Among those who will have the chance to go on vacation this summer, 76% will take their car, according to a survey carried out by Ifop for the Roole company.
The French still prefer the car to the train and plane to go on vacation, loving its versatility and comfort, despite its cost and the pollution it causes. Some 76% of French people who are lucky enough to go on vacation this summer will take their car, according to a survey carried out by Ifop for the company Roole and published on Wednesday. The survey was conducted at the beginning of June online with a sample of 2,000 people, representative of the French population aged 18 and over.
Still according to this survey, vacationers who go by car take it first (76%) to be able to visit the surroundings of their vacation spot. 60% of them, especially the older ones, want to be able to carry more luggage more easily, and 38% believe that the car costs them less than the train or the plane. Those who do not take the car first mention the fatigue and stress linked to the journey, then the various costs involved.
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“Practical” and “economical” modes of transport above all
Half of motorists plan to travel between 500 and 1000 kilometers for their outward journey. And the car budget for the holidays is estimated at around 300 euros on average. To save money, the French are firstly planning to avoid gas station sandwiches by preparing picnics, or practicing eco-driving, but also taking the national road rather than costly motorways. Catherine Fiévée, 64, went down from Vault-de-Lugny (Yonne) to Mandelieu (Alpes-Maritimes) at the end of June, avoiding tolls “by activism”. But also for “take your time and visit”underlines the retiree.
According to another survey, carried out by OpinionWay for Point S garages at the end of May, 75% of French people choose their mode of transport for practical reasons, compared to 43% for economic reasons. Only 14% of people questioned justify the choice of their means of transport for ecological reasons, according to this annual survey carried out on May 29 and 30, 2024 among a sample of 1,033 people representative of the French population aged 18 and over.
Long distance travel is still a burden “significantly” in the carbon footprint of the French, according to a study by the Shift Project think tank published in 2022. They rely 90% on highly carbon-intensive modes of transport (car, plane). “We are observing a very paradoxical phenomenon, with a society divided between ecological concerns and the reality of behavior which clashes with physical realities, particularly in the choice of modes of travel”commented Frédéric Micheau, deputy general director of OpinionWay.
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The fear of a crowded train
While calls not to fly are increasing, French and European air transport players are expecting a summer, if not record, at least very busy, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC). Among the most attractive destinations since the start of 2024 are Morocco (135% of 2019 passengers) and Turkey (165.1%).
At the same time, the disaffection for domestic journeys was confirmed. “Covid has significantly changed certain behaviors. In France, when people can take the train, they take the train.declared Olivier Mazzucchelli, general manager of Transavia France, the low-cost airline of the Air France group, during a recent meeting with journalists in Amsterdam. “However, we see a strong desire to travel to discover new countries, and to fly when necessary. Of course, the prices are higher than in 2019, but the (sales) dynamics are still there., underlined Mr. Mazzuchelli. On track, the SNCF is already stocking up for the summer holidays: 400,000 additional places have been put on sale this summer compared to summer 2023.
The railway group assures that it has reached a form of ceiling, which can only be broken with the acquisition of new trainsets. The first TGV M, of which 100 trainsets have been ordered by SNCF, must be delivered in the second half of 2025. Overall, SNCF Voyageurs intends to increase its offer by 15% within 10 years in order to meet the explosion in demand. Today, a growing proportion of trains are full on summer weekends, leading some travelers to switch to the car, indicates the SNCF.
