Haute-Loire. Tourism: Good summer season figures confirm the department's attractiveness

From the Mézenc plateaus to the lively streets of Puy-en-Velay, the Haute-Loire region vibrated to the rhythm of visitors all summer long.

On Monday, October 27, the Haute-Loire Attractivité agency brought together tourism stakeholders at the Chalet du Lac du Bouchet to share the encouraging results of a season (from June 1 to September 30, 2025) that confirms the department's appeal. With one observation: summer 2025 lived up to all its promises.

It is based on three key figures. First, according to the Haute-Loire Attractivité Observation Unit, 68% of tourism service providers believe that "the 2025 summer season was satisfactory."

Next, the total number of overnight stays (commercial and non-commercial) totaled 2.89 million, according to Orange Flux Vision Tourisme data. Finally, online bookings showed a 6.5% increase in overnight stays and an 8% increase in business volume, according to Airbnb figures.

But how can we explain this more than positive assessment? It appears that the attractiveness of the region remains a strong lever for attracting tourists: 38% of service providers believe that Haute-Loire attracts new customers "thanks to its image and setting"; while 52% highlight the loyalty of their customers, an asset confirmed year after year. Proof that once you have discovered Haute-Loire, you want to come back.

Day trip tourism numbers remain stable compared to 2024, with 4.53 million excursions. The majority of visitors come from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region (64%), particularly from the Loire (25%), Puy-de-Dôme (11%), the Rhône (8.5%), and Ardèche (7%).

The only downside: there are slightly fewer foreigners. German and Dutch tourists remain the leaders (but fewer and fewer), while the Swiss now overtake the Belgians in market share.

During satisfaction surveys, tourists explained that they had chosen this destination for certain events with national influence (trail and nights of Saint-Jacques, Festival of the King of the Bird, festival of La Chaise-Dieu, etc.)

The summer weather conditions also favored the high mountain range of Altiligeria, a true climatic refuge appreciated by day visitors.