Mountains

Catalan Pyrenees: 5 Ways to Explore the Mountains This Fall

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From the volcanic rims of Garrotxa to the lush valleys of the Val d’Aran, a journey to five experiences for enjoying the mountains at your own pace, far from the summer bustle.

Sponsored article by Visit Pirineus – Tourist Office of Catalonia

Admire the autumn colors in Garrotxa’s volcanic forests

Volcanic rocks cloaked in vegetation, forests turning golden, and medieval villages: in the eastern foothills of the Catalan Pyrenees, Garrotxa presents a singular landscape. With autumn’s arrival, its volcanic scenery unfolds into a real mosaic of colors. It’s the perfect excuse to lace up your hiking boots and set off to explore a region where nature seems to have reclaimed its domain. Among the must-see sites, the Fageda d’en Jordà deserves a detour on its own. This beech forest grows on an ancient lava flow from the Croscat volcano, and it impresses with gently rolling terrain, punctuated by small mounds called tossols and slender, towering trees. At this time of year, the leaves blanket the paths in a thick coppery layer as light filters through the trunks. Several trails let you walk through the forest and explore the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park. After the stroll, head to Santa Pau, a stone village whose narrow lanes, arches, and ancient houses invite you to extend the experience.

Traveling from village to village along the Ripollès trails

And what if the best way to discover mountain villages was simply to join them on foot? In Ripollès, the trails wind between wooded valleys, meadows, and small towns that have kept their character. Some follow ancient communication routes once used by locals to move from one settlement to another. A entirely different take on hiking, allowing time to pause in the villages you pass through. Among them, Beget looks as if it came straight out of a postcard. Nestled in a green setting, this small town enchants with its stone houses and bridges, as well as its cobbled lanes. But its main treasure lies behind the walls of the Sant Cristòfol church, a Romanesque edifice whose current architecture dates largely to the 12th century. Inside is preserved the Majesty of Beget, a substantial polychrome wooden sculpture representing Christ on the cross, towering at about two meters. Dating from the same period, it ranks among the remarkable works of Catalan Romanesque art.

Savor seasonal products in the Cerdanya

Continuing to the west, the landscape changes. In Cerdanya, valleys open onto wide meadows, surrounded by mountains that sketch the horizon. Known for its sunshine and panoramas, this region of the Catalan Pyrenees is especially suited for autumn getaways. But here, the season is savored also on the plate! With the first rains and the return of cooler temperatures, mushrooms appear in the forest undergrowth. Cepes (porcini), delicious lactarius mushrooms, and other edible varieties take pride of place in the local cuisine. They appear on market stalls and on restaurant menus, alongside artisanal cheeses and cured meats. It’s also impossible to miss trinxat, one of the region’s emblematic specialties. This hearty dish, made from potatoes, cabbage, and pork, perfectly illustrates mountain cooking: simple, nourishing, and rooted in local produce.

Sauté d’encornets, lactaires sanguins et haricots : un plat d’automne avec une touche marine

Explore the glacial lakes and the vast landscapes of Pallars Sobirà

Want to gain a bit more height? Head to Pallars Sobirà, where the Catalan Pyrenees reveal their most spectacular face. It’s here that Catalonia’s highest peaks rise, starting with Pica d’Estats, which peaks at 3,143 meters. Between jagged mountains, deep valleys, and torrents, the region provides a fantastic playground for hiking enthusiasts. The area gives access to two exceptional natural spaces: the Alt Pirineu Natural Park, the largest in Catalonia, and the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, the only Catalan national park, spanning several Pyrenean territories. This latter park is renowned for its more than 200 glacial lakes, nestled at altitude. Trails let you discover these bodies of water, as well as waterfalls and gorges, through hikes suitable for different levels, depending on routes and weather conditions.

Parc National d'Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici
Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici

Listen to the deer’s rut in the Val d’Aran forests

At the western end of the Catalan Pyrenees, the Val d’Aran offers a completely different atmosphere. Under the influence of the Atlantic climate, this valley is characterized by lush landscapes, expansive wooded areas, and rugged mountains with sharp reliefs. In autumn, when the broadleaved trees don vibrant colors, nature presents a spectacle as impressive as it is unusual: the deer’s rut. The forests resonate with the hoarse calls of males during the mating season. These powerful cries, aimed at attracting females and intimidating rivals, are especially audible at dusk and at dawn. To enjoy this experience without disturbing the animals, guided outings led by specialists are offered in the Val d’Aran. From designated observation points, visitors can appreciate the sonic spectacle and, with a bit of luck, glimpse the stags in their natural environment. An original way to discover the mountains, taking time to observe them… and above all, to listen.

