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The best wine regions in France

May 21, 2025

Where to go for the ultimate wine tour in France

By Alicia Miller
21 May 2025

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France and wine: it’s as natural a combination as peanut butter and jam, or rhubarb and custard. While they may not have invented winemaking (that honour goes to the Georgians, who crushed their first grapes some 8,000 years ago) the French have vinification deeply embedded in their cultural DNA, claiming both the world’s most famous wine regions and its most-loved grape varieties. From the soaring peaks of Jura to the surf-fringed shores of Languedoc, you can hardly visit a corner of this country without catching sight of a neat row of vines.

And yet, despite this constant, the wine tourism experience is never cookie-cutter. You can sip a long-aged Cabernet Sauvignon in a grand Bordeaux château one day, then sit nosing obscure Négrette at a farmer’s table in Cahors the next. Such diversity is thrilling stuff for any traveller, but particularly the thirsty ones. These are the best wine regions to visit in France. Please do note: when planning your tours and tastings, it’s always best to contact wineries in advance as some only open by appointment.

Cluny Abbey Burgundy

Beaujolais

Best for: natural wine

Not so long ago, wine snobs turned up their noses at this northern Burgundian sub-region, known for its unaged “nouveau” wines. But the past decade has seen a tide change, as younger, ambitious producers use the fruity local Gamay grape to craft seriously interesting – and great-value – natural wines. Centre your explorations around the Cru village of Morgon, interjecting jaunts into vine-carpeted scenery with sips from cult domaines like Marcel Lapierre, Jean Foillard, Jean-Paul Thévenet and Guy Breton. Their wines are light, lively, low-alcohol – the perfect refresher after a day touring Benedictine monastery Abbaye de Cluny or pretty stone villages Bagnol and Oingt.

Where to stay: Beaujolais native Alban has a couple of smart treehouses bookable via Airbnb, making a novel way to bed down at the end of each night. Majestic winemaker’s home Le Margand is another great homestay option in the heart of the region, ideally located for walking the Beaujolais wine route.

Champagne vineyards Reims France

Champagne

Best for: wow-factor cellars

In the twin Champagne centres of Reims and Épernay, both an easy train ride east of Paris, the attraction isn’t the vineyards. Instead it’s what’s deep beneath the surface: vast networks of ancient crayères – chalk-mines-turned-cellars – where the world’s most famous sparkling wine slowly ages. Tour cavernous Gallo-Roman vaults 18m underground at Taittinger, looking out for WWI graffiti among the immaculate rows of wooden barrels. At Ruinart you’ll get a lavish house and garden to enjoy alongside a tasting of their signature Blanc de Blanc, and at Gosset a two-hectare park with beehives and seasonal art exhibitions.

Where to stay: There’s a slew of excellent Champagne hotels, but what would a jaunt to the French countryside be without a night in an opulent chateau? Domaine les Crayères will transport you straight into a period drama with colourful florals, marble fireplaces, gilded gold mirrors and four-poster beds. Alternatively, on the prestigious Avenue de Champagne, Le 25Bis by Leclerc Briant is an elegant guest house from the owners of Champagne Leclerc Briant.

Ros Côtes de Provence France

Côtes de Provence

Best for: rosé-tinted romance

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Yachts bobbing on blue surf, wafts of lavender on a sun-warmed breeze, lazy games of pétanque in a village square – Provence is a mood as much as it is a wine region. The wider area stretches from Cannes to the Alpilles mountains near Arles, with red, white and sparkling wines all in the mix. But if, to you, Provence means rosé, make for the ultra-pale heartland in Côtes de Provence, which radiates inland from the coast around chic Saint-Tropez. Maison Mirabeau’s 20-hectare estate is studded with umbrella pines and chestnut groves, while Château d’Esclans hosts private tastings featuring its popular Whispering Angel blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Rolle.

Where to stay: For a classic Provence holiday, Château de Berne is a hidden gem in the area’s rolling hills, surrounded by 515 hectares of umbrella pines, ancient oaks, olive groves and vineyards. And for something completely different, there’s Ultimate Provence, which offers a unique, modern experience of Provencal living in sharp contrast to many traditional properties in the region.

