We believe you deserve better than to be treated as a wallet to be emptied or a gullible tourist.
The urgent need to reduce the impact of tourism on the environment.
That human encounters must be at the heart of every journey.
That a winery is not an amusement park.
1/ Let's stop overtourism
According to the World Tourism Organization, 95% of global tourists visit only 5% of the planet's surface. In France, 80% of tourist traffic is concentrated in 20% of the country. Venice, Barcelona, Dubrovnik... Too many cities, villages, and beaches are buckling under the weight of excessive tourism, to the detriment of local populations and the environment. And what does the tourist gain from spending a day or a week trampling through crowded streets and meeting... other tourists?
Our commitments:
- We won't take you to places that have already fallen victim to their own success. We focus on places that are off the beaten track. We believe that today it's the places that are NOT on Instagram that are worth visiting.
- We encourage year-round tourism, outside the peak season if possible.
- We listen to local people to find out how they feel about the effects of tourism in their village, region, country, etc., and remain vigilant about the impact of tourism on their environment.
2/ Avoiding tourist traps
For too many players in the industry, the tourist is a walking wallet, to whom every option is dearly billed. While tourism fortunately provides a livelihood for many, it can also turn into a windfall that blurs any notion of exchange, sharing and respect.
Our commitments:
- We work directly with service providers (hotels, transport companies, guides, etc.). No middlemen means lower costs for you. We carefully select our service providers to offer you the best value for money.
- We won't recommend places we think are overpriced.
- We respect your travel budget and don't encourage over-consumption.
3/ Let's talk human to human
The world of tourism has become largely dehumanized, replaced by online booking platforms, soulless tours booked in a hurry, and well-worn itineraries. But who can you trust? Travel agencies that resell the same tours, paper guidebooks that advertise establishments that pay them, influencers who are paid for each post?
Our commitments:
- We give you reliable advice and addresses that we have actually visited. We have no affiliation with any partners and work completely independently. Our trips are 100% designed by a human who has visited the places she recommends, not by AI that simply compiles data from booking platforms.
- We're people talking to people. This means we take into account your individuality, your personality, your desires, your budget... without discrimination.
- We work with local partners (drivers, winemakers, chefs, etc.) who share our values and are keen to help you discover their region.
4/ Reducing our impact on the environment
There's a lot of talk about "sustainable" tourism, but what has actually changed? Apart from saving money on (already poorly-paid) housekeepers by not changing linen every day in hotels, or offsetting air travel with more or less serious reforestation programs, what initiatives have been taken in the tourism sector?
Our commitments:
- We keep CO2-emitting transport to a minimum. We don't ban air travel, which is sometimes unavoidable, but we do encourage you to stay longer in a distant destination. Whenever possible, we prefer to travel by train. If you want to visit a Bordeaux vineyard, we won't send you 50km away for half a day, but we will stay close to Bordeaux city center to minimize car journeys. Wherever possible, we have chosen transporters with electric vehicles.
- For our tastings and tours, we have selected vineyards that practice organic and/or biodynamic agriculture. We want you to meet winemakers who care about their health and yours, as well as the land that sustains us all.
- We reduce the amount of waste emitted by our excursions, and have therefore opted for picnics in glass jars, which we take back to our local cook for washing and reuse.
5/ Putting wine tourism back where it belongs
By placing too much emphasis on wine tourism, some châteaux losing their soul and becoming Disneylands of wine. How many tours are conducted by interns who know nothing about wine and are used as seasonal workers? And what about the sometimes excessive prices of bottles sold at the estate, when customers think they are getting a good deal?
Our commitments:
- We'll advise you or take you to wineries that want to welcome tourists without turning into theme parks. Farms where you meet a winemaker, not an intern who knows less about wine than you do.
- We've tested and approved the value for money of the wines and tours we offer.
- We accompany tours with professionalism and experience, and can answer all your questions, from the simplest to the most specific.
At Voyages du Vin, we don't claim to be changing the face of tourism on our own, but we do want you to travel in a world that's still human, less commercial and more ecological. Are you coming with us?