Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne

What Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne does

Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne is a French non-profit cultural and wine tourism organization founded in 2019 (conceived in 2010, with the BIVB creating the association in 2015) and headquartered in Beaune. It was established by the Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne (BIVB) as the official interpretation center for the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Climats du Vignoble de Bourgogne (inscribed 2015), operating a network of three physical sites in Chablis, Beaune, and Mâcon covering the Burgundy wine region from north to south. Core products are multisensory visitor trails combining physical scenography, interactive installations, and digital content, complemented by three Discovery Bars (Les Accords in Beaune, Ponti'Bar in Chablis, Press'Bar in Mâcon) offering 80+ wine references with seasonal local food, tasting workshops, and three retail boutiques selling books, regional products, and wine accessories.

The organization monetizes through seven revenue streams: timed-entry visitor tickets and experience passes, food and beverage sales at the wine bars, tasting workshops and oenology courses, retail boutique sales, private venue hire for corporate events, the three-tier Patron Pass subscription program (Village €110, Premier Cru €260, Grand Cru €460 per year), and a tiered corporate mécénat/donation program (starting at €1,000, with up to 60% French tax deduction and a US 501(c)(3) vehicle for American donors). The Ecole des Vins de Bourgogne (founded 1974), offering certified professional wine analysis certifications, has been a subsidiary since November 2022 and operates courses at all three sites plus an off-site location at the Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie et du Vin in Dijon ("La Cité hors les murs"). The institution is supported by a network of more than 70 founding wine houses, domaines, and institutional partners including Crédit Agricole Champagne Bourgogne (Grand Mécène), Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Louis Jadot, Bouchard Père & Fils, Domaine Leflaive, Albert Bichot, and Boisset. Customer segments span families, couples and friends, school and corporate groups, individual patrons, and enterprise clients, with a staff of 36 employees across all sites.

Name

Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne

Legal name

Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne

Website

https://citeclimatsvins-bourgogne.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne is a French non-profit operating a three-site wine tourism network (Chablis, Beaune, Mâcon) as the official interpretation center for the UNESCO-listed Climats du Vignoble de Bourgogne, serving consumer visitors, school and corporate groups, and wine patrons via immersive visitor trails, wine bars, tasting courses, and a professional wine school.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Tourism & Cultural Heritage

NAICS

Historical Sites (71212), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Culinary & Wine Travel Agencies (THAKAFAH), Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE)

Keywords

• Wine tourism experiences
• Cultural heritage centers
• Wine tasting workshops
• Burgundy wine education
• Patronage programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Beaune

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Visitor Experiences and Tickets: Revenue from timed-entry tickets to visitor trails, experience passes, and special event access across three locations.
2. Wine Bars and Dining: Revenue from Discovery Bars (Les Accords in Beaune, Ponti'Bar in Chablis, Press'Bar in Mâcon) offering 80+ wine references paired with seasonal local food.
3. Patronage and Mécénat: Corporate donations starting at €1,000, offering tax benefits (up to 60% deduction) and exclusive patron benefits including privileged access, exclusive tours, and visibility in communications.
4. Patron Pass (Individual): Annual unlimited access passes for individuals: Village (€110), Premier Cru (€260), Grand Cru (€460), with tax-deductible donation receipts.
5. Tasting Workshops and Courses: Revenue from wine tasting workshops, oenology courses, and certified professional training programs.
6. Retail Boutique: Retail sales of books, regional products, wine accessories, educational wine boxes, and souvenirs at three sites with no entry ticket required.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne operates three wine tourism and cultural heritage sites in Chablis, Beaune, and Mâcon, offering multisensory visitor trails, themed wine bars and restaurants, guided tasting workshops, certified oenology courses, retail boutiques, private event hire, and patronage programs dedicated to interpreting Burgundy wine culture and the UNESCO-listed Climats du Vignoble de Bourgogne.

