Contents
Key points
- The company seminar is the leading corporate event format: 54% of the 380,000 events recorded in 2018 (Atout France).
- It is a local market: 60% of participants live in the region where the event takes place.
- A written work programme is key, including for the social security treatment of costs.
- Employees are covered for the whole assignment in the event of an accident.
What a company offsite is for
According to the study carried out by EY for Atout France, 54% of corporate events are company seminars, aimed at “joint reflection or defining strategic priorities”. In practice, an offsite is used to:
- Decide: strategy, priorities, budget, reorganisation. See the leadership retreat.
- Get people on board: launch the year, share a vision. See the back-to-work seminar and the sales kick-off.
- Integrate new joiners. See the onboarding seminar.
- Bring a team together. See team cohesion and team building.
- Reward. See incentive trips.
Company seminars in figures
| Indicator | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate and institutional events in mainland France | 380,000 (2018) | Atout France, EY study |
| Share of company seminars | 54% | same |
| Share of company parties | 20% | same |
| Participants | 52 million | same |
| Economic impact | €32 billion, 48% of it for tourism businesses | same |
| Participants living in the region of the event | 60% | same |
| Events industry turnover | €10.4 billion (2023) | UNIMEV, Event Data Book 2026 |
| Companies planning to invest in business events in 2026 | 44% | UNIMEV |
Formats
| Format | Duration | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Day meeting | 1 day, no overnight stay | Focused work, regional team |
| Residential seminar | 2 to 3 days | Strategy, cohesion, onboarding |
| Leadership team | 1 to 2 days | Decisions, confidentiality |
| Countryside retreat | 1 to 3 days | Stepping back, recharging |
| Incentive | 2 to 4 days | Rewarding, motivating |
What a company offsite costs
In Provence, packages published by venues that display their prices start between €45 and €72 per person for a day meeting and between €197 and €239 for a residential seminar (checked on 11 November 2026). Cost items, VAT and detailed examples: what an offsite costs. To estimate yours: the budget calculator.
The rules to know
Business expenses and social security contributions
According to BOSS (Bulletin officiel de la Sécurité sociale), the official French social security bulletin, expenses incurred for company seminars “are business expenses when they are duly justified”. These trips must be characterised by a work programme, which the employer must be able to produce. When the trip is predominantly professional, no benefit in kind is recorded, even for the leisure portion; this is not the case when employees have worked for less than half the time spent on site.
Accidents during the offsite
The Cour de cassation, France’s highest civil court, holds that an employee on assignment is entitled to workplace accident protection “for the entire duration of the assignment”, whether the accident occurs during a work task or an everyday activity, unless it is proven that the employee had interrupted the assignment for personal reasons (social chamber, 19 July 2001).
Travel time and working time
Business travel time is not actual working time, but it gives rise to compensation if it exceeds the usual commute (Article L3121-4 of the French labour code, the Code du travail). Details: how to plan an offsite.
VAT
VAT on employee accommodation and on passenger transport is not deductible. See prices and VAT.
These rules are given for information only. Have your project checked by your chartered accountant or your HR department.
Planning your offsite in 5 steps
- Write down the objective and the deliverable.
- Set the headcount, duration, period and budget.
- Choose the venue: capacity, bedrooms, access, setting. See choosing a meeting venue.
- Build the agenda. See our sample agendas and facilitation.
- Handle the logistics and follow up on decisions. See the complete method.
Why Provence
Reachable by TGV from Paris (2 hours 55 minutes to Aix-en-Provence TGV, 2 hours 40 minutes to Avignon TGV), sunny for much of the year and rich in bastides, mas, châteaux and seaside venues, Provence suits every format. See our guide to corporate retreats in Provence and our destinations: Aix, Marseille, seaside, Var, Luberon, Alpilles, Camargue, Avignon.
Describe your corporate event: we pass your request on, free of charge, to three suitable venues at most.
Sources and method
Information checked on 11 November 2026.
- Chiffres inédits sur le secteur des événements d’entreprise et d’institution — Atout France (étude EY, 2019) : 380,000 events in 2018, 54% company seminars, 60% of participants from the region
- Tourisme d’affaires — Atout France : industry figures
- Event Data Book 2026 — UNIMEV : 2023 turnover, 2026 investment intentions
- Frais professionnels (§ 1490 à 1520) — BOSS : seminars and trips, work programme, leisure portion
- Cass. soc., 19 juillet 2001, n° 99-20.603 — Légifrance : employee protection for the entire assignment
- Article L411-1 du Code de la sécurité sociale — Légifrance : definition of a workplace accident
- Article L3121-4 du Code du travail — Légifrance : business travel time
Frequently asked questions
What is a company offsite?
A period of collective work set apart from day-to-day business, often away from the office, to think together, make decisions, train or bring a team closer. It usually lasts from one to three days, with or without an overnight stay.
How many corporate events are held in France?
According to a study carried out by EY for Atout France, 380,000 corporate and institutional events were held in mainland France in 2018, 54% of them company seminars.
Is an accident during an offsite a workplace accident?
According to the Cour de cassation, France’s highest civil court (social chamber, 19 July 2001), an employee on assignment is covered by workplace accident protection for the entire duration of the assignment, whether the accident occurs during a work task or an everyday activity, unless the employer or the social security fund proves that the employee had interrupted the assignment for personal reasons.
Are offsite costs subject to social security contributions?
According to BOSS, the official French social security bulletin, expenses incurred for company seminars are business expenses when they are justified and the trip includes a work programme. The employer must be able to produce that programme.
