Bordeaux is open for business
The beautiful architecture of Bordeaux chateaux, from ancient to contemporary lends itself perfectly to hosting a full range of business experiences. These historical properties were built with guests in mind, some as far back as the 17th century and have been hosting wine lovers ever since.
Now they are adapting to a corporate demand, companies who want to share amazing locations with their staff and clients. From team building to conferences or intimate boardroom breakaways, there’s a unique space for all tastes. These properties are also the perfect opportunity to bring the natural environment into a corporate getaway, to explore the senses and learn about wine. What better way to change your team’s ideas and inspire creation?
Easy access with its international airport and high speed TGV connections it’s easy to bring teams together in Bordeaux from across France and around the world. Who would refuse a few days amongst the vines in beautiful countryside with access to world renowned wines?
On the outskirts of Bordeaux, Pessac Léognan in the northern Graves is one of the oldest but also one of the most dynamic wine regions of Bordeaux. Here, just 30 minutes from Bordeaux centre, Château Haut Bailly, classified growth of the appellation, is conveniently close to both the airport and TGV station, ideal for a short business getaway. Their fully equipped conference room above the old cellars, has wifi, video projection, microphones and paperboards. Delegates are spoilt with coffee and wine breaks with the in-house chef welcoming them to the private dining room of the chateau. Everything here is personalised, including an overnight stay in their Chartreuse for intimate groups, to larger seminar gatherings in the old cellar buildings. Stretch your legs in between work sessions by visiting the vineyard and ultra-modern sustainable cellar to learn about their wine and their unique biodiversity.
Nearby Château La Garde (2025 Best Of Wine Tourism winner for Wine Tourism Services) offers a multitude of options for business events, from three intimate and surprisingly contemporary salons in the 18th century Chartreuse, to the impressive ‘Cuvier Asteries’ that welcomes 300 people. The impressive backdrop of ultra-modern wine making technology gives a ‘wow’ factor to seminars, cocktails, exhibitions, gala dinners or product launches.
The private “Salon Mosaïc’ above the original 19th cellar overlooks the vines, offering a more intimate space for meetings and cocktail parties and the Salle Cassini with its 60m² terrace blends directly into the natural vineyard environment where delegates can stretch their legs between work sessions.
Get you team outdoors
As well as visits to the vines, chateaux offer an opportunity to discover the natural environment and the inspiring work they are doing to preserve their biodiversity.
The 17th century historical monument of Château de Cérons (2025 Best Of Wine Tourism winner for Innovative Wine Tourism) is a unique place to bring together work and relaxation. A walk through the vines and orchards, down to the nearby Garonne River is the perfect break from hard work. The imagination of colleagues will be stimulated with the inspiring ‘Gabriel and the drop of water‘ projection in the ancient cellars, unchanged for hundreds of years. This peaceful location is steeped in history, the Grand hall with decoration and flagstones dating back to Louis 14th takes larger groups back in time, whereas the smaller elegant salons are perfect for breakout sessions, breaks and of course wine tasting.
Many of these historical chateaux were designed for and at a time of elegant living, surrounded by beautiful and mature parkland. Walks in the fresh air and a change of scene offer a welcome break from work.
Just north of the city in Margaux, the vast park of Château Giscours (2024 International Best Of Wine Tourism winner) designed in 1870, is planted with over twenty rare species of trees. Delegates can stroll along the 800-metre route to discover this exceptional flora and fauna and works of art from the family’s private collection.
They can then get down to work with so many different options for business meetings from small private dinners in the renaissance 19th century chateau to huge events in La Ferme Suzanne. In this more rustic ‘farm’, indoor and outdoor facilities can host up to 400 guests for sit-down dinners, conferences and auditoriums. The stables dating from 1830, are the hub of wine experiences. Alongside the fully equipped meeting room with a tactile interactive screen and view over the vines, the tasting room is perfect for coffee breaks or as a space to awaken the senses with wine tastings.
Sensory delights
Château Kirwan (2025 Best Of Wine Tourism winner for Innovative Wine Tourism), also in Margaux, has the flexibility of offering large groups a warm welcome in their orangery for conferences, meals and concerts. The new, fully equipped panoramic room overlooking both vines and the monumental cellars can welcome up to 70 guests for more formal meetings.
The beautiful rose garden offers delegates a chance to enjoy a glass of wine al-fresco. After a chateau visit, team building workshops organised around wine blending and blind tasting of older vintages gives a fun competitive edge to teamwork.
