Atout France along with the Consul general of France, Mr. Tudor Alexis and a handful of partners, held an intimate event for Canadian media last night at the Gladstone Hotel here in Toronto. During the event, Atout France invited attendees to discover the unique savoir-faire of each region and mingle with representatives from destination throughout France. I had a chance to talk privately with Melanie Paul Hus, Director of Atout France in Canada, to learn more about Canada’s contribution to France’s tourism sector. “Canada is one of the many countries that is considered a long haul market but at the same time has a very specific travel behaviour…,” said Melanie Paul Hus. “We recognize that people in Canada want to experience a slower type of travel, discover the heritage and learn a lot more about the destination. So the fact that they stay longer is fantastic for us, almost an average of 10 nights in France - a number that remains quite stable throughout the year.”

In 2018, 1.2 million Canadians traveled to France thanks to the help of Canadian airline carriers like Air Canada who currently serves six destination in France including Paris (year-round), Lyon (year-round), Bordeaux (seasonal), Marseille (seasonal), Nice (seasonal), and starting in 2020 Toulouse (all year round). Further, French oversea regions such as Martinique and Guadeloupe island benefit from services all year round. “What helps us a lot is the fact that we have more and more connections to various cities in France. So we can have direct flights out of Montreal, not only to Paris but also to southern France. So it’s even easier for Canadians to travel to France and have a very different experience from their previous trip whether that means they want to explore, hike, cycle, ski, and that is the offer we are trying to push forward,” explained Melanie Paul Hus.

Of course, France has a lot to offer in terms of fashion, adventure, wellness travel, agriculture, gastronomy, wine and spirits, all of which can be found throughout the country not just in major cities. During the event, each partner had a chance to elaborate on their region's savoir-faire and I’m happy to say there is much to highlight.

Auvergne Rhone-Alpes chose to spotlight the region's love for Gastronomy and showcase Lyon’s recent achievements with the opening of Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie in October, a multi-use space that is part museum, part sensory experience all centered around one common theme, food! Further, a new gourmet offer has been announced for 2020 that will stretch from Dijon to Marseille. Vallee de La Gastronomie food trails will cross a large part of the Auvergne Rhone-Alpes territory and include hundreds of gourmet experiences with local vineyards, orchards and local producers.

Two resorts, Les Menuires, and Val Thorens, came together to highlight Les Trois Vallees, France's ‘ski kingdom’ - the largest skiable area in the world. Starting in December and continuing through till April ski enthusiasts are invited to perfect their skills on 600 kilometers of slopes and experience first hand the beauty and marvels of the French Alps. In addition to numerous outdoor activities outside of skiing, the Les Trois Vallees region also has much to offer in the way of gastronomy and wellness/spas, making it a great destination for non-skiers as well.

Brittany seduced the crowd with their coastal savoir-faire by highlighting its legendary offerings around oyster farming, sailing and maritime traditions. In 2020 nautical loves should make note of Brittany’s Brest International Maritime Festival (held every 4 years in mid July) where more than 2,500 boats from around the world converge in the bay of Brest harbor while thousands of onlookers gather along the banks admire the tall ships, historical replicas, working boats, exotic boats and superb yachts.

The Atlantic Loire Valley, a region famous for exceptional winemaking, highlighted their savoir-faire by talking about the regions exceptional heritage for producing beautiful vintages. A perfect destination for any epicureans, The Loire Valley offers wine routes (accessible by car, foot or by bike) that allow visitors to meet with winegrowers and taste the region's terroir. Further, the Atlantic Loire Valley is home to 2,000 hectors of salt marshes that are open to visitors who are interested in learning more about this ancestral profession.

Last but not least the French Caribbean Island of Martinique, showed off its savoir-faire by sharing its achievement as Rum Capital of the World and the birthplace to coffee in the New World. Further, Martinique offers unspoiled beaches, volcanic peaks, rainforest, waterfalls, 80+ miles of hiking trails and is happy to be known as a haven for writers and poets looking for inspiration.