The destination Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur is unavoidable for French vacationers, as revealed in the data from the “Barometer of Holidays” released on Tuesday, April 28, 2026 by Ipsos for Europ assistance insurer. With 20% of respondents planning a stay there, the region ranks at the top of the top 3 most popular French destinations for getaways this summer.
Completing the podium are Occitanie and Brittany tied at second place (16%), while Auvergne-Rhône Alpes and Nouvelle-Aquitaine jointly occupy third place (14%). Paca is expected to experience a lively season, driven by a strong appetite from the French for domestic vacations.
The global political instability, fueled by the Middle East conflict and the surge in fuel prices, is impacting the air traffic of some airlines. Despite the desire to travel remaining intact in France, the choices of destination and duration are adapting to the unstable international context and stringent budget constraints, with a clear favoritism towards exploring France, according to Francine Abgrall, the director of travel at Europ Assistance France.
Note the decline of 6 points in summer vacation intentions in the Paca region compared to 2025, reflecting a national trend identified in the study. While 80% of French people are eager to go on holiday, the actual departure intentions have decreased by 6 points compared to last year. Internationally, European destinations are more preferred by vacationers, with Italy leading the top 3 of the 2026 Holiday Barometer, followed by Spain and Greece.
