On 19 June 2015, pupils from Hong Kong were received at Pauillac as part of an academic and cultural exchange organised for the past eight years by the Lan Chi Pat Alliance.
Ten pupils from the Médoc visited Asia in October and on 19 June, ten Hong Kong children were invited to France. Lynch-Bages welcomes pupils every year in the spring, accompanied by two professors from the Lan Chi Pat Memorial Secondary School, in Tseung Kwan, a town situated in Hong Kong’s New Territories region.
The Lan Chi Pat Alliance, which organises the exchange in partnership with Collège Saint-Jean in Pauillac, was created eight years ago at the instigation of Jean-Michel Cazes. His attraction for the school was natural as it shares the name of his wine, Lan Chi Pat being the title chosen for Lynch-Bages in Hong Kong to make pronunciation easier for the Chinese, who found speaking the original name difficult.
New friends and discoveries
Under the watchful eye of Hélène and Pauline, the Hong Kong pupils began their visit of France in the Médoc with Lynch-Bages, where they learned the different stages of winemaking. They stayed in our “small château” at Lynch-Bages and dined at Café Lavinal with their French friends.
After this gourmet experience, they spent the weekend with the families of their exchange students visiting Pauillac and Arcachon Bay. The following week was rich in events, giving the pupils an opportunity to discover La Palmyre Zoo, Bordeaux, the Dune of Pyla, and our local châteaux. The trip drew to a close at the school itself, with the end-of-year celebrations, before a last excursion to Paris and Versailles.
A journey rich in cultural exchange
When the French pupils organised a cocktail reception at the Lynch-Bages harvest room, the pupils of Lan Chi Pat, named after a famous Cantonese singer, chose the moment to reveal their talent with a musical performance in traditional Chinese opera costumes borrowed from the school’s collection. A second show was organised at Château Clerc Milon in Pauillac during the Médoc Rotary Club dinner.
About the Lan Chi Pat Allianc
In 2007, Jean-Michel Cazes became friends with headmistress of the Lan Chi Pat Memorial Secondary School Shi Fung-Ling, and together they set up the school exchange programme. The Hong Kong school teaches pupils aged 11 to 18. It places a strong focus on opera and music and has a superb collection of costumes and instruments. In France, the exchange is open to 15-year-old pupils studying at Collège Saint-Jean, an establishment neighbouring Lynch-Bages that specialises in foreign languages. The initiative receives support from the Commanderie de Bordeaux and Cathay Pacific Airways. Over 100 pupils have benefited from the scheme since 2008.