We looked hard. We didn’t find him. The Le Rabelais cinema in Chinon, a center of local cultural life, does not appear on the website of the Azay-Chinon-Val de Loire tourist office. An absence all the more difficult to understand since those of Richelieu (Le Majestic) and Bourgueil (L’Amicale cinema), conversely, were there (1) last week.
Gilles de Laage, president of Le Rabelais cinema since 2016, does not hide his astonishment. Until now, he had never noticed the absence of the establishment on the reference tourist site in Chinonais (and beyond). “I don’t find this normal. »
Thursday January 9, 2025, only the Bourgueil and Richelieu cinemas were listed on the tourist office website. They were removed on Friday because the two establishments did not pay their membership on time.
© Screenshot NR
“We have never been in contact with the tourist office on this subject since 2015”
“Where does the error come from? Was it up to us, cinema, to worry about this? Or is it the mission of the tourist office to take stock of what exists? “, he asks himself, without trying to find someone to blame. A question that seems surprising given that the cinema is located… 71 m from the Chinon reception desk of the tourist office.
“I have been president for six-seven years. We have never been in contact with the tourist office on this subject since 2015”affirms Gilles de Laage. However, the cinema regularly goes to the Chinon reception office to drop off programs and posters. Except that no one explained to him that he had to join (and pay a fee) to the tourist office association to appear on the website… (read opposite). “There is no problem paying for membership”declares the president.
A restaurateur ready to pay
According to him, “of course cinema should be included there”. Both for people who come for a stay (and would therefore have the idea of going to see a film in this cinema which shows every day of the week) and for the cinema “who needs spectators”. “It’s all the more incredible to be able to promote the cinemas of Richelieu and Bourgueil…”
The cinema is not the only establishment not to appear on the tourist office. Although the majority of hotels are listed there, this is far from being the case for restaurants. When asked, some say they don’t know how to be listed. One of the restaurateurs even says she wants to be part of it, even if she has to pay a small fee.
“We are punishing the Chinon destination”
This is not the case for all tourism stakeholders. Some people don’t see the point. One of those we interviewed said he no longer wanted to join the Azay-Chinon-Val de Loire tourist office which “just informs those who are already there”rather than “to attract people”. Since he no longer pays his membership fee, he has noticed no difference in attendance at his establishment.
-On the other hand, this same tourism player takes a dim view of the office’s referencing policy. “Either we provide tourist information (and we highlight, or otherwise, those who are members), or we publish a commercial guide.” According to him, by not listing all establishments and places of leisure, “we are punishing the Chinon destination”.
(1) According to the observation made by La Nouvelle République on January 9, 2025, of which we have screenshots. The site has since been modified.
“We have every interest in having as many members as possible”
To appear on the website of the Azay-Chinon-Val de Loire tourist office (visited by 900,000 people), you must pay the association fee (€25) and the sum of €55 in the name of a ” benefit “explains Éric Pech, president of the tourist office.
According to the latter, the association has around 450 members. It is in the middle of a campaign for new memberships in 2025. “We have every interest in having as many members as possible to expand the offer and have additional contributions”says Éric Pech.
On the disappearance of the cinemas of Bourgueil and Richelieu, the tourist office puts this on the verification of the renewal of memberships 2025. In short: the cinema of Bourgueil and Richelieu having not (yet) renewed their membership, they have been removed from the site (until payment of their new membership fee).
Pour ” to raise awareness “ the greatest number of people have the interest of contributing to the association of the tourist office, Éric Pech plans to make a relaunch from “lists” of places that the structure holds, and raise awareness about “how does it work”. “Joining the tourist office means being part of a network”he recalls. This gives access to workshops, meetings between professionals, etc.
He reminds that if someone comes to the tourist office “and ask for the list of all the hotels and restaurants, we will send everything. It’s part of our role. For visibility, these are inserts. » And so, it pays off. The only way to appear on the site for free is to report your event to the tourist office to appear in the “calendar” section.
