France Joins Network of 1,000 European Wine Cities, Boosting Cross-Border Tourism and Cooperation

France has officially joined the European Network of Wine Cities (RECEVIN) through the formal entry of the Association National des Élus de la Vigne et du Vin (ANEV). The signing ceremony took place on November 7 in Toulouse during ANEV’s annual conference. This event marks a significant step for RECEVIN, which is currently chaired by Spain through the Asociación Española de Ciudades del Vino (ACEVIN).

The protocol of accession was signed by Rosa Melchor, president of both ACEVIN and RECEVIN, along with Jean-François Portarrieu, national deputy for Haute-Garonne, and Christian Klinger, national senator for Haut-Rhin. Both French officials also serve as co-presidents of ANEV. The decision to include France in RECEVIN was confirmed at a board meeting held in Toulouse on the same day.

Rosa Melchor highlighted the importance of this development, noting that France remains a global reference point for wine quality, diversity, and tradition. She emphasized the role French wine regions play in wine tourism and stated that working together strengthens all member territories by allowing them to speak with a unified voice within Europe.

Jean-François Portarrieu echoed this sentiment, stating that the shared goal is to keep wine-producing regions vibrant and recognized as essential contributors to Europe’s sustainable, cultural, tourism, and economic development. Christian Klinger added that ANEV’s membership is more than symbolic; it represents a concrete commitment to reinforce cooperation between regions, share experiences and successes, and address common challenges.

RECEVIN brings together more than 1,000 cities from several European countries including Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Spain, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, and Serbia. The network is managed by national associations from each member country. Its approach combines primary wine production with tourism development.

Currently, RECEVIN’s member associations are the Associação de Municípios Portugueses do Vinho (Portugal), Associazione Nationale Città del Vino (Italy), Asociación Española de Ciudades del Vino (Spain), and now the Association National des Élus de la Vigne et du Vin (France). The main objective of RECEVIN is to defend the interests of European territories whose economies and cultures are closely linked to wine. The network aims to give these regions a voice in European institutions.

Among its initiatives are the creation of the “European Wine City” designation and the establishment of World Wine Tourism Day. These actions seek to promote wine culture and tourism across Europe while supporting local economies tied to viticulture. The inclusion of France is expected to enhance cooperation and visibility for all participating regions within the European context.