9 of the best wine-tasting holidays in France
Plus the wine world needs you. The amount of French wine drunk has dropped about 60 per cent in 60 years. The harvest in 2024 was not promising. Our visits are crucial. But let us be clear: the suggested visits below are not necessarily to the best wine domains — France has 59,000; no-one knows them all — but to ones I appreciate and where I can guarantee good wine and a decent welcome.
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The Bordelais has a head start. It has been the planet's greatest wine region for 2,000 years. Although, obviously, the majority of its 5,400-plus vineyards are not the big-bucks superstars, you'll still need to suspend belief and trust that wine is the most vital element in life's rich tapestry. That's how they think round here. For an overview, start at the Cité du Vin in Bordeaux — Europe's finest wine gallery-cum-museum. Meanwhile, A La Française runs smart small-group tours into the vineyards, including a full day in the Médoc and Saint-Émilion, with picnic lunch (alafrancaise.fr). Under your own steam, favour Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion in Pessac-Léognan, a tram ride out of Bordeaux centre (les-carmes-haut-brion.com). Château La Dominique is a great choice in Saint-Émilion; don't miss lunch at the winery's Terrasse Rouge restaurant (chateau-ladominique.com).
Bang centre in Bordeaux, the Hôtel Majestic has a good elegance-to-price ratio and is in a great location next to the city's Grand Théâtre.
The wine tour specialist Grape Escapes has a top-end, five-day trip to the region, taking in nine wineries.
grapeescapes.net
• Great hotels in Bordeaux• Best things to do in Bordeaux
Burgundy was a big player in medieval Christendom. Monks were the wine men, so fleshly fulfilment retains a spiritual aspect. Burgundy's wine production is much smaller-scale than Bordeaux's and more agricultural too, across a ruffled landscape where — notably along the Côtes de Nuit and Côte de Beaune — vines appear to be stitched into the slopes. My favoured stop in the region's north is elsewhere, at Domaine La Croix Montjoie in the hillside village of Tharoiseau. Its Vézelay whites are similar to chablis, but cheaper (lacroixmontjoie.com). To the south, make for Anne-Françoise Pidault's Château de Pierreclos. It rises from a knoll outside Pierreclos village, west of Mâcon. The Pouilly-Fuissé wines are ace, the château accommodation fit for Marie Antoinette (chateaudepierreclos.com).
Try the British-owned Abbaye de la Bussière, a medieval abbey at La Bussière-sur-Ouche, southwest of Dijon. Gloriously converted and featuring an excellent restaurant, it makes an ideal base.
Cycle Mâcon to Beaune on a six-night trip from Inntravel which will take you through the heart of big-time wine Burgundy.
inntravel.co.uk
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In his Aspects of Provence, James Pope-Hennessy writes of 'an ancient English longing for the south'. That longing now most certainly embraces the rosé wines of Provence. On a sunny day, a bottle of rosé shining grey-pink and beaded with condensation exerts an appeal so lascivious that you can't keep your hands off it. I can't, anyway. This is all the truer now that the pinks have gone beyond their beach-bag image and become jolly good. The evidence? Show up at the Combard family vineyard, Figuière, on the coast at La-Londes-les-Maures (figuiere-provence.com). Inland, among dozens, try Château Sainte Roseline at Les Arcs. The wines are first-rate, and 14th-century Sainte Roseline herself may be seen, blackened but more or less preserved, in a casket in the on-site chapel (sainte-roseline.com).
Head for the British-owned Château de Berne wine estate at Lorgues. Good wines, excellent accommodation, Michelin-starred dining.
Smooth Red will tailor-make a trip — or supply one ready-made, such as three nights of top-end tippling based in Aix.
smoothred.com
• Best holiday villas in France
Everyone knows Beaujolais, but few know where it is. North of Lyons is the answer, where the region undulates via often perpendicular vineyards and gold-stone villages — Oingt, Ternand — which out-pretty Provence. Beaujolais Nouveau is decried by wine buffs, but buffs understand nothing. November-released Nouveau is not for sipping and analysing. It's fermented fast to fuel festivity, full stop. And it's not even half the story. Beaujolais Villages and the ten crus — Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent and similar — have absorbing qualities. Find the evidence at the magnificent, 17th-century Château de La Chaize at Odenas whose Morgon, Fleurie and Côte de Brouilly wines are estimable (chateaudelachaize.fr).
The Hôtel Villa Alexandre at Régnié-Durette slots the contemporary into the 18th century, with a good restaurant to boot.
