La route Jacques-Coeur

What La route Jacques-Coeur does

La route Jacques-Coeur is a French non-profit association (Association loi 1901, Siret 775 056 401 00034) headquartered in Bourges that has operated since 1954 as the collective marketing and ticketing entity for a cultural tourism itinerary through the Berry province in central France. The association's core product is the eponymous Route Jacques Cœur, a modular itinerary that links 7 castles, 4 emblematic heritage sites (including the Abbaye de Noirlac, Palais Jacques Cœur, Cathédrale de Jean Linard and Galerie Capazza), 7 towns of character and over a dozen themed and remarkable gardens, organized around the historical narrative of Jacques Cœur, the 15th-century merchant and Treasurer of King Charles VII.

The commercial surface consists of three products: a centralized online ticketing platform (route-jacques-coeur.com) processing transaction-fee ticket sales for member sites and seasonal events such as Crime au Château and the Medieval Fêtes de Sagonne; the Pass Privilège, a €6 digital loyalty card valid for one year that unlocks €1–€5 discounts at 21 member sites and 11 partner sites; and annual/perpetual entry tickets for specific sites. Digital delivery is via email with QR code, with payments handled by CB/VISA/MasterCard and supplementary on-site ticket validation at member entrances. Supporting tools include a multilingual (French/English/Dutch) interactive map, a blog/content hub and a downloadable brochure library.

The association functions as a two-sided marketplace and destination network rather than a unified software platform. Its go-to-market is direct-to-consumer, supplemented by inbound tour-group and travel-agency bookings, with marketing conducted through the website, the #routejacquescoeur social hashtag and a content blog. Governance is provided by legal representative Martine d'Aligny from the registered office at Place Simone Veil, 18000 Bourges; the association carries AXA civil liability insurance (policy 0031877900152587) and is not venture-backed. Customer mix is dominated by individual leisure tourists and families, with no named B2B anchor accounts.

Name

La route Jacques-Coeur

Legal name

Route Jacques Cœur

Website

https://route-jacques-coeur.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

La route Jacques-Coeur is a French non-profit association (est. 1954, Bourges) operating a curated cultural tourism itinerary through the Berry province, linking 7 castles, 4 emblematic sites, 7 towns and themed gardens through a centralized ticketing platform and the €6 Pass Privilège loyalty card for individual tourists and tour groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Tourism Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Tour Operators (56152), Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural/Heritage Multi-Day Tour Operators (THAKADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multi-Country/Regional Circuit Tour Operators (THAKADAK), Travel Subscription, Membership & Deal Clubs (THAKAAAL), Permitting, Reservations & Visitor Information Services (Passes, Booking, Visitor Centers) (THAAAGAD)

Keywords

• Cultural tourism route
• Heritage site visits
• Castle tourism packages
• Loyalty pass discounts
• Online event ticketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Bourges

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: The association sells tickets on behalf of its members for access to events, guided tours, and temporary exhibitions. Revenue comes from transaction fees on ticket sales processed through the website.
2. Pass Privilège: A digitized loyalty card sold for 6€ that provides discount coupons (1€ to 5€ reductions) at member and partner sites. The pass is valid for one year from purchase date.
3. Annual Entry Tickets: Tickets for annual entry access to certain member sites, such as Cathédrale de Jean Linard.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

La route Jacques-Coeur operates a themed cultural tourism itinerary traversing the Berry province of France, linking 7 castles, 4 emblematic sites, 7 character towns, and over a dozen themed and remarkable gardens under the historical narrative of Jacques Cœur. The association sells tickets online for events and site visits, and offers the Pass Privilège, a €6 digitized annual loyalty card that provides €1-5 discounts at 21 member sites and 11 partner sites.

