Crete welcomed a record 5.6 million visitors in 2025 as the largest Greek island established itself as one of the top holiday destinations for French tourists. The island features more than 1,000 kilometres of coastline and mountain peaks reaching above 2,500 metres, alongside preserved ancient ruins and traditional Cretan cuisine.
The growing appeal of the Mediterranean destination among French holidaymakers was highlighted in a documentary broadcast on Sunday by French television network TF1. The report, titled Grand Bleu : La Crète, nouveau paradis des Français, aired on the magazine program Sept à Huit Life and was made available for online streaming on TF1+.
Known in Greek mythology as the birthplace of Zeus, Crete lies in the southern Aegean Sea, south of the Cyclades archipelago, and is accessible via a three-and-a-half-hour flight from Paris. Its landscape combines high mountain ranges with coastal scenery that includes some of the highest-rated beaches in the world.
Balos lagoon and coastal attractions
Among the travelers featured in the report were Delphine and Hélène, two friends from Normandy who booked an 18-day holiday in Crete. Their itinerary included the Balos lagoon in north-western Crete, which was voted the third most beautiful beach in the world this year based on traveler reviews on TripAdvisor.
Hélène said she had been looking forward to visiting the lagoon for a long time after hearing that the waters were exceptionally clear. Upon arriving at the beach, Delphine said she had never seen anything like it and described the scenery as superb.
All-inclusive resorts and family holiday budgets
For tourists seeking budget control and structured relaxation, Crete offers 150 club hotels featuring all-inclusive packages that cover meals, buffets, and organized daily entertainment.
One Parisian family interviewed in the broadcast spent 2,000 euros per person for a 10-day full-board stay including flights. The resort scheduled activities every 30 minutes, ranging from water aerobics and pétanque tournaments to themed evening events.
Linda, one of the mothers in the family, explained that she cooks all year round at home, so the main goal of the trip was to allow every family member to relax equally. She noted that renting a holiday house through Airbnb would not have felt different from daily domestic life, adding that having no household chores was the main advantage of the resort stay.
Custom tours and mountain church visits
Alongside mass tourism, customized travel services are expanding for visitors seeking a more authentic experience of Cretan culture. After previously visiting the island on an organized group tour, holidaymakers Sylvie and her husband Thierry hired Nora, a French guide who designs custom surprise itineraries for 150 euros per person per day.
Their tailor-made excursion included spending a gastronomic day with a local Cretan family and renewing their marriage vows in a small mountain church in the village of Kromonasteri.
Underwater caves and diving in Chania
The broadcast also profiled Juliette, a 38-year-old French woman who originally arrived in Crete in 2017 for a seasonal job. After meeting her partner, she remained on the island permanently and now operates a thriving diving club in the Chania region.
Juliette explained that the large size of Crete means returning visitors can always find new sights, adding that every day brings a sense of wonder. She said the most rewarding part of her work was seeing the expression on her clients' faces when they emerged from the water after discovering the underwater environment.
Her club guides clients into one of Europe's most notable underwater caverns, located off the coast of Chania. Situated three metres below the surface, the cavern features rock formations resembling a setting from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, alongside fossilised bones of a prehistoric dwarf elephant species permanently trapped within the cave.
Tourism growth targets for 2030
Following the record arrival numbers in 2025, regional authorities and tourism operators on the island hope to increase annual visitor figures to 8 million by 2030.
