France Camping Statistics

France is the EU's biggest camping market, with 37.2% of all nights spent at EU campsites in 2025¹ and an average of 6,678 campsites open across the April–September season². Camping in France ranges from tents to glamping. The industry grew significantly after COVID-19 as more people chose nature-based travel.

• France accounts for 37.2% of all nights spent at EU campsites¹, with 6,678 campsites open in the 2025 season².
• 147.6 million camping nights were recorded in France during 2025 (April–September).³
• International campers make up 30% of all camping nights³, led by Dutch and German visitors.
• French campsites generated €4.7 billion in direct turnover in 2025.⁴

France is by far the most popular camping country in the EU. Campsites and caravan parks in France recorded 154 million nights in 2025, 37.2% of the EU total of 413 million and more than Spain, Italy and Germany combined.¹

• Spain: 49.8 million nights
• Italy: 49.1 million nights
• Germany: 45.0 million nights
• Netherlands: 26.8 million nights¹

The 154 million figure covers the whole year, so it is higher than the 147.6 million recorded for the April–September season.

A family of three pays an average of €46 a night for a caravan or motorhome pitch at a French campsite in the 2026 summer high season, 6% more than in 2025.⁷ Off-season prices are about 36% lower.

• Spending Off Site: Campers spend an average of €52 a day outside the campsite, mostly on transport (28%), eating out (20%) and food shopping (18%).⁴

Mobile homes and chalets now account for most campsite stays in France. Pitches with ready-to-use rental accommodation recorded 87.6 million nights between April and September 2025, 59% of the total, against 60.0 million on bare pitches for tents, caravans and motorhomes.²

• Occupancy: Rental pitches were 51.6% occupied over the season, against 37.3% for bare pitches, even though there are fewer of them (283,500 against 356,200).²
• Foreign Campers: International visitors still prefer bare pitches, with 25.6 million nights on them against 19.5 million in rental accommodation.²
• Upmarket Shift: 4- and 5-star campsites recorded 91 million nights, 62% of the total.²

The departments with the most campsite pitches on 1 January 2026:

• Vendée: 52,275 pitches¹⁰ (Atlantic coast)
• Charente-Maritime: 49,351 pitches¹⁰ (Atlantic)
• Hérault: 45,536 pitches¹⁰ (Mediterranean)

Hiking is the most popular activity at French campsites: 77% of campers hike or go walking during their stay.⁵ Altogether, 91% of campers do at least one sporting or cultural activity on a camping holiday.

• Hiking or walking: 77%
• Cultural and heritage visits (châteaux, museums, historic villages): 73%
• Water sports (swimming, paddleboarding, surfing): 54%
• Cycling: 52%
• Individual sports (fitness, table tennis, golf, tennis): 47%
• Live shows (concerts, dance, theatre): 40%⁵

What campers look for in a campsite

• Beach: 47% of campers say being near the sea or a beach is essential.
• Comfortable rentals: 45% want comfortable rental accommodation such as mobile homes or chalets.
• Pool: 43% want a swimming pool or water park.⁵

French camping is highly seasonal: July and August accounted for 61% of the 153.8 million nights spent at campsites over the full year 2025.¹⁴

• Peak Season: August alone accounted for 33% of the year's camping nights (51.4 million).¹⁴
• Shoulder Seasons: June and September together accounted for 20% of nights (31.2 million).¹⁴
• Winter Camping: November to February accounted for only about 1% of nights.¹⁴

France attracts millions of foreign campers annually, with international visitors accounting for 30% of camping nights in 2025³.

• Top Source Countries: The Netherlands leads with 13.8 million nights, followed by Germany (12.4 million nights), Belgium (5.6 million nights), and the UK (5.3 million nights post-Brexit)³.
• European Dominance: Almost all foreign campers are European³, with France serving as a key destination on the European camping circuit.