Follow the Rotary District 5470 GSE team as they travel through Alsace and Franche-Comte, France in 2011.

Samantha Here: As a food tour guide and marketing professional, it’s fairly easy for me to find something vocationally relevant here in France! Per Rotary’s guidelines, we each are required to complete a minimum number of vocational “training” days pertinent to our careers back in CO. So far, I’ve completed a total of five vocational excursions – some very structured and others a bit more impromptu. Each excursion was entirely unique from the rest, yet combined, they help me have a more well-rounded view of the food and tourism industries.

Here are my trainings this far:

(1) Maison Du Tourisme in Saverne
I was fortunate enough to spend time with Virginia, Director of the Office of Tourism in Saverne regarding their tourist profile, yearly goals, marketing strategies, and efforts to support the local hospitality and restaurant businesses. This was truly an exchange of information as I was able to tell her about Colorado Springs and what I do to cater to tourists – she loved the idea of a food tour and now wants one for her own city!

Outdoor Signage

(2) Marketing/Graphic Design Firm in Besançon
A local Rotarian named Muhammed was kind enough to give me a tour of his marketing, website construction, and graphic design company he started called Publicity. He and his staff turn out incredible work and are pioneering new creative television advertisement marketing. They install flatscreen TVs in bakeries, pharmacies, and other business throughout town that rotate short, silent commercials for products relevant to that specific target base. For instance, the pharmacy commercials are of baby formula, medication, lotions, etc.

Logo

Flatscreen with scrolling commercials

(3) Euroserum (condensed milk factory) in Vesoul
Euroserum is the leading condensed milk factory supplying huge world-renown companies such as Yoplait, Danon, and Nestle with powered milk. I got a private tour of their facilities with the current director. The amount of product they turn out is simply incredible, and it was interesting getting a behind-the-scenes look into a nearly completely automated factory. And no, unfortunately I did not get to keep my wonderful white outfit!

About to enter the super sanitary factory!

(4) L’Institut Griottines (cherries and Kirsch factory) + Guided Historical Walking Tour in Luxeuil
Though vocationally relevant to me, everyone got to participate in today’s festivities (much to their delight, I can assure you!). At L’Institut Griottines, I learned that the cherry industry in France is extremely important, and the need for cherries has surpassed the production, thus requiring France to transport cherries from Serbia’s abundant groves. These aren’t just any cherries though; they go through a laborious process of being picked, pitted, then marinated in alcohol. The result is a delicious treat perfect as an ice cream or cake topping, a meat garnish, or just plain straight out of the jar. They also specialize in producing Kirsch, a wonderful cherry liqueur.

The walking tour was particularly fascinating, as our guide named Corinne from the local Tourism Office shared information about their famous mineral springs that sojourners come from miles away to taste. The water is enclosed in a spa building which for centuries has welcomed many seeking medical or relaxation treatment.

As irony would have it, I give historical information on Manitou Springs, one of my three food tour sites, which is also famous for it’s mineral spring water and spa building! Her stories and information was near identical to mine!

Me at the Griottine Institute

Small Jars of Cherries with Liqueur

Guignolet - YUM!

Historical Spa Building in Luxeuil

Cherry Blossoms with Spa Building in the Background

(5) Super U Grocery Store and Maetva Marketing Firm in Melhouse
I started out the day touring two different Super U grocery stories owned by a Rotarian in Mulhouse, a mid-sized city bustling with commerce and culture. To my delight, I was paired with a delightful woman named Florence who is the Assistant to the Director for one of the stores. During my visit, I learned about their receiving and stocking system, employee policies, organizational structure, and more, and I also had a great lunch with the CEO, Madame Marquis.

The next stop was a marketing firm in the center of the city called Maetva. The Director along with an Account Executive were generous enough to spend a portion of the afternoon with me discussing new marketing trends, demographic research, client acquisition, and the differences between marketing in the States versus marketing in France. It was a informational time, and I was very excited to “talk shop” with people who “speak” my language!

Madame Marquis et moi at the Super U

Maetva Logo

I’m looking forward to deciding how I will impliment these new experiences into my professional life at home!