Looking out over the vineyards, the hillside villages of the Luberon shape the Provençal landscape. Sublime colours and an exceptional light ... An unmissable visit during your stay in the Rhône Valley.

Ansouis, Bonnieux, Lourmarin, Gordes. These names are emblematic of the Luberon region and are among the ‘Most Beautiful Villages of France’. Discover a well-preserved history and enjoy the exceptional light which baths the vineyards of the Luberon wine region. Wander along the cobble-stoned lanes, cool off by the fountain and taste a glass of chilled rosé on the terrace under the Provençal sun. A rejuvenating plunge into the lifestyle of Provence in this corner of paradise in the Rhône Valley.

Fly over the vineyards like a bird. The dream can become a reality in the Côtes-du-Rhône region! The Cellier des Chartreux near Avignon offers a glider flight before a wine tasting.

Take a seat aboard a glider and fly over the vineyards of the Rhône Valley. The Ventoux Mountain, Avignon, the Rhône River ... these landscapes take on a different appearance when seen from the sky. Once you return to solid ground, the winemakers are waiting to take you on a visit of the wine cellars at the Cellier des Chartreux. Find your feet after this exhilarating experience with a tasting of Côtes-du-Rhône wines, including Lirac and Tavel, both products of the vineyard. A unique aerial wine tourism experience!

In the Rhône Valley, meet an American who fell in love with France 25 years ago, the wine expert or sommelier Kelly McAuliffe, who introduces you to the diversity of the vineyards. One of the highlights of his wine tours is meeting the winemakers, showcasing the unique experiences they provide. 

What’s special about your wine tours? 

I offer a variety of wine tours covering the vineyards of the whole Rhône Valley, an incredible mosaic of wine areas. These circuits are always tailored to the precise needs of the client, be they wine professional or tourist. In the Gard region, I love to introduce people to the Tavel and Lirac wines, but also to Gigondas, Cairanne, Rasteau and Séguret, from closer to the Vaucluse region, not forgetting the wines of the Luberon and Ventoux. All these little villages are part of the areas and official wine districts of the Rhône, which I love to travel through. Each time, I explain the history of the vineyards, the wine districts, the wine varieties, and the incredible diversity, not to mention organizing meetings with the winemakers, which is always a unique experience. 

What do you like the best?

I particularly like to go to the Côté des Dentelles de Montmirail, at Gigondas, in the  Vaucluse region, and wander through the charming lanes of the medieval village of Séguret, one of the most beautiful villages in France. At the end of the day, you can admire the stunning sunsets.

You were the sommelier (wine expert) at Ducasse and Christian Étienne. What are your preferred combinations of food and wine?

A Gigondas red with lamb. The fatty taste of the lamb combines wonderfully with the tannin taste of this Côtes-du-Rhône wine. Or a Côte-Rôtie red with a slice of foie gras pâté and pigeon accompanied by a chicken sauce with a touch of ... liquorice.

Can you describe the Rhône wines in a few words?

Full-bodied and authentic, because they are real wines, made in vineyards which have retained their human dimension. And finally their diversity, because this is what makes the wines of the Rhône Valley so rich.

The mythical hillside of Hermitage, where the vines seem to plunge towards the Rhône River. A trip to this exceptional wine-growing area on the banks of the Rhône, labelled Vineyards & Discoveries. 

Take a trip to the wine cellar of Tain-l’Hermitage vineyard, and enjoy an informative tour which allows you to walk along the tracks of the Hermitage hillside to discover the secrets of the famous Côtes-du-Rhône wines. The view plunges down to the river across the terraced vines and offers a breathtaking vantage over this Vineyards & Discoveries site. When you arrive, the new tour of the wine cellar offers a tasting of Rhône wines to learn how they are made. 

At the confluence of the Rhône and Vivarais rivers, near the most beautiful sites of the Ardèche region, an organic winemaker shares his passion for Rhône wines, 80 metres below the surface, in the intimacy of the Saint-Marcel cave. 

A unique sensory experience is guaranteed! Raphael Pommier, the audacious owner of the Notre-Dame-de-Cousignac vineyard, in the Ardèche region, matures his "vinolithic" vintage in the Saint-Marcel-d’Ardèche cave. Though it may seem like a crazy idea, he invites you to follow him 80 m underground to enjoy a unique wine-tasting experience. Equipped with a jumpsuit, headlamp, climbing harness, ropes and the necessary safety equipment, thrillseekers abseil down to join the oak wine casks in which Raphael Pommier’s Côtes-du-Rhône Villages organic wine is left to mature for six months.

This unusual tour offers you wine-tasting sensations like no other: perfect silence, the pleasure of exploring a cave that is also a wine cellar, and the experience of well-preserved nature.

The cave, made mostly of limestone, provides the ideal conditions in which to age wine: mineral surroundings, total darkness, a constant temperature of 14 °C and 90% humidity.

A cavern a few kilometres from the Chauvet cave

This unusual tour also offers you wine-tasting sensations like no other: access to a unique site where perfect silence reigns; the pleasure of exploring a cave that is also a wine cellar; the experience of well-preserved nature. The discovery trail known as the ‘Large Rock Path’ allows you to calmly appreciate the large ‘rooms’ and waterfalls of this immense and enchanting place.

For less adventurous wine tourists, the Notre-Dame-de-Cousignac vineyard, with its long tradition of hospitality, offers a variety of more orthodox wine tastings on the surface. Only a few kilometres away, you can also visit a replica of the Chauvet cave, the oldest painted cave in the world (36,000 years old) and a World Heritage site.