The summer of 2026 put the French railway network to a rigorous test.
In its seasonal assessment, the SNCF group describes a summer that was “ out of the ordinary ”, marked by exceptional temperatures, fires, storms and heatwaves that affected the infrastructure.
In this context, ridership nevertheless remained high.
According to SNCF, nearly 30 million travelers rode the TGVs in France and Europe during the summer. Ridership remained broadly stable compared with summer 2025, though with developments that varied by destination.
The TERs carried 67.3 million travelers
The Alps notably recorded a 4 % rise in ridership, while the Occitan and Mediterranean coastal area grew by 5 %. By contrast, ridership declined by 2.7 % in the Southwest, mainly in Gironde.
The TERs carried 67.3 million travelers, i.e., 3 million more than in the summer of 2025. On the Intercités trains side, around 2 million travelers were carried, up 10 % year over year.
Another trend highlighted by the group: late bookings continue to rise. SNCF reports 4.5 million tickets purchased in the four days leading up to departure, i.e., a 2 % increase compared with 2025.
This high level of attendance was nevertheless accompanied by a deterioration in punctuality. SNCF notes that indicators were affected by heatwaves, fires and storms that hit the network during the summer.
The financial cost of disruptions amounts to 180 million euros since the start of the year
Intercités trains were particularly exposed to the consequences of climatic hazards. The SNCF reports 630 cancellations during the summer, of which 89 % were linked to weather conditions and the heat.
Heat and bad weather heavily strained the rail network, with 374 fire outbreaks recorded between June and August, as well as incidents related to thunderstorms.
Some services were also suspended preventively to avoid travellers being stranded on tracks in high heat.
Despite these disruptions, the group notes that a large portion of affected travelers were able to complete their journey on the planned day thanks to the measures in place. On the Paris-Clermont-Ferrand line, 90 % of customers thus completed their trip, versus 80 % on Bordeaux-Marseille and 85 % on Paris-Limoges-Toulouse. For night trains, 91 % of planned circulations could be ensured, compared with 99 % in 2025.
During the summer, SNCF specifies that 168,000 meal vouchers were distributed, as well as 1.5 million bottles of water.
The group indicates it handled 19,300 hotel rooms and mobilized 6,800 taxis to transport customers to their accommodations.
Furthermore, 1.9 million TGV customers were eligible for compensation for delays of more than 30 minutes.
The SNCF group estimates an 180 million euro loss of turnover since January 2026 due to climatic hazards, with 80 million euros recorded during the sole summer period.
SNCF aims to accelerate its climate-change adaptation plan
Beyond the summer 2026 bilan, the SNCF group presents this season as an accelerator for its climate-change adaptation plan.
In the short term, the group notably plans to better map areas exposed to heatwaves, fires, floods, or ground movements.
Preventive maintenance must also be strengthened on sensitive equipment, while spare parts stocks and supply chains must be secured.
SNCF also plans to bolster traveler information during climate episodes to better anticipate disruptions and facilitate the implementation of alternative solutions.
In the longer term, the group announces an adaptation plan covering four axes: making the network more resilient, adapting trains to extreme temperatures, protecting stations and maintenance centers, and better protecting staff and supporting travelers.
These adaptations will require substantial investments. SNCF Réseau estimates needs of 340 million euros per year to renew the catenaries, with that figure rising to 430 million euros per year from 2028.
The group also foresees 170 million euros by 2035 to adapt stations and heritage sites, 250 million euros for the buildings of the technicenters, and more than 400 million euros envisaged to adapt rolling stock to the effects of heat.
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%.
(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.
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
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.
The alert signals were numerous regarding a drop in departures of the French this summer.
From Le Monde to Le Figaro, everyone seemed to be in agreement. Even Serge Papin had confirmed the trend, subtly noting that there had been “a slight regression in attendance in the heart of the season, in July-August.”
Yet the INSEE’s assessment of the summer tourist season 2026 tells a very different story.
While those in Bercy celebrate that foreign visitors rescued the summer, the statisticians’ verdict is that the praise must be found on the French customer, who would have spent more time… in France.
The study rests on data collected from May to August, acknowledging that for the last two months the figures “are provisional.”
Nevertheless, the attendance in French collective tourist accommodations rose by 1.1%, translating into 2.8 million additional overnight stays compared with 2025.
All establishments considered, France would have recorded 260.5 million overnight stays during this period.
Not surprisingly, it is the campsites that posted the strongest activity, with 126.5 million overnight stays, up from 125.1 million the year before. Hotels arrive in second place, with 92 million overnight stays, compared with 90.4 million in 2025.
