French Tourism Code

Only those tourist municipalities and parts thereof which implement an active policy of welcoming, informing and promoting tourists with a view to ensuring that their areas are frequented on a multi-seasonal basis, and to making the most of their natural and heritage resources or those which they mobilise in terms of cultural creations and events and physical and sporting activities, may be designated as classified tourist resorts and be subject…

With regard to the requirements of sustainable development, the purpose of the classification is : 1° To recognise the efforts made by the municipalities and parts of municipalities referred to in article L. 133-13 to structure a tourism offer of excellence; 2° To encourage and promote the implementation of a project aimed at stimulating sustainable tourism in the resort through the management of the actions and development of the resources…

At the request of the tourist municipalities concerned, the classification referred to in article L. 133-13 is awarded by order of the competent administrative authority for a period of twelve years. Tourist municipalities classified as tourist resorts retain the designation “tourist municipality” for the duration of their classification.

Article L. 2123-22 of the Code général des collectivités territoriales sets out the rules governing increases in local elected representatives’ allowances voted by the municipal councils of classified tourist resorts.