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Airbnb: French Prefer English Channel Coasts and Mountains This Summer

September 16, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Villers-sur-Mer arrive en tête des destinations françaises enregistrant les plus fortes progressions de recherches sur Airbnb cet été. Depositphotos.com/nupix

MSC Croisières

The French have prioritized nearby destinations this summer.

According to Airbnb, searches were notably concentrated on the coastal towns of the Manche, with five destinations among those showing the strongest increases: Villers-sur-Mer (+45 %), Cherbourg-en-Cotentin (+34 %), Saint-Valery-sur-Somme (+31 %), Le Crotoy (+30 %) and Le Tréport (+25 %).

The Northern Coastline Appeals

The ranking is led by Villers-sur-Mer, ahead of Collioure (+39 %) and Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez (+36 %). Benodet (+35 %) and Cherbourg-en-Cotentin round out the top of the table, while Perros-Guirec (+29 %) and Noirmoutier-en-l’Île (+26 %) also feature among the most searched destinations.

This rise in northern coastal destinations comes during a summer marked by several heatwaves. Airbnb highlights the appeal of these territories for their natural spaces and a climate perceived as milder.

The Mountains Continue to Grow in Popularity

Rural areas account for 64% of bookings made in France on Airbnb. The mountain region is also gaining traction: the volume of searches for Le Bourg-d’Oisans has notably more than doubled. Huez, Les Gets, Chambon-sur-Lac and Samoëns are also among the mountain destinations favored by users.

Another takeaway: the French prefer relatively close destinations, with stays averaging less than 350 km from home. For Clément Eulry, director of Airbnb France, this shift reflects a desire to explore a broader palette of destinations beyond the main tourist hubs.

Airbnb Expands Its Offerings in France with Three New Services

September 8, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Airbnb enrichit son offre en France avec trois nouveaux services - Depositphotos.com @lucidwaters

Hurtigruten

Airbnb continues to broaden its offering in France.

The platform now provides three new services directly from its app: luggage storage, car rental, and private airport transfers. The stated aim is to simplify the organization of the stay, going beyond merely booking accommodation.

With these new features, Airbnb seeks to address several logistical constraints that travelers may encounter before, during or after their stay.

The platform relies on three specialized partners for this: Bounce for luggage storage, CarTrawler for car rental and Welcome Pickups for airport transfers.

According to a study conducted by Airbnb with Focaldata, 53 % of travelers report having needed a luggage storage service in the past twelve months. In France, 96 % of travelers who have already used this type of service consider it very useful.

A luggage storage service offered in several French destinations

Airbnb now allows you to book a luggage storage directly from its app, thanks to its partnership with Bounce.

The service grants access to more than 24,600 drop-off points spread across more than 800 cities worldwide, representing a 350 % increase since its official launch in May.

In France, the offer is notably available in the Alpes-Maritimes, the Aude, the Calvados, Cannes, Côte-d’Or, Finistère, Haut-Rhin, Hendaye, Lille, Montpellier, Nancy and Metz, Nantes, Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Pyrénées-Orientales, as well as Reims and the Sarthe.

Travelers can reserve a space for a few hours or several days to drop off their luggage before arriving at their accommodations or after departure. For eligible bookings, an automatic 15 % discount is applied.

Car rental integrated into the app

Another novelty: car rental. Airbnb has partnered with CarTrawler to enable travelers to compare and book a vehicle directly from the platform, anywhere in France.

According to the study conducted by Focaldata for Airbnb, 84 % of travelers find the ability to book a rental car alongside their lodging to be useful. This share reaches 44 % for French travelers who rate this option as “very useful.”

On their first eligible booking, users can receive an Airbnb credit equal to 20 %, usable later for certain stays, experiences, or services offered on the platform. Discounts up to 20 % are also available with some rental partners.

Private transfers from several airports

Airbnb completes its offering with private transfers from airports, in partnership with Welcome Pickups. The service allows you to book your trip ahead of time. The ride is confirmed in advance and a driver is arranged upon the traveler’s arrival.