The French travelers: attendance up by 1.6%
And, to everyone’s surprise, the French contributed fully to this positive balance.
“The resident clientele (French) confirms its strong presence in French collective tourist accommodations in 2026 and accounts for the entire 2.8 million additional overnight stays. Resident attendance rises by 1.6% compared with the 2025 season. The resident clientele represents more than two out of three summer overnight stays in the collective tourism accommodations in 2026“, specifies INSEE.
This finding therefore runs counter to the range of voices heard over the summer.
Moreover, according to the institute, the attendance of non-resident clientele, i.e. those living abroad, “remains flat across the season and even falls in August year on year.”
If foreign travelers were somewhat more numerous in hotels, with an extra 300,000 overnight stays, they stayed away from French campsites, with 200,000 fewer overnight stays.
And INSEE explains, in contrast to the summer chatter, that “non-resident clientele” did not overall contribute “to the rise in summer tourist attendance in 2026“.
Summer 2026: foreign travelers did not contribute to attendance growth!
The foreign clientele remains very important to the tourism ecosystem.
It accounts for, for example, 39.9% of hotel overnight stays.
Among the most present nationalities, the United States lead with 5.4 million hotel overnights, followed by the United Kingdom with 4.3 million, Germany with 3.9 million, and Belgium with 2.8 million.
While Americans top the list, the uptick is less pronounced than in previous summers, at a small +0.8%.
Germans came in greater numbers or stayed longer in France, with a 3.9% rise, as did Belgians (+3.1%), Dutch (+3.0%), and Britons (+1.2%).
It should be noted that overnight stays by Spaniards (-8.5%) and Italians (-3.0%) declined sharply.
Moreover, Asian tourist groups, whose momentum had significantly picked up since the health crisis, experienced notable declines, particularly Chinese (-9.0%) and Japanese (-10.8%).
Summer 2026: The coast remains sought-after, while major cities are in the red!
Unsurprisingly, the coast was the preferred choice for summer holidays.
It recorded 106.3 million overnight stays, up 1.4%, in regions where foreign clientele venture relatively little, representing only 26.9% of attendance.
Travelers favored the Mediterranean with 46.6 million nights, up, ahead of the North Atlantic – Western Channel area with 26.4 million nights, also up, and the South Atlantic with 22.4 million nights, down.
The regions along the Channel therefore saw their attendance rise sharply, by more than 5% relative to 2025, but in volumes much smaller than the other, more popular sectors.
The mountains continue their ascent, with 45 million overnight stays, up 1.3%, still behind the sole Mediterranean.
This progression is primarily due to more travelers in other collective tourism accommodations rather than in hotels and campsites.
Finally, major cities were generally shunned. Overnight stays there fell by 2.5 million amounts, i.e. −3.9%.
A red figure explained in particular by a marked decline in foreign clientele, −7.7%, especially in hotels.
In the same period, rural areas show strong vitality, with an increase of 3.2%.
The summer dynamic would also be sustained by business tourism, as overnight stays rise by 7.6% in 2026 across all collective tourism accommodations, excluding campsites, even if their total remains well below 2019.
So forget everything you thought you knew about the season’s results and forecasts. The summer was indeed carried by the French, while foreign clientele did not boost our sector at all.
This is prompting some observers to suggest that Spain could surpass France’s numbers as early as this year…
Insee Focus n°387 – Saison touristique d’été 2026 (mai à août)
Été 2026 : 260,5 millions de nuitées dans les hébergements collectifs
La fréquentation des hôtels, campings et autres hébergements collectifs de tourisme progresse de nouveau en France, malgré un repli sur la façade Sud Atlantique. Données 2026 provisoires.
Évolution de la fréquentation selon les espaces touristiques
Variation des nuitées entre les étés 2025 et 2026. La fréquentation progresse partout sauf sur la façade Sud Atlantique.
Représentation schématique : l’Insee définit les espaces touristiques à l’échelle communale ; les façades littorales, les massifs et l’intérieur sont ici figurés de manière indicative. Les façades détaillées ne couvrent pas la totalité du littoral (« dont » dans la source : 104,8 M sur 106,3 M en 2026). Le rattachement de la Corse à la façade méditerranéenne n’est pas précisé dans les données. Variations calculées à partir des données arrondies en millions de nuitées.
Clientèle étrangère : les hôtels en tête, une part en léger recul partout
Part des nuitées réalisées par des touristes non résidents, par type d’hébergement collectif, et évolution par rapport à l’été 2025.
