French holiday cloud lifts for shops

AS MOST of France wakes to yet another drizzly day, the mighty tourism industry of the world's most-visited nation is wringing its hands over the worst season for years.

The usually reliable southern French weather has displayed a decidedly English fickleness since June, driving holidaymakers from squall-swept beaches and campers from their pitches. Even on the Mediterranean, temperatures have struggled to hit the 70s, let alone the 80s expected this time of year.

The hordes of German tourists have thinned and newly travel-shy Americans and Japanese are conspicuously scarce in their favourite haunts of Paris and Provence. With beds to spare, even hotels on the Champs Elyses in Paris are offering discounts on late reservations.

Industry leaders are divided on the other longer-term factors diminishing the annual tally of 70m visitors. Some blame last September's terror attacks on the US, others France's 35-hour week, which has apparently tempted workers to take more spring weekend breaks and shorter summer holidays. Another factor mentioned is the arrival of the euro, which has made it easier for foreign tourists to compare prices in different countries and calculate that France does not always offer the best value.

But for the nation's shopkeepers, the towering grey clouds have had a silver lining. Forsaking beach bars and theme parks, holidaymakers seem to have turned to the summer sales for consolation. Paris department stores, whose sales ended last week, report a vintage year. 'Our members registered turnover up 5% to 10% compared with last year,' says Jean-Luc Bartharez of the town centre traders' union.

Supermarket and hypermarket sales, which had been faltering, picked up 5.5% and 4.6% respectively, although provincial retailers complain of weak summer clothing and footwear sales. Hairdressing salons, usually among the less-busy shops during the holiday months, have also reported brisker-than-usual business.

But the biggest beneficiaries of the half-hearted holiday spirit seem to be provincial garage owners, busy either with repairs or servicing cars for city dwellers taking advantage of lower out-of-town prices. 'I even had a Dutch customer who waited until he was here to get repairs done,' said Sebastien Emile, Peugeot dealer in the tiny Aveyron town of Coupiac. 'Personally, I'm much too busy to go on holiday before September.'

The only compensation for visitors, including France's most famous tourists Tony Blair and family, is that however bad it is in France, it cannot be worse than back home.