Why British Tourists Feel Unwelcome in France: Overtourism, Cultural Tensions, and Rising Friction Between Locals and Holidaymakers

Published on December 5, 2025

From bustling Parisian cafés to the sun‑drenched Riviera, an increasing number of British travellers are recounting experiences of cold shoulders and perceived hostility during holidays in France. Many voices on social media and travel forums claim they felt unwelcome — a sentiment that has stirred concern, debate and a broader look at how Europe handles mass tourism.

Yet beyond anecdotal stories lies a more complex reality. Official data and recent pan‑European research suggest the feelings reported by some British visitors may say more about structural pressures of overtourism and cultural friction than outright national animosity. The truth appears more subtle — and rooted in crowds, local frustrations and shifting attitudes towards tourism.

British Travellers Point to France — But Is It Representative?

A widely shared online poll — originally hosted on a popular forum for travellers — asked: “Which European country made you feel uncomfortable or unwelcome as a British tourist?” The majority of respondents named France. The anecdotes ranged from brusque wait‑staff, indifferent attitudes in cafés, to outright hostility in certain neighbourhoods.

These claims have resonated strongly among some British holiday‑makers who say their attempts to engage — even in broken French — were met with coldness. One respondent from London said their stay in Paris left them with a “very negative view of France,” despite efforts to adapt to local norms. Others warned future British visitors to “be prepared for resistance, especially in big cities.”

But this evidence remains anecdotal. There is no public, peer‑reviewed study that definitively confirms France as systematically “unfriendly” to British tourists. The stories reflect the experiences of a self‑selected group — not a statistically valid sample.

What Research and Data Show: Overtourism, Local Frustration & Travel Fatigue

A broader lens on European tourism reveals why such negative experiences — even if not universal — may be more common than expected. A 2024 study across multiple European nations found rising concern over overtourism. In Spain, nearly half of residents said there were “too many” foreign visitors in their local area; in France, 18 % reported similar concerns.

This dynamic — when resident populations begin to feel overwhelmed — can spur what academics call Tourismphobia: cross‑cultural frustration that sometimes manifests as unfriendliness or even hostility towards visitors.

In short: for many locals, the problem is not nationality — it is volume. The influx of tourists strains infrastructure, inflates housing costs, burdens public services, and erodes the quiet fabric of everyday life. When host communities reach a “tipping point,” even well‑intentioned outsiders can become targets of resentment.

Moreover, stereotypes about certain traveller behaviours — such as noisy nights out, disrespect of local customs, or lack of language effort — feed into a narrative that some locals may interpret as cultural arrogance rather than tourism.

Thus, many of the negative experiences recounted by British visitors may stem less from anti‑British sentiment, and more from a broader, destination‑wide resentment towards mass tourism. The result: ordinary holiday‑makers, especially from countries that send many visitors, can inadvertently be lumped together with problematic travellers.

The Data Doesn’t Lie: UK‑France Travel Remains Very High

Despite these tensions, official tourism statistics paint a different picture — one of continuing close ties between UK and France by way of travel and exchange. In 2024, travel data shows that British residents made a high number of trips abroad, with France remaining one of the most popular destinations.

Outbound travel from the UK reached 94.6 million trips in 2024, up from 86.2 million in 2023 — the highest recorded since the pre‑pandemic era.
Meanwhile, the flow of visitors from France to the UK was also strong: in 2024, France accounted for a significant share of foreign visitors to Britain, who contributed substantially to tourism‑driven economic activity.

These statistics suggest that while individual experiences of unfriendliness exist, they do not appear to have significantly dampened cross‑Channel tourism in aggregate.

Lessons for British Tourists — And For European Travel

For British holiday‑makers planning a trip to France: the negative stories you read online, while real to some, do not reflect the full journey. Many visitors enjoy perfectly friendly experiences. However, being aware of the local context — overtourism fatigue, cultural stress, seasonal crowding — can help set realistic expectations.

To travel responsibly — and appear more welcomed — it helps to:

• Learn a few key phrases in French and use them with respect.
• Avoid peak overcrowded zones where tourists concentrate.
• Opt for off‑season or lesser‑known destinations rather than major hotspots.
• Respect local customs — especially noise, littering, and behavioural etiquette.

On the broader policy level, European destinations must increasingly grapple with balancing economic benefits from tourism with residents’ quality of life. Growing support across Europe for visitor caps, regulated short‑term rentals, and tourist‑traffic management reflects a structural shift in how tourism is managed.

Not Hostility — Overload

British travellers may sometimes feel unwelcome in France. The stories are real — but the root causes appear less geopolitical and more consequential: a tired infrastructure, overstretched local communities, and deep‑seated fatigue towards mass tourism. In many cases, it is not about being British — it is about being “just another tourist.”

If Europe hopes to preserve tourism’s benefits — economic, cultural, social — it must also protect its people and places. The tension between welcome mat and weary residents may grow sharper — unless travel becomes more mindful, respectful, and sustainable.