Part des non-résidents, été 2026 Niveau de l’été 2025
Type d’hébergement
Part des non-résidents (%)
Écart sur un an
Hôtels
39,9 %
−0,3 pt40,2 % en 2025
Campings
29,6 %
−0,5 pt30,1 % en 2025
Autres hébergements collectifs
19,0 %
−0,2 pt19,2 % en 2025
dont résidences de tourisme
21,3 %
−0,3 pt21,6 % en 2025
Ensemble
31,5 %
−0,3 pt31,8 % en 2025
En volume, les campings devant les hôtels
Nuitées de non-résidents en campings
37,4 millions
−0,2 M par rapport à 2025 (37,6 M)
Nuitées de non-résidents en hôtels
36,7 millions
+0,3 M par rapport à 2025 (36,4 M)
Source : Insee
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Since the health crisis, summer tourism tallies have become the new perennial staple on rolling news channels.
Compiled by the end of July, they are supposed to gauge the season’s pulse. And this year, unlike the previous ones, the summer looked bleak.
French clientele, affected by inflation, would no longer have the means to treat themselves to a restaurant, nor even to take a few days away to escape the intense heat.
Remember, earlier in the week, the minister told TourMaG.com that “if we count June, July, August and September, we are stable (for French clientele, ndlr). But I note a slight regression in the heart of the season, in July-August“, always about the French.
The occupant of Bercy even stressed that the summer had been saved by… foreign travelers.
And yet, INSEE came to contradict all these statements… even those of Serge Papin!
Summer Review: “Revisiting the Communication on Tourism Figures”
Following the element of surprise, the minister of Tourism’s staff analyzed these figures and, according to its representatives, the numbers unveiled earlier in the week “do not completely contradict everything we said, particularly regarding domestic demand.
It should also be noted that INSEE focuses on attendance based on bookings, and not on tourism revenues, nor on international arrivals.
Therefore, one must be cautious when comparing different indicators. If you change the thermometer, you may not have the same feel.
It is true that everyone compares using different tools, whether it is the Travel Companies, the UMIH, the Alliance France Tourisme or KPMG.
But, for Bercy, this cacophony is counterproductive, even though INSEE provides the official statistics, albeit“fragmentary”.
Thus, during the peak season, as everyone issues announcements to alert about their members’ situation or to spotlight their concerns, Jean Pinard, president of the consulting firm Futourism, calls for a reset of the evaluations and the reports, so that they reflect exactly the real trends, and not bundles of presumptions.
“It is now time to bring everyone to the table to clearly define what we measure, why and by which methods” continues the author of the study for the Terram Institute, titled Holidays: History and Geography of an Unfinished Right.
INSEE’s Summer bilan “translates changes in foreign consumption”
Even the same tune from Bercy, which is surprised by this battle of figures and public statements in the middle of peak summer season.
“It would be interesting to review the communication on tourism figures. That there be a concerted effort to determine when, how and from what basis actors can speak. This situation concerns us.
Reports are drafted along the way and it isn’t only the fault of the media, because everyone goes with their messages. There is a reflex to speak up to say that the season was worse or better. This may not be the best solution.
Beyond this observation, it should invite us to think“, laments the minister’s staff.
If the tourism ecosystem agrees to denounce this summer cacophony, for Serge Papin’s entourage, INSEE’s figures rather reinforce the analysis he delivered at the IFTM.
“We achieved a solid season, which did not experience the kind of rupture we might have feared given the circumstances, but neither a surge.
The French needed holidays. This perhaps also reflects changes in consumption patterns, notably in the international clients’ booking habits.
Moreover, the international receipts recorded in July, up compared with the previous year, lead us to think that the tourist season was positive, especially for international clientele“, continues the minister’s office.
Ultimately, the surface contradiction may not be entirely so in practice, once the first impression has passed.
Incidentally, in the interview he granted us, Serge Papin already revealed that overnight stays were up by 1%. INSEE reports, for its part, an increase of 1.1% between May and August, for 2.8 million additional overnight stays.
A change in consumption habits
Moreover, this INSEE assessment is rich with several lessons for the ministerial office. “We draw from this two major conclusions.
First, a shift in the consumption habits of international customers, notably in terms of bookings and overnight stays.
Second, tourist demand has stabilized, across all markets. It has ultimately been quite present, though, again, prudence remains.
Foreign clients want to experience life the French way and Europe. They can do so in different ways. On one hand, they may opt to undertake a tour of Europe and visit as many countries as possible, which generates few overnight stays in each.
