The famous tourist guide launches, this Monday, October 3, an edition devoted to the company tours. 450 companies have been selected. Most of them are SMES with the know-how stamped “Made in France”.

The Backpacker publishes Monday for the first time a “Guide to the company visit” in France, while the tourism industry develops, especially on the background of the renewed interest of the general public for products “Made in France”.

“I am very surprised that no one has thought about (before), when we see the world than there is for some of the visits” of companies, said Philippe Gloaguen, founder and owner of the Guide du Routard. “The company visits are usually neglected by the tourist guides classic because the tourist offices are rather the promotion of cultural assets public, so that it is a world that is “exciting”, especially for young people.

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The book the book of practical information and advice on a selection of nearly 450 company visits in France, out of a total of 2,500 companies in the country accessible to the public outside of open days.

The appeal of “Made in France”

large groups are included, such as EDF and its nuclear power plants, the factories of Airbus, in Toulouse-Blagnac airport or the shipyards STX in Saint-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique). But almost 90% of the visits cited emanate from SMES that are emblematic of their region: cutlers, cheese factories, soap factories, biscuit…

“The public’s enthusiasm for the “Made in France” contributed strongly to go and see what the French factories produce,” said Cecilia Peter, general delegate of association of the company visit (AVE), which has collaborated on the guide. The guide has selected visits to companies whose approach is “not commercial”, even if it is in the interest of most companies when they open their doors, she confided to .

Some areas in which public opinion has a tendency to be wary, as the nuclear industry or the food industry, also attract curiosity. Also for these companies organize visits is an opportunity to “reassure” and display the transparency: “it is a win-win,” summed up Philippe Gloaguen.

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In 2014, the company visits (excluding open days) have welcomed 13 million people, compared with 12 million in 2012, according to figures from the AVE.