Paris, 1 July 2026 — The Tour de France 2026 is driving a boom in vacation rental demand, particularly in smaller mountain towns along the route, according to new data from revenue management software, PriceLabs.
Barcelona, which is hosting the Grand Départ for the first time, is seeing a 32% boost in nights booked for the first stage compared to last year, though once the Tour crosses into France, the Alpe d’Huez leads, with a 263% increase in demand for the two stage days ending on this famous peak. Pau, close to the Pyrenees mountain stages, is also seeing a dramatic 92% growth in nights booked for the Tour’s visit on the 8th July.
Meanwhile, larger destinations along the route like Bordeaux are seeing more moderate demand, with booked nights currently 57% above last year for the Tour’s visit on the 10th July. For the finish on the 25th in Paris, demand is seeing a 17% increase year over year, though in a city as popular as the French capital, it’s harder to define the specific impact of events like this.
In terms of pricing, the most expensive place to stay on the route is Alpe d’Huez, where rates have spiked 71% compared to the same time last year, hitting 289€ per night as demand has grown so quickly, while supply is constrained. Paris (280€) and Barcelona (260€) follow, though growth has been much lower (11% and 15%, respectively) as these two cities are already in peak season. Those looking to see the race for cheaper might try Pau, where average rates sit at 86€.
Richie Khandelwal, Co-Founder of PriceLabs, said: “While demand is strong in major cities like Barcelona, the relative impact of the Tour de France is significantly stronger in smaller towns like Pau and Alpe d’Huez. These locations have smaller baseline inventories, so the influx of thousands of fans and team staff leads to massive percentage gains in occupancy and pricing power for local hosts.
“It’s a clear demonstration of how major sporting events can temporarily transform smaller rental markets, often yielding higher growth rates than major metropolitan areas that already have high year-round demand.”
About PriceLabs
PriceLabs is a revenue management platform designed for all short- and mid-term accommodation, from vacation rentals to hotels, campgrounds, aparthotels and serviced apartments. Since 2014, PriceLabs has helped property managers optimise their pricing strategies using AI-driven automation, market data insights, and flexible customization. PriceLabs currently prices over 600,000 listings globally. Learn more at pricelabs.co.
