How has France avoided Europe's anti-tourism protests?
Protests against over-tourism started in earnest in Spain in 2024 and
have resumed this summer
, while
Portugal and Italy have also seen demonstrations ranging from stickers and graffiti to protest marches and symbolic actions like spraying tourists with water pistols.
Protesters stress that they are not against tourism per se, and recognise the value it brings to the local economy, but they are fed up with the effects on locals - especially on the housing market.
Access to housing was clearly a key factor in the recent protests in Spain - and it's recognised as a problem in certain areas of France too, particularly tourism hotspots.
And yet despite this, these demonstrations have so far largely skipped France, which seems odd, given the pressure on housing in popular parts of the country (and also, let's face it, the French are not usually shy about protesting).
It's certainly not to do with the tourist demand - France is the world's most visited tourist destination, a title it has hung on to since 2016, and it's
predicted to break its own tourism records
again in 2025.
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Tourism problems
This is not to say that there are no tourism-linked problems in France and, as in Spain, the number one issue is tourists pricing locals out of the housing market.
In response, n
umerous
French cities have cracked down on Airbnb with key box bans
, for example. France also
introduced strict new laws on renting out holiday homes
on January 1st this year, and
lawmakers voted in favour of a bill to tighten Airbnb regulation
.
And it's not as if there are no tensions between locals and tourists. At the height of the summer 2022 drought, a
mystery night-time environmental vandal sabotaged outdoor jacuzzis at holiday lets and second homes in the Vosges
.
A small-scale protest in the popular French Alpine tourist town of Annecy last summer had a similar goal to the Spanish demos: 'to raise awareness of the issues of overtourism and to denounce the ransacking of the old districts of Annecy'.
Organisers argued at the time that certain newly introduced rules in the picturesque and historic centre favoured tourist shops and terraces, to the detriment of local residents.
Housing shortages
While France does have shortages of housing, especially in tourist hotspots, the pressure is not the same as in Spain - partly due to simple goegraphy.
According to Spain's Ministry for Territorial Policy, 90 percent of the country's population lives in 1,500 towns and cities occupying 30 percent of the land while the other 10 percent are distributed across the remaining 70 percent of the territory.
While France has the greater Paris Île-de-France region, the most populous in the country, there are other big cities in the interior of the country such as Lyon, Toulouse and Strasbourg for example. All of which have their satellite towns and villages. As do the big coastal cities of Nice, Marseille, Bordeaux.
Frankly, there isn't as much empty space in France – much of the interior of Spain is as good as empty because it is far too hot in summer and bitterly cold in the winter. The population here is more spread out.
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There's also the fact that the French government has been taking action in this area - apart from the measures limiting tourist rentals outlined above, there is also
the '
zone tendue
' designation
, which indicates that an area either has a housing shortage, or the housing is too expensive for the local market.
Being given this designation gives local authorities powers including a block on new tourist accommodation or the imposition of extra taxes on second homes or tourist rentals, with the money spent on creating more housing.
Over-crowding
It would be accurate to say that France has suffered from knock-on effects of mass tourism, but they seem to be primarily concentrated in certain areas, such as Paris, Mont-Saint-Michel and the Calanques national park, for example.
In 2023, the cliffs of Etretat, in Normandy, and the Calanques, around Marseille, La Ciotat, and Cassis on the Mediterranean coast, made the
Fodor's Travel
list of places to avoid because of tourist overcrowding and threats to the environment.
Advertisement
An increasing number of tourist hotspots are either capping the number of visitors allowed or introducing a pre-booking system in order to control numbers.
READ ALSO
:
Visiting France: What activities and places do I need to reserve in advance?✎
Nor is there any doubt that
climate change is already changing the French landscape. During the summer of 2023, France saw soaring temperatures and wildfires around the Mediterranean, leading many tourists to cancel their holidays. Although France
has not, so far, been as badly affected as Greece or Italy
, the long-term trends are for temperatures to rise and wildfires to become more common.
READ ALSO
Visiting France: What activities and places do I need to reserve in advance?
Tourist spread
But despite having obvious problems in some areas, tourism does tend to be more spread out in France - both geographically and seasonally.
