Are the French going on holiday in France or abroad this summer?

Tips for getting a refund for a plane ticket in the event of a delay or cancellation, recommendations for having a child travel alone, a list of the most beautiful beaches in Europe for lazing around or getting off the beaten track far from home… So much practical information useful to travelers but also summer chestnuts that are always essential when planning a vacation. But besides, do vacations really take place beyond the French borders as many tourism professionals or the press seem to suggest?

Accommodation cheaper than on the Côte d’Azur, plane tickets more affordable than the train… Many arguments are often put forward to present holidays abroad as less expensive, sometimes giving the impression that holidaymakers prefer to leave the country. This demonstration – however judicious it may be, does not necessarily indicate that July and August holidaymakers follow it…

According to the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur regional tourism committee, 77% of French people plan to spend their holidays in France this summer, a proportion slightly up two points compared to 2023. While social networks, and Instagram in particular, have become real sources of inspiration for choosing a destination with 69% of French people acknowledging this, as revealed by a recent study by the crowdfunding platform Bricks.co*, travel photos that make you dream of the other side of the world do not necessarily indicate that your next holiday plans are not in France. The latest Ipsos barometer for Europ Assistance** even warned that the French were staying in their own country more than the European average, thus nicknamed them “local tourism champions“. Specifically, we are talking about 42% of French people who spend their holidays in France, compared to 30% of Europeans who visit their own country.

While these figures give a trend, we should not imagine that the entire French population chooses the same path. The Easyvoyage*** barometer thus allows us to qualify the statement. The travel guide calculated that half of those leaving stayed in France (and 50% abroad), but a difference is emerging between the working population, seniors and young people. Only 39% of the latter choose France as their holiday destination.

France remains popular with its residents for good reason: seaside holidays still represent the most popular holiday type. According to Ipsos/EuropAssistance, 62% of French people are attached to seaside holidays. According to calculations by eight regional tourism committees, ADN Tourisme and Atout France for an OpinionWay survey published by the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur regional tourism committee, commercial accommodation on the coasts accounts for 42% of departure intentions this year, as last year.

For Easyvoyage, 67% of French people choose the sea, but the travel guide’s barometer highlights the low proportion of vacationers choosing the mountains (14%) or the countryside (15%). Some will even prefer an urban environment to offer themselves a change of scenery. The trend is still discreet, but it is growing, according to Protourisme, the consulting firm for industry players that analyzes the travel preferences of the French each year. In 2019, only 5% of vacationers organized their vacations in a city. This year, they are 9%.

And with its diverse coastlines, there is something for everyone in France, even if the Mediterranean coast remains the top destination. According to Ipsos/EuropAssistance, it is estimated that the PACA region attracts 25% of holidaymakers while Occitanie attracts 21%. For Easyvoyage, the plebiscite is a little more measured, standing at 19.1% and 17.6% respectively. However, there is debate over which coastline holds second place: for Easyvoyage, it is Nouvelle-Aquitaine (15.4%), but for Ipsos/EuropAssistance, it is Brittany (16%).

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