Versailles, France

Capital City

With a population of 84,095, Versailles may seem like a quaint slice of French royalty, but the reality is a bureaucratic headache for most. The city was engineered to serve as a capital and seat of power, not a livable community, leaving residents to navigate a maze of large avenues and compartmentalized neighborhoods. And while the climate is generally mild, the winters bring light but persistent snow, a nuisance for those seeking the Mediterranean idyll. Still, Versailles remains an important military and administrative center, making it a suitable option for those with government or civil service careers who don't mind the chilly bureaucracy.