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South west France news: 2022's tourism boom and finding a nearby doctor

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South west France news: 2022's tourism boom and finding a nearby doctor
The ski slope Font-Romeu in the Pyrenees Catalanes natural park in south west France. Photo by Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP

From the millions earned in the south-west thanks to Airbnb travel in 2022, taxes to know about when extending your French property and winter weather, here is your weekly roundup of the news and issues in south-west France.

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A tourism boom in 2022

As tourism rebounded across the whole of France in 2022, the south west was not left behind. In particular, Airbnb rentals increased significantly in 2022, so much so that the platform Airbnb paid €148 million in tourist tax to French municipalities in 2022, according to Le Parisien.

This amount represented an increase of 60 percent when compared to 2021, according to Airbnb.

The holidaymaker – or tourist – tax was first introduced in 2018, and it is proportional to the number of nights spent in a property and is paid by the tenants at the end of their stay. It is paid twice a year to the local council on behalf of the hosts, professionals and individuals.

READ MORE: France earns €148 million in tourist taxes from Airbnb

As for the south west, six municipalities in the region made it to the list of the top 50 cities in France who received the most tax revenue from the holiday maker tax. In total, these six locations collected €3.84 million, "breaking records," according to reporting by France Régions.

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You can see a map, created by France régions, of the municipalities below:

Bordeaux remained fifth place out of the top 10 French cities that collected the most money from the holidaymaker tax, earning €1.3 million. 

Biarritz also saw a significant increase in revenues from the holidaymaker tax from Airbnb - a rise of 106 percent when compared to 2021. In 2022, it came in 11th place for the national ranking. The city's finance minister, Edouard Chazouillères, told France régions that these funds represent "significant revenue for the proper functioning of Biarritz" and for "promoting it as a [tourist] destination."

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One city in the south west did lose its spot in the top 10, in 2021 La Rochelle came in sixth place nationally, but it 2022 it was bumped out by other cities, like Montpellier, that improved in the ranking.

Rural France in general saw an increase in tourists staying at Airbnbs in 2022 as well. About 30 percent of the earnings from the tourist tax went to rural communities – or localities with less than 3,500 inhabitants. 

As a region, Nouvelle Aquitaine earned €17.7 million, in comparison to the €13.4 earned in 2021.

Taxes

If you're planning an extension to your French property (or installing an outdoor feature such as a swimming pool or shed) you should know that there is a one-off property tax payable on extensions.

And this year, the rate for the tax has risen from January 1st.

Property taxes - how much will it cost to extend your French home? 

Healthcare

Large parts of south west France, Dordogne in particular, have been designated 'medical deserts' - meaning there are not enough doctors there to take care of the population.

This shortage primarily affects GPs but can make it hard to find other medical practitioners like dentists, gynaecologists or physiotherapists, as well increasing waiting times for specialists.

The government says it has a plan to address the shortage of doctors who chose to become généralistes (GPs) but while we're waiting for that to take effect, we've taken a look at what you can do if you live in a medical desert.

Photo of the week

This lovely photo of a frosty morning in the Charente village of Massignac was sent in by reader Pat Seaward.

 

Video of the week 

Still on the frosty theme, here's a video to bring joy to the hearts of ski resort owners, if perhaps not to local drivers.

 

 

Snowplough operators in La Mongie in the Pyrenees work hard to keep the roads open amid heavy snow. Ski resorts in the Pyrenees, along with those in the Alps and Jura, were forced to close in early January because of a lack of snow.

Over the last few days, many areas of the Pyrenees have seen heavy snowfalls, with more to come. 

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