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.   

Le Chateau de la Mar looks out over the vineyards on the steep slopes of the Savoie region, less than 20 minutes from five Michelin-starred restaurants.

A proud bed and breakfast (maison d’hôtes), the Chateau de la Mar offers, in addition to its one guestroom and four larger suites, a cellar where you can taste the wines of the Savoie region with the owners of the vineyard. A detour to the charming village of Chanaz is recommended. Here you will meet the craftsmen of gourmet produce such as nut oil and chocolate ...

To complete your gourmet tour, sit down at a table in one of the four Michelin-starred restaurants which overlook Bourget Lake (Le Bateau ivre, Atmosphère, etc.), all of which are less than 20 minutes away from the chateau. Or alternatively, try the restaurant Les Morainières (two Michelin stars), which is only a short distance away.

In the heart of a vineyard in Provence, the new health spa at the Chateau de Berne is a green haven among vines, hundred-year-old olive trees and the hinterland of the Var region.

Lavender, cicadas, sun, vines and hundred-year-old olive trees. At Lorgues, between the Mediterranean and the Verdon Gorges, the Chateau de Berne is inseparable from the history of the wines of Provence. Located in a green haven intersected by two rivers, this Relais and Châteaux location combines all the elements needed to relax and unwind: the mild climate of Provence, the mineral-rich soil of this ancestral vineyard...

‘Time stands still’ in every way in this green haven of wellbeing.

Renowned for its exceptional environment, the Chateau de Berne invites you to relax in its completely refurbished health spa, during a day trip or a longer stay.

Indoor pool, outside pool, raisin-based beauty treatments: The good life in Provence!

Unwind in the soothing calm of the sauna, Turkish steam bath, two jacuzzis or solarium, or enjoy the relaxation space while sipping a herbal tea. Work out in the gym then dive into the indoor pool with jet stream and swan-necked fountain. Or, if you prefer, try the outdoor ‘infinity pool’, before lazing on the sunny terrace with a view over the vineyards!

To perfect this rejuvenating experience, a beauty salon awaits you, where you can enjoy the revitalizing Five Worlds (Cinq Mondes) treatment. A new, raisin-based beauty treatment will soon enrich the spa’s menu. The spa offers one scrubbing room with a Turkish bath and two double rooms with bubble baths. An ode to the blissful art of Provençal living!

As a showcase of Burgundy cooking and a reference for wine enthusiasts, Clos de Vougeot Chateau, a symbol of hospitality, offers efficient and friendly service for professional and personal events, in the heart of the Burgundy vineyards.

A famous historic monument in the heart of the renowned vineyards of Burgundy, a magnificent view of the Burgundy Wine Route … a magical setting … What if the dream of getting married in a chateau could become a reality? Combining romanticism and enchantment, the chateau will provide the setting for the most beautiful wedding memories. Become the lord of the chateau and welcome your guests, without a worry about organizing the event. The warm Burgundy hospitality and the efficient team at the chateau will make this day one of the best of your life. 

Become the lord of the chateau for a day and treat your guests – without any organizational hassle.

Delicious food, great Burgundy wines, dance floor and DJ, this historic and prestigious setting has all the ingredients for an unforgettable wedding. Open all year round, there is no special season for a grand wedding or the most intimate event at Clos de Vougeot Chateau.

Combine gastronomy and Burgundy wine: Just married!

Lunch, gala dinner, cocktails … Whatever type of event you choose, the Clos de Vougeot Chateau is also open to company executives aware of the importance of their company’s image when they welcome clients, colleagues and directors … From the Renaissance room to the grand twelfth-century Cistercian cellar, passing by the monks’ former dormitory, conferences, meetings and debates take on a new dimension within these walls, which have seen 900 years of the history of Burgundy and its wines.

Ending a seminar with a reception at Clos de Vougeot Chateau offers an elegant and cheerful way to make an event special and unforgettable for attendees. Chef Olivier Walch and his team will treat you with their delicious dishes accompanied by the great wines of Burgundy, matured in the cellars of the chateau. In the space of a day, a night, or just a few hours, the hosts and their guests can enjoy one another’s company in the heart of Clos de Vougeot Chateau.

Winner of the 2021 Wine Tourism Trophies Golden Prize in the “Corporate Wine Tourism and Private Events” category, this major venue will undeniably lend cachet to all your get-togethers.

An exceptional cognac, an unforgettable visit! The historic House of Remy Martin opens the doors of its oldest cellars and inner sanctums for an introduction to Louis XIII, a cognac with aromas of infinite subtlety.

The historic House at Cognac lies at the heart of the extensive Remy Martin domain. In its oldest cellars the most precious brandies, from Grande Champagne, mature and take final form in the hundred-year-old oak casks. You enter the Reference Room, a place reserved for only the most privileged guests. Here, the precious archives preserve the memory of Louis XIII, a legendary cognac presented in a crystal carafe.

You smell the aromas of flowers, the scent of cigars and dried fruit. Complex and subtle flavours.

Throughout this private visit, a Remy Martin ambassador shows you the cellars. You see each step in the production of different cognacs: the winemaking, the distillation, the maturing and the blending. 

Tasting an exceptional cognac

Then comes the ceremonial moment of the tasting. Time stands still. The first thing you notice is the rich mahogany colour. Then you smell the aromas of flowers, the scent of cigars and dried fruit. Complex and subtle flavours. Each carafe of Louis XIII is, in itself, a work of art: unique, numbered and mouth-blown by 11 master glass makers. An unparalleled opportunity to uncover the secrets of this most precious cognac.

