Real estate: in the Basque Country, a tightening of the conditions for seasonal rentals to cope with rising prices

On the Basque coast, many have difficulty finding accommodation, especially because some owners prefer seasonal rentals. With his salary as a high school supervisor, a resident of Bayonne (Pyrenees-Atlantiques) took eight months to find affordable housing. Faced with this phenomenon, the agglomeration reacts: from Wednesday June 1stan apartment rented for the year can no longer be transformed in tourist rental.

“We are trying to derail a form of tourism industry which is taking hold, because an increase of nearly 150% in two years in [logements] tourist accommodation is something that raises questions. We don’t want our people to be chased out of their territory.” Explain Jean-Rene EtchegarayPresident (IDU) of the Basque Country conurbation. An initiative welcomed by the inhabitants. From now on, to be able to put a new furnished tourist accommodation on the market, it will be necessary to create another accommodation equivalent to the year, by transforming offices or garages.