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Here are four organizations that are multiplying initiatives to make vacation accessible to as many people as possible, whether with family, children, seniors or students.
Provide families with a respite
Every summer, 40% of French people deprive themselves of vacations. Faced with this observation, the Vacances et Familles association has been supporting households with their first departure for over sixty years. “The objective is to remove the obstacles to departure: psychological, financial and material,” summarizes Arwa Zarraa, spokesperson for the association. It relies on 1,500 volunteers spread across France. Its 2024 report indicates that 8,088 people and 2,144 families were supported, representing 68,210 vacation days spread across 225 reception sites.
Nearly 64% of these families are single-parent. It is the holiday aid from the Family Allowance Fund, allocated to households whose family quotient does not exceed €700, which determines eligible families. The average quotient of beneficiaries amounts to €516. Campsites, holiday villages or rentals: each family is welcomed on site by local volunteers, who also help to build their budget and project before departure. According to feedback from vacationers, 96% say they had a good time with their family, 86% say they were able to forget their worries a little, and 95% would recommend the association to those around them.
“It was the first time we went to Brittany, the children really liked it and so did I. We enjoyed the sea,” and so did I. We enjoyed the sea,” says a hosted family, who requested anonymity. “I was able to have a real moment of respite while spending time with my two daughters in an ideal setting, a real privilege as a single mother! », Testifies this mother, who went to a holiday village in Erquy, in Côtes-d’Armor. Since 2019, activity has increased by 77% in the number of vacationers, driven by partnerships established with brands (Cache Cache, Norauto, Airbnb) and tourist operators such as VVF or Capfrance, which offer stays.
vacancesetfamilles.org
Help young people
Nearly 5 million children do not go on vacation to France. Faced with this observation, Jeunesse au plein air (JPA), a secular confederation founded in 1938, has been campaigning for nearly ninety years for the right to leisure and collective vacations. “Whether they come from rich or precarious families, our purpose is to allow everyone to leave,” underlines Aurore Perrin Saada, JPA advocacy manager. In 2025, 48,364 children and young people were entitled to holidays thanks to its direct aid, and 500,000 in total with its member organisations. The JPA also supports 16-25 year olds who become leaders, thanks to grants to finance their Bafa training, the first step towards a summer job or community involvement.
jpa.asso.fr
Supporting students
Four out of ten students stay at home in the summer, mainly for financial reasons. Faced with this observation, the National Agency for Holiday Vouchers (ANCV) grants aid to young people aged 18 to 25 for a maximum amount of €200. This is the “Departure 6:25 p.m.” system, accessible to scholarship students, apprentices, caregivers or civic service volunteers. “Holidays are an essential need and should be accessible to everyone,” insists Corina Jeler, spokesperson for the ANCV. In 2024, more than 40,000 young people will have benefited from this system, including 12,595 scholarship students.
depart1825.com
Supporting seniors
Around 750,000 elderly people live in France in a situation of “social death”, deprived of any human connection, according to the 2025 barometer of the Little Brothers of the Poor. Founded in 1946, this charitable association organizes stays every summer for isolated and deprived seniors, in addition to daily visits and support carried out throughout the year. Concretely, collective stays in holiday homes, “beautiful escapes” (individual getaways or solitary weekends) or day trips for those who cannot go far are offered. Each year, nearly 3,000 isolated seniors benefit, accompanied by the association’s 14,500 volunteers, spread across more than 400 local teams throughout the country.
petitsfreresdespauvres.fr
