From 22 to 24 September 2026, the Parc des Expositions de Bordeaux will host the Hlm Congress, a major national event bringing together decision-makers from Hlm organisations, elected officials, housing professionals and industry players. The Congress will provide an opportunity to discuss public policies and key priorities to address the social and environmental challenges facing the sector. Interview with Christophe Peseux, Director of Congresses, Trade Shows and Events at the French Social Housing Union (Union sociale pour l’habitat).
What will be the key challenges of the 2026 Hlm Congress?
This event benefits from a strong historical legacy: the edition hosted in Bordeaux will be the 86th. It brings together all players in the social housing sector, as well as, more broadly, stakeholders from real estate, housing and urban planning. This vast ecosystem brings together housing providers, institutional partners, contracting authorities, SME executives, financial backers and elected officials each year.
The most recent Hlm Congress, held in Paris in September, demonstrated the vitality of the sector, with a record attendance of 32,000 visits. More than ever, it was a forum for in-depth discussions, exchanges, innovation and remarkable collective engagement. This highlights the ability of long-term committed professionals to come together, move forward and build solutions, even in challenging contexts.
Why choose Bordeaux as the host destination?
We aim to maintain this momentum, particularly in the run-up to the upcoming municipal elections in March, which will bring major challenges related to housing, social housing and urban development. The Bordeaux edition will play a full role in sustaining this dynamic.
As the majority of our delegates come from across France, Bordeaux represents a strategic destination: accessible, well connected, and efficient thanks to its airport and railway station. We were also impressed by the destination’s strong commitment to hosting this major gathering and its core themes.
Finally, it must be acknowledged that many participants have a particular attachment to Bordeaux. The city and the areas surrounding the Parc des Expositions offer a wide range of venues conducive to networking and informal working sessions.
How does the Bordeaux Exhibition Centre meet your expectations?
Our event, exclusively dedicated to professionals, brings together nearly 4,000 delegates, 14,000 unique visitors and just under 30,000 visits over three days each year. It covers 35,000 m² and hosts 400 exhibitors. The Parc des Expositions de Bordeaux perfectly meets the requirements of such an event, with suitable facilities, sufficient capacity and a strategic location.
Accommodation capacity is also a key factor, as the Congress generates between 6,000 and 8,000 overnight stays. In this respect, the detailed work carried out in collaboration with the Tourist Office and the Beam teams enables us to optimise the entire setup.
These strengths explain why Bordeaux and Beam’s infrastructure regularly feature among our preferred choices. Following a previous edition of the Hlm Congress in 2021 and a new confirmation in 2026, there is no doubt that we will have the opportunity to return in the years ahead.
