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Create my bookAirbnb regulations in Bourges: what the Le Meur Law changes from 2025
Bourges, prefecture of the Cher department and former capital of the Berry region, regulates short-term rentals with a flexible framework. A City of Art and History recognized for its Saint-Etienne Cathedral (UNESCO), the Palais Jacques-Coeur, and the Printemps de Bourges festival, it maintains a 120-day cap without any compensation requirement.
120 days
Annual limit
50 000 €
Maximum fine
Not required
Compensation
Rental day limit in Bourges
In Bourges, primary residences can only be rented as vacation accommodation for 120 days per year. Bourges maintains the standard 120-day per year cap for renting a primary residence as furnished tourist accommodation. Short-term rental demand, driven by the Printemps de Bourges, the Nuits Lumiere, and heritage tourism, remains compatible with this threshold.
Booking platforms (Airbnb, Booking, Vrbo) must block listings in Bourges beyond 120 days. Any excess exposes the owner to a fine of up to 50 000 €.
Usage change and compensation in Bourges
To convert a property into a vacation rental in Bourges, a usage change authorization is required. Compensation: Not required.
Bourges does not require any compensation for change of use from residential to furnished tourist accommodation. The local housing market, with prices among the most affordable of French prefectures, is not under pressure warranting the implementation of such a measure.
Quotas and restrictions in Bourges
No quotas in effect
No quota system has been established in Bourges for furnished tourist accommodations. The supply of short-term rentals remains modest and concentrated in the historic center, around the cathedral, Rue Moyenne, and the Marais neighborhood.
Fines and enforcement in Bourges
In Bourges, property owners in violation face fines of up to 50 000 €.
The fine for non-compliance is up to 50,000 euros in Bourges. Inspections are mainly conducted during the Printemps de Bourges in April, when demand for temporary accommodations reaches its annual peak.
Specific rules in Bourges
- Prior registration at the Bourges town hall mandatory for all furnished tourist accommodations
- Registration number must be displayed on each rental listing
- 120-day cap applicable only to the registrant's primary residence
- Properties in the protected area around the cathedral are subject to specific architectural constraints
- Tourist tax collected by platforms at the rate set by the Bourges Plus metropolitan authority
Energy rating (DPE): Bourges has significant historic housing stock with numerous private mansions and half-timbered houses from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. These properties, often listed or registered as historic monuments, present specific challenges for energy renovation and compliance with new DPE requirements.
Le Meur Law: the complete guide for property owners
Discover all measures of the Le Meur Law 2025: taxation, energy ratings, national registration, co-ownership, and mayoral powers.
See also: regulations in nearby cities
Frequently asked questions
In Bourges, a primary residence can be rented for up to 120 days per year as furnished tourist accommodation. This cap is automatically monitored by booking platforms.
No, Bourges does not require any compensation for change of use. The process is simplified: only town hall registration and compliance with the 120-day cap are required.
The historic center around the Saint-Etienne Cathedral, the Palais Jacques-Coeur neighborhood, and the pedestrian streets of the old town account for most of the tourist demand, especially during the Printemps de Bourges.
The fine can reach 50,000 euros for failure to register or exceeding the day cap. Inspections are increased during the Printemps de Bourges in April.
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