The Essence of Wine Tourism in France

More and more travellers are looking to explore a region based around their passion of wine. Globally, wine tourism (also know as enotourism, oenotourism, or vinitourism), has had the wind in its sails for many years now, and interest in this new type of travel experience continues to rapidly grow.

We've asked VINOTRIP, a specialist in wine tourism in France, what exactly defines wine tourism, and of their take on it in France today. To Vinotrip wine tourism is an exciting, authentic and convivial experience that highlights one France's greatest historical passions - wine! In the most basic sense, it is the discovery of the heritage of wine production. In France, historically, it was the creation of the concept of the “Route des Vins” or the "Wine Route", which gave rise to this concept. For decades the French have been jumping in their car to trace the Route du Champagne, the Route des Grands Crus in Bourgogne, or to explore the left or right bank of Bordeaux (Les Routes du Vins de Bordeaux).

For Thierry Bezeux, the owner of a truffle field in Bourgogne, and one of VINOTRIP's partners, wine tourism is much more than simply discovering the heritage of wine – it’s “actually a wonderful theme through which you can discover the various regions of France. What could be more pleasant than to discover a region thanks to the fruits of its earth, such as our country's wines and our local gastronomy, and to do so in the company of locals who are passionate and knowledgeable about their terroir”.

Laurette Secondé, the owner of the Edmond Barnaut Estate in the Champagne region, describes it as: “The meeting of two great elements: the art of the winemaker’s craft, and the art of a glass of wine shared between the winemaker and the visitor, in the setting of a vineyard. It's educational for anyone who wants to learn and share in the passion of the winemaker.”

For Olivier Leflaive, a famous winemarker from Bourgogne, and another of VINOTRIP's partners, the term has a similar meaning: “It's, more than anything, education interlinked with entertainment in a vineyard.”

Whatever its best definition, winemakers agree that wine tourism has become an important showcase and represents a significant additional string in their bow. It allows them to communicate their passion, to directly learn from, and educate their audience, and to do it in their own environment.

Specializing in custom-made trip creation, VINOTRIP takes visitors on a discovery of the French wine regions. To discover what wine tourism in France is all about yourself visit VINOTRIP's website.