Cow can we ensure that Bordeaux celebrates wine, from June 27 to 30 on the Bordeaux quays, to be a celebration for everyone and not leave part of the public out? “We must never forget that 20% of the population is affected by disability,” underlines Annick Martinez, accessibility manager within the Bordeaux Interprofessional Wine Committee (CIVB). “If we count the temporary handicap – those who have broken their face… – we reach 40%. »
As Ségolène Faget, general coordinator of the event at the tourist office, claims, “we are in a process of continuous improvement so that each year, Bordeaux wine celebration is accessible and inclusive for all people with disabilities , regardless of their disability.
This involves arrangements that immediately come to mind, such as access for people with reduced mobility (PRM) thanks to adapted counters, lowered counters to allow tasting for visitors in wheelchairs, access ramps to the winegrowers’ pavilions, or lightened slopes above the cable passages.
“This year, what’s new is the installation, in conjunction with the town hall, of 15 reserved parking spaces in the immediate vicinity of the village,” illustrates Ségolène Faget. Only sailboats, due to the slope of the walkways, remain inaccessible. Good news for PRM guides: they are entitled to a free tasting pass.
But we must not “forget invisible disabilities” either, emphasizes Annick Martinez. On this subject, the organizers are innovating, this year by offering tastings specially adapted to visually impaired or hearing impaired people.
“Start from needs”
But how can we translate the vocabulary of oenology into French sign language? “With the Wine School, we have a trainer who has an adapted vocabulary and specific signs. This is something we intend to work on by developing a lexicon. » Two workshops in partnership with the Pi’Gironde and Wow associations are organized Thursday June 27 at 11 a.m. and Friday June 28 at 1 p.m.
“With the Wine School, we have a trainer who has a whole vocabulary adapted to sign language. This is something we intend to work on by developing a lexicon”
Same desire to innovate to “show” wine to the visually impaired. “As with everything else, we start from their needs. Some explained to us that when they visit a castle, they like to touch the stone, the vine leaves… So we work on touch, textures, smells, and perhaps also on another type of vocabulary that will be necessary. develop. It’s something we’re just starting out with, but wine really lends itself to it because it’s a very sensory area. » The Wine School offers two workshops of this type, Thursday at 12 p.m. and Friday at 1:45 p.m. (full), with Unadev and Api’DV. The Médoc wine pavilion also does it, Thursday and Friday.
Another type of initiative to include in the “village and festive spirit”, “connected vests will be offered to deaf and hard of hearing people”, adds Ségolène Faget. These vests vibrate to the rhythm of the concert music, so you can “enjoy” the music too.
From Thursday June 27 to Sunday June 30 (11 a.m. to 11 p.m.), on the banks of the Garonne. The pass costs 23 euros, for 11 wines tasted.
