UXCO Group is set to significantly scale its footprint in the French purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) market with the launch of four new residences totalling more than 1,300 beds for the 2025 academic year. The expansion includes three new UXCO Student sites in Toulouse, Saint-Étienne and Vichy, as well as a landmark Ecla development in Archamps, near Geneva, marking the brand’s first presence outside the Paris region.
The pipeline includes the 290-bed Atlas residence in Toulouse, the 138-bed Baker Hill in Saint-Étienne, and Redwood in Vichy with 104 beds. The flagship Ecla Geneva-Archamps will offer 800 premium beds and extensive shared amenities. These openings support UXCO’s ambition to redefine student living through experience-driven, sustainable communities that foster wellbeing, connection and academic success.
“These new openings in cities with very different profiles demonstrate our commitment to bringing concrete and innovative solutions to territorial needs,” said Maël Aoustin, CEO and President of the Management Board at UXCO Group. “From Toulouse to the Swiss border near Geneva, Saint-Étienne and Vichy, we are creating living spaces that respond to the aspirations of the new generation of students, with particular attention paid to sustainability and well-being.”
All four residences are equipped with co-working lounges, fitness spaces and social zones. Two of them, Atlas and Ecla Geneva-Archamps, are certified BREEAM Very Good, aligning with the group’s broader “Transforming for Good” CSR strategy. The scale and location of these projects address the pressing housing needs in both university cities and cross-border regions with limited supply but high demand from students and young professionals.
For institutional investors and developers, UXCO’s delivery model—backed by Brookfield and powered by in-house development arm Océanis Promotion - offers rare scalability in France’s undersupplied student housing sector. The Group's integrated approach combines asset ownership, development, and operations, enabling control over quality, sustainability, and long-term returns.
With this latest expansion, UXCO Group will operate more than 15,000 beds across 75+ residences in France. The Group is targeting 25,000 beds in the near future, maintaining its position as the country’s leading PBSA provider and a reference in the evolving landscape of alternative residential investment.
People mentioned:
Maël Aoustin – CEO and President of the Management Board, UXCO Group
Companies mentioned:
UXCO Group – PBSA investor, developer and operator
Ecla – UXCO’s premium student housing brand
UXCO Student – UXCO’s core student living brand
Océanis Promotion – UXCO’s in-house development arm
Brookfield – Majority shareholder of UXCO Group
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