Product overview

La Route Jacques Cœur is a cultural tourism association offering a modular itinerary through the Berry province in central France. The core offering comprises the Route Jacques Cœur itself (7 castles, 4 emblematic sites, 7 towns, and themed gardens), supported by a digital loyalty product called Pass Privilège (€6 digital card providing €1-5 discounts at 32 member/partner sites), an online ticketing platform for event reservations and site entries, and downloadable documentation/brochures. The portfolio is managed through an interactive map tool and operates as a multi-site destination network rather than a unified software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pass Privilège

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Château de BoucardminorOthersPartner site included in the Pass Privilège discount program with 1€ reduction on visits
• Château de BuranlureminorOthersPartner site offering 1.50€ reduction on visits and wine tasting through the Pass Privilège program
• Château de MaupasminorOthersPartner site offering 2€ reduction on guided tours through Pass Privilège
• Centre Céramique Contemporaine La BorneminorOthersPartner site for contemporary ceramics in the region
• Crypte de la Cathédrale de BourgesminorOthersPartner site offering 1.50€ reduction on visits through Pass Privilège
• Hôtel de PanetteminorOthersPartner accommodation offering 10€ reduction on overnight stays through Pass Privilège
• Maison des SancerreminorOthersWine partner offering 1.40€ reduction on visits and wine tastings through Pass Privilège
• Musée Émile ChénonminorOthersPartner museum offering 1.50€ reduction for full price visits and 1€ for group visits through Pass Privilège
• Château de CulanminorOthersPartner castle site in the region
• Village du Châtelet - Musée de la PoterieminorOthersPartner site for pottery museum and village heritage
• Street Art CityminorOthersPartner offering 5€ reduction on visits through Pass Privilège
• Tour de VesvreminorOthersPartner site offering 1€ reduction for child visits (8-16 years) and 2€ for adult visits through Pass Privilège
• AXA InsuranceminorOthersProfessional liability insurance provider for the association (Policy number: 0031877900152587)

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• GetYourGuide: Global online platform aggregating tours, attractions and tickets across France including heritage sites. Comparable as the broader digital incumbent competing for online ticketing and discovery of the same French heritage attractions Route Jacques Cœur curates.
• Centre des monuments nationaux: State operator managing Palais Jacques Cœur (one of the route's flagship sites) and ~100 other French monuments. Comparable as the broader institutional heritage operator within which the association's partner sites exist.
• Atout France: National tourism development agency for France. Comparable as the broader incumbent promoting French tourism, of which Route Jacques Cœur is effectively a regional sub-network, with overlapping scope on destination promotion and visitor information.

Direct peers

• La Route des Châteaux de la Loire (Loire Valley Castles): Themed heritage route aggregating Loire Valley châteaux with shared ticketing, passes and itineraries. Closely comparable to Route Jacques Cœur as a multi-castle heritage network in central France with a regional tourism curation model.
• La Route des Vins d'Alsace: Regional cultural tourism route in Alsace dedicated to wine heritage villages and cellars. Operates the same model as Route Jacques Cœur: a themed multi-stop itinerary supported by a pass/membership and partner network across a single French region.
• Comité Régional du Tourisme Centre-Val de Loire: Regional tourism board covering the same Centre-Val de Loire region where the Berry province sits. Operates destination promotion, visitor information and itinerary tools analogous to those of Route Jacques Cœur but at the broader regional level.
• Les Plus Beaux Villages de France: Federated network classifying and promoting the most beautiful heritage villages in France, with a pass-like membership scheme and curated village routes. Directly comparable as a multi-site heritage tourism aggregator with a pass product.
• Chemins de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle (GR 65 / Via Podiensis): Network of pilgrimage/heritage walking routes across France with curated itineraries, partner accommodations and visitor services. Comparable as a thematically-organised multi-site heritage tourism product.

Emerging players

• Château de Chambord: Iconic Loire Valley château with its own ticketing, passes and event programme. Comparable as a standalone heritage site that competes with Route Jacques Cœur's member châteaux for visitor attention and ticket revenue.

Regional players

• Office de Tourisme de Bourges: Local DMO for the city of Bourges, Route Jacques Cœur's headquarters. Comparable as the destination-level tourism promotion and visitor information entity operating in the same geographic catchment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/route-jacques-coeur

Compliance1 record

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 La route Jacques-Coeur