Key takeaways
- According to the Insee Focus n° 359 study, France counts 3.8 million secondary residences and occasional dwellings, representing 9.8 % of the total national housing stock.
- Part-time furnished rentals under a defined-days lease convert these empty nights into regular rental income (€476 per month for 2 fixed nights per week at €55 per night).
- Hosting 2 or 3 trusted professional occupants on distinct day blocks optimizes property yield without sacrificing the host’s personal weekend access.
You inherited a family house or bought an apartment in a major metropolis or popular region that you occupy only a few weeks per year. The rest of the time, the shutters stay closed. This is not an isolated case: according to official INSEE statistics, France counts 3.8 million secondary residences and occasional dwellings, representing nearly one in ten properties nationwide.
This massive figure changes the perspective on a property that appears to sleep during weekdays: it is not a marginal situation, but a substantial real estate asset whose usage value is widely under-exploited. This article analyzes INSEE data and demonstrates how part-time co-occupancy allows hosts to monetize open days into steady rental revenue without sacrificing their own occupancy.
Key INSEE figures on housing stock in France
Each year, the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) maps the national housing stock. In its reference study “Parc de logements au 1er janvier 2025” (Insee Focus n° 359), the institute categorizes the 38.4 million dwellings in metropolitan France and overseas departments (excluding Mayotte) into three main categories:
- Primary residences: 31.7 million dwellings (82.5 % of total stock), permanently inhabited by households.
- Secondary residences and occasional dwellings: 3.8 million units (9.8 % of total stock).
- Vacant dwellings: 3.0 million dwellings (7.7 % of total stock).
The proportion of secondary residences has remained remarkably stable since 2017. In parallel, the share of completely vacant housing has declined slightly (7.7 % in 2025 compared to 8.1 % in 2019).
What exactly do these 3.8 million dwellings represent?
INSEE nomenclature groups complementary housing realities under this category that should be distinguished:
- Traditional secondary residence: a furnished property used by its owner for holidays, weekends, or leisure stays.
- Occasional dwelling: a neighboring category in INSEE nomenclature, describing housing used for professional reasons without establishing a primary residence, such as a weekday home near work.
Geographic distribution: where are these properties concentrated?
According to INSEE, the share of secondary residences and occasional dwellings varies by area: it reaches 16.3 % in municipalities outside urban units, compared with 4.4 % in the Paris urban unit and 5.6 % in urban units of 100,000 inhabitants or more (excluding Paris).
Financial benchmark: monetizing a secondary residence
Individually, an apartment sitting unoccupied from Monday to Thursday appears to represent a simple fixed cost (building charges, property taxes, insurance). Scaled over a year, financial monetization potential is substantial.
Consider a host occupying their property on weekends and leaving the apartment free for four weekday nights (representing 208 unoccupied nights per year):
- A single professional occupant (2 fixed nights/week at €55/night): generates average rent of €476 per month (based on 4.33 average weeks per month), totaling €5,712 per year.
- Two professional occupants (4 fixed nights/week): increase recurring rental income to approximately €952 per month, totaling €11,424 per year, while preserving host weekend access from Friday onward.
- Comparison for the occupant: the same professional would spend over €1,100 per month in hotels or €780 in tourist rentals for identical 2-night weekly usage.
Part-time co-occupancy fills weekday vacancy without ever disturbing the host’s personal routines. To calculate your property’s potential yield, read our guide on monetizing a secondary residence without Airbnb.
Ecological impact: optimizing existing stock over new construction
Beyond financial dynamics, mobilizing these 3.8 million under-occupied secondary residences addresses a major ecological challenge. Constructing new housing consumes land and materials while generating significant carbon emissions.
By reintroducing existing, heated furnished apartments into the professional mobility market, part-time co-occupancy represents a sober real estate approach. It accommodates mobile employees without increasing land pressure in saturated metropolitan areas.
Value for the rental market and commuters
This housing stock of 3.8 million secondary residences does not only benefit hosts. For mobile professionals (hybrid workers, consultants, split-week workers), making these properties available during weekdays offers a concrete response to the need for housing in major cities.
Rather than building new structures or suffering hotel rate hikes, part-time co-occupancy optimizes existing infrastructure. Occupants access comfortable furnished housing at controlled rates under a defined-days lease, potentially with lockable storage to leave belongings between weeks.
Do not confuse: vacant housing, secondary residences, and tourist rentals
INSEE statistics and legal frameworks clearly distinguish three concepts frequently conflated:
- Vacant housing: properties devoid of furniture and occupants, left abandoned or awaiting sale/renovation. May be subject to the vacant housing tax (TLV) in designated municipalities.
- Secondary residence: furnished, maintained property occupied occasionally by its host.
- Short-term tourist lodging: short-term rental to transient clientele who do not establish domicile there, on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, subject to the rules of the municipality: declaration and registration number, change-of-use authorisation and energy performance certificate (diagnostic de performance énergétique, DPE) where the town hall requires it. Law n° 2024-1039 of 19 November 2024 aims to strengthen local regulation tools for tourist rentals.
Part-time renting under a civil lease operates free from tourist turnover: hosts rent their property to a fixed, identified tenant on recurring days.
Real estate market outlook through 2030
The rise of hybrid work, expansion of high-speed transit networks, and lifestyle choices between major cities and regions accentuate the separation between family primary homes and workplaces.
For property hosts owning apartments in urban hubs, adapting rental offerings to mobile professionals under defined-days civil leases represents a forward-looking strategy aligned with fundamental labor market transformations.
Checklist before opening your secondary residence
- Evaluate your actual availability days across the year, preserving personal holiday periods.
- Draft a defined-days lease specifying assigned presence days, monthly rent, and notice terms.
- Install locked storage lockers (lockable wardrobes or dedicated trunks) allowing occupants to store personal belongings.
- Organize turnover cleaning protocols between occupant stays to maintain flawless cleanliness.
- Review tax rules in our guide on vacant housing tax and part-time rentals.
Frequently asked questions
How many secondary residences exist in France according to INSEE?
As of January 1, 2025, INSEE recenses 3.8 million secondary residences and occasional dwellings in France (excluding Mayotte), representing 9.8 % of national housing stock.
What is part-time co-occupancy?
It is the model of renting a secondary residence to one or two professional occupants on fixed weekday slots when the host does not occupy the property, using independent civil leases.
Does renting my secondary residence during weekdays make it liable for vacant housing tax?
No. A furnished secondary residence subject to the taxe d’habitation is not liable for the TLV, whether it is rented or not.
What monthly income can I expect for 2 nights rented per week?
At €55 per night, 2 fixed nights per week generate approximately €476 per month (totaling €5,712 per year) in gross recurring rent.
3.8 million secondary residences represent an exceptional real estate resource. To take action, browse our Hosts dossier and read our detailed breakdown on how many occupants can share a part-time property.