The French tourism offering is not just beaches - it has popular cities, seaside resorts, rural areas and a thriving mountain tourism sector. Holidays in France range from lying on the beach to taking up extreme sports in the Alps, from wandering around markets in small towns to hitting up the world-class galleries in Paris.
It's also not just a summer destination - while summer tourism is popular there's also a busy ski season and plenty of year-round tourism in the cities.
READ ALSO
:
Six reasons why France is so popular with tourists✎
Matt Philipps Managing Editor of travel app Polarsteps told sister site The Local Spain earlier this year: 'Spain's tourism is heavily concentrated in coastal areas and a few major cities, while France spreads its tourists across many different regions and types of destinations, from the Loire Valley châteaux to the French Alps, from Provence to Normandy, and from wine regions to small historic villages'.
Rosie Mansfield, from canal boat holiday specialists French Waterways, agreed. 'France has a highly developed tourism offering, with greater geographic spread throughout the country,' she said.
That said, according to the French government, some 80 percent of the country's tourist activity is concentrated in just 20 percent of the country.
READ ALSO
The 10 French tourist spots most likely to be overcrowded
The French government set up an Observatoire National des Sites Touristiques at the end of 2024 to monitor the impact of tourism on 15 popular tourist sites across the country, with the intention of expanding the reach of the survey in the future.
Advertisement
Type of tourism
There's also the profile of French tourists.
Tom Bourlet who works for The Stag Company said: 'We don't send any stags or hens [that's bachelor/bachelorette parties, for American readers] from the UK to France. In contrast, Benidorm was our top selling destination in 2024, while we also sent thousands of groups of young Brits to Barcelona and Magaluf'.
Simon Richards, from Provence Holidays, also believes this is an important factor. 'Spain has a stronger dependence on mainstream tourism operators, package holidays and all inclusive resorts – which drives mass tourism that can cause a strain on infrastructure,' he said.
READ ALSO
19 alternative places to visit in France to avoid the crowds
'France, on the other hand, has a higher proportion of independent travel agencies who operate a boutique, locally-driven approach that champions positive tourism.'
There's also perhaps the fact that the majority of France's tourists are French - in total only around 30 percent of the total tourists in France come from overseas, the rest are French enjoying a holiday in their own country.
There's a strong cultural tradition of French people taking a long summer holiday in France, while it's also common in the winter to head to the French Alps or Pyrenees to ski.
In total almost 10 percent of France's housing stock is second homes - and
90 percent of those are owned by French people
.
Perhaps it's just easier to blame tourists when they're foreign ones?
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Local France
11 hours ago
- Local France
How has France avoided Europe's anti-tourism protests?
Protests against over-tourism started in earnest in Spain in 2024 and have resumed this summer , while Portugal and Italy have also seen demonstrations ranging from stickers and graffiti to protest marches and symbolic actions like spraying tourists with water pistols. Protesters stress that they are not against tourism per se, and recognise the value it brings to the local economy, but they are fed up with the effects on locals - especially on the housing market. Access to housing was clearly a key factor in the recent protests in Spain - and it's recognised as a problem in certain areas of France too, particularly tourism hotspots. And yet despite this, these demonstrations have so far largely skipped France, which seems odd, given the pressure on housing in popular parts of the country (and also, let's face it, the French are not usually shy about protesting). It's certainly not to do with the tourist demand - France is the world's most visited tourist destination, a title it has hung on to since 2016, and it's predicted to break its own tourism records again in 2025. Advertisement Tourism problems This is not to say that there are no tourism-linked problems in France and, as in Spain, the number one issue is tourists pricing locals out of the housing market. In response, n umerous French cities have cracked down on Airbnb with key box bans , for example. France also introduced strict new laws on renting out holiday homes on January 1st this year, and lawmakers voted in favour of a bill to tighten Airbnb regulation . And it's not as if there are no tensions between locals and tourists. At the height of the summer 2022 drought, a mystery night-time environmental vandal sabotaged outdoor jacuzzis at holiday lets and second homes in the Vosges . A small-scale protest in the popular French Alpine tourist town of Annecy last summer had a similar goal to the Spanish demos: 'to raise awareness of the issues of overtourism and to denounce the ransacking of the old districts of Annecy'. Organisers argued at the time that certain newly introduced rules in the picturesque and historic centre favoured tourist shops and terraces, to the detriment of local residents. Housing shortages While France does have shortages of housing, especially in tourist hotspots, the pressure is not the same as in Spain - partly due to simple goegraphy. According to Spain's Ministry for Territorial Policy, 90 percent of the country's population lives