From the Great Wall to the Avatar Mountains: Women Travel to China as Strangers

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There are those who had long dreamed of stepping onto the Great Wall, those who wanted to glimpse the vertiginous mountains from the film Avatar, and those who were simply seeking a new destination to add to their travel notebook. In September 2026, ten women aged between 25 and 64 gathered in China for a sixteen‑day circuit organized by Copines de Voyage, having not known each other beforehand.

On the agenda were Shanghai’s skyscrapers, the imperial palaces of Beijing, Zhangjiajie’s towering rock pillars that seem to float in the mist and are often associated with Avatar landscapes, the terraced rice fields, and the lanes of ancient villages, before finishing in Hong Kong. Yet this trip bringing ten women together also answered another wish: to be able to travel far, even when nobody in their circle is available to accompany them. A format that appeals to travelers with very different profiles, balancing a need for freedom, a taste for encounters, and a desire to go with the flow.

China, the trip they no longer wanted to postpone

For several participants, two images were enough to decide: the Great Wall and the Zhangjiajie mountains, those immense columns of rock that seem to float in the mist and are often linked to the landscapes of Avatar. Bringing these two sites together in a single circuit made all the difference.

Virginie, in her forties, had never imagined China as a destination with landscapes. “To me it was just concrete, tall buildings, pollution, factories,” she recalls. But everything changed when, in May 2026, a friend set off solo for three weeks across the country and sent back photos.

Virginie thus discovers a China very different from the one she had pictured. After a stay in Vietnam, she weighs a trek in Nepal against a circuit in the Middle Kingdom. She compares the possibilities, considers the material constraints of a trek, and then decides on China. The Zhangjiajie scenery, the Longji rice terraces, and the Li River landscapes make her want to explore this diversity firsthand.

Even for those who had already visited part of the country, the program sparked a fresh urge to pack their bags. This was the case for Inès, 31. Based in South Korea for four years, this seasoned traveler has already taken part in eleven trips offered by the agency. Shanghai and Beijing? She’s familiar with them. But when she discovers an itinerary that combines the Great Wall with the Zhangjiajie’s spectacular mountains, she’s tempted. China still holds enough discoveries to justify another departure.

Tania, 25, has long been drawn to Asia. The videos, photos, and reports about China eventually convinced her. The trip confirms her enthusiasm: “The landscapes change so completely; if I could do it again, I would do it again and again.”

When travel desires don’t align with those of loved ones

Yet behind these cravings for China lies a recurring challenge: finding someone to go with. Friends don’t always share the same vacation days or priorities, couples have their plans, parents their children, and budgets don’t always move at the same pace. As a result, some journeys remain dreams. For some women, group travel becomes an alternative to solo trips, allowing them to keep exploring without waiting for others.

Inès has been living in South Korea when this ribbon of reality became clear. She enjoys holidays every three months and can allocate a substantial budget to getaways. But friends back in France don’t share her schedule or the means to keep up. Traveling with colleagues isn’t always a viable option either. By joining a group, she no longer needs to wait for calendars to align, and she can continue exploring Asia and discovering the world at her own pace.

Marion, 33, took the leap into women-only travel for another reason. As the New Year approached, she didn’t know what to plan. Her circle struggled to commit, and she dreaded ending up with an itinerary that wouldn’t suit her at the last minute. She finally tried a first, shorter trip, to Lapland.

Virginie also found in this format an answer to the mismatch. In 2016, she wanted to celebrate Holi in India and discover the Taj Mahal, but her friends were either coupled, had children, or lacked the necessary budget. “Or I don’t like traveling alone because it’s dull, there’s no sharing,” she explains. Since that first trip, she has participated in four journeys with the platform.

For Tania, the obstacle is the fear of traveling solo. “I love traveling, but for now I’m too afraid to do it all by myself! For me Copines de voyage was the chance to travel alone but with company.” She also appreciates not having to handle everything. “I didn’t have to worry about arranging visits, activities, hotels, guides, etc.” The presence of a group and a prearranged program allows her to discover a distant country without bearing all the responsibility for each step.