For tours, the best bet is the regional tourism website which offers dozens of options, from walks to electric scooter, 4×4 and Segway outings.
beaujolais-tourisme.comFrench monarchs bestowed distinction on the Loire Valley, moving in there when things got edgy in Paris, so you'd expect there to be good wines. There are. The sauvignon blanc of Sancerre, it is said, 'always delights the palate of an honest man' — test the claim at the Henri Bourgeois winery (famillebourgeois-sancerre.com). There are the reds of Bourgueil, the chenin-rich sparklers of Vouvray, and unnecessarily modest muscadet round Nantes. Last time I was there, I drank a good glassful at Clisson for £1.30. It's a little pricier at the mother-and-daughter Günther-Chereau vineyard at Saint-Fiacre-sur-Maine, but you'll like it (vgc.fr).
Stay near Sancerre — Hôtel Restaurant Famille Bourgeois does the business, both bed and food-wise, with local produce to the fore.
Among the Vrbo holiday homes in the region is the 'Beautiful Castles' riverfront four-sleeper at Vouvray.
Once there, contact Myriam Fouasse-Robert for a tour. Myriam is a winemaker's wife, perfectly fluent in English and a great wine guide.
loire-wine-tours.com
• Most beautiful places in France (and how to see them)
At the hinge of the Vosges mountains and the plain, the Alsace wine route unwinds like a folk tale. Vines roll up the slopes to castles at the top, down to the gates of half-timbered villages distinguished by flowers, wine-filled courtyards and epic homeliness. The food is sustaining, the wines as fine as farming families can produce. Which is very fine indeed. Seek out the Jean Becker winery in Zellenberg, near Colmar, for the rieslings, pinot gris and gewurztraminers you need. The lady of the house, Martine Becker, speaks better English than I do so you're guaranteed to garner all the info and intrigue you so desire (vinsbecker.com). Nearby, the astonishingly pretty Eguisheim combats excess tweeness with muscular Pfersigberg and Eichberg grand cru wines. Try them at the Joseph Freudenreich winery in an old tithe courtyard in the village centre (joseph-freudenreich.fr).
In Colmar, book the 16th-century Hôtel Le Maréchal. It's like staying at the home of minor nobility.
Grape Escapes has a decent range of Alsace wine tours, including a three-day Colmar-based vineyard jaunt.
grapeescapes.net
Pursuit of elegance is a key reason for going to Champagne. Madame de Pompadour put it thusly: 'Champagne is the only drink which enhances a woman's beauty.' Works for men, too, but only if the women are still drinking. We're in a world of glam and glitz and champers as a gift from a beneficent deity. The big champagne houses foster the image, but the reality is out in the vineyards. There, family producers are out and about in wellies and cellars dug out by grandad with a pickaxe. Champagne production remains a branch of farming — still elegant, but rooted. See for yourself at Voirin-Jumel at Cramant on the Côte des Blancs (champagne-voirin-jumel.com), Champagne Barnaut at Bouzy in the Montagne de Reims (champagne-barnaut-bouzy.com) and G Tribaut in Hautvillers, Champagne's prettiest village (champagne.fr).
The contemporary Hôtel de la Paix in Reims is a good base in the city centre with a lovely pool and wellness area.
Not In The Guidebooks has a four-day, high-end champagne tasting and foodie mini-break, based in Reims.
• Finest champagne houses in France
Wine-wise, the Rhône Valley splits in two. In the north the big-name vineyards full of syrah ('shiraz', if you're Australian) — Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage — climb up terraces so steep that harvesters need one leg longer than the other for balance. Much fun may be had at the Tain-l'Hermitage winery, which will set you off on foot, ebike or e-scooter through the vines and up the stupendously famous Hermitage hill, then throw in a tasting (cavedetain.com). The north has viognier whites, too; tackle them at Rémi Niero's place in Condrieu (vins-niero.com). The southern Rhône is more Mediterranean, more productive and more diverse. For insight, contact Englishman Nick Thompson, once a wine producer in Cairanne, now a convivial guide. He can lead a small-group morning at l'Ameillaud winery, or a trip around neighbouring appellations — including Châteauneuf-du-Pape (ameillaud.com).
At Condrieu, the Rhône-side Beau Rivage has a brilliant restaurant and a peaceful garden to relax in.
Further south, the Hotel de Cambis — four-star, great wine bar, 17th-century setting — would be my choice in Avignon.