ChâteauChâlon vineyard Jura FrancheComt

Jura

Best for: stunning scenery

Kissing the Swiss border and framed by a sub-alpine landscape of forested slopes and chocolate-box mountain villages, the smallest wine region in France dances to its own beat. Its unusual vin jaune (yellow wine), made in an oxidative style from obscure local varietal Savagnin, is fashionable among wine geeks for its nutty, briny character – a dreamy match for local fare such as Comté cheese. Vineyards are broken up by serene lakes, grazing fields of cows and dense forests dotted with wood-clad cabins. Savour it all in between tastings at the likes of Domaine Rolet and Domaine de la Pinte.

Where to stay: Casa Antolià, an ivy-covered winemaker’s home built in 1765, now turned into a stylish gîte for wine-loving travellers.

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SaintÉmilion Bordeaux Libournais France

Bordeaux Libournais

Best for: prestige

When it comes to world-famous wine regions, Bordeaux comes top of the lot. The lauded chateaux of the Médoc are largely closed to the average visitor, but Bordeaux Libournais – also known as the Right Bank – is generally more accessible, with smaller producers, approachable wines and an atmospheric central hub in the form of handsome medieval city Saint-Émilion. Tour the wealth of stone monuments in the UNESCO-protected centre, including the monolithic church, Franciscan cloisters and Romanesque keep. Then check out the slick vinous operation at nearby Château de Ferrand, where experiences range from bike tours to private wine-blending workshops.

Where to stay: You’re spoiled for choice in Bordeaux. Some of our favourites include Villa Foch, located discreetly within two 19th-century buildings joined together on a tree-lined street in the heart of Bordeaux’s Golden Triangle, and Le Palais Gallien with its outdoor swimming pool; a rarity in central Bordeaux. In the historic district of Saint-Seurin, Villa Victor Louis resides in an 18th-century mansion, maintaining its authentic spirit through decorative details that nod to the area’s rich heritage.

Loire Valley Savennieres France

Middle Loire

Best for: diversity

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Stretching 600 miles from the heart of France to the Atlantic coast, the entire Loire Valley is too big to tick off on a single trip. So get a taster of the highlights in the diverse Middle Loire, where sub-regions like Saumur, Vouvray and Touraine turn out everything from light-bodied Cabernet Franc to sparkling Chenin Blanc and fruity Sauvignon Blanc. The sightseeing draws of riverside cycling trails, Joan of Arc-era chateau and luxe new hotels (see Les Sources de Cheverny as example) are just as diverse as the vino. Try Bernard Baudry in Chinon or Domaine de la Chevalerie in Bourgueil for sublime reds, or Domaine Huet in Vouvray for all expressions of white, from sparkling to sweet.

Where to stay: Head to Les Sources de Caudalie for a retreat fusing nature with a focus on food, wine and wellness. Amid the forest and cultivated land making up this wild 110-acre estate lie a collection of modern cabins, traditional stone houses and the original Château du Breuill. Alternatively, UNESCO-listed Château de Chambord spans 5,440 hectares of wooded and landscaped grounds on one of the Loire Valley’s most celebrated sites.

Rouffach Alsace HautRhin

Alsace

Best for: white wine lovers

Beginning just 20 minutes outside the city of Strasbourg – with its photogenic half-timbered houses and cobbled backstreets – easterly Alsace is firmly white wine country. Grapes like Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Gewürztraminer and Sylvaner dominate in the family-run cellars strung along the meandering Alsace Wine Route. Make your way from Marlenheim to Thann in the south, sampling en route citrussy, mineral-tinged tipples crafted by historic producers such as 385-year-old Famille Hugel or Domaine Albert Seltz, winemakers since 1576.

Where to stay: The small high-design Hôtel Le Colombier – with a giant red resin stiletto shoe by artist Richard Orlinksi in the lobby – is set in a 500-year-old townhouse steps from the canals of Colmar’s Petite Venice district. Alternatively, just beyond Strasbourg’s ancient Petite-France quarter, there’s Hôtel Les Haras, which occupies the former home of France’s National Stud Farm.