Strangers, apprehensions, and sometimes new friends

The question remains that neither the program nor the landscape photos can fully anticipate: will we get along with the women we will share two weeks with? Affinities aren’t controllable, and the idea of spending days with nine strangers can be intimidating. That’s why many participants prefer to test the concept on a shorter stay before committing to a longer journey.

That was the case for Shazia, a Swiss woman in her thirties. She was eager to discover China, but she chose to test 100% women-led stays with a one-week circuit in Jordan before committing to sixteen days.

As for Virginie, her experience reassured her on one point: even when personalities differ, you often end up finding someone you click with. Affinities form on site, the participants don’t need to share the same lives or habits to enjoy the experience. “You meet nine new girls and often you form a fondness for a few of them”, she says. Some encounters even endure after the trip, with friendships that persist and trips planned for two outside the agency’s framework.

In China, the ten travelers departed with their own dreams and their own reasons. Some sought landscapes glimpsed in photographs, others an adventure they wouldn’t have dared to organize alone. They shared a common thread: they didn’t want to wait for someone to join them. And perhaps that is where the appeal of these women-only journeys lies: turning the absence of a travel companion from an obstacle into the starting point of a new adventure.

Summer 2026: Mountains Gain Ground and Discover Their Limits

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Si la montagne a gagné des parts de marché cet été, la mer garde le marché - DepositPhotos.com, vencav

CroisiEurope


The French mountain resorts registered an occupancy rate of 65.8% from July 4 to August 22, up 2.5% over the summer of 2025 and 5% over 2024 (1).

July drives most of the momentum at 63.3% (+3.6%), August stands at 72% (+1.1%), and the season peak occurs in the week of August 8, at 80.7% (2).

The hierarchy by massif is surprising: the Pyrenees lead with 69,8% (+4 points), ahead of the South Alps (66,8%) and the North Alps (64,6%) (3).

The tourist residences (74.1%) and the hotels (67.9%) hold their levels, holiday villages and real estate agencies register the strongest increases, and the clientele remains French at 81.7% (4).

The weather context explains a large part of the movement: June was the hottest on record, 72 departments on heatwave red alert, a first since the creation of heatwave vigilance in 2004 (5), and a 23-day heatwave from July 28 to August 19 that matches the 1983 record (6).

The peak occupancy at altitude tracks the heat peak in the plains, within a few days of each other.


Second destination, and the gap remains wide

A methodological note is in order here, because occupancy-rate records create an optical illusion whose effects reach all the way to municipal council deliberations.

The occupancy rate measures the filling of a bed stock, not the weight of a destination.

In volume, the hierarchy remains stable: during the summer season 2025, the coastline totaled 104.6 million nights in collective accommodations, versus 44.6 million in the mountain ranges (7). Two nights and a half by the water for every night in the mountains. And both spaces grew at the same pace, +2.7% versus +2.5%.

Summer 2026 confirms this balance of power. While the mountains peak at 72% in August, Brittany reaches 84.8% and the English Channel coastline surpasses 90%, with the strongest rise among all French littoral areas: +4.5 percentage points in July year-on-year (8).

Panels differ, so the comparison is approximate in scale. It is, however, enough to frame the debate. A single phrase sums up the situation: the mountains gain market share, the sea retains the market.

The major climatic shift toward altitude remains, for now, a seductive hypothesis; the measurable shift starts by moving from the south to the north, and only then from low to high.


The Alpine arc follows the same slope

In Switzerland, the ski lifts recorded 7% more first-time entries from May to the end of July, and 29% above the five-year average (9).

In Austria, 41.87 million overnight stays were recorded over the same period (+3.2%), the highest level since 1973 (10), with Alpine refuges around +20% in July (11).

In Italy, the Bolzano province posts a 5.9% rise in arrivals in July (12) and the JFC Observatory estimates the Italian mountain summer at 79 million overnight stays (+5.8%) (13). France therefore sits in the alpine average, rather than at the top.


Three underlying trends

The coolcation becomes structural. Mountain ranges attract demand born elsewhere, that of urban thermal escape. It increasingly benefits mid-mountain and secondary destinations, as flagship sites reach their comfort thresholds. The recommendation to tourism offices remains constant: build now the offer to shift demand toward valleys and mid-altitude ranges, which will inherit the surplus.

