The French hotel sector confirms its solid momentum at the start of 2026.
According to the latest barometer published by In Extenso Tourism, Culture & Hospitality, February continues January’s trend, with indicators on the rise at the national level, despite persistent regional disparities.
In February, the occupancy rate of hotels in France reaches 55%, up 1 point year over year. The average revenue per room (RMC) stands at €107 excluding tax (+1%), while the RevPAR increases by 2%, to €59 excluding tax. Over the first two months of the year, the average RevPAR reaches €58 excluding tax, also up by 2%.
“”February confirms the broadly positive momentum of the French hotel market at the start of 2026“,” says Olivier Petit, CEO at In Extenso Tourism, Culture & Hospitality.
A trend driven by both the rebound in demand and a dense event calendar, even though some uncertainties remain, notably related to the international geopolitical context.
According to the latest barometer published by In Extenso Tourism, Culture & Hospitality, February continues January’s trend, with indicators on the rise at the national level, despite persistent regional disparities.
In February, the occupancy rate of hotels in France reaches 55%, up 1 point year over year. The average revenue per room (RMC) stands at €107 excluding tax (+1%), while the RevPAR increases by 2%, to €59 excluding tax. Over the first two months of the year, the average RevPAR reaches €58 excluding tax, also up by 2%.
“”February confirms the broadly positive momentum of the French hotel market at the start of 2026“,” says Olivier Petit, CEO at In Extenso Tourism, Culture & Hospitality.
A trend driven by both the rebound in demand and a dense event calendar, even though some uncertainties remain, notably related to the international geopolitical context.
Paris and Île-de-France Stand Out
In Paris and Île-de-France, hotel activity remains well oriented.
The capital records a RevPAR of €141 excluding tax in February, up 5% year on year. This performance is supported by rising prices, particularly in the mid-range segment, as well as by higher demand.
The dynamism largely rests on a rich calendar that blends business and leisure: trade shows such as Wine Paris & Vinexpo, sports events like the Six Nations Tournament, and calendar milestones such as Valentine’s Day and the Chinese New Year.
Over the first two months of the year, the cumulative RevPAR in Paris reaches €151 excluding tax (+6%), confirming the destination’s role as a driver, even if the rest of the Île-de-France region shows more mixed results.
The capital records a RevPAR of €141 excluding tax in February, up 5% year on year. This performance is supported by rising prices, particularly in the mid-range segment, as well as by higher demand.
The dynamism largely rests on a rich calendar that blends business and leisure: trade shows such as Wine Paris & Vinexpo, sports events like the Six Nations Tournament, and calendar milestones such as Valentine’s Day and the Chinese New Year.
Over the first two months of the year, the cumulative RevPAR in Paris reaches €151 excluding tax (+6%), confirming the destination’s role as a driver, even if the rest of the Île-de-France region shows more mixed results.
Regions Still Display Mixed Performance
In the regions (excluding the Côte d’Azur), February appears more mixed. The occupancy rate stays around 50%, with an average price of €84 excluding tax, broadly stable year over year. Only the high-end segment stands out, with RevPAR up by 3%.
Weather conditions weighed on several destinations, notably the coastal areas, as well as cities such as Marseille or the Basque coast around Biarritz. On the coasts outside the Côte d’Azur, RevPAR falls by 8%, with declines especially pronounced on the southwest and Mediterranean fronts.
Some cities benefited from the calendar effect. Lille benefited from cultural and sports events, while Montpellier benefited from the return of the Open Occitanie. However, these occasional dynamics do not suffice to erase gaps between destinations or to overcome the challenges facing the ultra-budget segment.
Weather conditions weighed on several destinations, notably the coastal areas, as well as cities such as Marseille or the Basque coast around Biarritz. On the coasts outside the Côte d’Azur, RevPAR falls by 8%, with declines especially pronounced on the southwest and Mediterranean fronts.
Some cities benefited from the calendar effect. Lille benefited from cultural and sports events, while Montpellier benefited from the return of the Open Occitanie. However, these occasional dynamics do not suffice to erase gaps between destinations or to overcome the challenges facing the ultra-budget segment.
Confirmed Rebound on the Côte d’Azur
On the Côte d’Azur, February marks a clear rebound in activity. The occupancy rate rises to 53% (+4 percentage points), the average price reaches €107 excluding tax (+5%), and RevPAR jumps by 9%, to €56 excluding tax.
This rebound is largely supported by the event calendar, notably in Cannes, with the return of MIDEM, the IPEM Wealth, the World AI Cannes Festival, and the International Games Festival. In Nice, the Carnival and the Monte Carlo Rally also helped boost attendance, particularly in the mid-range and upper segments.
The sole downside concerns the luxury and palace segment, where price increases appear to have tempered demand.
Finally, urban residences show relative stability in February. Occupancy reaches 64% (+2%), with an average revenue of €76 excluding tax (-1%) and a RevPAR of €49 excluding tax (+1%).
Île-de-France remains the main engine of this segment, with a 3% rise in RevPAR. In the regions, performance remains more uneven, with a decline in the very large urban areas, particularly in the mid-range.
This rebound is largely supported by the event calendar, notably in Cannes, with the return of MIDEM, the IPEM Wealth, the World AI Cannes Festival, and the International Games Festival. In Nice, the Carnival and the Monte Carlo Rally also helped boost attendance, particularly in the mid-range and upper segments.
The sole downside concerns the luxury and palace segment, where price increases appear to have tempered demand.
Finally, urban residences show relative stability in February. Occupancy reaches 64% (+2%), with an average revenue of €76 excluding tax (-1%) and a RevPAR of €49 excluding tax (+1%).
Île-de-France remains the main engine of this segment, with a 3% rise in RevPAR. In the regions, performance remains more uneven, with a decline in the very large urban areas, particularly in the mid-range.
Published by Amelia Brille TourMaG.com Editor See all articles by Amelia Brille
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