"Venir de" vs "être de" when saying where one is from

Question

Hello!Just a question regarding the usage of venir vs. être when saying where one is from: This lesson notes " To say which city you are from in French, you will use the following expression: Je viens de + [city]". One example given is "Je viens de Londres / I am from London". (And no alternative to "venir de" is mentioned in the lesson).  However, a related lesson (https://french.kwiziq.com/revision/grammar/how-to-use-a-to-in-and-de-from-of-with-cities-prepositions) gives an example using "être" to say where one is from: Je suis de La Rochelle / I'm from La Rochelle.It seems there is a subtle difference in meaning (I am from vs. I come from), however in both of the above cases the translation given is "I am from". Could someone clarify if venir and être are interchangeable in this context, or if there are specific uses for each?

Cécile Janty-Davies · Accepted Answer

Bonjour Avery,
There is no real difference between 'être de' and 'venir de' in French and English to indicate hometowns or origins, and in practice, they have become interchangeable.
I would use 'être de' in preference to state that I am French, French-born. 
Je suis de Versailles = I am from Versailles
If I said -
Je viens de Versailles = I come from Versailles 
Although it can mean that it is where I hail from, it could also mean that I have just travelled from the place rather than having been born there.
But in practice, both can be used within a context where there is no doubt about the meaning, to say where you come from.
Hope this helps!