Stays are shortening and decisions are made late. Everywhere, arrivals outpace overnight stays: +9.3% vs +4.8% in Austria in July, +5.9% vs +2.2% in South Tyrol (14). In Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, 30% of accommodation activity comes from last-minute bookings, up 3 percentage points in a year (15). In other words, the season is now decided within ten days. Destinations equipped with dynamic pricing management and responsive communication capture this demand; others watch it pass by.

Volume and value diverge. Occupancy rises while on-site spending remains modest. In Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, 65% of resort professionals rate their summer as favorable and hoteliers report 61% satisfaction, while restaurateurs sit at 40% (16). South Tyrol illustrates the same polarization: high-end segments advance while 3-star properties fall by 2.2% (17). International customers concentrate value: 63% of professionals observe stable or rising spending from international clients (18). This is the most striking summer signal: summer mountains attract massively, but monetize unevenly.


Loi Montagne III : what it opens, what it leaves unresolved

The law of August 18, 2026, for a living and sovereign mountain constitutes the third act after 1985 and 2016 (19).

The text acts on five registers :

– Essential services, with the adjustment of opening and closing thresholds for classes and the establishment of a maximum time for access to care ;

– Water, with a principle of shared use and storage of the resource and the facilitation of multi-use hillside reservoirs, pumping from aquifers and mega-bassins remaining excluded ;

– Urban planning, with the relaxation of discontinuous construction and the securing of alpine huts for pastoral use or for welcoming hikers ;

– Agriculture and forestry ;

– finally nature sports, with the extension of easements to routes listed in the departmental plans for spaces, sites and itineraries (20).

The analysis can be summarized in one sentence: this is a law for residents and producers, more than a tourist law. It strengthens year-round living conditions, which remains the best guarantee of a living-in tourism, and it explicitly acknowledges user conflicts by requesting that pastoral activities be taken into account in route plans.

It, however, leaves capacity for hosting in the hands of the territories. The tools for regulating flows, setting access quotas to saturated sites, and pricing externalities remain to be built locally, station by station.


About Armelle Solelhac


Sources

(1) ANMSM – G2A Consulting, press release “The mountain in summer continues to attract more vacationers: +2.5% occupancy rate”, August 27, 2026. Period observed: 4 July – 22 August 2026, data as of August 26, panel of 515,000 beds.

(2) ANMSM – G2A Consulting, Summer 2026 bilan, August 27, 2026 (same data).

(3) ANMSM – G2A Consulting, Summer 2026 bilan, approach by massifs, August 27, 2026.

(4) ANMSM – G2A Consulting, Summer 2026 bilan, approach by types of accommodations and by clientele, August 27, 2026.

(5) Météo-France, climate bilan of June 2026: heatwave from June 17 to 30, 72 departments on heatwave red alert, first since the heatwave vigilance was created in 2004.

(6) Météo-France, summer meteorological bilan 2026: heatwave from July 28 to August 19, length record matched with July 1983.

(7) INSEE Focus No. 363, “Summer tourist season 2025”, September 26, 2025. Summer season May to August, collective tourism accommodations: 104.6 million nights on the coast (+2.7%) and 44.6 million in the mountain ranges (+2.5%).

(8) Alliance France Tourisme, “Summer 2026: the map of French tourism broadens”, August 2026: English Channel littoral, from Le Havre to Opal Coast, +4.5 points occupancy in July year-on-year and nearly +10 points in two years, beyond 90% in August; Brittany at 84.8% occupancy in August (+1.6 point). Hotel panel, distinct from the all accommodations panel of ANMSM.

(9) Seilbahnen Schweiz (SBS), Summer 2026 Season Monitoring, cumulative from season start to July 31, 2026: based on more than 140 ski-lift companies.

(10) Statistik Austria, provisional data for the summer season 2026 (May–July), published August 25, 2026: 41.87 million nights, highest level since the advent of electronic records in 1973; July 2026 at 19.46 million nights (+4.8%).

(11) Österreichischer Alpenverein, mid-season bilan of the refuges season, August 2026: July 2026 nights about 20% higher than July 2025.

(12) ASTAT – Provincial Institute of Bolzano Statistics, provisional July 2026 data: nearly 1.25 million arrivals (+5.9%) and over 5.4 million nights (+2.2%).

(13) JFC Observatory “Montagna estate 2026”, July 2026: 7.8 million arrivals and over 79 million nights, up 5.8% on 2025.

(14) Statistik Austria, July 2026: arrivals +9.3%, nights +4.8%. ASTAT, July 2026: arrivals +5.9%, nights +2.2%.

