Tourism

Small town in Normandy attracts record visits on Wikipedia

A new ranking puts this famous coastal town in first place, followed by a medieval hilltop favourite, and three mountain resorts

Key safes targeted in latest anti-Airbnb measure in Marseille

The mairie has said it will remove all lock boxes if hosts do not take them down in time

Comment: French YouTuber's Everest ascent is problematic but inspiring

Columnist Nabila Rambani reflects on the achievement of YouTube sensation Inoxtag

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La Grande-Motte: How France's 'New Florida' is proving critics wrong

Once derided as an eyesore, this resort in southern France is now celebrated for its unique architecture

European Heritage days: seven places to visit for free around France

Thousands of sites are participating in the event this weekend. We look at some on offer out of Paris

France boosts electric boat conversion budget

River authority doubles funding to electrify tourist boats, aiming for a greener future in the industry

Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, Brittany; Calls for ban on cruise ships grow in France

Ecologists say the massive ships are an ‘absurdity’ and argue their economic windfalls are overstated

‘Tourist tax’: who pays this in France, how much and when?

Visitors to France may be charged a tourist tax when they stay in a hotel, B&B, campsite, or holiday village. Here is how it works

Property owners in French Alps limited to one tourist rental each

‘Prices are skyrocketing and we need to restore balance,’ says mayor

Record visitor numbers to France's historic sites - before Olympics

More than 11 million tourists flocked to major monuments, marking a 15% year-on-year rise but the Games are thought have attracted a different type of visitor

Photos: See France’s new ‘favourite village’ - have you visited?

From beautiful landscapes to an endless list of things to see and do, this year’s winner is a real Occitanie gem

Mystery of French forest transformed into a gnome village

A growing gnome colony in north-west France which suddenly sprang up is now home to hundreds of whimsical characters, attracting curious tourists keen on uncovering its enigmatic beginnings

Fee to visit Mont-Saint-Michel rejected for other ways to ease crowds

‘People forget that it’s a commune; it’s a village. We can’t just introduce limits and stop citizens from coming and going,’ says the director

10 days off for just 3 holiday days: Why French workers love May

We also look at where people are planning to go during this added holiday time

Visas for France: how often are they refused and for what reasons?

Nearly 3 million visas were requested in 2023

Did you know? One French department does not have passenger trains

Can you guess which? Clue: It has a low population density compared to the national average

US tourist who is Bordeaux botulism victim left unable to see or talk

The 41- year-old architect, from Los Angeles, was among 15 clients who contracted the disease after eating sardines at a wine bar

What is ‘Paris syndrome’ and does it really exist?

First identified in 1989, the culture shock that strikes some Japanese tourists is very real but overblown by the media

How virtual reality is creating new opportunities for French tourism

Tourists can explore Notre-Dame, the Eiffel Tower and Juno beach without setting foot in the country

The amazing popularity of cycling holidays in France

More and more people are taking to bikes - and are welcome, spending more in many cases than other tourists

French attraction moves to tackle problem over overtourism

Mont-Saint-Michel will offer discounts to entice people to come earlier or later in the day

Boost in US, Canadian and Asian visitors to France this summer

Campsite holidays are also proving popular with European holiday-makers, a new report shows

Tourism reversal in France: southerners head north to cool off

We look at problem of ‘over-touristed’ areas and what is being done to help

France overtourism: five alternatives to the most popular destinations

The French government says 80% of tourists in France focus on just 20% of the country

Centre yourself in the wine-making, historical heart of France

We explore the central department of Cher, where visitors can step back in time in the medieval city of Bourges, mess about in boats, or sample some world-famous wine

EU Council confuses Mont Saint-Michel as being in Brittany

The European Union body has apologised for any confusion

Italian anger over the use of Tuscany in French tourism rebrand

“Identity theft is a crime,” said the president of the Tuscany region after communes in Tarn called themselves La Toscane Occitane

Eco-news France: one hour Vueling flight, €4m tourism fund, picnic ban

We share the nine locations to receive sustainable tourism funding and why you cannot munch a sandwich on this sunny seafront

12 phrases every tourist must know before coming to France

As summer arrives, here is what you need to know before your summer holiday in France

Anti-cruise ship protest in Brittany stops visitors from disembarking

Dozens of activists took part citing environmental and mass tourism concerns

These are the French villages most searched on Google

With spring in full flow and several bank holidays on the horizon, which French villages are the most popular?

Manche’s colourful cabins: Good for Instagram but bad for the beach?

