12 Beautiful Places in France Overwhelmed by Overtourism That Are Totally Worth Battling the Crowds For

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Considering the European country welcomes more than 100 million foreign visitors yearly, it’s hardly surprising that many beautiful places in France are overwhelmed by overtourism. Whether it be the large crowds that congregate around famous landmarks, increased house prices for locals, or environmental degradation, overtourism is causing issues across France.

While tourism is primarily positive for France, bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars yearly, helping to prop up local economies, and increasing job opportunities for residents, it can also have a negative impact. It can lead to landmark degradation, environmental catastrophes, angered locals, and bad tourist experiences. To learn more, here are 12 places in France suffering from overtourism.

Palace of Versailles, Versailles

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A one-hour drive from the center of Paris, the Palace of Versailles is one of France’s most overwhelmed by overtourism attractions. This grand former royal residence welcomes more than eight million visitors yearly, a figure it can’t keep up with. As a result, the palace’s heritage is at risk, as is the enjoyment of tourists who spend their hard-earned cash visiting.

Tourists who visit the palace face long queues to get inside, large crowds when they get inside, and generally an unpleasant experience. This makes it impossible for tourists to enjoy the experience, as they cannot stop and look around. Worse yet, the sheer number of visitors could cause irreversible damage to the palace’s spectacular flooring.

Étretat

In Étretat, a famous coastal town in Northern France, locals contend with overcrowded sidewalks, long queues, and overflowing bins, which nobody wants to endure where they live. Étretat has been a popular tourist destination for many years, but the town’s popularity has exploded in recent years. Unfortunately, this popularity has led to many issues, the main one being overcrowding.

However, things worsened for Étretat as the town suffered environmental damage. According to Le Monde, the large crowds of tourists have strained Étretat’s picturesque coastline, causing the area to deteriorate. Worse yet, erosion is sped up by tourists stealing pebbles from the beach and an overburdened wastewater treatment plant. To combat overtourism, Étretat has implemented a reservation system to limit the number of tourists.

Saint-Tropez

In the last century, Saint-Tropez has transformed from a quaint fishing village to a luxurious holiday destination and one of France’s destinations most overrun by mass tourism. A playground for the rich and famous, Saint-Tropez is a breathtaking coastal town in Southern France famed for its A-list resorts, yacht-filled harbor, and vibrant architecture.

Unsurprisingly, this has made Saint-Tropez one of Europe’s most highly sought-after tourist destinations, where problems arise. Sadly, this popularity has led to overcrowding in the summer, putting pressure on local amenities and public services. Sadly, as the town becomes more popular, property prices and the cost of living also rise. This makes it harder for locals to afford housing and amenities. Commercialization also overshadows the town’s authentic charm.

Massif des Calanques, Marseille

Places in France Overwhelmed by Overtourism, Massif des Calanques — © Blogtrip / AdobeStock

France’s breathtaking natural scenery also suffers from overtourism. A fine example is the Massif des Calanques, where overtourism is causing significant environmental degradation. Massif des Calanques is a picturesque stretch of rugged coastline near Marseille and Cassis, best known for its diverse ecosystems and outdoor opportunities, such as hiking, boating, and swimming.

However, the area struggles to cope with the three million people who visit yearly. In recent years, the sheer number of visitors has caused environmental damage to the Calanques, destroying local ecosystems and damaging the pine forests. According to Euro News, visitors will now have to apply for a permit to access certain areas of the Calanques to protect the remaining ecosystems and allow nature to regenerate.

Palais des Papes, Avignon

European Palaces Pope’s Palace, Avignon, France — © aterrom / Adobe Stock

Due to its immense popularity, Palais des Papes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s most significant medieval Gothic buildings, experiences unbearable crowds, making it difficult for visitors to appreciate its beauty. According to Wikipedia, Palais des Papes, which you’ll find in Avignon, Southern France, welcomes over 650,000 people yearly.

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This puts pressure on the palace facilities and Avignon, which has a population of less than 100,000. During the peak tourist season, you can expect long queues and large crowds at the palace’s most significant points of interest. More than 25 rooms in Palais des Papes are open to the public, but you’ll struggle to get near most of them when busy.

Villefranche-sur-Mer

In Villefranche-sur-Mer, a coastal resort town on the French Riviera, overtourism has led to environmental degradation and overcrowding. One of the main problems Villefranche-sur-Mer faces is the large number of cruise ships that dock in its port. In fact, according to the Express, rows have erupted because of the noise and pollution cruise ships bring.