On the other hand, they may seek a more intimate experience of the destination, returning outside the major attractions and visiting the same country several times.
We may be at this point, with a decrease in overnight stays tied to package tours and a move toward more experiential tourism, closer to what Europeans experience. And for these travelers, stays are not always in hotels, details Serge Papin’s office.
France, beyond being a European crossroads – which explains why receipts are lower than in Spain or the United States – is also an entry point for North American and Asian travelers who want to discover Europe, starting or ending their itinerary with a few days in Paris.
France still a global leader: “no worries” for the moment
Published by Romain Pommier Journalist – TourMaG.com See all articles by Romain Pommier
Travelers were there in force! From Majorca to Minorca, from Marseille to Corsica, a look back at a season that confirms CATLANTE’s choices and already outlines the 2027 program.
This summer, 16 CATLANTE catamarans sailed the Mediterranean: 7 CATLANTE 600 in the Comfort range, including three that can be privatized for up to 10 passengers, 6 CATLANTE 620 and 720 in the Elegant range and 3 CATLANTE NEO in the Privilege range.
Whichever range, the CATLANTE fundamentals remain the same: six guest cabins, all with private bathrooms, and a professional crew consisting of a skipper and a cook. On board the CATLANTE NEO, a third crew member completes the team to provide a higher level of hospitality, matching the Privilege range.
On board, everything is designed to enjoy the cruise: meals prepared by the cook, the skipper steering the boat and adapting the itinerary to sailing conditions, while passengers enjoy the stops, the moorings and water activities.
Twelve passengers maximum, a dedicated crew and a new stop almost every day: another way to discover a destination, right at sea level.
And this summer, CATLANTE decided to go a little further: new destinations, new formats and an upgrade of the fleet.
Some of these novelties even exceeded expectations.
Majorca & Minorca: A Successful Bet with 93% Occupancy
It was one of the summer’s bold bets: bringing Majorca and Minorca together on a single week-long cruise.
Two neighboring islands, but two very different faces of the Balearics. Majorca, lively and varied, alternates coves, long beaches, small ports and villages. Minorca, wilder and more pristine, unfolds a coastline dotted with coves where the catamaran truly shines: you arrive by sea, drop anchor, and the day begins.
For this first season, CATLANTE had chosen to base two catamarans there: a CATLANTE 600 in the Comfort range and a CATLANTE NEO in the Privilege range.
The bet was largely successful: with a 93% occupancy rate across the season, Majorca & Minorca established themselves in CATLANTE’s summer program as one of the highlights of the season.
A week to go from one island to the next, multiply moorings, lunch aboard facing a cala, descend ashore to discover Ciutadella or simply extend swimming when the spot invites you to linger.
Majorca & Minorca will naturally return to the 2027 summer program, still in the Comfort and Privilege ranges.
Marseille: The Short Cruise Format Has Found Its Audience
Another season novelty: CATLANTE mini-cruises departing from Marseille’s Vieux-Port.
Three or four nights aboard to offer a true sea interlude, without necessarily committing to a full week. And above all, a cruise that is particularly accessible: you arrive by train in the heart of Marseille, reach the Vieux-Port, and a few hours later you are moored in the islands.
On board, the CATLANTE experience remains the same: six cabins with private bathrooms, a skipper and cook, full board and water activities. Only the duration shortens.
On the program, the Frioul Islands, Cassis, Porquerolles, Port-Cros, Sanary and Embiez, depending on the duration of the cruise and sailing conditions. A few days to discover from the sea this Provençal coastline that the whole world envies, alternating between stops and moorings and quickly finding the pace of life on board.
For travel agents, this format also represents an excellent gateway into CATLANTE’s universe. It can be offered particularly to clients attracted by catamaran cruising but hesitant to commit to a full week: three or four nights allow you to discover anchorage life, the intimate setting, meals prepared aboard and the CATLANTE experience as a whole.
And generally, a few days are enough to understand why you would want to do it again.
The format found its audience from its very first season: Marseille mini-cruises will return in spring 2027.
The Corsican Riviera: The Unforeseen Turn That Accelerated a New CATLANTE Project
The Corsican Riviera itinerary had already been on CATLANTE’s radar. Circumstances simply decided to speed up its launch.
This summer, administrative confusion forced the company to alter part of its Sardinia programming. CATLANTE therefore released sooner than planned this route imagined along the southeast coast of Corsica, from Bonifacio to Porto-Vecchio.
