Push open the door to an independent wine estate and explore this passionate metier and its unique lifestyle — an entire philosophy, you might say!

Meet an independent winegrower in the flesh and spend a cordial moment together.

The independent winemakers invite you behind the scenes of their estates so you can explore the hidden treasures of their vines, either on a day excursion or over a weekend.

The winemakers will be happy to take you into their very special world, sharing their experience with you, as well as introducing their profession, working environment, facilities and wines in a very wide-ranging programme!

Villa Baulieu, nouvelle écriture du Château Beaulieu pour renouer avec le passé italianisant (florentin) de la demeure. C’est aussi la signature de leurs Très Grands Vins (TGV) AOC Côteaux d’Aix-en-Provence.

The gamble has paid off for this high-end guest house restored and preserved from top to bottom. You will be enchanted by the authenticity of the surroundings and the refined decoration, combining modern and period features.

430 m above sea level, in the heart of the crater of the extinct volcano La Trévaresse, this chic, tasteful address offers exceptional rooms and suites with superb lounges offering views over the Alpilles, the property, the vast park and the vines.

Bérangère Guénant, the owners’ daughter, invites you to come and share her love for the landscape, subtle wines and art of living in Provence in this beautiful place.

Spend an unforgettable day of sharing, gastronomy and Provençal flavours with Gilles Choncy and his experience: Provence Gourmet.

The scene is set: “Today you will need a basket, an apron and plenty of good humour!”

Gilles welcomes us in the town centre for a shopping trip to the market. The products are fresh and today’s recipe makes my mouth water.

You can’t have a meal without wine, and not just any wine... Off we go to a charming vineyard where the tasting is a real journey for my tastebuds.

On the way to Villa Lisette, the scents of Provence are intoxicating. Today really is full of surprises!

When I open the door of our host’s kitchen, I discover a little paradise where I can’t wait to get cooking and savour a typically Provençal dish.

After a day of simple pleasures full of emotion, it occurs to me that Gilles’ recipe is above all the pleasure of sharing.

The Provence Wine Route offers interesting activities and multiple discoveries. Anne-Cécile Audra, the organizer of the project, explains the values and ambitions of this network of 430 locations.

What does the wine route network offer to wine tourists who are visiting Provence?

Over the last 20 years, the members of the agricultural tourism sector in Provence have made great progress in developing their tourism products, opening numerous wine cellars for wine tastings as well as guest houses and discovery walks around their vineyards. In 2011, the Provence Wine Tourism Route was formed to structure the Provence wine tourism sector, to protect and promote the wines of Provence in terms of their cultural heritage, to share their expertise, to welcome visitors in a friendly atmosphere and to present the unique characteristics of the region.  

What sort of activities and places can be found on this wine route? 

Provence is packed with exceptional and unusual places, with many emblematic or mysterious sites to discover during a trip along the wine route. There’s a reason why our motto is ‘Each pathway is a discovery’. As of 2016, the network I represent brings together nearly 430 vineyards and cooperative wine cellars, from the Camargue region to the city of Nice. They are divided into eight wine districts: Côtes-de-Provence, Coteaux-d’Aix-en-Provence, Coteaux-Varois-en-Provence, Bandon, Beaux-de-Provence, Ballet, Cassis and Palette. Visitors and tourism operators benefit from a professionally qualified network that is committed to high-quality service.

Can wine tourists make up their own itinerary?

The Provence Wine Route website is reliable and regularly updated. There is also a version for mobile phones that allows visitors to create their own wine route. They can then easily find the vineyards and wine cellars they have selected by the special road signs along the route. 

At Chateau La Coste, the vines, art and architecture express themselves freely. The vineyard’s wines are tasted among works of art and fields of olive trees.

In the vast Chateau La Coste vineyard, in the heart of the Provençal wine region, visit the wine cellars created by Jean Nouvel and introduce yourself to the methods of organic winemaking. After a wine tasting, take a walk in the fields of olive trees and rows of grape vines, where you’ll find the works and installations of guest artists and architects. Round off your visit at the art centre created by Tadao Ando, where you can savour recipes made from local in-season produce.