Research into the holidaymaking of the French people shows that the pattern has not changed in thirty years. Top of the list for the majority is lazing about, preferably on a beach. A French beach. `Le farniente', as a writer in Figaro, the daily newspaper has it. There are four certainties in this review on the prospects of tourism from now to the year 2010. Number one: the irresistible attraction of the beach. Countryside holidays and holidays in the mountains have declined or at least been static since 1960, but the beaches from the Atlantic coast, to Brittany and the Cote d'Azur are most favoured, followed by those near the mouth of the Rhone around to the Camargue. There are others, even in the north along the Channel. Number two: Farniente - doing nothing - is the principal activity, so to speak. He spends his time with his family and friends; likes to stay on the beach, reading, daydreaming, playing cards. In the evening, he watches television. Only every second holidaymaker takes up some physical activity or would be ready to take his car and travel up to a fifty kilometres to visit some place of special interest.
Number three: Refuses to leave the home country. Over the last ten or twelve years, the number of French who go abroad for their holiday has not risen from the approximate twenty per cent estimated. And when they go outside the country, some sixty per cent of them choose Spain, Italy, Greece or Portugal - again chiefly for their beaches. And when they stay in France, the holidaymakers, up to sixty per cent, go to the place they know already or stay with friends or relatives for financial reasons. Number four in this list of the characteristics of the French holiday is that it almost completely is confined to six weeks of the year, about July 10th to August 15th.
It used to be said that it was the whole of July and August, but it is now narrowing down. In spite of promotional efforts of resorts and hotels, June and September don't draw the visitors, according to this survey, even among those who have no children and thus are not subject to problems of school terms and examinations. It's certainly good for family life if the vacation period is lazy, keeps them all together. It is worth the whole page given to it by the newspaper and will probably draw some fire.
The rest of us might note that June and September are good months for some sun on a French beach of your choice. Y