Vacances Bleues
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersMarseille, France
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Vacances Bleues does
Vacances Bleues is a privately held French tourism operator headquartered in Marseille, founded in 1971 and structured as a group of SAS entities under Diffusion Tourisme (VACANCES BLEUES SAS, ÉVASION, HÔTELS, RÉSIDENCES, plus the Voyages subsidiary). It runs a 27-property estate of hotels, vacation clubs, and self-catering residences across French mountains, coast, countryside and cities, serving a predominantly B2C mid-market leisure audience (families as the primary segment, plus couples, seniors, and beach travelers) alongside a smaller B2B line of seminars, team-building events, and work-council (CSE) packages.
The core offering is a packaged holiday: accommodation combined with flexible meal formulas (room-only to all-inclusive), kids' clubs, wellness facilities, and optional excursions, with ancillary revenue from travel insurance (5% of booking), a €30 processing fee on stays of 4+ nights, and gift vouchers. Distribution is multi-channel and direct-led, via vacancesbleues.fr, a Marseille-based call centre, on-site bookings, and travel-agency resellers for the international Voyages product. Underlying technology is non-proprietary: a standard booking/reservation platform, SSL-encrypted payments, ALMA-powered instalments (3x/4x for €400-€5,000 bookings), an online Pre Check-in service, and a TripAdvisor review integration; no AI/ML, APIs, SDKs, or proprietary platform differentiators are disclosed.
The revenue model is transactional unit pricing (per stay/room-night) supplemented by ancillary fees and recurring B2B group contracts; brand and customer satisfaction are core commercial assets, with the company citing 50+ years of heritage, 100,000+ customers annually, a 90% stated satisfaction rate, and Capital magazine's 2022 "France's favourite brand" recognition. Operations are concentrated in France with limited international exposure through Vacances Bleues Voyages (worldwide tailor-made trips and European river cruises).
Vacances Bleues firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Vacances Bleues
- Legal name
- VACANCES BLEUES, S.A.S.
- Website
- https://vacancesbleues.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Vacances Bleues industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hospitality & Resort Services
- NAICS
- Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111), Other Traveler Accommodation (72119), All Other Traveler Accommodation (721199)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Family & Kid-Friendly All-Inclusive Resorts (THAGAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Family & Group-Friendly Rentals (Large Homes, Multi-Unit Compounds) (THAGANAI), Tours, Activities & Experiences Booking Marketplaces (THALAFAF)
Keywords
Where Vacances Bleues is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Marseille
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Vacances Bleues business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Holiday Package Sales: Core revenue from selling complete holiday packages including accommodation (hotels, clubs, residences), meals (various formulas from room-only to all-inclusive), and optional add-ons like spa treatments, excursions, and activities.
- Accommodation Bookings: Revenue from direct hotel, club, and vacation residence bookings across 27 locations in France, with various room types and board options.
- Group and Corporate Bookings: Revenue from group holidays, seminars, team-building events, business trips, and work council (CSE) holiday packages.
- International Travel (Vacances Bleues Voyages): Revenue from international travel packages through the subsidiary vacancesbleues-voyages.fr, offering bespoke travel experiences worldwide.
- Ancillary Services: Revenue from additional services including insurance packages (5% of holiday price), processing fees (€30 per booking), pet fees, and optional extras like spa treatments and excursions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Children's Discount - up to 50% off |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Long Stay Offer - up to 15% discount |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | SUMMER IS NOW July Promotion - up to 20% off |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | August Last Call Promotion - up to 20% off |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Processing Fee |
| Subscription | Monthly | Payment in Instalments |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Flexible Rate Option |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Non-refundable Rate |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Vacances Bleues product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Vacances Bleues sells vacation accommodation and holiday packages across a network of 27 hotels, vacation clubs, and self-catering residences located throughout France (Mediterranean, Atlantic coast, mountains, countryside, cities). Offerings range from room-only to all-inclusive formulas and include family-oriented services such as kids' clubs, group/corporate packages, work council programmes, an international travel division, a loyalty programme, and ancillary services like travel insurance and gift vouchers.