(15) Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Tourisme – G2A Consulting, Summer Conjoncture Barometer 2026, 2nd wave, 4,276 interviews conducted August 8–19, 2026 in 12 regional départements.

(16) Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Tourisme – G2A Consulting, Summer Conjoncture Barometer 2026, 2nd wave, August 2026: 65% favorable judgments among mountain resort professionals; 61% satisfaction among hoteliers; 40% among restaurateurs.

(17) ASTAT, July 2026: 3-star hotel nights down 2.2%, high-end segment rising.

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Tourisme – G2A Consulting, Summer Conjoncture Barometer 2026, 2nd wave, August 2026: foreign clientele represents 26% of regional attendance; 63% of professionals report stable or rising spending by foreign customers.

(18) Law No. 2026-797 of August 18, 2026 for a living and sovereign mountain, Journal Officiel No. 192 of August 19, 2026. Proposal by (19) Jean-Pierre Vigier, president of ANEM; agreement in committee on July 16, 2026, final adoption on July 20 and 21, 2026, conformity decision by the Constitutional Council No. 2026-912 DC of August 14, 2026.

(20) Senate, “The law in plain language”, proposal for a living and sovereign mountain: adaptation of opening and closing thresholds for classes, maximum time for care access, multi-use hillside reserves with exclusion of aquifer pumping and mega-bassins, relaxation of discontinuous urbanization, support for mountain farming and forests, deployment of rapid charging stations. Provisions kept in joint parliamentary committee: shared-use principle and water resource storage, reconstruction of alpine huts for pastoral use or hiker reception, extension of easements to routes in departmental plans for spaces, sites and itineraries, consideration of agricultural and pastoral activities in these plans to prevent conflicts of use.

(21) FFCAM – Fédération Française des Clubs Alpins et de Montagne: 348,000 nights in 2025 across 120 refuges managed, about 40% of the French refuges, up nearly 9% on the previous record in 2023.

(22) Jean-Luc Boch, president of ANMSM, cited in the association’s August 27, 2026 press release.

Villages Club: Mountains Dominate Summer 2026 Plans

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Hôtel Résidence Vacances Bleues Orhoitza. Photo: Vacances bleues

CroisiEurope


The summer of 2026 ends with a broadly positive overall assessment for several operators of holiday villages and clubs, but with wide disparities depending on the destinations.

The results remain mixed depending on the models. MMV, a specialist in mountain clubs, reports a 5% increase in revenue on a like-for-like basis and an average occupancy rate of 83% in July-August.

Belambra reports a 7% rise in its revenue and a 4.5% increase in the number of guests, welcoming 150,000 vacationers.

Conversely, the tourism residences monitored by the FNRT (Pierre & Vacances, Goélia, Odalys…) show an occupancy rate of 52.6% for the season, down 1.2 points compared with 2025.


Weather reshuffles the deck; the mountains confirm their summer status

The main development of the summer concerns the weight of weather in departure decisions. Episodes of extreme heat have not only squeezed sales at certain times but also encouraged vacationers to alter their destination.

At Miléade, the Mediterranean remained stable compared with 2025, while Atlantic and Channel destinations rose by 5%. The mountains show, by contrast, a 20% growth. Its occupancy rate reaches 78% during the summer and nearly 90% in August.

Odalys also observes a six-point rise in mountain occupancy and a six-point increase in Brittany. Belambra records, on its side, a 13% increase in revenue in its mountain clubs, with occupancy rates close to 100% in the last week of August.

Normandy is among the regions that benefited from VVF, with an announced volume growth of 6 to 8%. VVF’s CEO, Stéphan Le Bihan, estimates that nearly 20% of customers made their decisions in the five last days, depending in particular on the evolution of the weather. About 10% changed destination to seek more coolness.

« The market has split in two », notes Stéphan Le Bihan, while also mentioning the impact of purchasing power on departures.

For MMV, this cooling effect is not new. According to Sylvie Joly, Deputy Chief Executive « holidaymakers are in search of nature and vacations more oriented toward the outdoors. »


Last-minute deals and short getaways: trade-offs quicken


Photo: Milléade

another common trend among operators: customers retain a strong willingness to travel, but adapt the format of their holidays more.

At MMV, the share of short stays rises by 10 points and bookings made less than ten days before arrival are up. VVF also notes an acceleration of short stays, while Odalys records a three-point increase in their share of revenue.

