This is the question we should all be asking ourselves: What does responsible tourism in France look like when summers look like this now? As American journalist Lindsey Tramuta put it: “Paris is boiling.” With temperatures regularly hitting 100°F+ (40°C) over the last two months, and with about 75% of French homes still not having air conditioning, France is unprepared for their new reality of blisteringly hot summers.
Many French people believe that AC is both bad for your health and bad for the environment. They still cling to the hope that they can hold the cool morning air inside by closing their metal shutters until the evening arrives. (I’ll point out that this approach is essentially AC, just 19th century AC.) This summer, however, evenings in France are staying hot, which means that the air inside homes and apartments starts stifling and becomes unbearable.
As I have watched France suffer through this most recent heatwave – which reminds me of the 2003 canicule that killed thousands of French citizens that summer – I have to ask myself: Is traveling to France and Europe in July and August responsible?
I am of two minds.
On the one hand, yes. My tourism dollars can support local communities, some of whom make all their income for the year in the summer.
On the other hand, no. Over-tourism and climate change are overwhelming the infrastructure of an already energy-strained Europe. These communities (I’m thinking in particular of Paris, Barcelona, and Florence) are being stretched thin, if not to the breaking point by rising temperatures, severe flooding, wildfires, and over-tourism. The irony here is not lost on me. I adore travel, and I run yoga retreats to popular destinations like France, Morocco, and Turkey, though we intentionally keep our groups small and we stay in family-owned and operated boutique hotels. I care deeply about not contributing to these overburdened and overwhelmed communities.
Consider the following questions before you hop on the plane to France this summer:
Can you go any other time of year?
Generally September-May in France is lovely, less hot, and (slightly) less crowded.
Are you able to stay in local hotels and bed and breakfasts?
Unlike Airbnbs, which have taken over cities like Paris, Istanbul, and Florence, local hotels are wonderful, clean, and have the absolutely godsend that are concierges. In the event that CDG loses your bag (been there), your concierge can be available to receive your luggage when it arrives. A random Airbnb, not so much.
Is your French destination trending or extremely popular right now?
How can you get off the beaten path and stay under the radar?
Before you publicly post everywhere you went and everything you did, consider the impact of virality. Ten people inside that stellar family-run restaurant is one thing when you can walk in off the street, and is a whole other beast when that same family business now has a three-month waitlist.
Is your trip flexible and refundable?
If a heatwave hits, can you reschedule your trip by a week or a month? The moment to go to Paris is not when temperatures are blasting the city with 100ºF, 100ºF heat.
Does your destination want you there?
Do your research and pay attention to the news. Last summer’s anti-tourist protests in Spain is a clear sign that you’re not welcome right now. Can you go anywhere else?
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