Wine
Wine vacation in the Vaucluse, Provence: wine degustation, festivals and villages
A Provencal proverb says “A day without wine is a day without sunshine”. If wine is your hobby, your passion or if you just want to learn more about it during your summer vacation, why not come to the Vaucluse in the Provence?
Just like you, many are planning to visit the scenic villages known for their vineyards, stop for wine tasting in castles and wineries and take part in some of the yearly wine festivals.
Village in the Vaucluse
Photo courtesy of Isabelle Jutel
As an amateur of the Côtes du Rhône, I spent some time one summer getting to know the wines of the Côtes du Rhône vineyards in the Vaucluse. I had an amazing time going to wineries for free wine tastings, stopping at wine museums and going to some of the village summer festivals.
No matter if you would like to discover the wine region by foot, ride a bike, drive through the vineyards, going from one village to another, or just prefer being carried by winegrowers with horse carriages or be cruising along the Rhône river, there are so many ways for you to enjoy the summer in the Vaucluse.
The Vaucluse has been blessed with three vineyards: the Côtes du Luberon, the Côtes du Mont Ventoux and the Côtes du Rhône.
Vineyards in the Vaucluse
Photo courtesy of Isabelle Jutel
A few years ago, the Côtes du Rhône celebrated its 70th anniversary of its AOC appellation.
Many villages come to mind when thinking of the Côtes du Rhône
located on the left bank of the Rhône: the grand crus of Chateauneuf du Pape, Vacqueyras and Gigondas, and the Côte du Rhône Village such as Cairanne, Rasteau, Séguret and Sablet.
Most of its villages are perched villages bordered by the Dentelles of Montmirail, some picturesque jagged cliffs. Montmirail means admirable mountain in French. Its peak rises to 2408 feet (734 meters).
While most of the wines are red, there are also some white wines and sweet wines such as the Rasteau and Beaume de Venise, which goes so well with foie-gras or as an appéritif.
Bottles of Beaume de Venise, Vaucluse
Photo Courtesy of Isabelle Jutel
There are plenty of itineraries you can take while giving you enough time to visit the villages and vineyards. It will bring you by numerous chapels, castles, fountains and through the most beautiful French villages.
Some of my favorite villages in the Côtes du Rhône:
- Beaume de Venise, near Carpentras – famous for its muscat.
- Cairanne, located in the upper Vaucluse – beautiful old medieval village surrounded by vineyards.
- Chateau-Neuf du Pape – village with more vineyards and wine tasting cellars than you can visit in one day! Don’t miss it.
- Gigondas – old village with excellent wine – nice place to see the Dentelles de Montmirail.
- Séguret – said to be one of the nicest French villages.
- Vacqueyras, located near Gigondas – fortified village with lots of history.
Vaucluse countryside
Photo courtesy of Isabelle Jutel
You don’t need to sleep in a 4 or 5 star hotel to enjoy the Vaucluse. Some smaller hotels offer affordable packages or you could decide to sleep in a bed and breakfast on a farm or travel for a weekend to a wine estate.
At the end of your vacation, you may not be purchasing a vineyard in the Vaucluse such as actor John Malchovitch or director Ridley Scott, but hopefully you will bring back enough wine to refill your wine cellar for your next Christmas fest!
Planning your wine vacation
Wine walk:
Wine walk in Villes sur Auzon
Taste some wine and eat some cheese while you walk
Dates: July 29th, Aug 26th, Sept 18th
Call 04 90 61 79 87.
Click here for their website.
Museum – 5 sense walk:
Cave cooperative of Cairanne
Route de Bollène
Monday-Saturdays. Website
Cave de Cairanne, Vaucluse
Photo courtesy of Isabelle Jutel
Some Côtes du Rhône Trails
There are 9 trails in the Côtes du Rhône and 4 are in the Vaucluse.
- around the Dentelles de Montmirail starting in Gigondas
- the Indigo Trail from Orange to Vaison la Romaine (discovery of 6 Côtes du Rhône vineyards)
- Découvertes Vigneronnes – Julien Poujol offers walks in Gigondas every day for 20 euros. It lasts about 2h30 minutes and the walk goes from 2 to 5 miles (3 to 8 km). Call 06 78 70 55 93 or visit their website.
3 Days/2 nights offers:
There a lot of packages you can choose from to go and learn about vineyards such as:
- Domaine Beauvalcinte
La Grange Neuve in Suzette
Call 04 90 65 08 37 or check out their website. - Maison Trévier
36, place du Docteur Cavaillon in Carpentras
Call 04 90 51 99 98 or check out their website.
Wine tasting in the Vaucluse
Photo courtesy of Isabelle Jutel
Vaucluse Summer Wine Festivals:
Vacqueyras wine and harvest festival: July 13-14th
Grape Harvest Banns (Ban des Vendanges) in Avignon: Aug 4th
Call Avignon tourist office 04 32 74 32 74 or check out their website.
Grape Ripening (Véraison festival): Aug 6-8th
It is a big medieval festival with banquets, horse shows and wine.
Valéras and Cairanne wine festivals: August
Sweet Wine Night (Nuit des vins doux) in Rasteau: Aug 14th
Write to the Rasteau tourist office: officedetourisme@rasteau.fr
Spelt crop medieval festival in Monieux: Sept 5th
Côtes du Rhône vineyards in the Vaucluse
Photo courtesy of Isabelle Jutel
Wineries for wine degustations:
Chantecôtes: old cellar in Sainte Cécile les Vignes
Cours Maurice Trintignant
Call 04 90 30 83 25. Also check out their website.
Domaine de Mourchon near Séguret
La Grande Montagne
Call 04 90 46 70 30.
For their website, click here.
Côtes du Rhône vineyards in the Vaucluse
Photo courtesy of Isabelle Jutel
Domaine Grand Romane – Cellars Amadieu in Gigondas
Pierre Amadieu will show you his wine.
Quartier La Paillouse
Call 08 90 65 80 33.
Check out their website.
Domaines Mousset in Chateau Neuf du Pape
Beautiful place and old cellar.
Route de Sorgues in Avignon
Call 04 90 83 50 05.
Click here for their website.
