Objective: To assess the quality of life (QOL) of patients with end-stage chronic kidney disease (on dialysis or who have received a kidney transplant). Methods: A cross-sectional self-administered questionnaire survey conducted in 2011 among patients over 18 years of age who were being treated in one of the 21 regions participating in the Nephrology Epidemiology and Information Network (REIN) in 2009. Patients were randomly selected after stratification by age and region. QOL was measured using the generic MOS SF36 questionnaire, as well as specific questionnaires: the KDQoL for dialysis patients and the ReTransQoL for transplant recipients. Results: 1,251 dialysis patients and 1,658 transplant recipients participated in the survey. QOL scores were higher (by 10 to 30.6 points) among transplant recipients than among dialysis patients across all dimensions of the MOS SF36, with regional variations. Among transplant recipients, these scores tended to be closer to those of the general population. Dialysis patients on the transplant waiting list reported better QoL than those not on the list across all dimensions, with differences ranging from 3.9 (general well-being) to 7.5 (physical functioning). Similarly, preemptive transplant recipients reported a better QoL than non-preemptive recipients, with differences ranging from 4.2 points (mental health) to 8.5 (physical limitations). Conclusion: The results of these QoL studies provide arguments in favor of transplantation for clinicians. Clinicians could inform their patients that, when transplantation is feasible and associated conditions are comparable, life after transplantation is of higher quality, particularly due to increased physical capabilities, fewer physical limitations, and improved social relationships.