In France, this feature is currently available in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, as well as Lille, Montpellier, Nantes, Rennes, and Strasbourg. Depending on the destination, discounts of up to 20 % may be applied.

Published by Amelia Brille TourMaG.com Editor
See all articles by Amelia Brille

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Global News You Can’t Miss: Ebola, Airbnb, ESTA

June 29, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

La revue de presse internationale de la semaine - Depositphotos.com Auteur serezniy

CroisiEurope

Au sommaire de la revue de presse de la semaine du 18 mai 2026 :

Ebola : the United States tightens border controls

Riyadh Air opens its first commercial flights to London

The United States aims to ease its traveler social media screening project

Thailand: visa-free stays reduced to 30 days to curb abuses

American airlines oppose airport security privatization

Cruises: demand remains strong despite health alerts

Airbnb expands into car rentals and encroaches on Expedia and Booking

Toward a single European train ticket and strengthened passenger rights

Did you know? The “grief tourism,” when travel helps you grieve

Ebola: the United States tightens border controls

Les États-Unis durcissent les contrôles sanitaires pour les voyageurs en provenance d’Ouganda, de République démocratique du Congo et du Soudan du Sud, touchés par le virus Ebola. @depositphotos/motortion

The United States has announced a tightening of health screenings for travelers arriving from Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan, countries affected by an Ebola outbreak.

Authorities also plan to temporarily restrict certain visas for people who have stayed in these countries within the last 21 days.

This decision comes after the infection of an American citizen in the DRC and the World Health Organization’s declaration of a public health emergency of international concern.

According to U.S. officials, the risk to the general population remains “low” at this stage.

An info from france24.com

Riyadh Air opens its first commercial flights to London

La compagnie Riyadh Air reliera officiellement Riyad et Londres-Heathrow au 1er juillet 2026. @depositphotos/VanderWolf Images

The airline Riyadh Air officially launches its commercial services on July 1, 2026, between Riyadh and London Heathrow, after a staff-only testing phase.

It then plans connections to Manchester, Madrid and several major cities in the Middle East, with the ambition of reaching more than 100 destinations by 2030.

Positioned in the premium segment, the airline aims to compete with operators like Emirates and Qatar Airways, while developing codeshare agreements with major international carriers.

Source: euronews.com

The United States wants to ease its traveler social media screening project

Les États-Unis envisagent d’alléger leur projet de contrôle des réseaux sociaux des voyageurs. @depositphotos/brainpencil1

The Customs and Border Protection are considering a more targeted version of their project requiring foreign travelers to provide several years of social media history to enter the United States via ESTA.

Facing criticism from the travel industry and the public, the agency is now studying a “cascade approach”: the amount of information requested would depend on the answers given on the travel authorization application.

No implementation is expected before the end of 2026 at the earliest.

Read more on travelweekly.com

American airlines oppose the privatization of airport security

Cruises: demand remains strong despite health alerts

La demande mondiale de croisières continue de progresser en 2026. @depositphotos/ml12nan

Despite several recent outbreaks of norovirus and hantavirus aboard ships, global cruise demand continues to rise in 2026. Industry professionals say these incidents have only a limited impact on bookings, as passengers remain relatively insensitive to current health news.

The Cruise Lines International Association projects around 38.3 million passengers this year, setting a new record.

Bookings, often placed well in advance, limit the effect of health alerts on demand. Industry insiders also emphasize that case numbers remain a tiny fraction relative to the total number of passengers.

See the full article on euronews.com

Airbnb enters car rental and encroaches on Expedia and Booking

Airbnb propose désormais la location de voitures sur son application. @depositphotos/Primako

Airbnb markedly expands its business by now integrating car rental directly into its app.

The company also extends its services to other travel segments, such as airport transfers, experiences, grocery delivery, and baggage storage.

With these developments, Airbnb moves closer to the model of major OTAs like Expedia and Booking, which already offer comprehensive packages to keep travelers within their ecosystems.

