Ahead of France’s municipal elections on March 15 and 22, second homes have emerged as a key issue in local campaigns. In several tourist towns, debates have focused on the electoral weight of second-home owners and questions of taxation. Often blamed for the housing crisis, these residences have become a lightning rod for tensions, as owners are accused of worsening the shortage of available homes and fueling soaring prices.

But behind these criticisms, the reality is more nuanced. How many second homes are there in France, and where are they concentrated? Le Monde analyzed how the phenomenon has evolved and the many different uses that the term “second home” encompasses. Our research shows that these homes do not form a monolithic bloc that would require a single type of political response.

A figure that has remained steady for 10 years

In 2025, there were 3.7 million second homes, representing 9.8% of all housing in France, according to public data. The increase seen between 1980 and 1990, driven by tax and real estate incentives along coastal areas and in ski resorts, was followed by a stabilization in the number of second homes.

This has resulted in a highly uneven distribution of these “part-time” residences across the country. Nearly 40% are concentrated along the coasts, notably the Atlantic and Mediterranean shores, as well as in Corsica, while 16% are located in mountain areas, mainly in the Alps and Pyrénées. The national record is found in Germ, in the Pyrénées: In this small town with 33 residents, 97.2% of homes are second residences.

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