Contents
Key points
- Set the objective and the deliverable of the offsite.
- Confirm headcount, duration, timing and budget.
- Choose the venue (and book early).
- Build the agenda, then handle logistics and communication.
- Measure the results and follow up on decisions.
1. Define the objective
An offsite without a clear objective becomes an expensive day out. Put it in one sentence: “decide our priorities for 2027”, “welcome the twenty new hires of the year”, “bring the team together after the merger”. Then define the deliverable: an action plan, a roadmap, team commitments.
2. Set the framework
- Headcount: number of participants, and who absolutely must attend.
- Format: day meeting or residential seminar.
- Timing: in Provence, spring and the late season are the most pleasant; July is the month of the major festivals.
- Budget: per person and in total. Use our calculator.
3. The backward plan
| When | To do |
|---|---|
| As soon as possible | Objective, headcount, timing, budget; request proposals from venues |
| Next | Visit or call the shortlisted venues, compare, book |
| A few weeks before | Final agenda, speakers, activities, transport, invitations to participants |
| Two weeks before | Final headcount to the venue, dietary requirements, rooms, equipment |
| The week before | Documents sent to participants: timings, directions, contacts |
| Afterwards | Satisfaction survey, report, follow-up on decisions |
4. Choose the venue
- Capacity: a plenary room suited to the headcount, and breakout rooms if you work in workshops.
- Accommodation: number of single rooms for a residential event.
- Access: distance from a TGV (high-speed rail) station or an airport, transfers available.
- Setting: city, countryside or seaside, depending on the objective.
- Accessibility: an establishment open to the public must be accessible and keep an accessibility register available for consultation; ask for it.
See our destinations: Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, Var, Luberon, Alpilles.
5. Build the agenda
- Alternate plenaries, small-group workshops and informal time.
- Put demanding topics in the morning and activities in the afternoon.
- Plan a group activity: our ideas.
- Leave slack for delays, discussions that overrun and the unexpected.
6. The rules to know
- Travel time: under article L3121-4 of the French labour code (Code du travail), business travel time is not actual working time; if it exceeds the usual commute between home and work, it gives entitlement to compensation, set by collective agreement or, failing that, by the employer after consulting the CSE (the employee representative committee), if there is one.
- Offsite time: the labour code defines actual working time as the time during which the employee is at the employer’s disposal (article L3121-1). Have your HR department confirm how evenings and activities are treated.
- Tax: see our page on the cost of an offsite for French VAT rules on accommodation, transport and catering.
Checklist
- Objective and deliverable written down
- Headcount, dates, format and budget approved
- Request for proposals sent to several venues
- Venue booked, cancellation terms read
- Agenda, speakers and activities confirmed
- Transport and transfers arranged
- Invitations, agenda and practical information sent
- Final headcount, rooms and dietary requirements sent to the venue
- Accessibility checked for the participants concerned
- Equipment, connectivity and wet-weather plan checked
- Survey and report prepared for afterwards
Sources and method
Information checked on 11 November 2026.
- Article L3121-4 — Code du travail, Légifrance : business travel time
- Article L3121-1 — Code du travail, Légifrance : definition of actual working time
- Temps de trajet du salarié — Service-Public.fr : compensation for travel time
- Accessibilité d’un ERP — Entreprendre Service-Public : accessibility obligation and public register
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should you plan an offsite?
For a residential seminar, start several months ahead, more for very popular periods such as spring or autumn. For a day meeting, a few weeks may be enough depending on venue availability.
Does travel time to the offsite count as working time?
Under article L3121-4 of the French labour code (Code du travail), business travel time is not actual working time; if it exceeds the normal commute between home and work, it gives entitlement to compensation (time off or payment). The portion that falls within working hours must not lead to any loss of pay.
How can you check that a venue is accessible to people with disabilities?
In France, an establishment open to the public (ERP) must keep a public accessibility register, available at reception (or online). Ask the venue for it, and state your participants’ needs in your brief.