Last-minute remains particularly visible this summer. Belambra, for example, recorded, at the end of July, 60 bookings for same-day arrivals. At Vacances Bleues, heat waves caused temporary sales stoppages before rapid resumption toward destinations deemed more suitable to climatic conditions.

The phenomenon, however, is not solely about the weather. Purchasing power also drives families to arbitrate between duration, level of services and destination. VVF estimates about 8% as the decrease in customers for rentals that match the tightest budgets. For households with more leeway, the stay can be maintained but with more integrated services to better manage the budget.

At Miléade, the Mediterranean remains the primary destination despite the trade-offs: it still accounts for 56% of summer revenue. The mountains, cheaper by 30 to 40% depending on the operator on certain destinations, also allow reaching clienteles for whom budget is a decisive factor.


September Gains Ground and Holidays Fragment

The development of short stays is also a growing trend. Vacations are less systematically centered on one single week and can now be spread across several destinations.

VVF notably observes the development of itinerary-hopping, with French people chaining two or three destinations during the same summer. The stay can combine several formats of accommodation and several operators, depending on the activities sought.

This evolution also changes the calendar. The off-season is increasingly seen as a period for postponement, especially for clientele who can choose their dates more freely.

At Odalys, mountain nights thus rise by 28% in September. The FNRT also notes a slight increase in the coastline and an approximate 1.5-point rise in the mountain occupancy rate for the month. A portion of the senior clientele also seems to shift their stays from June to September.

Vacances Bleues observes the same trend, with September sales that have greatly accelerated since the end of August. The operator notes in particular that there are more couples and families without school constraints choosing to travel after the summer to avoid the peak heat and benefit from less crowded periods.

« Last-minute, it’s really becoming the norm », sums up Jérôme Vyar, CEO of Vacances Bleues, who also notes a tendency to multiply short getaways rather than concentrating vacations on a single departure.

Dynamic Summer in Haute-Savoie: Mountains and Sporting Events

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La Haute-Savoie dresse son bilan de l'été 2026 - Depositphotos.com, Leonid_Andronov

CroisiEurope


Between June 6 and September 4, 2026, Haute-Savoie recorded an average occupancy rate of 66.1%, up 2.5 points from summer 2025, continuing the trend of an already exceptional winter.

Growth is particularly driven by the mountain resorts, where occupancy reached 62.6% (+3.1 points), with a steady progression month after month (+5.5 points in June, +3.7 points in July, and +1.5 points in August).

The non-mountain territories also maintain a high level with 75.3% average occupancy (+1.1 point) and a peak of nearly 87% in August.

Martial Saddier, president of the Haute-Savoie Mont-Blanc Departmental Tourism Committee, welcomes these figures: “These results confirm the very strong attractiveness of Haute-Savoie and the capacity of our destinations to perform in a competitive tourism environment.

The mountains are clearly progressing, while our non-mountain destinations also demonstrate remarkable resilience.”


Major International Events, Driving Attendance

One of the main engines of this visitor flow lies in the programming of major international events across the department’s territory.

Hosting stages of the Tour de France, UCI World Cup competitions and emblematic trail parcours have supported hotel occupancy throughout the summer.

In parallel, the network of tourist offices and the CDT supported these fluxes with targeted communication actions.

The international clientele responded, accounting for nearly 29% of the season’s total overnight stays, confirming the stability of foreign outbound markets toward the Northern Alps.

Disneyland Paris Announces New Parade and Space Mountain’s Return

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Près de 225 croquis consacrés aux costumes, perruques et maquillages ont été dévoilés - Illustration : Disney-Artist Concept Only

MSC Croisières


On the occasion of D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, held from August 14 to 16, 2026 in Anaheim, California, Disneyland Paris unveiled several innovations that will enrich its offerings in the coming years.

Highlights include a new daytime parade anticipated for 2028, a fresh interpretation of Space Mountain – From Earth to the Moon – and new details about the upcoming immersive zone dedicated to The Lion King at Disney Adventure World.

Disneyland Park will welcome in 2028 a new daytime parade, the first since 2017. Presented as an exclusive creation for Disneyland Paris, it will run daily and become one of the park’s new daytime entertainment highlights.

Led by Mickey Mouse and his friends, the parade will feature several iconic characters from the Disney universe, among them Jasmine, Tiana, Rapunzel, and Miguel from Disney/Pixar’s Coco. New floats will blend design with cutting-edge technology around the theme of magic and dreams.

