Rhône Trip's Art of Wine Tourism: A Blend of Passion and Precision
For this new profile, we’re introducing Hélène, whose professional journey has blossomed in the fields of commerce and tourism. Upon arriving in the region, Hélène began to develop a keen interest in wine and its many nuances. It was while working for the local tourism office that she met Julie and Laurent. After several successful collaborations, the connection between Julie and Hélène—two passionate, kind, and audacious young women—is set to spark many ambitious projects for Rhône Trip.
- Hélène, tell us about yourself!
Hi! I’m Hélène, a mom in my forties originally from the North of France. My career has always been in tourism. I’ve worked in tourism offices, handling sales, promotion, and press relations. That included managing relationships with tour operators, receptive agencies, cruise lines, and more.
I also worked as a sales representative, then sales director, for a large coach company in Vaucluse, and held other positions at the Train de l’Ardèche and Safari de Peaugres! Essentially, I haven’t left the tourism world since finishing my studies. My role at Rhône Trip brings together all these different facets of my professional background. I’m responsible for client development, whether that’s for corporate clients or individual customers. My mission at Rhône Trip is to find new clients and partners, build new offerings, and develop tour sales! - What made you want to join the Rhône Trip adventure?
I first met Julie and Laurent when I was working at the tourism office, right when they created Rhône Trip. We regularly collaborated, especially for hosting receptive agencies and journalists. I admired their creativity, and they appreciated my organized approach.
Then, little by little, a few years later, we started discussing the possibility of working together. It quickly became clear that it was the perfect fit for both them and me! - What attracts you to the world of wine?
As someone from the north, I must admit the world of beer was much more familiar to me than wine! Then, I discovered this beautiful region, the Rhône Valley, with its sloping hillsides that shape exceptional landscapes. I also learned to explore wine and appreciate it!
I believe there’s still so much to do in the field of wine tourism, particularly in terms of opening more doors and creating new offerings! It’s a field driven by passionate people, and it’s truly fascinating!
- Do you already have ideas for enriching visitor experiences?
Julie and I are currently working on developing new offerings for corporate clients, including treasure hunts in the vineyards and mystery investigations to be conducted within a wine estate. The idea is also to offer these experiences to groups of friends, or for bachelor and bachelorette parties.
We’re also setting up a Brunch offer this summer, with the goal of expanding it in the future, and perhaps even introducing other popular options like winemaker picnics.
Furthermore, we’re hoping to develop more stay packages, as Rhône Trip is now registered as a travel agency. We’ll start with stays in our region, and why not, in the future, be able to offer tours in other wine regions of France! - How will you immerse yourself in the world of wine?
I’m already quite familiar with the Rhône Valley, having worked there for several years. However, I’m much more of a novice when it comes to Beaujolais and Burgundy, but I’m planning an immersion trip soon specifically to discover those two regions.
Even though my current role isn’t on the ground as a driver-guide, I’m still considering professional training to further my initiation into professional wine tasting!
- Do you have a funny anecdote or a nice memory about wine?
When I first arrived in the region, I didn’t drink red wine at all. I didn’t enjoy it and found no pleasure in it. Then one day, I went to eat in Vienne with friends, and the restaurateur told me, “But you can’t live here and not like red wine!” He chose a wine and said, “Taste this!” It was a powerful, refined, slightly spicy wine. I still remember the exact name and bottle. From that day on, I started to appreciate red wine, little knowing I’d be working in this field a few years later!
