Tick season returns in France: where and when the risk is highest

Peak tick season is approaching once again as temperatures rise and summer-like conditions begin to be felt across France.

The insects begin to emerge with the warmer weather, signalling the most active and potentially risky period of the year with peak activity typically occurring in May, June and July.

In 2025, over a three-month period, 7,070 tick bites were voluntarily reported to CiTIQUE, a French citizen science programme that collects public reports of tick bites. Most cases involved humans, while 775 concerned animals. 

Because these figures are based on self-reporting, the true number of tick bites is likely significantly higher.

Grand Est recorded the highest number of reports, with 952 cases, followed closely by Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Occitanie. Moderate numbers of reports were documented in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Hauts-de-France, and Bretagne. Meanwhile, very low numbers of reports were recorded in Centre-Val de Loire, Pays de la Loire, Île-de-France, and Normandie. Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Corsica witnessed the fewest bites of all, with only 70 reports in the former and 7 in the latter. 

The latest tick reports - showing human and animal bite data - can be found for every region and every period here. 

Although most ticks are not infected, analysis of specimens sent to CiTIQUE between 2017 and 2019 found that 27% carried at least one pathogen, and 4.5% carried two or more. Around 15.4% were found to carry the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi).

While many bites are harmless, vigilance is important, particularly as symptoms may not appear immediately for Lyme disease and other infections.

Many associate tick bites with hiking or forest walks, but in reality, most occur during everyday outdoor activities. Around 30% of bites are reported in private gardens, with others occurring in urban parks and countryside green spaces.

Ticks are most commonly found in wooded, shaded, and humid environments, particularly in long grass, under trees, and near hedgerows. As a result, exposure is not limited to remote rural areas.

If you are bitten, health authorities advise removing the tick as soon as possible using a tick removal tool, taking care not to crush it. The area should then be disinfected and monitored for up to a month. If a spreading red rash appears (often circular or ‘bull’s eye’ shaped) up until one month after the bite, medical advice should be sought, as this can be an early sign of Lyme disease.

If you can’t see anything but still want to be sure, you can test the tick itself if you have kept it. Some commercial groups offer testing, but it is generally not recommended, as even if a tick tests positive, it doesn’t necessarily mean the disease has been transmitted. 

For those who wish to reduce the risk of bites, simple preventive measures can make a significant difference, including wearing protective clothing, using repellent, and carrying out thorough checks after time spent outdoors.