It is the cheapest department in France, according to Airbnb. So with a declining vacation budget, the Loire, like other departments far from the sea and crowds, seduces more and more.
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The holidays are looming, 61% of French people intend to leave this summer, but with an average budget down, according to data from a OpinionWay Survey for the Liligo travel comparator. This context promotes departments without coastline and close to major cities where rentals are less expensive. The Loire department is a typical example. With its middle mountain, its character villages and its hiking trails, it is about to live a beautiful tourist season.
Panoramic view of the mountains, green as far as the eye can see, MountSmall town located in the Haut-Forez, south of Saint-Etienne, the cottage of Jacqueline and Marc Boudon will be complete all summer. If it attracts so many people, it is “Especially for natureunderlines Marc. There are a lot of mountain bike circuits and walking possibilities.“But tourists also come, for”calm“, Adds Jacqueline.”Then the cottage pleases them, we try that it is as comfortable as possible.“”
According to Marc, DEpon the covid, “People are looking for a bit of nature and perhaps a little less far“. In addition, in their gîte,”ILya the little corner to cool off and eat outside. People love it “, Underlines Jacqueline.
“There is the view of the Mezenc, the Haute-Loire, the Cévennes. We are still at 1050 meters above sea level.”
Marc, owner of a cottage in the Loirein franceinfo
At 600 euros per week in the middle of the summer season for a cottage of six people, it does not start and attracts an urban clientele, from Lyon and Paris mainly.
The Loire is the cheapest department in France, according to the Airbnb platform. This also explains that she is on the rise. Abritel Another vacation rental platform notes an explosion in the number of research: +80% on average for a stay this summer in the Loire, but also the Ain or the Allier.
Departments without coastline, but with powerful assets, as summarized by this couple of holidaymakers, crossed in Saint-Bonnet-le-Château, a medieval village. “”We live towards Saint-Rémy-de-Provenceshe explains. We came here to make the Loire gorges and after going to the top Forez to walk. We hoped to have a little less hot than with us, then be in green.“The couple did not know the region at all, this is a first for them.”We had climbed to Ardèche, but never so far“He said.
“For a quiet vacation, we decided to come here and we like it a lot.”
A couple from Bouches-du-Rhônein franceinfo
Calm is still found in Merle-Leignec, always in the Forez mountains. “”It looks like a little Canada. There are trees all around, big fir trees“, A boils Nicole Boyer, manager of the municipal campsite.”Here, what makes the charm of the campsite is still tranquility, the body of water, nature. We have a lot of species, birds, things to photograph for amateurs“, Underlines Jérôme Fayon, in charge of the interview.
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This little campsite offers “Five mobile homes for rental, for 350 euros per weekdetails Nicole Boyer. And we have the mobile home, the prestige, two bathrooms, the air conditioning is the great luxury, at 525 euros per week.“”
“We are not on the French Riviera, it’s much calmer, the prices are much more affordable.”
Jérôme, employee of a campsite in the Loirein franceinfo
“”For someone who just wants to relax, have a good time, forget everything, that’s where you have to come“, highlights Jérôme.”Je has been dealing since 2014 and it’s up every year “Reads the owner.
A constant progression, which is calculated in tourism in number of nights. They reached 9.4 million in the Loire in 2024, according to the Loire Tourism association, an increase of approximately 20% since 2021. A tourist progression that is working behind the scenes, with this puzzle: how to sell a territory which has no totem, no iconic monument. So to flirt with urban young people, the Loire boasts the disconnection in a campaign carried out in Paris, especially in the hall of the Gare de Lyon this year, in the metro last year and of course on the networks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nhfqbrkr3o
“”Today, the Loire is the first fiber department in Francewants to reassure Emmanuelle Colin, director of Loire Tourisme. So what we advocate is not disconnection because we are not connected, it is a disconnection chosen to win during the holidays.“The department despite everything is not about to hang the top of the ranking. It is the 68th department most frequented by tourists, still very far from the Alpes-Maritimes or Charente-Maritime, two champions all categories.
