Bordeaux, France as shown in the ‘Wine and More!’ Scenic River Cruise in Bordeaux, France with Lynn Elmhirst.
Given the name recognition of Bordeaux as one of the world’s greatest wine regions, you might think the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region–whose capital is Bordeaux–needs no further introduction or promotion.
But, as Melanie Paul-Hus, Atout France Canada’s director pointed out, Nouvelle-Aquitaine is France’s largest tourist region and hadn’t sent a delegation to North America in three years. Over the last decade, “a lot has changed” she said at an event for about 50 Toronto-area travel advisors, DMCs and media at the trendy Gladstone House 19NOV, the last in a series of six US and Canadian events.
Bordeaux, these days, is about so much more than the wine. Even for visitors who come for the wine!
Melanie Paul-Hus, Atout France Canada Director; Lynn Elmhirst, Executive Producer and Host, World’s Greatest Cruises on PBS TV; and Carole Larocque, Atout France Canada Communications Specialist.
Atout France invited me to share my recent experiences in the region while sailing on a Scenic river cruise in Bordeaux, filming episodes of World’s Greatest Cruises, my cruise and travel TV documentary series on PBS in the US and Canada.
During filming, we travelled with a group of wine lovers and the sommelier of the Toronto Hunt club, who generously opened up his rolodex to get us incredible access to wineries and winemaking families—like the Rothschilds and Jonathan Maltus, often called “the Mick Jagger of Bordeaux wine.” Of course, Scenic’s river cruise programming also includes visits to high-quality estates across all four major categories of Bordeaux’s fruit of the vine: Right Bank, Left Bank, Sauternes, and Cognac.
Here’s a link to the video I screened at the event, featuring a few highlights of our Scenic river cruise in Bordeaux.
It includes:
Great moments with winemakers, at historic wineries and in Cognac, at LouisXIII, whose Baccarat crystal glasses chime a perfect G-sharp note–the Cognac that literally sings!
Bordeaux’s grand, monumental architecture, famous reflecting pool, and liveable lifestyle that makes it the favourite city for the French to vacation.
The largest wine museum in the world, housed in a celebrated wonder of modern architecture on the river’s edge.
Scenic Enrich exclusive cultural programming with two private, after-hours events:
The Bassins des Lumieres, the world’s largest digital art centre, set in the raw and extraordinary environment of a WW2 submarine base.
A classical music concert in one of the oldest–and certainly most charming–chateaux in the region.
Experiencing the medieval gem Saint-Émilion and exploring the streets and vineyards in a unique way: on a vintage motorcycle and sidecar tour!
My video and presentation aligned with the Nouvelle-Aquitaine delegation’s focus: promoting shoulder-season and year-round visits, encouraging ‘slow travel’ for sustainability, and reminding advisors and clients that the region offers more than just its legendary wine.
Christelle Chassagne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Tourism Board President, and Bertrand Pous, Consul General of France in Toronto.
“The wine is very important, and that’s the main reason why people come, especially from Canada where people have a high level of knowledge of wine,” admitted Celine Boute, Head of Promotions for Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
But with younger generations drinking less wine and seeking different wine tourism experiences, the region has been embracing change to meet the times.
“We want people to know we are not only a wine region. Of course, we have a lot of experiences in the vineyard and want to support the winemakers. And there are a lot of new activities in vineyards that are opening up–for kids, too, and they can even taste grape juice instead of wine,” Boute added.
”So it is talking about the history of the plants, talking about the landscape, talking about different activities. As we said, we can offer classes and maybe they’ll taste the wine, but it’ll be a much more holistic approach.”
For example, Hennessey Cognac’s Wine Tourism Commercial Development Officer, Romain Vignal, highlighted how the company has developed immersive experiences for visitors, such as barrel-making.
The historic Hotel Grand Barrail – Saint Émilion is a jewel-box of a property with modern sensibilities, ideally suited for destination weddings or group stays. Surrounded by vineyards, it is not itself a a winemaking estate.
Paul-Hus emphasized the importance of the Canadian market for Nouvelle-Aquitaine, with 100,000 Canadian visitors annually, compared to 250,000 Americans. Atout France and Nouvelle-Aquitaine believe that number can grow.
Advisors attending were enthusiastic about the new face of Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
AGENTS: Drinking the koolaid… er, wine
Toronto-area travel advisors and DMCs meet with members of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Tourism Board mission.
“I thought of Bordeaux of being just a wine region. And let me tell you, it blew me away. Not only is it an outstanding destination… we can sell it to adults, and also to families,” said Karina Aversa with Expedia Cruises in Georgetown, Ont.
“And there’s so much to do around the region. The water, the little towns, the magical little areas that actually can make your vacation so special. So it’s nice to kind of find little places around the world that people don’t really see or think of, and they may be, you know, those same gems.
“So the wine is there, but there is more than the wine.”
Gillian Fripp from Expedia Cruises Midtown told me it’s good to be reminded, “’You really need a week or two,’ because that gives you the chance to get deep into the region.”
She also appreciated the river cruise experience, too, “how the river cruise hub-and-spoke out of Bordeaux can include, for example, the Cognac area. And I think that that’s a whole new idea I haven’t thought about for my clients. Many of them have done so many river cruises, and they want something new or different. Today, I’ve got an idea for them.”
LIFT AND RAIL:
Celine Boute, Head of Promotions for Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
Currently, the only direct access for Canadians to Bordeaux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine’s capital, is via Air Transat from Montreal. But members of the delegation noted that train connections to and from CDG (Paris) are a breeze.
“People can appreciate arriving before noon in Bordeaux and spending the afternoon already visiting wineries,” said Paul-Hus.
More information about Nouvelle-Aquitaine is available here.
Dining and Cooking