And ultimately, the unforeseen turned out to be quite favorable!
With Bonifacio and its cliffs, the Lavezzi, Rondinara, Santa Giulia, Palombaggia and Porto-Vecchio, the Corsican Riviera cruise packs in one week some of the best faces of the island’s south. Iconic beaches, but also moorings that the catamaran allows approaching differently, arriving by sea, away from the crowds.
Passengers immediately embraced this new route. The Corsican Riviera cruise will therefore remain on CATLANTE’s 2027 summer program.
And what about Sardinia in all this? It’s coming back too.
CATLANTE has recovered its navigation rights and will again offer next summer an itinerary combining Southern Corsica and Costa Smeralda.
A scheduling constraint ultimately accelerated the launch of a new cruise and will durably enrich CATLANTE’s Mediterranean offering.
Where Will CATLANTE Navigate During Summer 2027?
One thing is certain: there will be plenty of choice.
Majorca & Minorca will return. The Costa Smeralda in Sardinia as well. The Corsican Riviera continues the adventure. The Provence, Haute-Corse, Southern Corsica and Tuscany remain, of course, on the program.
In the Seychelles, the arrival of the CATLANTE NEO will allow discovering the archipelago in the Privilege range.
And CATLANTE is already preparing the next step!
A brand-new Mediterranean cruise will join the 2027 summer programming.
The destination? CATLANTE is keeping it secret a little longer.
But not for long: it will be revealed in October on the CATLANTE site, before a future feature in CruiseMag in early November.
CATLANTE travel advisors are available to answer all your questions seven days a week at 01 55 20 90 90.
After a solid start to the winter, the plunge in sales in the spring, during the Middle East conflict, had raised fears of the worst. In the end, tour operators managed to save face for their 2025/26 fiscal year, thanks to a summer boosted by last-minute sales.
For the first time, the Syndicate of tour operating companies (Seto) unveiled its members’ data for departures in July and August, across all destinations.
They fell by 5.2% in the number of customers and by 5.1% in business volume compared with the summer of 2025, a relatively mild decline after the drops recorded in April, May and June.
« We managed to stop the bleeding »
In the end, the 2025/2026 financial year (November 1, 2025–October 31, 2026), completed at 92%, should conclude with an overall business volume of €4.21 billion, down 1.4% from the previous year.
“Given the context, this remains very respectable. At the worst point of the crisis in May, I would have signed for this result. We managed to stop the bleeding,” commented Patrice Caradec, president of Seto, at a press conference.
Also read: Despite an 85,000-customer shortfall, SETO does not anticipate a catastrophic summer
Belambra: 70 bookings for departures on the day itself!
In detail, Seto members transported about 2.73 million customers (down 2.6%), a shortfall of 70,000 customers. This decline is partly offset by a slight rise in the average revenue per booking to €1,543 (+1.2%).
Reflecting the concerns of French people about traveling abroad, metropolitan France shows solid growth in customer numbers to 238,000 (+4.6%), with operators sweating until the last minute.
“For example, we processed 70 bookings on the last Monday of July for trips leaving that evening, a sign of a level of hesitancy never seen before” says Alexis Gardy, president of Belambra.
Medium-haul: the mainland rather than the islands
The medium-haul market holds up with a 2.4% drop in customer numbers (1.93 million). The modest 1.5% rise in the average revenue per booking (to €1,101) helps limit the decline in business volume to €2.12 billion (-0.9%).
Some notable performances include Bulgaria (+56.8% but with small volumes), Egypt (+18.7%) or Morocco (+1.6%), which help offset more mixed results. Tunisia down 5.7%, Greece down 7.3%, and Portugal down 8%.
Read also : The positive figures for Egyptian tourism defy regional gloom
Within a single destination, disparities also indicate strong budget pressures. Thus, continental Spain rises by 10.9% in passenger numbers, while the Baleares and the Canaries, pricier notably due to higher kerosene prices, fall by 6.3% and 6.8% respectively.
The same pattern is seen in Italy (+6.5% for continental Italy but -15.2% for Sicily) or in Greece (+2% on the mainland and -13.2% for Crete/Rhodes). Facing these budget constraints, the French also shortened their stays, losing almost a night on average over the year.
Long-haul: the United States continues its decline
Penalized by the sharp rise in airfares and by access difficulties through Middle East hubs, long-haul shows a more pronounced 5.9% drop in customer numbers (562,000).
Despite a small year-on-year dip of 1.2%, Mauritius becomes the preferred long-haul destination for the French when booked through a TO. It now stands as a four-season destination.