The project required more than 10,000 hours of technical research and development, as well as nearly 225 sketches dedicated to costumes, wigs, and makeup.


Space Mountain Returns to Its Original Story

Another announcement concerns the Disneyland Park: Space Mountain will receive a new artistic direction inspired by its original incarnation, Space Mountain – From Earth to the Moon.

Opened in 1995, the attraction drew on Jules Verne’s novel and offered a retro-futuristic world paired with an immersive experience.

After ten years under the Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain theme, the ride is therefore set to reclaim the spirit of its initial design. The current version is slated to close at the end of 2027 to allow several months of renovation.

Disneyland Paris stresses that the project will not be a mere reproduction of the 1995 attraction. The work will include technical and maintenance improvements, new sets and props, and a redesigned queue.

The narrative will also be revisited, framed by an idealized vision of humanity’s early voyages to the Moon, rendered in a steampunk style faithful to the Discoveryland universe.

Disneyland Paris further notes that elements of the original scenery will be integrated with new installations, while the technical improvements accumulated over more than 30 years will be retained.

This transformation is part of the “New Magic” program, recently launched by Disneyland Paris to evolve certain historic attractions and refresh the visitor experience.


The Lion King: Scar Joins the Upcoming Attraction

At Disney Adventure World, Disneyland Paris is also continuing the construction of its forthcoming immersive zone dedicated to The Lion King.

The park revealed at D23 new details about the attraction, notably the presence of Scar in the form of an Audio-Animtronics figure.

The character will appear in a new confrontation scene with Simba, directly inspired by the film’s iconic battle. This will mark Scar’s first Audio-Animatronics figure presentation within this attraction.

The future zone will constitute the first immersive world dedicated to The Lion King in a Disney park. Work began in the autumn of 2025, after the foundations were completed, near Adventure Bay and World of Frozen.

The area will span roughly 30,000 square meters and will include the attraction, a shop, a dining space, and meet-and-greet areas for character interactions.


A Transformation That Continues at Disney Adventure World

These announcements are part of a significant evolution phase for Disneyland Paris.

The development of Disney Adventure World continues, notably following the opening of World of Frozen and several new experiences.

The next milestone announced will be the arrival of Wilderness Explorers Sky Swings, a ride inspired by the Disney/Pixar film Up, which is slated to open next year on Adventure Way, opposite Rapunzel’s Tangled Spin.


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

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France: Mountains Draw Tourists in Search of Cooler Weather

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La montagne française affiche un taux d’occupation de 65,8 % durant l’été 2026. DepositPhotos.com/Elenarts

MSC Croisières


According to the National Association of Mountain Resort Mayors (ANMSM), the French mountains recorded an occupancy rate of 65.8% for the summer season of 2026, a rise of 2.5 percentage points compared to summer 2025 and 5 percentage points compared to 2024.

The dynamics pertain especially to the two main months of the season, with 63.3% occupancy in July, up 3.6%, and 72% in August, up 1.1%.

The peak attendance was reached during the week of August 8, with an occupancy rate of 80.7%.


“The mountains are becoming a major tourist destination” according to Serge Papin

Beyond heat episodes, the ANMSM highlights the diversification of the resorts’ offerings, spanning sports, cultural and family activities, as well as hosting major events, such as stages of the Tour de France, festivals or competitions.

Holiday villages show a 3.3-point increase to 68.4%, while real estate agencies reach 50.6%, i.e. +3.5 points. The tourist residences, at 74.1%, and the hotels, at 67.9%, remain more stable.

In terms of mountain ranges, the Pyrenees register the strongest growth, with 69.8% occupancy, i.e. +4%. The Northern Alps reach 64.6%, up 2.3%, and the Southern Alps 66.8%, up 1.2%.

The French clientele accounts for 81.72% of holidaymakers. International visitors account for 18.28%, with the Dutch leading at 26%, ahead of the Belgians at 25%, and the British at 13%.

These figures complement those announced by Serge Papin.

The Minister of Commerce and Tourism was a guest on TF1, on Tuesday, August 25. He stated that France should “have a good season“, at least as good as, or better than, 2025.

“The mountains are becoming a major tourist destination“, he asserted, revealing that attendance there rose by 12% in July and 16% in August.

