Paris Leads Europe’s Growth, But Rural France Pays More

France has broken its tourism records again. It received 102 million international visitors in 2025, and tourism revenue rose 9%, according to the official 2025 figures. It is the world’s most visited country, again. For summer 2026, Mastercard Economics Institute data expects Paris to record the largest increase in travel of Europe’s cities, followed by Amsterdam and Brussels.

But many agents are missing the bigger opportunity. It is not in Paris hotel rooms. It is in the regions beyond the capital (Provence, the Loire Valley, the French Riviera and Normandy), where demand is rising fast and there is still space for more ground packages.

If you are a travel agent looking for new products to quote this summer, France should be at the top of your list. Here is why, and where to focus.

How Many Tourists Visit France?

France received 102 million international visitors in 2025, up from 100 million in 2024. International tourism receipts reached a record €77.5 billion, according to Banque de France data, and each international tourist spent an average of €760 per trip, up 7% on the year before. Mastercard’s data shows demand for June to September 2026 is up again on last year.

Paris is drawing more visitors. The effect of the Olympic Games is still visible. Notre-Dame has reopened. New metro lines are running. The city is easier to visit than it was a few years ago.

But France is more than Paris. The regions beyond the capital offer different trips, and that is where ground packages work best.

Why Are Ground Packages in France Worth Quoting Now?

Because many clients want more than a city break, and a ground package lets you sell the whole trip. Travel agents who sell only Paris city breaks are missing sales. More travellers want more than a three-night hotel stay. They want multi-stop trips that are planned for them, and they want someone else to organise the logistics.

That is what a ground package covers: transfers, local guides, boutique hotels, day trips and activities, all in one package. France suits this well because its regions are so different from each other.

Here are four regions that suit ground packages well:

Provence and the Lavender Route

Provence is very popular right now. Lavender season runs from mid-June to early August, and guided tours through Valensole, Gordes and Roussillon can fill up weeks in advance. Wine tours in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and cooking classes in Aix-en-Provence complete the trip.

A good option for agents is a Provence loop of 2 or 3 nights (3 or 4 days), with private transfers from the Marseille or Avignon TGV stations. Your clients arrive by train, and the package covers everything from the station.

The Loire Valley

Château country is popular with families and couples alike. Chambord, Chenonceau and Amboise are the big three, but smaller properties like Azay-le-Rideau and Villandry offer quieter, more personal visits. Hot-air balloon rides over the valley and local wine tastings in Vouvray and Chinon are easy add-ons that raise the package value.

Transfers between châteaux are essential here. Public transport is limited, so agents who include private drivers or e-bike rentals in their packages stand out.

The French Riviera Beyond Nice

Nice and Cannes get most of the attention, but the smaller towns have much to offer. Saint-Paul-de-Vence for art lovers. Èze for clifftop views. Antibes for markets and coastal walks. Menton for a quieter, Italian-flavoured stay right on the border.

A Riviera ground package of 4 nights / 5 days, with a local guide, coastal transfers and a day trip to the Lérins Islands, is an easy product to sell. TGV trains from Paris make it simple to add to a city break.

Normandy and the D-Day Beaches

Agents focused on the south often overlook Normandy. That is a mistake. The D-Day beaches, Mont Saint-Michel, Honfleur and the Bayeux Tapestry draw a steady flow of visitors all year, especially from the UK, US and Canada.

Ground packages work well here because the sites are spread out. A 2 nights / 3 days itinerary covering the landing beaches, a cider farm visit and Mont Saint-Michel, with private transfers from Caen or Paris, sells well to clients interested in history.

What Do the Numbers Mean for Your Agency?

France’s tourism numbers are still rising: 102 million visitors in 2025, and summer 2026 demand is up again. Many clients want multi-stop itineraries instead of single-city stays, and they will pay for a trip that is planned for them.

For travel agents, this adds up to one thing: ground packages in France are worth quoting this summer. The demand is there. The infrastructure (trains, transfers, local guides) is excellent. And many agents still sell only Paris hotels.

How Can You Build a France Quote Faster?

Use an online DMC instead of waiting for a DMC’s email reply. Putting together a multi-day French itinerary used to take hours of research: matching the right hotels to the right regions, arranging transfers, checking seasonal availability. Asking a DMC by email usually means waiting 24–48 hours for a reply. (How to get a DMC quote faster compares the two.)

MindDMC is an online DMC for travel agents. You describe the trip in a chat (destinations, dates, travellers and hotel category) and get a day-by-day itinerary with hotels, transfers and activities, priced in real time, in about 4–5 minutes. To change a hotel or a date, you ask in the chat and the itinerary is repriced. You set your own margin, and the client’s PDF shows only the selling price. MindDMC quotes the land package; flights are never included.

Demand for France is growing, and much of it is outside Paris. Send your quote while your client is still deciding.

Build your next France quote on MindDMC. Get 20 free itineraries, no credit card required.