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Barrels of Cognac in Cognac Charentes France

Cognac

Best for: brandy

Think of Cognac and wine might not immediately come to mind, but France’s most prestigious brandy is made entirely from grapes – all grown and distilled in vine-carpeted landscapes in the country’s south west. Producers like Courvoisier, Bache Gabrielsen and Delamain all welcome visitors to their operations in the heart of the action around the towns of Cognac and Jarnac. The biggest name of all, Hennessy, also offers Michelin-starred picnics among the vines. Between tastings enjoy the slow pace of life in the laid-back centres, or strike out further to explore thousand-year-old Abbaye de Bassac or for a river cruise along the winding Charente.

Where to stay: Chais Monnet, Cognac’s first five-star hotel, which opened in 2018. There’s also La Nauve, a blindingly white 19th-century neoclassical villa featuring an abundance of gleaming pale marble and wonderful gardens.

CôtedOr

Côte-d’Or

Best for: small producers

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For many wine drinkers around the world, the ‘golden slope’ of Burgundy – heartland of both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – is a holy pilgrimage point. Grand Cru vineyards in communes like Gevrey-Chambertin, Puligny-Montrachet, Pommard and Nuits-St-Georges have perfected expressions of these grape varieties over centuries, and sky-high prices for top bottlings reflect that. Still, with thousands of local producers, most small, there’s plenty to discover beyond the pricier labels. Base yourself in the handsome walled town of Beaune, crowned by ornately tiled former almshouse Hospices de Beaune, then stop off for a tasting at the likes of Château de Pommard.

Where to stay: Maison Carla Rosa is a powder pink boutique hotel with a California-meets-Côte d’Azur aesthetic. Nearby, a former 17th-century soap factory is home to one of last year’s most anticipated openings on the French Riviera, Château de Théoule.

Albi and its cathedral France

Côtes du Lot

Best for: deep France feels

Want a wine holiday that takes you properly off the beaten track? Make for this lesser-known pocket of the south west, where sleepy towns are untroubled by masses of tourists and the winemaking is down-to-earth and free from pretension. In Cahors, inky purple wines – made from Malbec (locally known as Côt) – are on tap at Château Eugenie, where you can picnic among the vines. In Galliac, sample rare red Prunelard and white Mauzac at Domaine Plageoles. In between, visit prehistoric cave Pech Merle or take in the grandiose brick-built cathedral in Albi.

Where to stay: This homestay ups the ambience with its original 14th-century cave beneath, replete with the gentle sound of flowing water, while this rustic Perigord barn has its own private pool.

Vineyards LanguedocRoussillon Roussillon France

Languedoc

Best for: value

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France’s largest wine region, Languedoc-Roussillon is also arguably its most underrated, with a diverse crop of grape varieties, wine styles and landscapes ranging from surf-licked beaches to rugged peaks. Affordable land gives winemakers freedom to experiment, spelling a huge selection of interesting bottlings at very fair prices. Sit by the seafront in Sète eating oysters from the neighbouring Étang de Thau while sipping zingy white Picpoul de Pinet; or head into the hills to savour a rich red blend in Saint-Chinian. Producers for your hit list include Château L’Hospitalet and Domaine de la Dourbie.

Where to stay: Romantic five-star Hôtel de la Cité has views over the Carcassonne’s Cité, the largest medieval fortress in Europe, and over to the mountains beyond. Then there’s Château Les Carrasses, near Capestang. Its blend of 28 luxurious self-catering suites, apartments and villas evokes the feel of a laid-back country club that’s collided with a winery.

red and rose wine grapes plant in France

Northern Rhône

Best for: active adventure

With its dramatic steep slopes, the Northern Rhône is the perfect place for those who like to pair fine wines with a dose of active adventure in the form of hiking or cycling. And for red wine lovers, it holds even greater appeal, for this is the birthplace of Syrah. Well-known producers such as Michel Chapoutier and Paul Jaboulet Aîné show off it off at its most elegant. Meanwhile in the hub of Tain l’Hermitage, hugged by the Rhône river and landmark Hermitage hill, more deliciousness awaits on a tour of world-renowned chocolate-maker Valrhona.

Where to stay: Lyon’s Villa Maïa was featured on US Condé Nast Traveller’s Hot List in 2018 and remains sleek as ever.

Adapted by graperoutes

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