5 weekends amongst the vines: France’s most beautiful wine regions

The Cote d’Or, Burgundy  

A weekend spent between Dijon and Beaune brings you up close to some of the world’s most prestigious and expensive vineyards, but there are ways to enjoy it whatever your budget. Expect to try sublime and complex chardonnays, and exceptional pinot noirs. Start off in Dijon with a visit to the Cité de la Gastronomie et du Vin, an impressive visitor centre that celebrates the art of French gastronomy. Whet your appetite for the vineyards to come at the huge wine cave which stocks 3,000 wines, and 250 available by the glass, as well as a fantastic exhibition in a former chapel that explains all you need to know about the Unesco-listed ‘Climats de Bourgogne’ in the area south of Dijon with its 1247 small vineyard plots that each boast a different terroir that gives the grapes an individual quality.   

Many of the wine villages in this area will be familiar from their wines’ labels, so take a cycling tour between some of them, such as Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, with Bourgogne Evasion. Meanwhile, in Puligny-Montrachet, the Olivier Leflaivre winery and vineyards has a specially designed electric vehicle, which is like a tasting bar on wheels. Afterwards, book a table for the bistro, where the menu features traditional ‘cocottes’, a stew in a pot (two-course cocotte menu from €32, hotel.olivier-leflaive.com).

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The Luberon, Provence

I could spend a good week in the Luberon, an hour north of the bustling city of Marseille. It’s an area of alluring villages, abundant gardens and lavender fields, whose hot days and cool nights allow the perfect climate for its picturesque vineyards to grow grenache, syrah, cinsault, mourvèdre, clairette, and viognier, among others, and its rosé wines are world-renowned. Start a tour in sight of the lunar-like peak Mont Ventoux at the family-run Château Pesquié. Here you’ll learn about the amazing biodiversity of the vineyards in the land around the 2000-metre mountain. Its handsome chateau is framed by an avenue of plane trees, and you can book activities such as vineyard picnics and tasting workshops. A drive south, takes you via the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque, which dates from the 12th century and is known for its lavender fields. 

Book a visit to learn about the monk’s monastic life and to buy some of their products. Continue on via the beautiful village of Gordes, which clings to a hillside and is a warren of cafes, restaurants and galleries. Further south, the Domaine de la Citadelle, near the village of Ménerbes, has an excellent range of wines, but it is also worth a stop for its unusual collection of corkscrews. Their Musée du Tire-Bouchon holds 1,200 bottle openers of every age, shape and size, including ones that double as shaving brushes, swords or pistols.  

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The Roussillon coast, Occitanie

In the far south-west corner of France, the coastal route that runs from Collioure down to the Spanish border abounds with colour and flavour that would make a lovely languid road trip or a delicious long weekend. With yellow, blue and red anchovy fishing boats bobbing in the harbours, and the pink and peach hues of the villages, it is little wonder the vibrant Fauvist artistic movement was established here in the early 20th century. The vineyards, too, make for a striking sight: admire the rows of green vines against the red soil that has earned the Côte Vermeille (the Vermillion coast) its name, their backdrop is the blue Mediterranean and a cyan sky.  

Start in Collioure, by visiting the lively market in Place du Maréchal Leclerc on a Wednesday or Saturday. Visit, too, the two remaining anchovy fishing families at their workshops, Anchois Roque and Anchois Desclaux.  Further down the coast is Les Clos de Paulilles, a beautiful vineyard tucked away in a cove past Port Vendres. Book a tasting (or a visit, in July and August) to try the area’s signature wines from Banyuls and Collioure appellations. The on-site restaurant, meanwhile, matches their wines to dishes prepared with the best local produce. If you fancy following the sinuous road south towards the Spanish border, then you’ll find two booths belonging to the Domaine Tambour, where you can sip and buy their wines at the roadside with a breathtaking view of the vineyards and coast.  

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Épernay, Grand-Est

There’s nothing like sipping champagne in the very vineyards that grew its grapes, so treat yourself to a trip where every moment feels like a special occasion, thanks to the constant popping of corks! The corduroy-combed landscape around Épernay is the heartland of France’s most favoured fizz and there is much to explore. Start at the inspiring, interactive visitor centre Pressoria, in the neighbouring village Aÿ-Champagne. Here you’ll learn – thanks to its multi-sensory exhibits – all about how champagne came to be, how it is made and how its flavours are influenced by the climate and landscape. The tour ends with a glass of fizz at the champagne bar overlooking the vines.  

The village is home to several family-run wineries, such as Champagne Philipponnat, where you can taste and buy direct from their shop. Meanwhile, many of the bigger-name champagne houses are found on Épernay’s Avenue de Champagne, such as Pol Roger and Moët et Chandon. Most of the big houses offer tours of their wineries where you can learn about the techniques involved in making champagne, as well as see le sabrage in action – the ceremony of opening a bottle with a sword.  

To see more of the area, hire a bike (or an e-bike if you need extra oomph!) and cycle the 20 minutes to the hilltop village of Hautvillers, which offers spectacular views over the vineyards. There are several excellent restaurants there, too, such as Le Beau Lieu bistro, which serves seasonal menus with local produce.  

 

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Bordeaux and surrounds, Nouvelle Aquitaine

There’s no better city for wine-lovers in France than Bordeaux, so start your visit with a stroll through its handsome streets between Bordeaux’s Unesco-listed architecture, with its pale limestone mansions, pausing for a while in pavement cafés or for a glass in the welcoming wine bars, such as the Bar à Vin belonging to the venerable Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bordeaux, the city’s official wine training body. The Cité du Vin is a must-visit: this extraordinary visitor centre is set in an architecturally striking structure that resembles the swirl of wine in a glass. Its multi-sensory exhibits tell many stories about wine, from its romance and history, to its myths and legends. A visit finishes on the top floor bar, where you can choose from wines from all over the world.  

Next, get out into the vineyards themselves to an area that doesn’t get as much attention as the Médoc and Saint-Emilion vineyards. North of Bordeaux is Blaye, known for its impressive 17th-century citadel, and the start of a cycling trail through the vines. Along the route is the Château Marquis de Vauban, which offers tastings and tours.  Also nearby is the Chateau Bel-Air La Royère, where you can also book a tasting of its wines made with Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon.

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