197k
Top-10% rate
14.5%
Ranked institutions
60

Research strength only: this says nothing about teaching, admissions or cost.

What is the best university for Physical Sciences in France?

#InstitutionWorld rankScoreTop-10% rateWorks
1Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueParis #1075.717.6%23,786
2Université Paris-SaclayGif-sur-Yvette #20044.016.6%4,303
3Sorbonne UniversitéParis #21143.518.8%3,684
4Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies AlternativesParis #35538.016.3%2,973
5Université Bourgogne Franche-ComtéBesançon #36537.727.1%1,171
6Université Grenoble AlpesSaint-Martin-d'Hères #42436.115.3%3,067
7Université Paris Sciences et LettresParis #49734.424.0%1,273
8Université Paris CitéParis #51834.020.9%1,986
9Unité Matériaux et TransformationsVilleneuve-d'Ascq #57532.925.2%738
10Université de StrasbourgStrasbourg #60532.317.0%1,388
11CEA Paris-SaclayGif-sur-Yvette #64231.724.1%928
12Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1Villeurbanne #64831.614.5%2,310
13Université Fédérale de Toulouse Midi-PyrénéesToulouse #72130.517.3%1,746
14Institut de Recherche pour le DéveloppementMarseille #72930.425.2%1,423
15Aix-Marseille UniversitéMarseille #79129.515.0%1,666
16Université de LorraineNancy #80029.412.5%2,155
17Université de MontpellierMontpellier #84228.817.0%1,790
18Ingenierie des Materiaux polymeresVilleurbanne #85928.623.3%768
19European Synchrotron Radiation FacilityGrenoble #92227.916.3%571
20Université de LilleLille #95227.511.5%1,877
21École PolytechniquePalaiseau #96127.417.2%1,132
22Université Toulouse III - Paul SabatierToulouse #96927.316.3%1,306
23École Normale Supérieure - PSLParis #99727.021.8%544
24Université de BordeauxBordeaux #1,01526.914.8%1,384
25Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'EnvironnementParis #1,01926.818.7%1,801
26Institut polytechnique de GrenobleGrenoble #1,19225.114.4%1,136
27Institut Universitaire de FranceParis #1,35823.820.3%653
28Université de RennesRennes #1,37523.613.8%1,334
29InsermParis #1,39923.518.4%968
30Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-YvelinesVersailles #1,43023.220.5%416
31Université Côte d'AzurNice #1,43423.217.6%715
32École Normale Supérieure de LyonLyon #1,43523.215.1%632
33Institut d'Astrophysique de ParisParis #1,47422.937.4%231
34Collège de FranceParis #1,48422.824.8%204
35Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'EnvironnementGif-sur-Yvette #1,55522.431.9%183
36Nantes UniversitéNantes #1,64321.813.2%1,061
37Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies du numériqueLe Chesnay-Rocquencourt #1,68921.514.8%1,169
38École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de MontpellierMontpellier #1,70321.417.9%284
39Institut NéelGrenoble #1,78420.910.1%255
40CEA GrenobleGrenoble #1,85020.510.9%486
41Université Gustave EiffelChamps-sur-Marne #1,86520.413.8%1,518
42Institut Laue-LangevinGrenoble #1,95619.910.1%324
43Institut des Sciences Chimiques de RennesRennes #1,96219.914.4%384
44Université Savoie Mont BlancChambéry #2,06619.318.3%615
45Institut des Géosciences de l'EnvironnementSaint-Martin-d'Hères #2,06819.320.1%181
46ESPCI ParisParis #2,09419.215.8%240
47Observatoire de la Côte d’AzurNice #2,13219.019.8%409
48Institut des Sciences MoléculairesTalence #2,13419.016.2%262
49Synchrotron soleilGif-sur-Yvette #2,14419.010.9%319
50Laboratoire Kastler BrosselParis #2,24018.517.5%98
51Institut Polytechnique de BordeauxBordeaux #2,28918.311.7%940
52Université d'OrléansOrléans #2,30718.216.0%539
53Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des ParticulesParis #2,38217.838.3%226
54Normandie UniversitéCaen #2,41517.713.2%621
55Centre de Nanosciences et de NanotechnologiesPalaiseau #2,41717.78.3%399
56Université de BourgogneDijon #2,42117.713.4%550
57Université de Caen NormandieCaen #2,45817.513.7%565
58Laboratoire de Physique des 2 Infinis Irène Joliot-CurieOrsay #2,46917.530.5%327
59Université de Bretagne OccidentaleBrest #2,47717.413.9%808
60Sorbonne Paris CitéParis #2,54217.118.7%346

Institutions in France above the floor of 40 fractional works in Physical Sciences, ordered by their worldwide rank on research quality, 2022–2025.

Who are the top Physical Sciences researchers in France?

N. Anjos, S. Henrot–Versillé and A. Di Simone rank highest among researchers based in France.

  1. 1N. Anjos#264 worldwide overall6.1k citations · 277 works
  2. 2S. Henrot–Versillé#300 worldwide overall7.5k citations · 336 works
  3. 3A. Di Simone#360 worldwide overall5.7k citations · 270 works
  4. 4N. Besson#655 worldwide overall6.8k citations · 347 works
  5. 5S. Bürke#679 worldwide overall6.9k citations · 363 works
  6. 6P. Fassnacht#796 worldwide overall5.9k citations · 315 works
  7. 7A. Ferrer#871 worldwide overall6.6k citations · 367 works
  8. 8D. R. Wardrope#902 worldwide overall5.6k citations · 295 works
  9. 9M. D. M. Capeans Garrido#937 worldwide overall6.6k citations · 359 works
  10. 10P. Laycock#939 worldwide overall6.3k citations · 341 works
  11. 11G. Stoicea#1,036 worldwide overall5.1k citations · 276 works
  12. 12N. Benekos#1,055 worldwide overall6.9k citations · 386 works
  13. 13S. Oda#1,081 worldwide overall6.6k citations · 365 works
  14. 14L. Duflot#1,097 worldwide overall5.6k citations · 304 works
  15. 15D. Berge#1,148 worldwide overall5.6k citations · 323 works

How France compares with other countries in Physical Sciences