Bordeaux reaches out to top-class tourists
Monday, 4 August 2008
BORDEAUX, France, Aug 3 (AFP): Known for its high-end wines, sumptuous chateaux and aristocrat vineyard-owners, Bordeaux has been strangely short of luxury tourist activities, but times finally are a-changing.
"Not enough is done at the very top end of the tourist market," said billionaire Bordeaux wine producer Bernard Magrez who, finding too little luxury for his liking has decided to open his own tour agency.
"Everyone in Bordeaux thinks people wait on bended knee for their wines, but nowadays excellent wines are produced all over the world," he told the agency.
So from September this year, when his agency officially opens, Magrez will be offering luxury short stays in four of his 18 Bordeaux chateaux, with helicopter or Rolls Royce on call for tours of the region.
Prices, understandably, start at 2,000 euros (310 dollars) per person for a two-day, one-night stay.
Dinner at the chateaux with one of the family, a rare vintage tasting, a private music concert, cookery courses with a top chef or a wine blending session with internationally-known winemaker Michel Rolland, are some of the options Magrez will be offering rich wine-lovers, or just simply the very rich.
From a low start, Bordeaux wine tourism services over the last 10 years have grown rapidly, but the trend has been toward numbers.
Early experiences largely were chateaux-owners welcoming wine- buyers, or students and backpackers working in the vines. But a local wine crisis in the early 2000s, when too much wine chased too few buyers, prised open chateaux doors to a more general public.
"Not enough is done at the very top end of the tourist market," said billionaire Bordeaux wine producer Bernard Magrez who, finding too little luxury for his liking has decided to open his own tour agency.
"Everyone in Bordeaux thinks people wait on bended knee for their wines, but nowadays excellent wines are produced all over the world," he told the agency.
So from September this year, when his agency officially opens, Magrez will be offering luxury short stays in four of his 18 Bordeaux chateaux, with helicopter or Rolls Royce on call for tours of the region.
Prices, understandably, start at 2,000 euros (310 dollars) per person for a two-day, one-night stay.
Dinner at the chateaux with one of the family, a rare vintage tasting, a private music concert, cookery courses with a top chef or a wine blending session with internationally-known winemaker Michel Rolland, are some of the options Magrez will be offering rich wine-lovers, or just simply the very rich.
From a low start, Bordeaux wine tourism services over the last 10 years have grown rapidly, but the trend has been toward numbers.
Early experiences largely were chateaux-owners welcoming wine- buyers, or students and backpackers working in the vines. But a local wine crisis in the early 2000s, when too much wine chased too few buyers, prised open chateaux doors to a more general public.