The Wine Routes of Eastern France

Arrive in Paris and pick up your rental car.

Drive to the wine capital of Champagne – Epernay.

It is only an hour or so until you reach the hotel. Check in and enjoy the town’s charms, Champagne is like no other wine region in France.

Welcome to Champagne!

Although champagne symbolizes the ultimate bottled glamour, most French people  don't have much idea of how champagne is made – based on the almost feudal relationship between the rural growers and the luxurious champagne houses.

We will complete a road book for you with all the details you need to enjoy the best of each small town and city en route.

After breakfast you’ll be picked up for a full-day wine tasting excursion.

Today you will visit three excellent small Champagne Producers (including lunch venue) with tours of their wineries and cellars offering a number of tastings to highlight the diverse styles of champagne produced in the regions.

When you visit the vineyards you’ll learn about the different grape varieties, how they are grown and the importance of the local geographical features.

In addition, you will learn the fundamentals of how champagne should be tasted and the dominating features of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

We will complete a road book for you with all the details you need to enjoy the best of each small town and city en route.

Today after breakfast you’ll have free time to enjoy the UNESCO and art-deco heritage of Epernay and Reims.

Immerse yourself into the charm of these most intriguing French cities.

After breakfast, follow the Route de Champagne and start heading towards Burgundy. Reach the wine route of Burgundy and head towards Beaune.

For a perfect combination of fine wines, gourmet cuisine and idyllic landscapes, no part of France can compare with Burgundy. Home to the vineyards of some of the world's most famous wines Burgundy is known as La Côte d'Or, the Gold Coast.

Burgundy is made up mainly of independent winemaking families who have owned their often small parcels of vineyards for centuries where they have the tradition of welcoming visitors to their ancient cellars.

This region is also renowned as the capital of French cuisine. Be it wine or food, in Burgundy you can visit a majestic chateau or find a tiny village cellar, whereas you can splurge at Michelin-rated restaurants or eat delicious 'terroir' dishes at rustic bistros.

After breakfast you’ll be picked up for a full-day Classic Wine and History excursion. 

You will visit the acclaimed 15th-century Hospices de Beaune. A charity hospital still maintained today with the income from its famous wine auction. Then, drive into the vineyards for a private wine tasting and explanation according to your thirst for knowledge.

After lunch at a restaurant of your choice, your local expert will guide you on a visit to the Château of Clôs de Vougeot, home of the Confrérie des Chevaliers de Tastevin. Next on the exciting schedule for today is a visit of Chateauneuf en Auxois and its ancient fortified castle. You will take a guided tour of the refurbished rooms and be privy to one of the region's first indoor toilets. Wrap up your day with a visit to a local auberge to taste some of the region's traditional aperitifs.

Spend the evening at leisure in Beaune.

Rise and shine! Today you will take the Burgundy Wine Route south until it joins the Beaujolais Wine Route and continues south in this area known as the ‘Tuscany of France’. Check into your chateau accommodation and enjoy the relaxation offered in a beautiful 5-star hotel.

The beaujolais vineyards enjoy their 15 minutes of fame with the frenzy of the beaujolais nouveau, launched across the globe every third Thursday of November. 

What you will discover (on your own and with a guide) is a new movement of young, enthusiastic winemakers throughout the region producing exceptional wines, often using organically grown grapes.

After breakfast, get ready for a full day out with a wine guide for a day of tasting wine in remarkable chteaus in the Beaujolais!

Start your day of discovery along the Beaujolais Wine Route and through the ‘land of golden stones’. Make a stop in Oingt, one of the most beautiful villages in France and visit an artisan chocolate factory in the village. Your journey continues to the chateaux along the way: Bagnols, Jarnioux, Montmelas…among others.

Visit a family-owned winery in the vintage wine area of Beaujolais. Discover a unique wine cellar and taste some of the estate's wines. Then, stop at the summit of Mt Brouilly with its unparalleled views across the Alps, the Beaujolais and the area of lakes known as the Dombes.

Your guide will stop and explain about the wines and the different characteristics of the ‘terroir’ and of the different wine regions.

Get ready to discover another great wine region! Hit the road and drive north towards the region of Alsace, which you will reach a few hours later.

Wine tourism is a tradition that has long existed in Alsace.The route is 60 years old, and no part of France can compare when it comes to the warm welcome wine lovers receive when they visit the vineyards and picturesque villages here.

Not only the wine produced here is first class, but the Alsatian cuisine is also distinctive compared with that of the rest of France. It pairs perfectly with the characteristic wines produced here – riesling, gewürztraminer, sylvaner and pinot noir.

Every village high street is lined with wine cellars offering tastings - so do not hesitate to give them a try. Check into the hotel in Obernai and enjoy the surroundings of this wine producing town.

After breakfast, get ready for a full day out with a wine guide for a day of tasting and village strolls. Here, welcoming people is a tradition and our smile comes from the heart. You will feel like home.

There will be stops at Hunawihr and Riquewihr and Kaysersberg, Ingersheim and finally Eguisheim.

Enjoy one last breakfast in France,  check out, and drive to the Charles De Gaulle Airport outside of Paris.

Return your car at the agency and catch your flight home.

Safe travels and visit again soon!