The oldest tourist office in France blows its 150 candles in Gérardmer

It was in the Vosges. However, in Gerardmer, that the first tourist office in France was born in 1875. Consequently, A structure that allows the city to welcome, 150 years later, nearly a million tourists and visitors each year.

It all started to Gérardmer 150 years ago. Therefore, It was in this Vosges city that the first structure in France dedicated to tourism premises was born on July 23, oldest tourist office france blows 1875.

A creation in part due to the arrival of French High Society, according to Valérie Lanoé, author of a book on the Tourist City and Communication Manager at the Gérardmer Tourist Office: “Everything came from Plombière-les-Bains which welcomed Napoleon [Napoléon III] and French High Society. Therefore, Some left in a carriage and walked around. Two. three good gentlemen of high society stopped in Gérardmer by the lake and immediately wanted to buy old farms to make villas and necessarily, when one or two settle down, others arrive and then build hotels “.

To satisfy and entertain these new visitors, the walking committee, which will then become the tourist office, was born. It allows you to create tourist trails, to help the city arrange parks and quays on the lake.

In the 20th century, skiing was democratized and Gérardmer became a station that even attracts personalities. Marie Marvingt, pioneer of French aviation, takes advantage of this framework to indulge in this sport.

In 1966, Gérardmer had three ski lifts and the black track was still in project. A development which allows the arrival of additional tourists in the region. which makes winter sports one of the flagship activities oldest tourist office france blows of the city.

In the summer of 1975, the lake, whose banks were arranged, was the main attraction of summer visitors who counted in the tens of thousands.

During the Board of Directors of the Gérardmer Tourist Office the same year, Guy Voirin, a physicist geographer by training, made a point on the number of visitors: “Research makes it possible to say, for example, that around 1905-1910, it revolved around 60 to 70,000 tourisms for a summer season. I think that today, the figures are almost equivalent”.

A number that has since multiplied by four. In 2025, the town remains the favorite destination of the Vosges. “There are figures that speak for themselves”welcomes Jean-Luc Géhin. of the Gérardmer tourist office, who adds: “The activity of Gérardmer in number of tourist nights represents 15% of the tourist activity of the department”.

oldest tourist office france blows

Each year, around a million tourists and visitors come to take advantage of Gérardmer. If for some. these figures represent an economic success for the territory, others denounce a surcourism which can be harmful to the environment. An equation that can occupy the oldest tourist office in France for many years.