It's the weekend ! Take out the sunglasses, the bottle of rosé and the small peanuts! This is the time of the week when we have fun. And if some prefer to lie under the duvet with a good book between two outings with friends, others decide to do a little extra and prepare their suitcase for a short stay. According to a study by tour operator Weekendesk Among 1,386 people who have gone on short breaks at least once since June 2014, 63% of French people go on weekends. But who are these little Sunday travellers? We learn that they are between 35 and 64 years old (66%) that they leave on average 3.6 times a year, less than 4 hours from home and stay 2.4 nights there. These little ephemeral vacationers travel mainly as a couple (yes, go complaining about your darling! We also want to go for a little weekend in Deauville!) or with their children and 55% of them choose to stay at the hotel… At the same time wild camping is not for everyone!
Weekend Desk also reveals the Top 5 motivations of the French to take a break:
1) 27% go on escapades to play it small explorers of the land
2) 22% exile themselves from everyday life to relax and take care of themselves
3) 13% are going to attend an event (cousin's wedding or nephew's baptism…)
4) 11% decide to flee to enjoy their loved ones (nothing like a weekend in the countryside at Bonne Maman)
5) 9% improvise a getaway to practice an activity (skiing, hiking, paddle and other fads)
French "weekenders" are actually quite homebodies since 77% of them go to France and 18% to Europe. The key regions are Normandy (at the same time if we are offered two days in Honfleur… The suitcase is already packed!), Brittany (because we love marinières, galettes and cider!) and the PACA region ( for the pastis, the creeks and the singing accent of the Marseillais!).