in 1,500 towns and cities occupying 30 percent of the land while the other 10 percent are distributed across the remaining 70 percent of the territory. While France has the greater Paris Île-de-France region, the most populous in the country, there are other big cities in the interior of the country such as Lyon, Toulouse and Strasbourg for example. All of which have their satellite towns and villages. As do the big coastal cities of Nice, Marseille, Bordeaux. Frankly, there isn't as much empty space in France – much of the interior of Spain is as good as empty because it is far too hot in summer and bitterly cold in the winter. The population here is more spread out. Advertisement There's also the fact that the French government has been taking action in this area - apart from the measures limiting tourist rentals outlined above, there is also the ' zone tendue ' designation , which indicates that an area either has a housing shortage, or the housing is too expensive for the local market. Being given this designation gives local authorities powers including a block on new tourist accommodation or the imposition of extra taxes on second homes or tourist rentals, with the money spent on creating more housing. Over-crowding It would be accurate to say that France has suffered from knock-on effects of mass tourism, but they seem to be primarily concentrated in certain areas, such as Paris, Mont-Saint-Michel and the Calanques national park, for example. In 2023, the cliffs of Etretat, in Normandy, and the Calanques, around Marseille, La Ciotat, and Cassis on the Mediterranean coast, made the Fodor's Travel list of places to avoid because of tourist overcrowding and threats to the environment. Advertisement An increasing number of tourist hotspots are either capping the number of visitors allowed or introducing a pre-booking system in order to control numbers. READ ALSO : Visiting France: What activities and places do I need to reserve in advance?✎ Nor is there any doubt that climate change is already changing the French landscape. During the summer of 2023, France saw soaring temperatures and wildfires around the Mediterranean, leading many tourists to cancel their holidays. Although France has not, so far, been as badly affected as Greece or Italy , the long-term trends are for temperatures to rise and wildfires to become more common. READ ALSO Visiting France: What activities and places do I need to reserve in advance? Tourist spread But despite having obvious problems in some areas, tourism does tend to be more spread out in France - both geographically and seasonally. The French tourism offering is not just beaches - it has popular cities, seaside resorts, rural areas and a thriving mountain tourism sector. Holidays in France range from lying on the beach to taking up extreme sports in the Alps, from wandering around markets in small towns to hitting up the world-class galleries in Paris. It's also not just a summer destination - while summer tourism is popular there's also a busy ski season and plenty of year-round tourism in the cities. READ ALSO : Six reasons why France is so popular with tourists✎ Matt Philipps Managing Editor of travel app Polarsteps told sister site The Local Spain earlier this year: 'Spain's tourism is heavily concentrated in coastal areas and a few major cities, while France spreads its tourists across many different regions and types of destinations, from the Loire Valley châteaux to the French Alps, from Provence to Normandy, and from wine regions to small historic villages'. Rosie Mansfield, from canal boat holiday specialists French Waterways, agreed. 'France has a highly developed tourism offering, with greater geographic spread throughout the country,' she said. That said, according to the French government, some 80 percent of the country's tourist activity is concentrated in just 20 percent of the country. READ ALSO The 10 French tourist spots most likely to be overcrowded The French government set up an Observatoire National des Sites Touristiques at the end of 2024 to monitor the impact of tourism on 15 popular tourist sites across the country, with the intention of expanding the reach of the survey in the future. Advertisement Type of tourism There's also the profile of French tourists. Tom Bourlet who works for The Stag Company said: 'We don't send any stags or hens [that's bachelor/bachelorette parties, for American readers] from the UK to France. In contrast, Benidorm was our top selling destination in 2024, while we also sent thousands of groups of young Brits to Barcelona and Magaluf'. Simon Richards, from Provence Holidays, also believes this is an important factor. 'Spain has a stronger dependence on mainstream tourism operators, package holidays and all inclusive resorts – which drives mass tourism that can cause a strain on infrastructure,' he said. READ ALSO 19 alternative places to visit in France to avoid the crowds 'France, on the other hand, has a higher proportion of independent travel agencies who operate a boutique, locally-driven approach that champions positive tourism.' There's also perhaps the fact that the majority of France's tourists are French - in total only around 30 percent of the total tourists in France come from overseas, the rest are French enjoying a holiday in their own country. There's a strong cultural tradition of French people taking a long summer holiday in France, while it's also common in the winter to head to the French Alps or Pyrenees to ski. In total almost 10 percent of France's housing stock is second homes - and 90 percent of those are owned by French people . Perhaps it's just easier to blame tourists when they're foreign ones?
