This year's French Touch Tour took place from 11 to 28 April. Over two weeks, the students explored French know-how in different sectors and visited iconic places of French culture and history, as well as several major local businesses.
A look at the 11th edition
In Paris and its region:
- Total Eren, the renewable energy subsidiary of EREN Groupe, a major player in natural resource efficiency;
- L'Oréal, the leading cosmetics company committed to fulfilling its mission ethically and responsibly;
- Descartes Underwriting, a company convinced that climate change calls for a revolutionary insurance approach to protect businesses and governments;
- Vedettes du Pont Neuf: cruises on the Seine to discover Paris’ most spectacular monuments and illuminated bridges, and enjoy a breathtaking view on board;
- The Château de Versailles: one of the largest and most famous gardens in the world, where the students had a cross-cultural picnic and visited the king's private residence;
- Jemima Express: An interactive way to discover Paris through various challenges that test such skills as students' imagination, team spirit, spatial orientation, and attention to detail;
- The tour ended with a dinner and food & wine pairing in the heart of the Latin Quarter.
In Marseille and its region:
- A boat tour of the Saint-Tropez golf area: Les Marines de Cogolin, Port Grimaud, Sainte-Maxime, and Saint-Tropez;
- Molinard, creator-perfumer: Immersive visit and a workshop to create your own perfume;
- Verrerie Biot: Master glassmaker, the ecomuseum with a workshop on international business challenges;
- L'Occitane en Provence: A guided tour of the manufacturing process and Mediterranean gardens. Products, values, and identity of the brand;
- Lustrerie Mathieu: A visit to the special decorative lighting partner of numerous institutions: Palace of Versailles, Louvre Museum, Palace of Fontainebleau, etc;
- Château La Coste: Discovery of a key venue in the region: art centre, vineyard and product retail, communication, marketing, and events;
- Aix-en-Provence: City tour with Patrick Verlinden, historian and guide specialist of Aix-en-Provence;
- The Autonomous Port of Marseille: Port discovery and boat tour of the eastern basin.
In Bordeaux and its region:
- A visit to LECTRA, a leading French company with international recognition specialising in software and automatic cutting systems for leather and textiles, mainly for the fashion, car, and furniture markets in Cestas;
- A visit to Château Luchey Halde in Mérignac, one of the very few vineyards located in the Bordeaux area and renovated by the National School of Agricultural Engineers;
- A visit to AIRBUS and its museum: one of the global giants in the aircraft industry;
- Bayonne: Cultural-historical city tour, presentation of various street artworks by the Space Junk Association, which organises the international street art festival "Point de Vue"; "cider party" at the Aviron Bayonais;
- Bidart: Presentation of innovative international start-up projects from the Basque Country on the campus of the famous ESTIA engineering school;
- Escape games and competitions organised by the BDS.
An experiential learning course on French heritage
French Touch Tour is an integral part of the Master of Science (MSc) International Business curriculum. It illustrates the learning-by-doing pedagogy, which combines in-depth academic instruction with a real immersive experience. Students are constantly exposed to the challenges of international trade and are given access to a vast network of partner companies, boosting their employability. This high-standard course explores various cultural and geopolitical factors in international trade and recreates its complexities. Its comprehensive learning programme based on 6 fields of study on 3 campuses has earned it first-rank status in EdUniversal 2022 ranking in the international business category.
