France tourism tips

Eco river tourism continues to grow fast in France – and a new four-river network brand in the Atlantic Loire Valley, Les Rivières de l’Ouest (‘The Rivers of Western France’) is launching to the UK market this year. Located in France’s largest basin of navigable rivers, Les Rivières de l’Ouest unites three departments – Mayenne, Sarthe and Anjou – and four rivers – la Mayenne, la Sarthe, L’Oudon and La Maine. Why visit? To experience France’s slow and green ‘tourisme fluvestre’ – a mix of ‘fluviale’ (river-based) and ‘terrestre’ (land-based) activities…

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) today unveiled the remarkable growth of Travel & Tourism in France last year, with the sector’s GDP contribution surging by nearly 6% year-on-year to a record-breaking €246BN. According to the global tourism body’s latest research, in 2023, Travel & Tourism soared 4.3% above the previous peak, representing 8.8% of France’s total economic output, signalling a year of significant growth for the sector.

To mark the 80th Anniversary of D-Day, visitors from all over the world gathered in Normandy to commemorate the largest military operation in modern history. With the numerous official ceremonies, historical exhibitions and re-enactments, Normandy was in the spotlight throughout an intense week, particularly from 5 to 7 June, when the moving images of the tributes paid to the soldiers and veterans by many heads of state were relayed around the world.

European Waterways, the premier luxury hotel barge cruising company, renowned for curating immersive journeys that unveil the essence of Europe’s captivating regions, is pleased to announce a collection of new and enhanced excursions. These private, tailor-made adventures are designed to elevate guest experiences, offering deeper connections to the rich history, vibrant local culture, and exquisite food and wine of each locale.

Michelin on Monday awarded 24 French hotels with “Three Keys” – its highest rating in a new hotel rating system that will be rolling out globally this year.   

The #ExploreFrance slogan returns again in 2024 to unite Atout France, the 13 regional tourism organisations of mainland France and around 20 companies in the sector, as part of the campaign to promote France as a destination internationally.

Films and TV shows are having a rising influence over tourists’ decisions to visit France. That’s according to a survey released Thursday by France’s National Center for Cinema and Animated Image.

Latest flight booking data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and its knowledge partner ForwardKeys, shows France is set to keep its pole position as the world’s most popular destination for international arrivals this year. The research reveals a positive outlook for France’s inbound travel, with arrivals set to almost reach pre-pandemic highs this year.

The French Senate has greenlit measures to apply value-added tax (VAT) to Airbnb and similar platforms, aiming to address perceived competition imbalances with the hotel sector. 

With many new and exciting openings, exhibitions, sustainable tourism initiatives, major anniversaries (including Impressionism and D-Day) and the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic & Paralympic Games, it is without doubt that 2024 is the year to travel to France!