The development of smart cities in France presents both challenges and promising opportunities. French smart cities have made significant progress in areas such as citizen participation, sustainable mobility, energy management and data use. The experiences of the pioneer cities illustrate the potential of smart city concepts to improve the quality of life, promote sustainability and boost economic development. It will be crucial to learn from these experiences and develop best practices that can also be transferred to other cities. The “Top 5 Smart Cities in France” project aims to identify and analyze the most advanced and innovative cities in France in the field of smart city development.