Insee Première · August 2021 · n° 1871

Two out of three second homes are owned by a household aged 60 or over

In France, one dwelling in every ten is a second home for tax purposes. These homes are located on the coast (40%) or at altitude (16%), but 12% of them are also found in the most densely populated intercommunities, away from coastal and mountainous areas. They are often smaller than main residences: one second home in four has a surface area of less than 40 m², whereas this figure is only one in ten for main residences.

One second home in every ten is owned by a person who resides outside of France. For second homes owned by a household residing in France, that household is aged 60 or over in two out of every three instances. This ratio is even higher in a number of coastal areas, at 75%. 34% of these homes are owned by wealthy households. Second homes, especially those owned by wealthy households, are often located far from the owner’s main residence: 38% of those owned by households residing in France are located at least three hours’ drive from the owner’s main residence.