Where does food come on your house-hunting priority list?

Are great local markets one of the attractions of buying a house in France?

Airbnb have just released the results of a study showing the importance of local food and gastronomy to French holidaymakers when choosing a destination. It turns out that 75% of French people who go on holiday or take a short break in France are influenced by the local gastronomy in their choice of destination.

I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised by this; it is well-known that the French are obsessed with food, but I was interested to see how much it influenced holiday choices. And 75% is huge – 3 out of 4 people effectively said that they put food (and wine) at the top of their list when choosing where to go on holiday. I started wondering if food has any influence on house hunting decisions too.

Interestingly the French seem less drawn to big name chefs or internationally renowned restaurants; most of those surveyed said that it is the local and traditional cuisine which attracts them and the small, family-run bistros and abundant local markets. They are particularly influenced by recommendations of friends and family or word of mouth rather than advertising or social media campaigns. Before they book, the French admit to doing their research and even reserving restaurants and tastings months ahead and most say that they will hunt out local specialities to eat and to bring home to enjoy with family and friends in order to re-live that holiday feeling.

In terms of which French regions came out as favourite in terms of food destinations for the French holidaymaker, the first on the list was Brittany but number two was our own region of Occitanie which doesn’t surprise me as the southwest is known for it’s excellent local produce and farming and the very traditional take on cooking. Cassoulet gets a mention (a speciality of Carcassonne, Castelnaudry and Toulouse, all of which battle for being its place of origin). Then it is confit de canard, foie gras and the local cheeses of the Pyrénées.

Wine tourism is also a big deal for French holidaymakers, and many choose an area where they can visit vineyards and taste the local wine. In fact, the Airbnb map of most popular holiday destinations shows the best-known wine-areas in France also being the most visited regions.

It is often true that our favourite dishes are those from our childhood, enjoyed en famille, cooked by our parents or grandparents and so it makes sense that some of the highest rated cuisine in France is actually those very same home-cooked, comfort dishes and it is these that the French are searching out when on holiday. It is an authentic way of eating and hence an authentic way of travelling too.

I know that personally, we certainly always try to choose the local dishes and specialties when on holiday but I must admit that we haven’t booked many holidays purely on the strength of a destination’s cuisine although maybe now, I might well think about that at the planning stage rather than on arrival somewhere. Certainly, thinking back to past holidays and looking at old photos, many of the best holiday memories are centred around a table and a good meal.

It also makes me remember again how lucky we to live in a region where so many people want to come on holiday for both the food and wine and the landscapes and lifestyle.

If food is important for planning a holiday, it deserves even more consideration when deciding where to buy a house in France. I can certainly recommend our gourmet region as a wonderful place both to come on holiday and to live so, if you are planning a house hunting trip, why not get in touch: nadia@foothillsoffrance.com