Tastings in Bordeaux

The Bordeaux area is especially popular. The eight-day trip to the famous wine region leaves nothing to be desired. The guests visit wine estates, known as châteaux, where world-famous wines are produced. These include, for example, Château Smith Haut Lafitte, one of the oldest wine estates in France, or Château Malartic-Lagravière. They are located in the Graves area, home of the noble sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac. But stops are also made in the Médoc. In Pauillac, the centre of the peninsula, wine tastings of superior quality await the guests. Nikolai Fritz: “In wine regions like Bordeaux in particular, we often visit wine estates that are not open to the general public.” 

But the Bordelais has even more to offer participants than characterful wines. Visits to cultural sights are also part of the programme; in Bordeaux itself, for example, the Bassins des Lumières, the world's largest centre for digital art, or the wine museum La Cité du Vin, designed by star architect Frank Gehry. In the little town of Arcachon, around sixty kilometres from Bordeaux, the guests take a boat trip, visit an oyster farm and climb the Dune du Pilat, the largest and most impressive dune in Europe. 

To make the wine experience perfect, a maximum of two wine estates are usually visited per day. Nikolai Fritz: “On all wine tours, extended tours of the wine cellars, vines and presentation rooms are on the programme, and sometimes lunch as well.” Often the winemaker in person even leads the tour of the estate. In addition, a tour guide accompanies every trip. “Their knowledge of wine and everything that goes with it – such as grape varieties, soil conditions or climate – is very extensive,” says Nikolai Fritz. 

The product manager places particular emphasis on the wine experts behaving like “hosts on board”. “They look after the guests, serve coffee and drinks, and provide information about the country and its people as well as about the cuisine and cellars.” 

All Car Rouge travel offers are designed with great love, passion and destination knowledge. Before a trip makes it into the catalogue, it is usually tested by tour guides. Nikolai Fritz: “Especially with new destinations, they can familiarise themselves with local conditions.”

State-of-the-art coach fleet

The programme of wine tours and round trips is put together by Nikolai Fritz, that of the opera and concert tours by Armin Portner, Head of Music Tours. Travelling with Car Rouge means travelling in the premium class. That includes premium hotels. After an eventful day, guests enjoy the benefits of upscale accommodation, staying in four- and five-star hotels. Nikolai Fritz: “In some cases we have been booking the same hotels for years. So the hotelier knows exactly what our guests expect.” 

But it is not only the hotels that are stylish and of the highest quality, but also the company's own coach fleet. The five modern coaches each have thirty comfortable luxury fabric armchairs with a generous seat pitch of 91 centimetres. “Best seating comfort is thus guaranteed,” says Nikolai Fritz. In addition, the vehicles are fitted with the latest available safety systems, and every seat has its own power socket. Add to that contemporary multi-channel sound systems that ensure optimum listening pleasure on the road. And to stay in touch with loved ones at home, participants on a Car Rouge trip can use the Wi-Fi on board free of charge.

Interview with Nikolai Fritz of Car Rouge

“Some destinations can only be reached without hassle by coach”

Are coach trips still up to date today?

Absolutely. Some destinations can only be reached without hassle – for instance without changing – by coach. I'm thinking of our seaside holiday destinations in Tuscany. Hard to reach by plane, three changes by train. That's not exactly family-friendly. But environmental awareness also plays a part. There are customers who no longer want to fly. On a coach trip, customers only need to be at the boarding point ten minutes before departure. The tedious check-in procedure of a flight is gone.

One thinks mainly of senior citizens' trips – who books a coach trip today?

That is partly true, for example for round trips, but in the seaside holiday segment (Tuscany, Elba, Adriatic coast) Eurobus also serves young people and families. In addition there is Europa-Park as an attraction for young and old.

From road to rail is the motto. How environmentally friendly are your coaches?

The coach is the most environmentally friendly means of transport. Eurobus and Car Rouge run coaches equipped with the most modern diesel engines. On downhill gradients our vehicles automatically reduce engine output and use less diesel.

What about punctuality? Isn't one constantly stuck in traffic jams by coach?

We try to avoid traffic jams through good planning whenever possible. Counter-cyclical driving, for instance returning from a trip on Maundy Thursday through the Gotthard tunnel. We also always allow a little more driving time on trips to the south. But of course, traffic jams cannot always be avoided.

How safe is travelling by coach? Which drivers are used? Are there rest periods?

The coach is a very safe means of transport. Our experienced coach drivers are continuously trained and given further education. Very important on the trips is the so-called ARV regulation, which governs the drivers' breaks and driving times. As a rule, breaks are scheduled after every two to two and a half hours of driving. Certain trips are also run with two drivers.

Can coach trips compete on price with rail, car or air travel?

Absolutely.

How can I recognise a reputable coach company?

For example by credibility. Take the environmental management standard ISO 14001. Eurobus's corporate culture is based on sustainability. The ISO 14001 standard defines globally valid criteria for efficient environmental management systems. It examines the environmental footprint, environmental communication and performance evaluation, and places strong emphasis on improvement so that the measures are always up to date. The Eurobus Group undergoes an annual audit check and recertification, respectively. And let us not forget customer money protection – our customers' money is safe.

What does the future of coach travel look like?

In the coming years, too, coach travel will be an important part of the tourism offering. The trend is even slightly upward.