The French wine industry is taking new steps to professionalize wine tourism, aiming to boost economic resilience amid ongoing challenges in the sector. The National Federation Vignobles & Découvertes announced the launch of a new national event, “Vignobles en scène,” set to take place from October 17 to 19, 2025. This initiative will involve 70 certified wine tourism sites across France and is inspired by the country’s popular Heritage Days.
Michel Chapoutier, president of the federation and a well-known Rhône Valley winemaker, explained that wine has evolved from being just a beverage to becoming a cultural experience. He noted that regions with advanced wine tourism offerings are currently faring better than others during the industry’s crisis. The new event will feature a range of activities, including cultural, gastronomic, sporting, and artistic experiences. These will be held in unique locations such as the Canal des Deux Mers in Fronton, the Chauvet 2 cave, and the Mont de Marsan arenas. Activities will include unusual banquets, sensory tours, performances, cruises, and concerts.
The Vignobles & Découvertes label was created 15 years ago and is awarded for three years by Atout France to destinations with both tourism and wine-growing appeal. The upcoming “Vignobles en scène” event marks a significant expansion of efforts to attract visitors and promote local heritage through wine.
Beyond this event, Chapoutier emphasized the need to professionalize wine tourism activities to fully realize their potential. He called for specialized training in wine tourism within agricultural education programs so that wineries can hire qualified staff. He also advocated for stronger collaboration between wine producers, tourism professionals, hospitality businesses, and cultural organizations at the local level.
Chapoutier highlighted that wine tourism is now an integral part of the industry’s recovery plan. The sector has secured a dedicated “wine tourism” category within the European Union’s Common Market Organization (CMO) for wine. This allows industry groups to raise funds for international promotion of French wine tourism alongside other support measures like export promotion and vineyard restructuring.
Recent research by Deloitte for Vin&Société underscores the growing economic impact of wine tourism in France. According to their study, 12 million people visited French wine-related sites in 2023, including 5.4 million international tourists. These visits generated an estimated €5.4 billion ($5.8 billion) in direct spending—€1.8 billion at wineries and cooperatives and €3.6 billion on restaurants, lodging, and local activities. An additional €1.6 billion in revenue was generated through supply chain purchases such as equipment and logistics.
For many producers and cooperatives hosting visitors, the financial benefits are significant. Deloitte found that wine tourism accounts for about 30 percent of revenue on average among those involved in the activity. Half of these businesses earn more than 20 percent of their revenue from wine tourism, while one in five generates over half its income this way.
The study concluded that for many small operations, wine tourism has become a key tool for resilience, diversification, and preserving heritage during difficult economic times for the broader wine sector. As France continues to face challenges in its traditional wine markets, these new efforts aim to secure a sustainable future by attracting visitors from around the world to experience its vineyards firsthand.
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