Destination Bordeaux!

Zaventem Airport. Belgium. 07:00 a.m.

Tickets and luggage in hand, a group of passengers hurry impatiently along the boarding lane reserved for them. They are about to board a Brussels Airlines aircraft. But it's a plane unlike any other...

Because, despite the early morning darkness, the image on either side of the cabin is perfectly recognisable. In this case: Tintin and Snowy, seated in the cockpit of the cult shark-shaped submarine invented by Professor Calculus in Red Rackham’s Treasure.

Indeed, the Rackham aircraft - as it is known - was specially chartered by Tintinimaginatio on 19th and 20th October to ferry its employees to Bordeaux, where the world of Tintin was invited for a digital experience.

Bordeaux-Mérignac airport. France. 8.45am.

On the forecourt of the terminal, the shadow of Muskar XII (played by actor Loïc Richard) looms large. His Majesty would not have missed this event for the world.

Forewarned by the "Pélicans Noirs" - a Tintinophile association set up in 1999 - he came to welcome the Belgian delegation in person as they got off the plane.

He even posed in front of the plane to celebrate its first landing on the Mérignac runways.

Then, because all roads lead to... wine, the Tintinimaginatio team went to one of the city's top cultural venues to discover the riches and multiple facets of this exceptional local heritage.

They explored the history, production and trade of wine, as well as the art of living and the cultural significance that has always been associated with its consumption, through the sensory and immersive tour of the Cité du Vin.

The tour ended on a high note with a visit to the Belvedere, which offers a panoramic - and unobstructed - view of Bordeaux.

From one cultural centre to another. The next morning, we headed for the Bassins de Lumières, the largest digital art centre in the world, where the Tintinimaginatio team were expected to inaugurate the opening of the "Tintin, the Immersive Adventure" experience, in the presence of King Muskar XII.

This unique space is located in the former Bordeaux submarine base. Designed for military purposes, the building is monumental, offering vast and atypical projection surfaces.

The openings in the walls create infinite perspectives, while the rough, unpolished appearance of the walls adds an unprecedented touch of relief and texture to the projected images. But the highlight of the show is, of course, the water basins, which reflect, mirror and magnificently complement the different sequences and tableaux of the Hergéan experience.

Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport. France. 17h45.

Despite the rain, wind and gloom, a winged shark shows its face. Its landing marks the end of a Bordeaux stopover rich in experiences and discoveries.

But before embarking on the return journey, the Tintinimaginatio team posed in front of the Rackham aircraft for a final group photo and a great souvenir.