Travel
in the Haut-Médoc appellation and
Château Duplessis in the Moulis en
Médoc appellation. Since 2009, the
collaboration between these two
respected French brands has raised
approximately €271,000 that have
benefited the Bordeaux region.
In the beginning, the project
resulted in the reforestation of 40
hectares in the municipalities of
Gabardon. Trees were planted to
offset the impact of a large solar
plant located in Bordeaux. This
environmental effort is a natural
extension of Fouquet’s business
practices. With ‘Dignified Luxury’
as their motto, Fouquet’s is the
first hotel in Europe to be Leading
Green certified for incorporating
sustainable practices into their hotel
and restaurants. From solid waste
recycling to energy-saving elements
to Fair Trade products, the hotel
proves that luxury can have
a conscience.
On this Friday morning, a party of
twenty is southbound out of Paris.
It’s an eclectic mix of Fouquet’s
employees that includes everyone
from managers to maids. My French
is terrible, but I can sense the
excitement on the train. It’s an
honor and privilege to be chosen
to participate in vendanges, and
one look at the itinerary tells me
why. The trip isn’t just about picking
grapes for charity. There are also
plenty of wine and gastronomic
experiences thrown in for good
measure. It’s just one of the many
reasons why I love France. There’s
no such thing as all work and no
play, especially when it comes to
vin and culinary.
Three hours by train and two more
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