Local France
20 hours ago
- Local France
Who are France's ‘gens du voyage'?
Headlines in the regional French press featuring the term gens du voyages are rarely positive. Articles in mid-June 2025 tell of them being turned away from a Provencal town . Another, from Beziers, reports an 'illegal' camp on a sports field . A third explains that a group was to be moved on from the Breton town of Auray . One more reports ongoing issues at a recently abandoned site in the Hauts-de-France commune of Neuville-Saint-Rémy . The term itself is neutral French administration-speak for Travellers - literally 'people who travel' - and refers to an administrative status intended for people who live permanently in a mobile land-based habitat (a caravan, in most cases) or who carry out an itinerant activity. It has become, however, a – pejorative and discriminatory – catchall for several communities of people with their own traditions and customs. A recent study found that the highest levels of discrimination in France were reserved for the Roma people , echoing long-standing prejudice against gypsies and travellers that is seen across Europe. Advertisement The four main groups that fall under the umbrella term of gens du voyage are: Oriental Roms, who came from North India in the 13th century and are mainly to be found in Central and Eastern Europe; the Sinti or Manouches, who are mainly settled in Germany and the northern France; Gitanos or Kalés, whose presence in southern France dates back to the Middle Ages; and the Yenish people, who are mainly settled in German-speaking and border countries, and also found in the Gard, Ardèche and Massif Central regions. Some of those classified as Travellers are fairground workers. There are some 350,000 to 400,000 gens du voyage in France, though only about 15 percent of that number have recognisably itinerant lifestyles – as in they move from town to town – according to France's Défenseur des droits. Most tend to remain in one location. In comparison, Insee data shows that in 2021, France had 137,508 residents of British nationality . According to a report by the Défenseur des droits published in October 2021 , travelling communities in France are routinely discriminated against in terms of housing, access to education and health. The report stated that more than one in two French people (52 percent) 'felt uncomfortable' at the idea of having Roma or Travellers as neighbours. That discriminatory sentiment was echoed in a 2023 report by the Commission Nationale Consultative des Droits de l'Homme (CNCDH), which noted that 'the Roma remain the most stigmatised minority' and that, according to a majority of French people, they form a separate group in society. The report called for the allocation of human and financial resources to the fight against 'anti-Gypsyism', as well as enhanced training on 'anti-Gypsyism' in journalism schools because Travellers are often associated with crimes or offences in the media. What is now known as the Besson I law, passed in 1990, obliges towns with more than 5,000 inhabitants to provide permanent halting sites with suitable facilities for Travellers. A decade later, Besson II obliged those same municipalities to participate in a 'departmental reception plan' for travelling communities and specifically stipulated Travellers' right to free movement in France. Municipalities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, meanwhile, are not required to set up specific sites, but must still provide Travellers with somewhere to stay temporarily. 'Officially designated sites [in smaller communes] must have minimal facilities (including sanitation), for a minimum stay of 48 hours and a maximum of 15 days,' according to Maires de France . However, by 2013, only around half the total number of sites planned in Besson II had been built – while only 30 percent of larger sites were ready. Advertisement Many of these sites had been set up on the fringes of towns, or even outside them, where it was difficult to access local services, including public transport. Several were near potentially dangerous industrial zones – one at Rouen-Petit Quevilly was close to the Lubrizol chemical plant – which hit the headlines when a large fire broke out in September 2019 . As the headlines show, Travellers have often ignored sites set up for their use, and settled temporarily elsewhere, prompting a law in March 2007 that permitted local préfets to forcibly move on Travellers from illegally occupied land – if an area had been set up for their use. Prior to January 2017, anyone living a Traveller lifestyle in France – that is to say someone with no fixed residence of more than six months in an EU Member State – was required to have a circulation permit demonstrating their right to move freely and was obliged to regularly report their movements to local police or gendarmerie. No law specifies that itinerant communities must notify local authorities or mayors before their arrival – but it may be expected 'as a courtesy' – and Travellers may also be required to pre-book access to set sites. Advertisement Nor is there any national law that limits how long Travellers can stay at specific sites set up by larger communes. However, a decree does state that a duration limit can be determined by local authorities within a certain framework. 