A new study shows the substantial growth in the number of second homes in France and the departments where it has occurred.

There are around 3.2 million second homes in mainland France, nearly 10% of the housing stock. Around 90% are owned by French nationals, mainly along the French coast. Between 80,000 to 90,000 are owned by UK nationals.

Not surprisingly, at a regional level the largest number of holiday homes in mainland France is in the sun-drenched Mediterranean of Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, with each having around 500,000 holiday homes, accounting for around 14% of the total stock.

A recent study by Insee, the French statistics agency, has highlighted the monumental growth in holiday homes in France over the past 50 years, increasing from 1.2 million in 1968 to nearly 3.4 million in 2017.

The largest numerical increases over 100,000 have been in the departments of Var (+144,045), Alpes-Maritimes (+143,241), Herault (+115,771), and Savoie (+108,282), with Paris and Haute-Savoie not far behind. In the case of Herault that equates to an increase of nearly 700% in 50 years, driven in large measure by new development along the coast. Aude, Savoie and Hautes-Alpes have all had increases of over 500%.

However, growth has not been a universal phenomenon, for in several departments the number of second homes has declined, notably Essonne (-53%), Seine-et-Marne (-48%), Oise (41%), and Val d'Oise (-36%).

The table below shows the change in the number of second homes in each department between 1968 and 2017, the latest date for which records are available.

Since the Covid outbreak there is every indication from agents and published sales figures that the number of second homes has increased, as a result of urban dwellers buying property in less congested areas. Estate agents report that the demand for holiday homes on the coast, in particular, is resulting in a double-digit increase in property prices in popular areas.

Source: Insee

The department with the highest percentage of properties in second ownership is the Hautes-Alpes, where 45% of the housing stock residential are holiday homes, mostly of course ski chalets or apartments.

In other mountain departments in France - Savoie, Lozère, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Pyrénées-Orientales, Ariège, Haute-Savoie, Hautes-Pyrénées, Creuse, and Cantal - a quarter to a third of the housing stock are second homes.

Other departments with over 20% of the stock as second homes have a more canicular basis for their attraction - Var , Aude, Vendée, Alpes-Maritimes, Charente-Maritime, and Hérault.

The following graphic gives a pictorial representation of this distribution, indicating the percentage of holiday homes in each department.