Since the 1980s, in Pauillac, Jean-Michel Cazes has been considered a pioneer of wine tourism. In this interview, his son Jean-Charles, who took over the business in 2006, explains how he is continuing to enrich the visitor experience in this fascinating world of wine and it's culture.

Is hospitality a tradition at Lynch-Bages?

Some 30 years ago, my father created a range of activities and places to stay, hoping that visitors would retain an image of the Medoc as an open and welcoming wine region, with the people working in the vineyards, cellars and kitchens able to share their passion for their careers.

The Cazes family is a pioneer of wine tourism in the Bordeaux region. What sort of experiences are you offering?

In 1989, our family organized the Fête de la Fleur, in Bages. The impulse was given. My father opened Lynch-Bages to guided tours and used the 1850s vat as an exhibition space for contemporary artists. He then revamped the adjacent Cordeillan-Bages into a Relais & Chateaux hotel and gastronomic restaurant. Since 2003, he has transformed the hamlet into a gracious retreat. A bistro, gourmet deli, guided tours, wine-tasting courses, art exhibitions, cooking demonstrations, personal winemaking… managed by Lynch-Bages & Cie, open seven days a week to a diverse range of visitors of all ages.

How has wine tourism developed in the region?

Over the past few years, winemakers have opened their vineyards to the public and created guesthouses and dining facilities. In Bordeaux, the Cité du Vin cultural centre will open in 2016, supported by patrons from the wine industry. In 2009, VINIV was established in Bages to allow wine enthusiasts to participate in the winemaking process and produce their own wines from grapes grown in the best appellations of Bordeaux. Throughout the year, Cordeillan-Bages opens the doors to great wineries and organizes bespoke experiences in the region. All these activities have made the region even more attractive for visitors and earned us the Global Best of Wine Tourism 2016 award for France.

One of the best examples of Burgundy cooking, the Clos de Vougeot Chateau owes its reputation to a dedicated and talented team, led by chef Olivier Walch, who produces spectacular banquets.  

You run a very large and well-respected dining room which is not a restaurant. Can you explain what you do?

The Clos de Vougeot Chateau caters for private receptions, weddings, conferences and, in particular, the sixteen ‘chapters’ of the annual Brotherhood of the Knights of the Wine Tasting Cup! These traditional banquets have on average 600 guests and we open about 900 bottles of wine from the  Burgundy region (in French, Bourgogne), all of them selected by the brotherhood! A team of one hundred people – cooks, pastry chefs, waiters, wine stewards, the cadets of Burgundy (singers of traditional songs) and the hunting horn players – work on a chapter banquet.

What makes a banquet a success?

You need attention to detail, hard work, lots of imagination and a well-trained team, because I do a different menu for each chapter banquet! Only one dish, the fourth, stays the same: eggs in red-wine sauce, and it’s a real challenge to serve 1,200 perfectly cooked poached eggs …

Which other wine recipes do you like?

The ‘Rougetin’, which is a filled biscuit – one of many – with a wine and blackberry jelly; Culoiseau chicken, which I serve with a chardonnay sauce; and Burgundy white butter, which I prepare with white wine, cream, tarragon, and mustard … of course.

What should you absolutely taste before leaving Burgundy? 

Without doubt, poached eggs in red-wine sauce. But also Gaston Gérard chicken! It’s a roasted chicken and we use the juices from the pan to make a wine sauce. Add cream, some comté cheese, mustard, not forgetting the final touch … paprika. Glaze and roast until golden brown … We could continue with a parsleyed ham, or gingerbread. Two pillars of Burgundy’s gastronomy.

At the foot of Sainte-Victoire Mountain, symbol of Provence, the Chateau Gassier vineyard offers a wine trail which provides a fascinating insight into organic vineyards and biodiversity. 

Caressed by the Mediterranean winds, Chateau Gassier’s 40 hectares of vineyards benefit from a unique location, at the foot of Sainte-Victoire Mountain. A powerful symbol of the Provence region, this site was the inspiration for the famous Impressionist painter Cézanne. The vineyard is located in the wine region of Côtes-de-Provence Sainte-Victoire, an area established in the heart of the Grand Site of France Sainte-Victoire, considered to be one of the most natural and well protected sites in the country. Aware of the rich biodiversity of this area, the team at Chateau Gassier are committed to protecting their environment. 

The wine trail gives a 360° view of life on the vineyard

Visitors to the estate can now take a wine tour which not only explains the richness of the Chateau Gassier vineyard, but also raises awareness about the preservation of biodiversity. Open to the public, the 3-km trail has regular signs and information panels. It immerses the walker in a nature where humans are but one of the actors.

A family treasure hunt

In total, 12 information panels provide information on the plants, animals and geology of the Sainte-Victoire vineyard, as well as details on the vegetative cycle of the vines, the role of the vines in organic agriculture, the vines themselves, and how the wines are produced… This offers a 360° view of life on the vineyard. The walk could be the place for a family treasure hunt and other family games or just enjoyed among friends: it is an informative and entertaining experience.

This biodiversity preservation project, which started in 2010, also includes other aspects of organic agriculture including the reduction of water consumption and the certification of high-energy performance, as well as a partnership with the teams of the Grand Site Sainte-Victoire. This partnership, the first of its kind, aims to develop and improve the biodiversity protection programmes in Sainte-Victoire while ensuring a wine production which respects its environment. For the public, there is also the guarantee of a warm welcome!