Summer is coming to an end in France, and certain cities that have been inundated with tourists for two months are returning to their usual calm. Perhaps a little too calm. The reason: the number of second homes that remain empty for much of the year. Some cities are seeking to limit this phenomenon. The Echaniz-Le Meur law, passed last year to “regulate seasonal rentals,” allows them to ban the construction of new vacation homes under certain conditions. Examples include Saint-Malo and Cancale in Brittany, in western France, where the city council has just voted to implement this ban.
The little train winds its way through the crowds on the cobblestones of Saint-Malo, heading towards the beach. In the old town, facing the English Channel, 30% of homes have been listed on sites such as Airbnb. These properties stand empty outside the holiday season. “**On the seafront, seeing all the shutters closed for months on end is always a little sad,” says Olivier, a retiree**. Over the years, he has seen the demand for vacation homes drive up apartment prices: “**You almost have to be retired to be able to afford to live in Saint-Malo***, and even then, you won’t necessarily be in the best part of town.”
This is too expensive for young professionals. Some of them are moving away from the city or leaving it altogether in order to buy a home. This is a situation that local elected officials are unwilling to accept. The mayor of Saint-Malo, Gilles Lurton, plans to put a ban on the construction of second homes in several areas of his municipality to a vote in November. **In total, he wants to build 3,000 new homes, with two-thirds reserved for people who want to live there year-round**
“The percentage of second homes has risen from 21% in 2021 to 26% in 2025. This is growth that we need to curb. **I have a business leader who wants to bring 200 employees back to Saint-Malo. Today, he is completely unable to house them. So we’re going to have to find solutions,” explains the mayor.**
For him, government assistance is vital before the situation worsens: “**It’s not just Saint-Malo, it’s the whole country that is affected. In my opinion, housing policies have been abandoned by the government for financial reasons, and I really think we are heading for a crisis that is much more serious than the one we are currently experiencing.”**
*remember in France the average retiree is wealthier than the average worker
vaguelydad on
If we pour enough gasoline on, surely the fire will go out!
WAGRAMWAGRAM on
Article to show how bad it has gotten in the touristy parts of France, and when even retirees and business say you need more housing things must be really dire
banning summer homes is a false solution because how would you even know if people are building such homes and not a year-round one, but at least the mayor wants to build stuff, so not everything is lost to the NIMBY lobby
MCRN-Gyoza on
How the hell will they define what is a summer home and what is a “permanent residence”?
4 Comments
Summer is coming to an end in France, and certain cities that have been inundated with tourists for two months are returning to their usual calm. Perhaps a little too calm. The reason: the number of second homes that remain empty for much of the year. Some cities are seeking to limit this phenomenon. The Echaniz-Le Meur law, passed last year to “regulate seasonal rentals,” allows them to ban the construction of new vacation homes under certain conditions. Examples include Saint-Malo and Cancale in Brittany, in western France, where the city council has just voted to implement this ban.
The little train winds its way through the crowds on the cobblestones of Saint-Malo, heading towards the beach. In the old town, facing the English Channel, 30% of homes have been listed on sites such as Airbnb. These properties stand empty outside the holiday season. “**On the seafront, seeing all the shutters closed for months on end is always a little sad,” says Olivier, a retiree**. Over the years, he has seen the demand for vacation homes drive up apartment prices: “**You almost have to be retired to be able to afford to live in Saint-Malo***, and even then, you won’t necessarily be in the best part of town.”
This is too expensive for young professionals. Some of them are moving away from the city or leaving it altogether in order to buy a home. This is a situation that local elected officials are unwilling to accept. The mayor of Saint-Malo, Gilles Lurton, plans to put a ban on the construction of second homes in several areas of his municipality to a vote in November. **In total, he wants to build 3,000 new homes, with two-thirds reserved for people who want to live there year-round**
“The percentage of second homes has risen from 21% in 2021 to 26% in 2025. This is growth that we need to curb. **I have a business leader who wants to bring 200 employees back to Saint-Malo. Today, he is completely unable to house them. So we’re going to have to find solutions,” explains the mayor.**
For him, government assistance is vital before the situation worsens: “**It’s not just Saint-Malo, it’s the whole country that is affected. In my opinion, housing policies have been abandoned by the government for financial reasons, and I really think we are heading for a crisis that is much more serious than the one we are currently experiencing.”**
*remember in France the average retiree is wealthier than the average worker
If we pour enough gasoline on, surely the fire will go out!
Article to show how bad it has gotten in the touristy parts of France, and when even retirees and business say you need more housing things must be really dire
banning summer homes is a false solution because how would you even know if people are building such homes and not a year-round one, but at least the mayor wants to build stuff, so not everything is lost to the NIMBY lobby
How the hell will they define what is a summer home and what is a “permanent residence”?