04/08/2026
𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬
We've heard from a number of gîte and chambre d'hôtes owners over the past couple of weeks, several of them nowhere near the fires, watching bookings quietly disappear anyway. That's part of why we wanted to put something together.
If you've seen a map online showing France covered edge to edge in flame icons, take a breath. That's not an accurate picture of what's happening.
The wildfire that tore through Gironde and Landes was serious. Around 42,000 hectares burned, hundreds of homes were lost, and hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated at the peak. Our thoughts are with everyone affected. That fire has since been declared contained, though a blaze that size takes time to fully burn out. New fires have appeared elsewhere over the past few days too, including near Carcassonne and in the Var, which is a reminder this is a real risk this summer, not a reason to write off an entire region.
The rest of southwest France has continued largely as normal throughout. Markets are running, restaurants are open, and visitors are still arriving.
𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐩 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝: check the specific commune your accommodation sits in, not just the department name. Regional tourism boards like Visit Nouvelle-Aquitaine are publishing regularly updated, location-specific advisories, and they're a better source than a shared map screenshot. If you're not sure whether your booking is anywhere near an affected area, drop us a message with the commune name and we'll help you find out.
𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐫: the last few weeks have likely meant cancellations for places that were never at risk, and that's a genuinely hard thing to absorb. Being specific and direct with worried guests about your exact location and current conditions tends to land better than a general "we're fine, come anyway." If you want a hand putting together clear, accurate information about your area to share with guests, message us. We're glad to help however we can.
Southwest France is still very much open. We hope you'll come see it.
