GLAMPING IN FRANCE

Adeline Lenoir

Adeline Lenoir is a consultant and trainer specialising in unusual accommodation. She has worked as a Tourism professional for 18 years, first as an international volunteer in Turkey and Morocco, then specialised in local and responsible tourism in Mexico and Canada. Adeline co-managed one of the first big glamping sites in France before accompanying companies as a consultant in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She then decided to mix her passions, experience and network to create Hotes-Insolites!

Adeline Lenoir

How has the glamping industry been affected by the pandemic where you are?

In France as soon as the companies re-opened after the first confinement, we had a total explosion of bookings for the glamping small sites: space, wild, uncrowded, close, exactly everything people was looking for!

What kind of restrictions has the industry been under?

Apart from the constraints of cleaning absolutely everything and waiting few hours between 2 clients we did not have that many restrictions.

Do you currently face restrictions? If so, when are they set to be lifted?

The same thing with cleaning and waiting 3 hours between 2 clients but sites are open, but they do not have that many clients due to the fact that restaurants are closed and people are not travelling that much as we never know if we are going to be re-confined.

Uncertainty surrounding international travel has caused a surge of domestic holidays in the UK, leading to an increase in the popularity of glamping. Has this occurred where you are?

Yes, for last year and apparently this year will be the same.

Are there currently any glamping trends that you are seeing?

We are seeing more of a trend towards geodesic domes which I call delta cabins. They are becoming more popluar in France.

Any exciting projects that you’d like to talk about?

In 2020 Hôtes-Insolites launched the first label of glamping in France : https://hotes-insolites.com/label-hotesinsolites/

Also I can add that many people are thinking about a professional conversion and there have never been so many projects in unusual accommodation!