The Wine Regions of France – A Visitor’s Guide

Many wines with household names are produced in France – from the sparkling pleasures of champagne to the deep red wines of Bordeux, and much in between.

Most of the wine regions are also known as important tourist destinations (and would be even if wine was not grown nearby). Some of the regions that are best known for both fine wines and for tourist attractions include:

Alsace

You will be impressed by the photogenic houses and villages of much of Alsace, and a common way to plan a visit is to follow the Alsace Wine Route which runs north to south through the highlights of the region.

Bergerac

Best known for medium red wines, Bergerac is located in the Dordogne department – one of the most popular tourist destinations in France, with a myriad of ancient villages and castles to explore, and the beautiful scenery of the river and region itself.

Bordeaux

Renowned for some of the greatest names in wine, especially full-bodied red wine, you could visit several wine chateaux a day here and still barely scratch the surface. When you tire of wine tasting, the other local attractions include the UNESCO listed village of Saint Emilion, the ‘city of culture’ itself at Bordeaux, the pleasant Atlantic resort at Arcachon, and the biggest sand dune in Europe!

Burgundy

The Burgundy region is one of tradition, and of historical wealth, and includes many highlights from the medieval hospital at Beaune to the unspoiled countryside of Morvan – combined with some of the highly regarded wines produced in the region, this makes for a very inviting French destination.

Loire

Perhaps best known for the magnificent castles that follow the Loire as it heads westwards towards the Atlantic, there are also many fine wines (especially white wines) that are grown along the quiet Loire Valley. Note that the river itself is also a listed UNESCO world heritage site, and is one of the prettiest rivers in France.

Provence

Wine isn’t the main attraction in Provence – that honour is reserved for the Cote d’Azur, the perched villages of Luberon, the lavender fields of Drome Provencal…but be sure to find time to enjoy some of the local fine wines while enjoying the scenery of this lovely part of France.

To learn more about combining a visit to France with a visit to some of the famous French vineyards, visit our wine map of France, or to discover other regions in this beautiful and popular destination see a detailed map of France.

Have a good visit!

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