Bordeaux : An eco-conscious destination with a soothing energy

Combining a rich historical and cultural heritage dating back to the 18th century, with a cosmopolitan and epicurean population, the city boasts the largest urban area to be classified by UNESCO. The Garonne River runs through the centre of the city, providing a beautiful panorama and helping to generate tourism along the waterways. 

A variety of exciting experiences on hand

Bordeaux is home to the most prestigious vineyards in the world with over 7,000 chateaux, the first of which are just 15 minutes from the city centre, with access to the Grands Crus Classés. At the mouth of the Gironde estuary, it is less than an hour from the Atlantic Ocean and the Dune du Pilat, the highest dune in Europe.

An epicentre for the Art of Living

1,600 restaurants, leading Michelin-star chefs such as Philippe Etchebest, Gordon Ramsay and Yannick Alléno, 65 AOC wine appellations and specialities. The vineyards and wine heritage are present throughout the city (with wine bars, cellars, wine schools, museums, wine merchants, micro-wineries and more). 

Bordeaux and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region are a breeding ground of excellence in terms of innovation and research. 11 innovation centres and over 60 international groups are located here, working in fields such as aeronautics, optics & lasers, geosciences, eco-housing, the digital economy, ICT health and neurosciences.

Bordeaux, an inspiring place to organise your events

In addition to its rich heritage and extensive range of hotel accommodation, to help you plan your event, Bordeaux offers a wealth of activities to enjoy throughout the region. Team building ideas, incentives, seminars, workshops in original location and much more. Bordeaux has many facets! There are many specialists offering innovative ways to set you team a challenge, including wine and sophrology workshops at La Cité du Vin, tastings in the historic wine cellars of the Chartrons district, a cruise along the Garonne River, and treasure hunts in Arcachon Bay, to name just a few.

The Convention Bureau works with more than 170 partners, event venues, châteaux, hospitality agencies, caterers and service providers, capable of producing tailor-made events. Bordeaux's extensive portfolio of services has made it one of France's leading business destinations.

Bordeaux's event industry goes green

Concerned about its social and ecological impact, Bordeaux is intensifying its commitments to the environment in order to become a sustainable city. With an overall score of 78% in the GDS-Index, Bordeaux was ranked 9th out of 72 destinations audited.

The City of Bordeaux Conference and Tourist Office has ISO 20121 certification for the sustainable management of its events industry, notably for Bordeaux Fête le Vin, and is also participating in a pilot project to establish the "Sustainable Innovative Destination" label. It provides the various event organisers with guidelines to follow to ensure that their environmental, social and economic impact is kept in check.

This year, Bordeaux also won the European Capital of Smart Tourism award, which acknowledges cities for their exemplary achievements in tourism in four areas: Accessibility, sustainability, digitalisation and art & cultural heritage.

A collaborative venture has been launched to jointly develop the tourism and event industry of the future, focused on sustainability.

The Bordeaux Convention Bureau has introduced Bordeaux Bienvenue, an initiative aimed at implementing a premium sustainable hospitality strategy and enhancing the region's capacity for hosting major corporate events.

The BCB also offers personalised support for organisational and logistical challenges by providing organisers with solutions to improve the environmental impact of their event (carbon footprint calculation, local consumer solutions, waste management, etc.). In addition, it supports and encourages partnerships between local associations and organisers to ensure the event has a positive social impact.

The BCB offers a wide range of incentive and team-building activities which are part of a sustainable programme. Whether you are planning an eco-responsible seminar in Arcachon Bay, an ecological and creative tour around the Bassins à Flots area, or a rally to discover the region's organic wines, you can enjoy discovering or exploring the region with your team.

https://congres.bordeaux-tourisme.com/incentives-team-buildings-durables