Product overview

Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne is a three-site wine tourism network (Chablis, Beaune, Mâcon) centered around immersive visitor experiences exploring Burgundy wine culture and the UNESCO World Heritage Climats. The core offering comprises multisensory visitor trails (Parcours de visite) at each location, complemented by wine bars (Le Ponti'Bar, Les Accords, Le Press'Bar), tasting workshops, and the Ecole des Vins de Bourgogne for professional oenology certification. Additional products include the Billet Expérience (all-inclusive Beaune ticket), Pass Bienfaiteur (patronage passes in three tiers), boutiques, private hire, family activities, guided tours, gift cards, and tailor-made stay packages. The network also offers off-site experiences through 'La Cité hors les murs' in Dijon. Recently added features include 13 orientation tables with landscape interpretation at Beaune (2025) and new Escape Game and Les Chemins Épicuriens experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Parcours de visite (Visitor Trails) Immersive, multisensory visitor experience at each of the three Cité locations, designed to help visitors understand Burgundy wine culture, the Climats terroir plots, and the region's history. Includes child-friendly adapted versions.
• Wine Bars and Restaurants (Le Ponti'Bar, Les Accords, Le Press'Bar) Discovery bars at each Cité location offering food and wine pairings with over 80 Burgundy wine references, seasonal dishes with local products, and themed events including afterworks, brunches, and themed evenings.
• Ateliers de dégustation (Tasting Workshops) Guided wine tasting sessions including Initiation workshops, Burgundy treasures sessions featuring 5 local wines, Crémant and food pairing workshops, and specialized sessions for various occasions, with durations ranging from 30 to 45 minutes.
• Ecole des Vins de Bourgogne (Wine School) Founded in 1974 by BIVB, this subsidiary of the Cité offers oenology courses and professional certification (Certificat Professionnel Analyse Sensorielle Vins de Bourgogne), with courses ranging from 3 hours to several days at all three sites and at Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie et du Vin in Dijon.
• Boutiques (Retail Shops) Three boutique-bookstores offering 100% French products including cards, culinary products, textiles, books, board games, educational wine boxes with QR codes, glasses, and wine accessories, with free lobby access at each site.
• Pass Bienfaiteur (Patron Pass) Annual patronage pass for individuals supporting the Cité's cultural and educational initiatives in three tiers: Village (€110), Premier Cru (€260), Grand Cru (€460), with tax-deductible donation receipts and benefits including unlimited site access, vouchers, and gift passes.
• Privatisations (Private Hire) Event venue rental services at all three Cité locations for corporate events, celebrations, and private gatherings, with access to wine bars and facilities.
• Cartes cadeaux (Gift Cards) Gift vouchers allowing recipients to compose and choose their own Cité experience according to their preferences.
• Séjours sur-Mesure (Tailor-made Stays) Customized Burgundy wine tourism itineraries and discovery packages for extended visits to the region.
• La Cité hors les murs (Beyond the Walls) Off-site experiences including Cave aux Arômes and immersive tasting workshops in Dijon at the Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie et du Vin.
• Escape Game à Beaune Immersive escape game experience at the Cité in Beaune, offered as a family activity within the visitor programming.
• Les Chemins Épicuriens Wine tasting and discovery experience at the Cité in Beaune.

Quantifiable outcome

• UNESCO World Heritage designation of Climats du Vignoble de Bourgogne

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne (BIVB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015The BIVB, representing all Burgundy wine-growing and trade professions, created the Cité des Climats et Vins de Bourgogne Association as a network of three wine tourism sites. The Cité operates from BIVB premises in Mâcon after renovation and expansion.
• Région Bourgogne Franche-ComtécoreOthersProvided 50% subsidy (€25,080) for orientation tables project at Beaune Belvédère. Major institutional supporter of the Cité project.
• Grands Fundateurs (Major Wine Houses)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPremier founding patrons including: Albert Bichot, Boisset, Bouchard Père & Fils, Dujac, Edouard Delaunay, Joseph Drouhin, Domaine des Lambrays, Leflaive, Louis Jadot, Louis Latour, Marquis d'Angerville, Château de Meursault, Montille, Patriarche, Famille Piffaut, Domaine Romanée-Conti. These major wine houses provide wine selection, expertise, and patronage.
• Fondateurs and MécènescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWine domaines and houses including: Champy, Chanson, Clos Poirier, Commaraine, Liger-Belair, Comtes Lafon, Faiveley, Georges Roumier, Méo-Camuzet, Moillard, Roux, Taupenot-Merme, Château de la Tour, Union des Producteurs Elaborateurs de Crémant de Bourgogne. Provide wine expertise and regional representation.
• Gastronomie et Promotion des Produits RégionauxminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional food and product promotion organization, partner for inaugural week celebrations.
• France 3 Bourgogne Franche-ComtéminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional television partner for inaugural week media coverage.
• Société Astronomique de BourgogneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Nuit des Étoiles astronomical evening event at Beaune.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Centre des Monuments Nationaux (CMN): French public institution managing ~100 national monuments with ticketed visitation, guided tours, and events. Comparable as a heritage-site operator running multi-site tourism programming at cultural/historical sites, though focused on built heritage rather than wine specifically.

Broad incumbents

• Champagne Veuve Clicquot: Major Champagne house operating a Reims-based visitor center with cellar tours, tastings, and heritage interpretation. Comparable as an established wine-tourism venue pairing immersive heritage storytelling with curated tastings and F&B.
• Maison Ruinart: Champagne house with a Reims-based visitor experience including UNESCO-listed crayères and curated tastings. Comparable as a heritage-driven wine tourism venue pairing UNESCO-listed assets with premium tastings and art/architecture storytelling.
• Maison Taittinger: Reims-based Champagne house operating visitor experiences across its historic cellars and Crayères. Comparable as a producer-owned wine tourism concept with guided tours, tastings, and heritage storytelling.
• Moët & Chandon: Champagne producer operating large-scale Epernay visitor experiences including cellars tours, tasting sessions, and hospitality offerings. Comparable as a major wine producer running immersive, ticketed tourism programming at the cellar/estate level.

Regional players

• Hospices de Beaune (Musée de l'Hôtel-Dieu): Iconic Beaune-based cultural heritage site combining historical museum, UNESCO-adjacent Burgundy heritage, and the famous annual wine auction. Comparable as a regional heritage anchor that monetizes through ticketed visits, retail, and wine auction tourism.

Direct peers

• Château de Pommard: Burgundy wine estate offering guided vineyard tours, tastings, gastronomy experiences, and hospitality programming in the Côte de Beaune. Directly comparable as a Burgundy wine tourism operator with ticketed experiences and curated wine tastings.
• La Cité du Vin: Bordeaux-based wine museum and cultural center offering immersive, multi-sensory visitor experiences and wine discovery programming. Closest direct analog as a regional wine heritage interpretation venue with tickets, wine bars, workshops, and exhibition-based experiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/citeclimatsvinsbourgogne

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne