I guess it depends on what your criteria are. Bordeaux is a lot wetter than Nice, and the extremes in Montpellier can be quite harsh. There are no mountains near Bordeaux, and you need to drive a good 30-45mn out of Montpellier to get anywhere nice.
I completely agree that the night life and cultural scene is far better in student cities such as Bordeaux, Lyon, Nantes, Montpellier etc
That's a bit unfair, isn't it? I liked Lyon, the city centre is just the right size, great restaurants, a nice selection of different bars, from cheap pub to fancy cocktail bars. It's a lot cheaper, a lot younger, and a lot more vibrant than anything on the mediterranean
How long have you stayed there though? And when was it?
I feel like the last 5 years have been good for the city, it has seen a lot of new restaurants and bars. Also, there are now real chinese restaurants which blows my mind.
It's still pretty hard to find a bar with people during the week though, unless you're going to the vieux Lyon but then it's not that big either.
Check Bordeaux, Montpellier, Toulouse, Lille, Strasbourg, Rennes, etc. They have a way more vibrant life and way more students. Restaurants are not that great in Lyon either compared to the rest of France I find.
I completely agree that the night life and cultural scene is far better in student cities such as Bordeaux, Lyon, Nantes, Montpellier etc