FRANCE. Nantes Atlantique Airport has celebrated the official opening of a new commercial operation that heralded a pioneering moment in French airport history. This ambitious regional facility now boasts the first-ever walkthrough duty free store in France post-security, courtesy of the equally ambitious travel retailer Aelia.
The €5 million airside development was the culmination of investment from the airport operator, CCI, at this growing facility in the northwestern province of Brittany, a popular holiday destination among the French and British public.
At the official inauguration ceremony on 25 March, journalists from France and the UK enjoyed a private tour of the new shopping area, comprising Aelia’s Duty-Free Atlantique store, a Relay news & books outlet, an Elior-operated food and beverage bar, and a watch and jewellery boutique run by Tech-Airport.
The four new stores form part of a revamped boarding area located centrally on the first floor in Hall 3, designed to offer a better quality service for passengers, more fluidity and greater comfort. All travellers are now filtered into one super-efficient security area, and in a few quick strides they enter Aelia’s bright and spacious shop.
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A first in France: Aelia’s 220sq m Duty-Free Atlantique walkthrough store carries all the top classic fragrance brands | |
Led by Chairman and CEO Jean-Baptiste Morin, Aelia’s executive and buying team were out in force to mark the travel retailer’s first walkthrough duty free store in the entire country. The new store replaces the retailer’s former 88sq m shop in the airport.
The full-range 220sq m Duty-Free Atlantique carries spirits and wines, tobacco products, fragrances, cosmetics, local souvenirs, fine foods, toys and gifts. The store was designed by Aelia in partnership with Paris-based architects IMLC, and is big on natural materials.
Emphasis is placed on beauty, spirits and tobacco. The last two product categories appeal to the many French immigrants from the Maghreb countries (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia etc) who return home to their families on holiday.
The beauty selection, as always in the expert hands of Aelia Perfumes and Cosmetics Director Béatrice Delorme, focuses on the classic lines and must-have new launches for both men and women – Dior, Chanel, Givenchy, Chloe, Gucci, L’Oréal et al. But that’s not all. A closer look reveals a notable cleverness and wit in this assortment.
In addition to the great classic fragrances and cosmetics are “les soins” from niche French brand Phytomer, based not too far away from Nantes in the north of Brittany. A masterstroke. Why? Alors, I can tell you there’s a buzz around locally-sourced items, particularly those based around natural and marine ingredients, which Phytomer is. The stunning advertising visuals around the brand tell you all you need to know.
The inclusion of Giorgio Beverly Hills – that 1980s “masstige” hit fragrance – plays wittily to the consumer trend around nostalgia and going back to your (perhaps misspent) youth. As a trend forecaster, this made me smile as it brought back memories of my excited mother receiving it as a gift.
On the day The Moodie Report visited Duty-Free Atlantique, one well-coiffed French grande dame demanded that a sales assistant fetch her “les classiques dans les grandes bouteilles, SVP!” She was last seen heading for the till with a basketful of Chanel and Guerlain. Already, the beauty area looks like a hit with passengers.
Confectionery spans the nobility of the Valrhona brand – currently on special offer at €12.70 for a ballotin – as well as adult and children’s favourites such as Lindt and Toblerone, the latter also on promotion at €12.70 for a 750g Tiny bag. Good value, non?
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Read all about it: The Relay news and book store also offers an assortment of souvenirs and travel essentials | |
A promotional area has been set aside to highlight the latest themed animations, which will take place four times a year.
Fashion accessories, such as handbags and scarves, are not represented here because of lack of space to present them to their full advantage, according to Aelia. But Ray-Ban sunglasses – a favourite of the French President – do merit their own merchandising stand, as do Bijoux Terner watches, that must-have airport staple.
Relay’s 70sq m newsagent and book store offers newspapers and magazines, books, greetings cards, local products, confectionery, first aid and travel essentials.
Catering nicely to watch and jewellery aficionados is a Swatch-owned Tech-Airport multi-brand boutique carrying accessibly priced watch brands Swatch and Calvin Klein, to more upscale Swiss marques Rado, Longines and Tissot. The latter assortment currently features the latest must-have all-black Tissot T-Touch, retailing at around €695.
As well as Swatch Bijoux and Calvin Klein, jewellery brands include Jean Marc Garel Paris and Ti Sento Milano, along with très cute Kidou children’s charms. Monsieur Sarkozy, known for his love of bling and dubbed in the French media as “Monsieur Bling-Bling”, would feel most at home in this boutique.
Tech-Airport Managing Director Gaël Vallade told The Moodie Report that the Nantes opening marked the company’s fourth airport location, the others being Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly and Nice. The range at Nantes will undergo a review after three months, he added.
Airside F&B facilities are provided by Elior. The Eliance branded waiter-service bar and self-service F&B outlet serves drinks, fruit, sandwiches and salads, and the extensive seating area offers passengers an impressive view over the runway.
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Tech-Airport features accessibly priced and more expensive watches and jewellery, such as Swatch, Rado and Tissot | |
Nantes Atlantique – a growing French hub
Annual passenger figures at Nantes Atlantique Airport are 2.6 million and set to climb, thanks to its position as an increasingly important French hub. “Hub?” I hear you ask?
Yes, this regional airport serves more than 80 destinations directly, including Paris, London, Frankfurt and Casablanca, partly thanks to the ambitions of Jean-François Gendron, President of Nantes Chamber of Commerce and Industry in charge of airports, and Nantes Atlantique Airport Director François Marie.
In addition to Air France, Corsair and Royal Air Maroc, the airport serves low-cost carrier Ryanair – its most important client – and that’s not all. Easyjet, which has spotted the potential of this hidden gem, is about to begin services from April 2008, ferrying plane-loads of vacationers and holiday home owners from London to Nantes.
More than 60% of passengers are on charter flights, which depart for Europe, particularly Turkey, as well as the North African Maghreb countries. Some 80% of passengers are French, 10% British and the rest are other nationalities, including the Irish contingent.
Talking to The Moodie Report at the opening cocktail party, François Marie explained that the main objective of the €5 million airport development was to save passengers time and offer more comfort in the revamped waiting and check-in areas, in addition to greater shopping opportunities.
Noting that €5 million is not that much to spend on a hub, Marie explained that the ROI was only for 2.5 years as he spelled out plans for a replacement airport 20km north of Nantes, scheduled to come into operation from 2015 following a tender in 2009 for a master concession.
Once appointed, the master concessionaire will be responsible for selecting a duty free retailer. The “relooking” at Nantes is set to go into overdrive as two runways beckon on a 1,200-hectare site. Watch this space.
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Elior’s Eliance bar serves a selection of snacks and drinks and features seating overlooking the runway | |
MORE STORIES ON AELIA, RELAY, TECH-AIRPORT
Aelia secures five-year contract extension at Strasbourg Airport following a tender – 28/02/08
Aelia posts new sales record in 2007 – 21/02/08
Aelia, Virgin and Relay contribute to solid full-year growth at Lagardère Services – 08/02/08
Nice success for The Swatch Group subsidiary Tech-Airport on French Riviera – 12//07/07
