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Cannes will limit the arrival of a tourist liner per day from 2026. Photo © Syspeo/SIPA
Spain, Italy, Portugal, and even Greece, are regularly shaken by mass demonstrations that protest against tourism. Overcrowded cities, explosion of real estate prices, loss of local identity, degradations … The anti-tourist feeling is gaining ground in southern Europe. For the time being, France is spared, although it is the most visited country in the world. In 2024, she welcomed 100 million tourists. An exception that is explained by strong anticipation, a long history with tourism or even solid infrastructure.
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One of the major advantages of France lies in its regions, reports EuronewsMonday August 11. From the beaches of the Côte d’Azur, to the Christmas markets in Alsace, from the Loire castles to the ski resorts in the Alps, including these wine regions … France has a varied and dispersed offer of tourist sites. Visitors are thus distributed throughout the territory throughout the year, unlike Spain where tourists focus on the Costa Brava during the summer season, for example. Even in Paris, tourists are not concentrated in the heart of the city. Disneyland Paris or the Palace of Versailles allow you to unclog the center.
The development of rail tourism
Another asset of France, its rail network. With 28,000 kilometers of railways, tourists can easily go to the four corners of the country. The abolition of national flights in 2023 deported tourists to the train, opening opportunities to regions which could have been neglected for lack of airport or sufficient air liaison.
A tourist heritage
France has a legacy of old tourism. From the 19th century, Paris welcomed a dense crowd for universal exhibitions. The first tourist office was thus created in Grenoble in 1889. The tourist economy is therefore strong with many activities, restaurants or hotels available. Conversely, Spain only really opens to tourism after the 1992 Olympic Games.
Regulations to protect residents
Finally, the State regularly enaches new rules to protect its territory. The law, the murder, which regulates short -term rentals like Airbnb, entered into force in 2024. It allows in particular to cap holiday rentals or reduce the number of nights during which housing can be rented. In Spain, it only entered into force in 2025 and did not limit stays, but supervises the owners.
Likewise, local authorities can introduce regulations aimed at regulating the arrival of tourists. From now on, a ceiling has been set at 6,000 daily visitors to the island of Porquerolles (Var). In 2026, in Cannes, a single cruise liner, having a maximum of 6,000 people on board, will be able to dock every day. Protections for the moment needed to avoid too large a fed up of the inhabitants.