Home from home
Château Saint Laurent (2025 Regional Best Of Wine Tourism winner for Accommodation) in the Médoc was built in 2007 with hospitality in mind. Since 2022, new owner Jean Bernard has updated the property to create a cosy atmosphere with spacious guest rooms in three houses and fully equipped salons with direct access to the park. This calm and intimate boutique vineyard is at the heart of a protected natural environment. Perfect for a discreet business retreat.
Brain work
A wine tasting alongside your business goals? Research shows sommeliers and trained wine tasters have better brains and memories. Your team will go home with greater wine knowledge and who knows, perhaps a sharper edge in business?
The range of wines at Château Lestrille from white to rosé, clairet, red and sparkling is the perfect opportunity to initiate colleagues and clients into the wonderful diversity that Bordeaux has to offer. In the heart of a traditional village of Entre deux Mers, the old cellar is now a charming reception room perfect for meetings, show rooms and team building events. There’s a large open fire for grilling steaks on vine clippings from the property and a private terrace for stepping out into the fresh air.
From big to boutique
At Château Fleur de Lisse, Vignobles Jade (2023 International Best Of Wine Tourism winner) has a flexible choice of spaces designed specifically for business visitors, just a stone’s throw from the medieval UNESCO heritage site of Saint Emilion. Reopening in 2021, after three years of renovation, it perfectly illustrates how wine making and hospitality can work hand in hand.
Above the cellars, an elegant lounge and dining room are perfect for smaller groups and in the ultra-modern kitchen, guests can enjoy a relaxed lunch or cooking class discovering wine and food pairings with the chef.
On the ground floor, a tasting room and wine bar is available next to the wine making cellar that transforms into a banqueting hall. The indoor-outdoor space that receives the autumn harvest, welcomes larger groups in the warmer weather with a ‘boules’ pitch ready for some friendly team competitions. The whole property can be privatized giving companies the run of the estate.
For a more intimate business retreat, they also privatise their recently renovated Château l’Etampe. This elegant manor house with its two ha of vines offers fully equipped reception rooms that run the length of the chateau alongside a terrace and heated pool. It’s a luxurious and discreet space with open fires, a billiards room and five guest rooms that make it the perfect venue for a discreet retreat summer or winter.
The ‘Vignobles Jade’ team manages both properties offering team building wine workshops, cooking classes, bicycle and heritage tours of Saint Emilion and even yoga classes.
Wow factor
Arriving in front of elegant and impressive edifice has a wow factor for guests and the beautiful 18th century Château de la Dauphine (2020 International Best Of Wine Tourism winner) fits the bill. Surrounded by landscaped parkland, the château amongst the sloping vines of Fronsac, dominates the Dordogne River. As well as classic entertaining and fully equipped conference facilities, guests can take part in a wine themed Escape Game and other light hearted competitive events built around wine tasting and food and wine pairing workshops. Tasting wine is a skill that can be developed, try some blind tasting? Which of your teams has the strongest palate?
After the competition, relaxing in the park or explore nature walks to discover their biodynamic viticulture, yoga classes or just relaxing by the pool. The perfect zen break from a hard day’s work.
Château Phelan Ségur in Saint Estèphe also has that wow factor as guests drive up from the Gironde Estuary toward this monumental, 19th century, Palladian style chateau. The elegant reception and dining rooms all enjoy views over the park and vines down towards the water, with the possibility of a intimate meal for two in a private salon to 16 guests in traditional French style dining room. Across the arcade lined courtyard, the historic harvesters canteen now counts two reception rooms that can host up to 80 people for lunch or dinner, meetings and seminars. In the adjoining professional kitchen, resident locavore Chef Jean-Luc Beaufils works his magic and will happily share how to create local specialties.
The perfect blend of wine and business
Your team might be working together to build a brand, but can they build a Bordeaux? Bordeaux is known for its iconic blends, challenge your teams build a better one. First they taste and discover the different varieties that make a Bordeaux blend and then try their hand at creating their own. A tasting can decide which blend is best and compare it to the professionals choice. The winners leave with their very own blend in a personalised bottle. What better souvenir of a day’s work in Bordeaux than your very own wine?
Author: Wendy Narby - Insider Tasting Photos crédits: ©Château La Garde / ©Château Giscours / ©Château Kirwan / ©Château Saint Laurent / ©Château Fleur de Lisse / ©Château La Dauphine