Product overview
Vacances Bleues is a French holiday and travel company operating since 1971 that offers a portfolio of vacation accommodation and travel services across France. The company provides three main accommodation types: Hotels (vacation hotels with spa and wellness facilities), Clubs (all-inclusive or half-board vacation clubs with kids' activities), and Residences (self-catering apartments). Beyond accommodations, the portfolio includes group travel packages for corporate events and seminars, specialized packages for works councils (CSE), an international travel division (Vacances Bleues Voyages) offering worldwide trips and river cruises, and a loyalty programme (Le Cercle Bleu). Digital services include Pre Check-in for online arrival registration and flexible payment options via Alma installment service. The company also offers add-on services including gift vouchers, travel insurance, and comprehensive payment solutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Le Cercle Bleu: Loyalty program offering points and exclusive privileges for repeat customers.
Products and services
- Vacances Bleues Hotels
- Vacances Bleues Clubs
- Vacances Bleues Residences
- Group Holidays (15+ adults)
- Corporate Seminars & Business Trips Hosting for business events including seminars, incentives, conferences, and team-building activities at Vacances Bleues locations across France, with a dedicated business offer (Vacances Bleues Affaires).
- Work Councils (CSE) & Collectivities Programme Specialised holiday packages for French Comités Sociaux et Économiques (CSE) and local authorities, offering preferential rates and dedicated services for employee groups and public-sector clients.
- Vacances Bleues Voyages (International Travel) International travel packages via the Vacances Bleues Voyages subsidiary, including tailor-made trips, organised tours, river and sea cruises (e.g., on the Rhône, Seine, Saône, and Rhine), and group travel experiences worldwide.
- Le Cercle Bleu Loyalty Programme Customer loyalty programme awarding points for each stay at Vacances Bleues locations, with access to exclusive privileges before, during, and after holidays and a referral/sponsorship mechanism for repeat customers.
- Gift Vouchers Gift voucher valid for 18 months from issue date, redeemable against any holiday from the Vacances Bleues range; also includes a travel list functionality for wedding or event registries.
- Multi-Risk Travel Insurance Comprehensive travel insurance covering trip cancellation, baggage damage, delayed arrival, traveller assistance, vehicle assistance, trip interruption, civil liability, and epidemic/pandemic coverage, priced at 5% of the holiday cost with a 30-day cooling-off period.
Quantifiable outcome
- 90% customer satisfaction rate
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Vacances Bleues
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Vacances Bleues technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature2 records
Vacances Bleues partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Local Producers (within 150km radius)corePartnerships with local producers within 150km radius of establishments to supply restaurants with fresh, traditional cuisine. Supports local economy and sustainable tourism commitments. Artisanal products also available in hotel boutiques.
- TripAdvisorminorTripAdvisor integration for customer reviews and ratings displayed on property pages. Properties show TripAdvisor ratings (e.g., 4.2/5, 4.3/5) and review counts.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Vacances Bleues competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Vacances Bleues social profiles
Digital presenceVacances Bleues compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Vacances Bleues financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Vacances Bleues leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Vacances Bleues subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Vacances Bleues funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Vacances Bleues M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Vacances Bleues
What does Vacances Bleues do?
Vacances Bleues sells vacation accommodation and holiday packages across a network of 27 hotels, vacation clubs, and self-catering residences located throughout France (Mediterranean, Atlantic coast, mountains, countryside, cities). Offerings range from room-only to all-inclusive formulas and include family-oriented services such as kids' clubs, group/corporate packages, work council programmes, an international travel division, a loyalty programme, and ancillary services like travel insurance and gift vouchers.
Is Vacances Bleues a public or private company?
Vacances Bleues is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Vacances Bleues founded?
Vacances Bleues was founded in 1971. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Vacances Bleues based?
Vacances Bleues is headquartered in Marseille, France, in the Europe region.
How does Vacances Bleues make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Holiday Package Sales are the primary driver. The others are accommodation Bookings, group and Corporate Bookings, international Travel (Vacances Bleues Voyages) and ancillary Services.
Does Vacances Bleues have an API?
No public API is recorded for Vacances Bleues.
What industry is Vacances Bleues in?
Vacances Bleues's product category is Hospitality & Resort Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAGAKAA, Family & Kid-Friendly All-Inclusive Resorts, with a secondary code of THAGANAI, Family & Group-Friendly Rentals (Large Homes, Multi-Unit Compounds). Its NAICS code is 72111 and its SIC code is 7000.