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes: Mountains and International Partners Back Summer 2026

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La montagne et les clientèles étrangères soutiennent l’activité touristique en Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes durant l’été 2026. DepositPhotos.com/florentmartin

MSC Croisières


The tourist activity in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes generally held up this summer, with 56 % of professionals who estimate attendance stable or rising compared with 2025.

The regional clientele has notably progressed, representing 39 % of attendance, while foreign markets remain a pillar of activity.

Professionals nevertheless note spending trade-offs, visitors prioritizing accommodation more than activities and dining.


La montagne profite de l’effet fraîcheur

The mountains confirm their attractiveness, with 65 % of station professionals satisfied with the season.

The image of the destination as a “refuge” in the face of heat waves has notably been cited by 56 % of them as a motor for activity.

The nature-based activities remain highly favored: hiking and walking lead the way (56 %), ahead of cycling (37 %) and water-related activities (36 %).

Demand for **more sustainable mobility** is also rising, notably for charging stations (+9 points).


Les clientèles étrangères restent dynamiques

The international clientele accounts for 26 % of attendance and helps sustain activity. Professionals notably observe a rise in Swiss and German clientele, while long-haul markets, including the United States and Canada, are also progressing.

In the face of budget constraints, 65 % of professionals have kept their prices and 16 % have reduced them. Last-minute bookings now represent 30 % of summer activity for accommodations.

For the rentrée, professionals remain cautious but relatively confident: 61 % anticipate attendance stable or rising in September, while 55 % share this view for the Toussaint holidays.

Airbnb: French Prefer English Channel Coasts and Mountains This Summer

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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.

Italy: 5 Off-the-Beaten-Path Getaways by the Sea, Lakes, and Mountains

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Italy is not limited to its star destinations: here are five places to head out to sea, far from the most traveled routes.

Camogli, serenity a stone’s throw from Portofino

Life with your feet in the water. On the Ligurian coast, at the edge of the Gulf of Paradise, the town of Camogli unfurls its trompe-l’oeil façades, brightly painted, along a pebble beach bathed by the Ligurian Sea. It’s hard to believe that this haven sits fifteen kilometers northwest of the bustling Portofino, the area’s most frequented destination, with jet-set vibes and luxury yachts. Camogli, for its part, preserves a calmer atmosphere, animated by the ballet of its small community of artisanal fishermen.

Herculaneum, the other Pompeii

The site of Pompeii impresses with its enormity, but Herculaneum, a little farther north, also swallowed by the Vesuvian eruption in 79 CE, strikes visitors with its exceptionally well-preserved state. This is evidenced by the monumental fresco in the College of the Augustales (the priests of the Imperial cult), which depicts the duel between Hercules and Acheloüs to win the hand of the beautiful Deianira. A seaside town, it sheltered wealthy patrician houses, many of which, along with refined objects and mosaics, survived the catastrophe.

Orta, the Cinderella of the great lakes

In the shadow of its famous elder siblings, Lake Como and Lake Maggiore, which are grand and cosmopolitan, Lake Orta is small, modest, discreet… yet it possesses breathtaking beauty. This is why it is nicknamed Cenerentola, the Cinderella of the lakes. Just 400 meters from the shore of this Piedmont jewel rises the San Giulio Island (isola San Giulio), a rocky islet crowned with a millennial basilica and a Benedictine abbey. A path, the Via del Silenzio (“the Way of Silence”), winds across the island, lined with signs inviting meditation.

Porto Pino, Sardinia, but on the southern side

Forget the crowds of Costa Smeralda in northern Sardinia. Point your compass instead to the island’s southwest, where, about an hour and a half drive from Cagliari, Porto Pino reveals an astonishing tableau: wind-sculpted, monumental dunes of white sand, pale as powdered sugar, rising up to 20 meters, and drifting into turquoise waters. Here there is no flashy hotel complex, but ancient junipers and unspoiled wild nature. The Sardinian version of the edge of the world.

Abruzzo, a giant in the shadow of the Dolomites

The landscapes, spectacular, evoke those of the Dolomites’ hiking trails… minus the crowds. In the wild Abruzzo region (central Italy), flocks graze peacefully on vast high-altitude plateaus, dominated by the colossal silhouette of Gran Sasso, a massif of the Apennines with sheer limestone faces rising to 2,912 meters. The ultimate frontier of a mountainous and pastoral Italy.

➤ Article published in GEO magazine no. 571, “Hidden Italy, from Marche to Calabria”, September 2026.

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