Expedia has a day-long northern Rhône wine trip from Lyons, which includes a local guide and a wine tasting.
• Best hotels in Lyons
The great southern wine region, curving around the Med west from the Rhône, used to be France's bargain basement, shipping out plonk for the working classes. Those days are gone. The vineyard surface has been cut by half in 50 years, but Languedoc-Roussillon still produces about 30 per cent of all French wine — and, with it, unbeatable value for money. These are sun-drenched, minerally items that you might find for well under a tenner in the Gard county at, say, the Domaine Saint Octime near Sommières (sainte-octime.fr) and in the Hérault county at Domaine Coste-Moynier of Saint-Christol (coste-moynier.com). Meanwhile, the best Blanquette de Limoux sparklers in the Aude county rival mid-range champagnes for around a third the price; head for Sieur d'Arques in Limoux itself (sieurdarques.com).
Near Béziers, Château St Pierre de Serjac is one of the loveliest wine châteaux in the French south: sumptuous accommodation, good food and a range of wine-related activities.
Pézenas is a central base for a Languedoc wine trip. At nearby Aumes, Vintage Travel has the Drawing House, which sleeps six.
• Best vineyard hotels to visit in France
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Telegraph
8 hours ago
- Telegraph
Russian tourists flock back to Europe
Russian tourists are returning to Europe in growing numbers, despite the war in Ukraine, with France, Italy and Spain their favoured holiday destinations. The three travel hotspots are all Nato and EU members and have imposed sanctions on Moscow. Hotel stays by Russians in Italy and France surged by more than 19 per cent in the past year, which Ukrainian diplomats branded 'disturbing' and a security risk. But France, which spearheads the 'coalition of the willing' nations supporting Ukraine with Britain, defends keeping borders open to rich Russian tourists, as does Italy. The trend was revealed by Telegraph analysis of data on hotel room stays and rentals on websites such as and Airbnb, and of visas issued to the EU's Schengen free-movement zone. Vsevolod Chentsov, Ukraine's ambassador to the EU, warned that ignoring the returning Russians would be 'short-sighted' and dangerous. He told the Telegraph: 'In the fourth year of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, it is extremely surprising to see statistics showing an increase in the number of visas issued to Russian citizens and a growth in tourist traffic from Russia to EU countries. 'We know that Russian society overwhelmingly supports the war. Moreover, it prefers to think that Russia is at war with the West and not with Ukraine, where the Russian army commits war crimes on massive scale.' He added: 'With increasing number of Russia's cyberattacks against EU member states, acts of sabotage and all sort of hybrid activities aimed at undermining European democracies, it is disturbing that Russian citizens can easily enjoy the benefits of travelling to Europe. 'Continuing to ignore this reality is short-sighted. It's a matter of European security.' Fires in warehouses known to be part of logistical supply chains have taken place across Europe, including in Britain, while there have also been reports of sabotaged train tracks. In the past, Russian spies posing as diplomats would be linked to these incidents, but since the 2018 poisoning of the Skripals, Moscow is known to also deploy agents on tourist visas. Stop EU visas for Russians Sir William Browder is an American-born English financier turned anti-Putin activist and campaigner. He urged France, Italy and Spain to stop issuing visas to Russians. 'Unless the Russians can demonstrate in a visa interview that they're opposed to the Putin regime, they shouldn't be allowed to come to Europe,' he said. European capitals have hit the Kremlin with waves of sanctions since Putin launched his illegal invasion in 2022. Both Britain and the EU closed their airspace to Russian airlines, triggering a drop in tourist numbers. There are still dozens of routes to Europe through Turkey, Georgia, Serbia and other countries. In order to get to Rome, for example, a Russian tourist would have to stop over in Turkey or the UAE and switch flights. The additional costs put the trip out of the reach of most ordinary Russians, but those that do make it to Europe also face difficulties because of the sanctions, which means their bank cards don't work. However, Istanbul's Ataturk airport is brimming with currency exchanges where Russians can swap roubles for euros to sustain their visits to Europe. 'There are many Russians who support the war, and particularly the Russians who have money,' Sir William said. 'What we absolutely don't want to do is allow these Russians to enjoy the privileges and resources of Europe, while at the same time they're supporting Putin's war efforts.' 