The multicoloured beach huts on France’s northern coastline look great in photos and videos, but their rising popularity is causing concern to local authorities

Tourism bounces back as France rakes in €58bn from foreign visitors

New figures show France enjoyed a remarkable recovery after Covid, largely due to the return of European and American visitors

French village warns tourists to expect 'rural noises'

The mayor has installed clear notices warning that tourists should "Enter at your own risk"

Tourism in France: The 2022 trends and outlook for 2023

Camping, theme parks, fewer nights away: We summarise how last year shaped up and look ahead as Paris is named the ‘most powerful’ tourist city in the world

Tourism tax: €148m paid to French communes from Airbnb stays in 2022

A significant part of the taxe de séjour income goes to Paris but almost 30% of the total collected is paid to rural communes with fewer than 3,500 residents

Normandy wins ‘most desirable region’ for British tourists

The region's tourist board says it believed the British would return after Brexit and Covid and 2022 proved it

Whistlestop weekend in Paris makes perfect ‘memorial tour’ finale

On her final French trip in memory of late husband Patrick, writer Sally Ann Voak enjoys a boogie at a traditional guinguette , views repairs to Notre-Dame, and sleeps in Toulouse-Lautrec’s brothel

Explore France’s fortified city that repels invaders but not tourists

The Hautes-Alpes outpost of Briançon, which overlooks five valleys, is now a Unesco World Heritage Site

Updated: French ski resorts opening and closing dates 2022-2023

Missing dates for the 2022/23 ski season in France will be updated when they are announced

French theme park scoops three international awards

The Futuroscope theme park in France was recognised for the green credentials of its new space-themed hotel, picking up more awards than any other park

‘First Plus Beaux Villages de France needs homes not more shops’

We discover the story of Collonges-la-Rouge in the Corrèze, where the mayor is trying to balance tourism with a village for residents

Tourist app uses AI to recognise French landmarks

The ‘Shazam’ of landmarks allows users to take photos of monuments in Paris and Rennes and have instant access to information about the site

Low-rent lock houses in Brittany offered to tourism entrepreneurs

The state-owned canal properties were empty until offered to businesses to boost tourism - an owner shares her ‘warts and all’ story

Armentières’ historic bridge and bawdy song make for inspiring visit

Journalist Sally Ann Voak continues working through her late husband’s travel bucket list by paying tribute to a beloved friend – and unpicking a saucy French legend

98-year-old mountain train to get new track in south west France

The train de la Rhune welcomes around 350,000 visitors per year

Discover Bordeaux’s fountains through the man who worked on them

Michel Cessateur has been involved with every fountain in the city since the end of the 1970s and now shows tourists his favourites

Eurostar to cancel direct London-Disneyland Paris train in June 2023

The company says it is focusing on financial recovery post Covid but that it will review its decision in 2024

French tourism sector largely back on track after pandemic years

Train travel and campsites have been popular this year, while hotel bookings and flights are still slightly down on pre-pandemic levels

Road traffic alerts this weekend as summer holidays end in France

The final weekend of August will be busy across France as people begin the return to school and work. Here are the roads to watch out for

Sale of ‘iconic’ tourism office in French ski town sparks controversy

The traditional, chalet-style building in Courchevel will instead become a luxury jeweller

French armed forces regrets barring two Russians from tourist site

The two women were denied entry to the Château de Vincennes because of confusion over an internal military directive

Tourists who spent night in French tree to escape wild boar fined €270

They called the gendarmerie for help but ended up having to pay a considerable price

Locals clash over win as crowds flock to France's favourite village

Bergheim has been buzzing with tourists since its victory but will it lose its local charm over the next few months? Locals give their views

Residents’ anger after French court suspends short-term rentals rule

The court halted a measure designed to balance holiday rentals with long-term rentals in Pays Basque, prompting calls for a march and more legal action

Why hotel prices in France are going to keep rising

One quarter of hotel managers surveyed recently said they have already put their prices up, with a further 45% saying they plan to

French summer tourist season looks promising after ‘excellent’ winter

One large hotel group has said summer reservations are up 37% on this time in 2019

No Britons, no problem: French ski resorts report successful season

Covid rules meant that most British skiers were banned from France for around one month, but resorts have said that other factors have compensated

Dover Port: ‘Tourist passenger traffic back to normal’ after delays

The port is preparing for another wave of Easter holiday traffic this coming weekend. P&O ferries, however, remain suspended on the Calais route

The Pyrenees village where Napoléon III and Victor Hugo went to bathe

The thermal spa village of Cauterets has a long history of welcoming France’s famous names, who came to relax and enjoy its stunning scenery

Hautes-Alpes: ‘Snow Plan’ launches in Briançon to keep access open

Plans Neige involve measures to make it easier to visit winter resorts at times of heavy snowfall

French architecture: Pont du Gard is country’s most visited roman site

It is the highest aqueduct built in the Roman Empire, and is situated just 20km from Avignon

BREAKING: UK-France travel restrictions will ease tomorrow

People coming from the UK will no longer need an essential reason and will not need to quarantine on arrival

Financial aid for gîte and chambre d’hôtes owners

I'm self-employed renting my chalet in the Alps but now have no income and no prospect of any bookings being made for at least the next three months. I'm counted as a micro-bic, not auto-entrepeneur or other. Is there any financial aid available for me? If people cancel their bookings, can we claim back our lost income from the government or are we entitled to compensation from the tourist board?