The Dominican Republic continues to perform (+7%), China regains momentum (+34.6%), as does South Africa (+30.4%).
Conversely, the decline of the United States continues (-25.5% for the year). The reasons are multiple: sales disintermediation with French travelers who increasingly fend for themselves, but also the Trump effect and sky-high on-site prices.
Mexico is also struggling (-10.9%), as is Indonesia (-23.4%).
The National Sea Center, located in Boulogne-sur-Mer, recorded 298,060 visitors over the months of July and August 2026, with 130,409 entries in July and 167,651 in August.
An attendance level that remained stable compared to the previous summer, in a context nonetheless marked by unusually favorable weather for outdoor activities along the Opal Coast.
“This stability in summer attendance is a positive signal. It confirms the visitors’ interest in Nausicaá and in the experiences we offer around the Ocean“, commented Christophe Sirugue, Chief Executive of Nausicaá.
A largely French clientele
The site continues to attract a mix of domestic and international visitors. Across all visitors this summer, 65% were French and 35% were foreign.
Foreign visitors are notably driven by Belgian guests, who alone account for half of the international attendance.
On the French side, Hauts-de-France, Île-de-France, and Grand Est are the three main regions of origin for visitors.
These figures illustrate Nausicaá’s prominence within the Opal Coast’s tourism offering, as well as its reach beyond the regional territory.
Vent d’Opale finds its audience
Another indicator to note for this summer season: the launch of . Launched on June 13, 2026, this new activity offers sea outings departing from Boulogne-sur-Mer.
In its first season, 13,100 tickets were sold. A launch that broadens Nausicaá’s tourism offering beyond its exhibition spaces.
“The initial results of Vent d’Opale show that demand is indeed present. This success reinforces our decision to offer this new experience, which allows you to discover the coastline and the Ocean differently“, states Marc Lecointe, Deputy General Director – Customer Experience, Commercial, Vessel & Territory Animation.
With this first season, the vessel aims to establish itself in the long term as a new component of Nausicaá’s tourism offering and, more broadly, of the Boulogne territory.
Nearly 684,000 visitors since January
Since the start of the year, Nausicaá has welcomed close to 684,000 visitors.
After a stable summer and the successful launch of Vent d’Opale, the National Sea Center continues its attendance momentum in 2026.
The facility also aims to embed this attendance within its mission to raise awareness about issues related to the Ocean, seeking to showcase its ecosystems and to strengthen their knowledge and preservation.
Published by Amelia Brille TourMaG.com Writer See all articles by Amelia Brille
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.
In the Charentes, the peak summer season of 2026 shows an overall attendance slightly down compared with the previous year, a decline that becomes even clearer when compared to the average of the last three years, according to a press release from Charentes Tourisme.
This slowdown affected July more than August. In this context, the overall satisfaction of professionals stands at an average level, with about half of the actors satisfied in July and a clear rebound in August.
On the financial front, the majority of providers report a drop in their turnover over the entire summer period, while a substantial share laments a deterioration of their margins and cash flow.
Regionally, Charente records stable attendance despite a reserved sentiment among actors, while Charente-Maritime experiences a slight decline while maintaining a more favorable morale.
Tourist Behaviors Driven by Purchasing Power and Climate
Household budget arbitration has affected local consumption, with a large majority of professionals reporting a clear drop in visitors’ spending on the ground.
To cope with economic constraints, vacationers favored shorter stays, the search for promotions or free activities, and increased last-minute bookings.
At the same time, heat waves weighed on the organization of stays. High temperatures led to a retreat of activity at visitor sites and a decrease in footfall on the territory’s main cycling routes.
Finally, nearly a quarter of professionals recorded shifts in tourist flows following the fires in Gironde.
Differences by Accommodation Type
Outdoor camping facilities emerge as the most resilient sector of the season, with a majority of operators satisfied and reporting stable or rising activity.
The traditional hoteliers also show a high level of satisfaction, despite a slight drop in overnight stays observed in spring.
Regarding holiday rentals, July saw a higher volume of nights booked, although the average duration of stays shortened. In August, the occupancy rate of furnished rentals remained solid, peaking in the middle of the month.
A Lack of Visibility for the Late Season
The activity outlook for autumn appears less favorable than last year. The order books for September and October show a marked lag compared with 2025.
In this context of global economic uncertainty, the business confidence climate for the next six months has reached a particularly low level, with most anticipating a continued deterioration of their turnover, customer volumes, and cash flow.