Tuesday 5th July 2016
La Cité du Vin: almost 40,000 paying visitors
One month after opening to the public,La Cité du Vin has welcomed almost 40,000 paying visitors of over 70 nationalities, as well as 120 French and international journalists and 118 groups. The schedule for private bookings is filling fast.
Thanks to the new open-ended ticket, the ‘Billet Open’, and to the oeno-cultural workshops, La Cité du Vin is preparing to increase its cultural offering to continue attracting visitors during the summer season and beyond.
The belvedere ©Anaka/ La Cité du Vin
WordsfromPhilippe Massol, ManagingDirector of the Fondation pour la culture et les civilisations du vin:
‘Since the opening of La Cité du Vin on the 1st of June, all our teams have been working to providea perfect welcome, service quality and visit experience for each and every visitor. These first few weeks in operation have allowed us to make a first assessment, to adjust and to keep the site evolving continuously. Today sees the start of our first summer period, which is an important time in terms of tourists. We are already preparing 2017 and 2018 in order to continue embarking our visitors on a trip to a world of cultures.’
Key figures:
-Almost 40,000 visitors have entered the paying areas of La Cité du Vin, to which can be added visitors to the free access areas (the boutique, the reading room, the gardens…) and the restaurants.
- More than 70 nationalities have been represented: a majority of French visitors, followed by British and American.
-1/3 of French visitors are from the local Gironde area.
-Visitors have also come from Nepal, Nicaragua, India, Thailand and Kazakhstan.
-92% of customers are individual visitors, 8% are group visits.
-Over 1000 subscriptions have been sold: visitors convert their visit into a subscription in order to benefit fully from the offers provided by La Cité du Vin.
Visitor satisfaction:
A survey led by Kedge has revealed a particularly high level of satisfaction. New surveys will be carried out in the near future in order to establish a monthly rating.
Constant improvement in ease of visit:
The time-stamping of entrance tickets (allowing access within 30 minutes after ticket purchase) has enabled optimal flow management, and has guaranteed a real ease of visit. To encourage the increase in visits over the summer season, the admission ticket is now simply dated and usable on the day of purchase. For visitors wishing to visit without restrictions of date, a new open-ended ticket, ‘Billet Open’, valid at any time up to 31st December 2016 is now available for purchase at La Cité du Vin and at
Opinion leaders:
Over 200 journalists and bloggers, both French and international, were received during the inauguration of La Cité du Vin, resulting in more than 1000 references in the international press.
In June,120 journalistsand16influencersfrom 39 countries were received, generating more than 800 references in the French and international press.
Private booking offers intended for companies and institutions:
La Cité du Vin offers to privatise several areas for the organisation of corporate and institutional events. The Thomas Jefferson auditorium (250 seats) equipped with audio-video facilities and interpretation booths, and the belvedere (holds up to 200 people) located 35m high with an exceptional view of the city and the river Garonne, constitute the core of our private booking offer. In addition to these areas, there are also modular reception areas with a total capacity of 250 people, as well as several meeting rooms which can hold between 12 and 70 people.
Since the 13th of June, La Cité du Vin has hosted 35 private events, offering companies original experiences: privatisation of the belvedere, the permanent tour, tasting workshops and private visits of the temporary exhibition.
Summerevents at La Cité du Vin:
The oeno-cultural workshops, bookable on site or online at :
The multi-sensory experience:A glass of wine at the markets of the world, daily at 11am, 2pm and 5pm.
Discovery workshop:Upside Down, a unique tasting experience, daily at 11am, 3pm and 5pm.
Guided visit:La Cité du Vin, Spotlight on Architecture, daily at 3pm.
Film screenings:Vines Between Sky and Earth on the vineyards of the world, and Bordeaux from the Skies, ajourney through time and space, in the Auditorium.
As from 14th July:
Children’s workshops:Tastes and Colours, daily at 10.30am.
Junior workshops:Labels under the Microscope, daily at 10.30am and 2pm.
Family workshops:Something for every taste, daily at 3pm.
Wake up to the benefits of an afternoon nap, vineyard siesta, daily at 2pm.
Coming in September:
-New oeno-cultural workshops: ‘The wine of writers’, ‘Around Bordeaux Wines’, and ‘Wine and Treats’.
-A rich and varied cultural programme: performances and concerts, film screenings, meetings and debates.
AboutLa Cité du Vin:
La Cité du Vinis a unique cultural venue located in Bordeaux, dedicated to wine as a cultural, universal and living heritage. It offers a spectacular journey around the world, through the ages, in all cultures. Visitors may book tickets at
Press Contacts:
La Cité du Vin: Pauline Versace Ph. 00+33+(0)5 47 50 06 73/00+33+(0)7 68 33 39 29
Agence Hémisphère Sud: Corinne Hennequin - Maitena Idiart Ph.00+33+(0)5 57 77 59 60 / 00+33+(0)6 37 04 78 65