'The maximum duration of the authorised stay is specified in the internal regulations of the reception area,' according to a 2007 memo from the ministère de l'Intérieur et de l'aménagement du territoire . It adds: 'This duration must not encourage the sedentary lifestyle of Travellers in the reception areas, which leads to recommending a duration that does not exceed five months.' France's attitude towards travelling communities – particularly the Roma, who are not listed as gens du voyage has long been controversial. Following violence in response to two incidents in which French police shot and killed Roma, then-President Nicolas Sarkozy vowed in July 2010 to expel half of the 539 Roma squatting in camps. The government initiated a programme to repatriate thousands of Romanian and Bulgarian Roma, as part of the crackdown. Between July and September 2010, at least 51 Roma camps were demolished, and France repatriated at least 1,230 Roma to Romania and Bulgaria. Advertisement The European Commission threatened legal action against France, and EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding branded the expulsions 'a disgrace'. In 2015 two incidents highlighted continuing French attitudes, the mayor of Champlan stoked outrage when he refused to allow a Roma baby to be buried because the municipal cemetery had 'few available plots'. The same year, a union representing bus drivers in Montpellier, proposed the creation of a separate bus service for Roma people following complaints. It's a mistake to dismiss those two shocking articles as 'history'. The Council of Europe's European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) published a report on France's attitude to travellers in 2022 noting that 'Travellers/Roma [...] continue to face discrimination in all areas of life'. It recommended that French authorities recognise caravans as a type of accommodation and to review parking restrictions in light of real needs; introduce a system for tracking identity checks by law enforcement; provide social support measures before any evacuation of an illegal camp and to accept legitimate requests for housing; and guarantee education of Roma and Traveller children – who, it has been reported, were being denied access to schools if their families had set up camps 'illegally'. The French government launched a three-year National Plan to Combat Racism, Anti-Semitism and Discrimination Based on Origin in January 2023. This was the first time such a plan addressed the issue of discrimination against Travelling communities. It aims to affirm the reality of racism and equal rights and opportunities; measure the phenomena of racism, anti-Semitism and discrimination; improve education and training; punish perpetrators and support victims of hate crimes.
Local France
20 hours ago
- Local France
France ‘on track to break its own tourist records in 2025'
France has held the title of the world's most visited tourism spot since 2016, and new Economic Impact Research, produced in collaboration with Oxford Economics, confirms that in 2024, travel and tourism in France broke all previous records across economic contribution, employment, and visitor spending. The sector contributed €266.2 billion to the French economy, the report said, 10.1 percent higher than 2019 levels and equivalent to 9.1 percent of the country's GDP. It supported three million jobs in 2024, a figure that is up 300,000 on 2019. Advertisement International visitor spending reached €72.5 billion, while domestic visitor spending climbed to €142.1 billion, reflecting strong and balanced demand, seeing a hike of 7.1 percent and 5.7 percent on peak levels, respectively. French tourism has long been strongly supported by domestic tourism - in total only around 30 percent of tourists in the country have come from overseas, and it is common for French families to take long summer holidays in France, usually by the sea or in the mountains. And World Travel and Tourism Council projections predict that France's upward trajectory will improve across the board. According to the numbers, the sector is forecast to contribute €274.2 billion to the country's GDP, or a 9.3 percent share of the economy, while employment is expected to reach 3.1 million jobs – or nearly one in 10 of the working population in France. International visitor spending is projected to rise to €75.1 billion, with domestic spend reaching €144.2 billion.
