Summer tourism: French mountain resorts increasing in attendance

The mountain took advantage of the summer heat. On the Gîtes de France website, several vacationers say they particularly appreciated the freshness found at altitude this summer. Vicky, who went with her family from June 26 to 28 to La Faurie, in the Hautes-Alpes, recalls a “very nice stay”. “The cottage is cool despite the heat of June,” she writes, also highlighting the possibility of enjoying walks in the surrounding area.

Same observation a few weeks later in Orres, also in the Hautes-Alpes. Another client, who stayed there from July 11 to 18, says that “the coolness of the house was beneficial during these heat waves”, while highlighting the hikes accessible nearby. These testimonies illustrate a broader trend.

After an already successful 2025 season, French mountain resorts recorded an occupancy rate of 65.8% this summer, according to data communicated by the National Association of Mountain Station Mayors (ANMSM). A figure up 2.5% compared to last summer and 5% over two years. The increase is particularly marked in July, with an occupancy rate of 63.3%, up 3.6%. In August, it reached 72%, or 1.1% more than in 2025. The week of August 8 constitutes the high point of the season, with 80.7% of accommodations occupied.

The intense heat particularly worked in favor of high-altitude destinations, where some vacationers came looking for more bearable temperatures. But the ANMSM also attributes this progression to the expansion of activities offered outside the winter season, between hiking, outdoor sports, family leisure or cultural and sporting events.

The clientele remains largely French: they represent 81.72% of visitors recorded this summer. Foreign tourists account for just over 18%, mainly Dutch, who represent 26% of this international clientele, and Belgians, at 25%. The British come behind, with 13%.

This growing attendance nevertheless poses new challenges for the stations. “The mayors of mountain resorts are on the front line facing tensions over water resources, the weakening of our natural environments and the high number of visitors to certain sites,” underlines Jean-Luc Boch, president of the ANMSM. As the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games approach in the French Alps, the association is calling for a better balance between tourism development and territorial preservation.