The aim is notably to capture a portion of travelers, given that about a quarter of Airbnb guests already rent a car during their stay through other platforms.

See it on skift.com

Towards a single European rail ticket and strengthened passenger rights

La Commission européenne souhaite simplifier l’achat de billets de train entre les différents opérateurs. @depositphotos/rabbit75_dep

The European Commission proposes a major reform to simplify rail travel across the European Union. The goal is to allow the purchase of a single ticket that covers multiple rail operators, including cross-border journeys.

Travelers will be able to compare and book their trips more easily via a single platform, while benefiting from better protection in case of missed connections (assistance, refunds, rerouting).

The reform also imposes greater transparency on booking platforms and a neutral presentation of offers, notably by considering their environmental impact.

More information at rance.representation.ec.europa.eu

Did you know? The “grief tourism,” when traveling helps you grieve

Selon des études récentes, le marché du “tourisme de deuil”est en forte croissance. @depositphotos/CITAlliance

Travel is no longer solely about escaping; it can also help with bereavement. Grief tourism is a new wellness travel trend where people who have lost someone close to them undertake dedicated retreats to better manage their emotions.

These stays take various forms: therapeutic retreats, group sharing circles, healing experiences, and cruises focused on emotional support. The aim is to experience grieving within a structured, communal setting, far from everyday life.

According to recent studies, this market is growing strongly, driven by greater awareness of mental health issues and the need for psychological support.

Specialized organizations now offer these trips as spaces for rebuilding and emotional resilience.

Read on euronews.com

Airbnb: 3rd Edition of the Heritage and Local Tourism Grand Prix

June 14, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Airbnb et la Fondation du patrimoine lancent la 3e édition du « Grand Prix du patrimoine et du tourisme local », Despositphotos.com, Photo by Primakov

Dream Yacht

From Monday, June 1, Airbnb and the Heritage Foundation invite the French to vote to support the project of their choice among 12 emblematic rural sites spread across France.

This initiative, with Airbnb as a sponsor, aims to restore the heritage of communes with less than 20,000 inhabitants that hold significant historical, architectural, or cultural interest, in order to turn them into drivers of economic and tourist development:

The Pionsat Castle (Puy-de-Dôme)

The Cachat refreshment stand in Evian-les-Bains (Haute-Savoie)

The La Mure Market Hall (Isère)

The Châtelet of the Château de Vitré (Ille-et-Vilaine)

Capu Neru Tower in Coti-Chiavari (South Corsica)

The Governor’s Stables and the King’s Bastion in Rocroi (Ardennes)

The Lewarde Mining History Center (Nord)

The Daubigny Museum in Auvers-sur-Oise (Val-d’Oise)

The Medieval Castle of Château-sur-Epte (Eure)

The Suspension Bridge of Tonnay-Charente (Charente-Maritime)

Saint-Pierre Church of Collonges-la-Rouge (Corrèze)

Marsillargues Castle (Hérault)

The three communes that receive the most votes will benefit from substantial financial support to accelerate restoration work: €150,000 for first prize, €125,000 for second, and €100,000 for third.

How to vote?

The general public has a voting window from June 1 to June 28, 2026, at midnight to express their vote and back their favorite site.

To participate, all you need to do is log on to the official website of the Heritage Foundation. The winners will then be announced during July 2026.

Alexandre Giuglaris, General Manager of the Heritage Foundation, states: “Heritage is a cause that brings people together. Through this Grand Prix, the Heritage Foundation invites everyone to support the heritage site that matters most to them. By voting, you contribute concretely to safeguarding the treasures of our rural landscapes.”

A Real Impact for France’s Rural Areas

This competition is part of a broader program: since 2022, 215 projects located in rural zones across France have already benefited from support through this partnership.

Demonstrating the local roots of the initiative, nearly 90% of these projects are in towns with fewer than 3,500 inhabitants, and about 75% of them aim to ultimately welcome the public.