Your Essential Travel Guide To Wine Regions In France
Discover Which France Wine Regions To Visit
Burgundy, Champagne, Beaujolais… France produces some of the most famous wines in the world. Their names alone conjure images of rolling vineyards and majestic chateaux, so a driving holiday promises glorious scenery, as well as the chance to taste your favourite wines.
France's many wine producing regions have their own speciality and ‘terroir’ - environmental characteristics such as soil type, altitude, slope and orientation to the sun. These shape the type of grapes that will thrive in the region, giving us fruity Beaujolais from the Burgundy region and light, dry Muscadets from the Loire. Explore our map of wine regions of France to plan your perfect trip.
Champagne & Alsace
Champagne is the most celebrated of France’s wine regions: from uncovering 300-year old chalk cellars at Maison Ruinart, to sipping on some of the finest champagnes in Reims, renowned for hosting some of the oldest and most sought after champagnes in the world. Make sure to take a guided of Pommery or Taittinger House where you can admire their histories.
The Alsace region sits in the north east of France where many of the world’s finest Rieslings and Gewurztraminers are produced. You’ll taste primarily white wine in Alsace, both sweet and dry varieties, although recent years have seen a focus on dessert-style wines.
The Loire Valley & Burgundy
Journey through the Loire Valley and explore majestic chateaux while tasting some of France's best wines such as Saumur, Sauvignon or Chinon! Why not join in a wine-tasting experience under the stars at Château de Chenonceau? Or explore caves lit up by torches during underground tastings. And don’t miss out on September Festivini Festival where guided walks and exciting vineyard torchlight tours await.
Burgundy is one of the most beautiful and famous wine producing regions in France, famous for Pinot noir, Beaujolais and Chardonnay. In 2015, the Burgundy vineyards received UNESCO World Heritage status. The region also offers some of France’s most beautiful scenery, and you can drive along its famed Routes des Grand Crus or the Grand Vins de Bourgogne – adventure awaits amongst beautiful French countryside!
Beaujolais & Bordeaux
Drive south through Burgundy to the Beaujolais region and city of Lyon, the gourmet capital of France. The region’s namesake wine is a light and fruity red made from the Gamay grape and Beaujolais Nouveau is drunk at just six weeks old. Autumn is a wonderful time to drive through Beaujolais, when its hills and the banks of the Seone wear cloaks of red, russet and gold. On the third Tuesday of November, Beaujolais Nouveaux day is celebrated in wine-producing villages such as Brouilly, Villie-Morgon, Fleurie and Moulin-a-Vent.
Bordeaux is the largest wine-growing region in France with its 120,000 hectares of vineyards and more than 8,500 wine producers or ‘chateaux’. The region’s most famous wines include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, and in the Medoc area you can taste prestigious vintages called ‘Grand Crus’. Bordeaux is one of the most rewarding regions of France to explore with your car. It's the world’s largest urban World Heritage site, and the vineyards of medieval St Emilion were the first to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
South West & Rhone Valley
South West is one of France’s best-kept secrets. The region grows the same varieties of grapes that thrive in Bordeaux, and produce similar tasting wines. However, wines from the South West are less expensive than those produced by its illustrious neighbour.
Step back in time and discover the historic gems of France’s stunning Rhone Valley. Take a journey through its fourteen captivating wine routes to explore old-world architecture, exciting cities, and iconic wineries like Hermitage, Cote-Rotie or Chateauneuf du Pape. Its 14 wine routes wind through the most spectacular French countryside, and highlight famous cities such as Lyon, Vienne, Avignon, Nimes and Valence. From northern robust reds and aromatic whites, to full-bodied reds and fruity rosés in the south of the Rhone Valley regoin - every turn is sure satisfy your taste buds!
Provence & Languedoc Rousillon
Located on the Mediterranean south coast of France, Provence is best known for its light rosé wines, the most famous of which are the classic Cote de Provence and Coteaux d’Aix. This is one of the most famously picturesque regions in France, with its rolling lavender fields and ancient olive groves. The celebrated wine route from Toulon to the Massif des Maures highlights some of the best scenery in Provence. Stunning vineyards, romantic Provencal landscapes and the heady delights of chic Saint Tropez make this an ideal tour for wine lovers.
Languedoc Rousillon is the largest wine-producing region in the world. It’s estimated that one in 10 bottles of wine produced in the 20th century came from the Languedoc Rousillon. Most producers use ‘blends’ of grape varieties instead of single varietal wines. Many of wines produced here are the less-stringently regulated Vins de Pays. Its most famous wines include the white Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay, and the red Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Genache Noir.
