When retirement comes, the French feel like traveling. According to a 2025 Ipsos study, 63% of seniors over 65 plan to travel in the next five years, and 70% have already done so in the past two years. And they are far from the only ones. Across the world, those over 65 who can afford it take advantage of retirement to discover new destinations. So much so that the travel site Firebird Tours has compiled a list of the best countries to visit as a retiree.
The travel site has decided to highlight places “where being 60 is better than being 20”. It bases this on several objective criteria: the share of seniors in the country, reduced rates in museums and in transportation, the percentage of places walkable on foot, indices of peace, safety and national health, as well as the number of UNESCO-listed sites and Michelin-starred restaurants.
The Best Retirement Destination Is Found in Asia
With these criteria, France only ranks 24th. Despite hosting 641 Michelin-starred restaurants in the country — more than anywhere else — the perceived safety level, which is rather low, costs it many points. It is therefore far from the top of the ranking, with Japan occupying first place. Thanks to its aging population and to the infrastructure designed for them, to its rich culture and to its safety beyond question, the land of the rising sun would be the best destination for retirees.
The first European country on the list appears in second place. It is Germany. This is notably thanks to its senior-friendly transport policy, including for non-German residents, to its 54 UNESCO sites and to its 336 Michelin-starred restaurants. Almost all other top-10 countries are European. We find Spain, Slovenia, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands. Like France, Italy is pushed into the background and ranks 11th.
A Ranking You Can Create Yourself Based on Your Own Criteria
In tenth place we find Canada, the first American country to appear in the ranking. The United States sits at 20th, still ahead of France. Results quite different from the usual travel rankings. For a long time, France has been the undisputed leading destination for world travelers. Moreover, our seniors do not tire of it: 55% of their stays take place in France.
If you are a retiree looking for your next destination but only some of the criteria proposed by Firebird Tours interest you, you can look at the details. If we focus only on the criterion of special pricing for older travelers in transportation, Hungary comes first. In terms of safety, however, New Zealand tops the list. For fine dining, there is no secret: France is the place to stay.