Local environmentalists have demanded more significant restrictions and monitoring of cruise ships to prevent further damage to local ecosystems and to protect marine life, one of the many things Villefranche-sur-Mer is known for. Juliette Chesnel-Le Roux described the situation in Villefranche-sur-Mer as “an ecological disaster.” As the town’s popularity grows, so does the pressure on local ecosystems and public services.

Mont St. Michel, Normandy

12 Surreal Places in France Normandy Mont-Saint-Michel — © PUNTOSTUDIOFOTO Lda / Adobe Stock

Due to overcrowding, the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey in Normandy is one of France’s attractions that is most swamped with tourists. This breathtaking tidal island in Northern France is famed worldwide for its fairy-tale-like abbey. Lying approximately 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) off the coast, this iconic tourist attraction is visited by nearly 2.5 million people yearly.

For context, the island’s population is less than 50. As you can imagine, the large number of visitors puts pressure on Mont-Saint-Michel’s infrastructure. To make matters worse, most people who visit the island visit in the morning, creating unmanageable queues at the abbey and down the narrow cobblestone streets. The government hopes to reduce crowds by encouraging tourists to visit at different times.

Lyon

In Old Lyon, the massive influx of tourists is causing anger among local communities, who are finding it increasingly difficult to live there. Exploring the historic cobblestone streets of Old Lyon is a must, but living there is an entirely different story. Unfortunately, residents have to live with large crowds, increased pollution, and increased prices.

This has led to discussions between residents and local governments regarding how tourist numbers can be better managed in specific areas. To combat overcrowding and pressure on public resources, the government plans to encourage travelers to explore less busy areas of the city, such as the Saint-Georges district, Croix-Rousse, Presqu’île, and Tête d’Or park.

Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, Lourdes

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in Southern France is another tourist attraction overwhelmed by overtourism due to overcrowding. This beautiful Catholic Pilgrimage site might not be France’s most famous tourist attraction, but it’s undoubtedly one of the most visited. Around four million people visit the site yearly.

For context, approximately five million people visit the Vatican every year, one of the world’s most famous Catholic pilgrimage sites. Unfortunately, this immense popularity has led to unbearable overcrowding. If you visit in peak season, you can expect constant crowds, long queues, and a less tranquil experience. Sadly, many travelers who visit the site feel frustrated instead of fulfilled.

Annecy

When people think about Annecy, they usually imagine spectacular lake views, romantic river walks, vibrant traditional architecture, and authentic French charm. Still, the story is very different for residents who’ve had enough of overtourism in the Alpine town. Every year, millions of tourists visit Annecy despite the town having a population of less than 130,000.

This has caused severe crowding issues, especially in popular tourist areas. It strains public services and puts more pressure on amenities. Things are even worse for residents, who also have to deal with noise pollution, increased housing costs, and a reduced quality of life. Unfortunately, this overcrowding also makes exploring Annecy much less enjoyable for visitors who don’t want to spend their vacation queueing.

Paris

In Paris, the sheer volume of visitors has seen the capital become one of France’s most overwhelmed by overtourism cities, with the unbearable crowds at many iconic landmarks making it challenging to walk around. At its best, Paris, the city of love, is hard to resist, but it’s falling victim to its success.

Once romantic streets filled with authentic French charm and character are being overrun by hordes of tourists, tourist scams, franchise stores, and chain restaurants. Unfortunately, this has also led to increased rubbish, pollution, and living costs, which has left many locals unable to pay the high costs. A recent report found a 16% increase in homelessness across the capital.

Carcassonne

There are several reasons why Carcassonne, a medieval citadel in Southern France, is one of France’s most burdened by overtourism destinations. The 5th-century citadel is remarkable, so millions visit yearly to glimpse its magnificent architecture. On top of that, it’s only tiny, so the crowds quickly build up, which leads to overcrowding.

Finally, there are few other popular tourist destinations near Carcassonne, so many tourists stay in the city for their entire trip. The overcrowding in Carcassonne makes exploring the citadel’s winding cobblestone streets much less enjoyable, while locals are fed up with fighting through the crowds daily. Meanwhile, local amenities and public services, such as shops and water supplies, struggle to meet the demand.