5 travel trends for France in 2021
Motorhoming and the great outdoors – just some of our French holiday trends for when it’s safe to travel again
After a difficult 2020 – which saw France’s tourism revenues drop by €61 billion – we’re optimistic for travel in 2021 with the arrival of the new coronavirus vaccine. When it’s safe to travel to France again, here are five holiday trends to look out for in 2021. Bon voyage!
WORK AND PLAY
Working from home the new norm for many office workers – all that’s needed is a good WiFi connection and willpower. The promad (professional nomad) trend is here to stay, with countries like Barbados introducing remote working visas for people to spend up to a year working remotely from the sunny Caribbean island.
France may not be offering such visas as of yet, but why not extend your stay in France for a little, without using your holiday allowance, by bringing your laptop and working from your home-from-home for a few days?
There are co-working lounges across France and many offer short-term passes, by the day or week. Try Yelloworking in Aix-en-Provence, ATWORK in Cannes or Cool & Workers in Paris.
MOTORHOMING
Self-drive holidays are predicted to be big in 2021, with the coronavirus putting travellers off flying. Motorhoming in particular could see a boom. According to research from French motorhome rental company Yescapada, there was an increase of 57% (compared with 2017) in UK holidaymakers reserving leisure vehicles in France in 2018, and 2019 saw a 23% increase (compared with 2018).
France is an ideal destination for your first motorhoming holiday, with pleasant driving conditions and amazing itineraries to choose from. You can opt for one of France’s free (or very cheap) aires, or service stations, if you’re only planning to spend one night in each place you visit. Otherwise, check out the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s list of accredited sites in France.
VISIT THE LESS-VISITED
In the wake of Covid-19, will visitors shun the ever-attractive tourist hotspots in favour of space and peace? France’s least populated departments are Lozère, Creuse, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Hautes-Alpes and Cantal – each are beautiful, rural areas that are often overlooked by the international visitor, yet are well worth visiting.
Elsewhere, the Landes department, further up the Atlantic coast than Biarritz, offers all the fun of the seaside without the throngs. For mountain lovers, the Massif Central and the Cévennes may lure tourists from the busier Alps.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
After months of staying at home, the prospect of fresh air will prove a big attraction in summer 2021 and France has plenty of wide, open spaces to explore. If you want to take up a new sport, there’s nowhere better – with vast swathes of countryside and coast, visitors can try everything from sand yachting to pelota, from via ferrata to zipwiring. Or pull on your walking boots and tackle one of France’s Grandes Randonnées, the impressive footpath network.
SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL
It has been an industry buzzword for a few years, but sustainable tourism is on the up across France and destinations are improving their eco credentials every year.
In the Alps, the Serre Chevalier-Vallée Briançon ski area is now the first resort in the southern Alps to hold the Green Globe certification for sustainable tourism. Elsewhere, look out for the Station Verte logo which highlights rural resorts with ecotourism plaudits.
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