Major towns ranked by population in France (figures given out by the French Government, 30 dec. 2008):
towns:
01 Paris 2,181,371
02 Marseille 839,043
03 Lyon 472,305
04 Toulouse 444,392
05 Nice 347,060
06 Nantes 282,853
07 Strasbourg 272,975
08 Montpellier 251,634
09 Bordeaux 232,260
10 Lille 226,014
for these figures the towns are considered within their administrative boundaries.
urban areas:
01 Paris 11,174,743
02 Lyon 1,648,216
03 Marseille 1,516,340
04 Lille 1,143,125
05 Toulouse 964,797
06 Nice 933,080
07 Bordeaux 925,253
08 Nantes 711,120
09 Strasbourg 612,104
10 Toulon 564,823
The towns part of an urban area are not necessarily related except for their closeness.