'Europe should be open for people in the Russian opposition who are being persecuted, but no visa should be issued to Russian oligarchs or mini-garchs and others who support Putin, and I think we should err on the side of non visa issuance in that respect.' He said refusing visas would put pressure on Putin's regime and lessen the security risk posed by Russia's hybrid war against the West. Sanctions undermined Sir William said EU governments had to be consistent because if one country grants a Schengen visa, the supposed tourist can travel anywhere in the passport-free zone. Western governments have been reluctant to issue outright travel bans, except in the case of sanctioned individuals such as Putin's cronies and apparatchiks. In contrast, the Baltic nations and pro-Ukraine countries bordering Ukraine and Russia stopped issuing tourist visas to Russia or heavily restricted their numbers. Jan Lipavsky, foreign minister of the Czech Republic, accused those welcoming Russian holidaymakers of undermining the EU's sanctions against Moscow in return for wealthy tourists' cash. He told The Telegraph, 'It is deeply troubling to see some EU countries returning to business as usual with Russian tourists while Ukraine continues to suffer under brutal aggression. 'Czechia has taken a principled stance – we do not process any tourist visa applications and we believe this should be the standard across the European Union.' Mr Lipavsky said the numbers of tourists coming to the EU last year was 'totally excessive' and raised serious concerns 'not only from a security standpoint, but also from a moral one'. He said, 'At such volumes, we cannot rule out the possibility that individuals complicit in war crimes are among those vacationing in our resorts. That is unacceptable.' He added, 'I also see that some countries have a self-interested motive – they want the income from Russian tourism. It's not just about visa fees; it's about money spent on hotels, shopping, tickets and so on. Russians are known to spend a lot. 'This undermines the credibility of our sanctions regime and sends a confusing message about our values.' Lifeline for dissidents Andrei Soldatov is a senior fellow with the Center for European Policy Analysis think tank and a Russian investigative journalist specialising in the activities of the Kremlin's secret services. He said the visas were valuable for dissidents and families that wanted to visit them abroad. He said, 'it is a problem which doesn't have a simple solution. These are also the countries which help people with anti-Kremlin views move out. 'To make it safe for these people one needs to hide their applications in a stream of other applications. One cannot really expect a Russian dissident to come to a foreign embassy for a 'dissident visa', given the high level of repression in the country.' Popular locations Across the EU, visitor numbers are just a tenth of what they were in 2019, before the pandemic and the invasion, but this varies substantially across the bloc. In 2024, just six EU countries saw an increase in guest nights booked by Russians via websites such as Airbnb, according to figures from Eurostat. Italy saw the largest increase of 18.9 per cent, with 321,678 guest nights across the year, the highest in Europe. France remains the third most popular location for Russian tourists with 203,072 guest nights per year, which is an increase of 7.8 per cent - the fourth highest spike in Europe. Spain is second at 259,068 guest nights, down 3.6 per cent from the previous year, according to the figures obtained from the EU's statistics agency. There was a rise of 13 per cent in the number of nights booked by Russians in Hungary, which has a government that is notoriously soft on Putin. The UK, whose data differs slightly from the EU's, would rank seventh on the list for Russia visitors after Italy, Spain, France, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus. Unlike France and Italy, Britain saw its visitor numbers fall by around 1.3 per cent year-on-year, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. Other statistics, which look at nights across hotels rather than Airbnb-style websites, suggest that France is hosting 27 per cent of the level it was in 2019, compared to just 9.8 per cent in the United Kingdom. The UK has always required Russian tourists to apply for visas, including when it was part of the EU. It never joined Schengen. Schengen members also require that Russians obtain visas. There was an agreement, which made it faster and cheaper to obtain those tourist visas to enter the EU but it was suspended after Putin invaded Ukraine. Analysis of Schengen area visas also showed that Italy and France were leading the tourism rapprochement with Russia. Italy issued 152,254 Schengen area visas at its two Russian consulates last year, which was almost 19,000 more than in 2023. France issued a total of 123, 890, according to European Commission figures, 25,000 more than the year before. Spain issued 111,527, an increase of 15,000. Figures first reported by the EU Observer website showed a rebound in Schengen visas for Russians with 552,630 issued in total last year, an increase of nine per cent. Greece issued 59,703 visas and Hungary 23,382. Rome and Paris unrepentant 'Italy continues to regularly issue visas to Russian tourists who meet our requirements,' A spokesman for Antonio Tajani, the Italian minister of foreign affairs and deputy prime minister, said. 'Our opposition is to the Russian army's military operations in Ukraine, not to the Russian people.' The Elysée was presented with the statistics but did not respond to requests for comment. France has previously defended issuing visas to Russians. 'People-to-people relations and cultural ties can play a positive role in fostering mutual understanding and dialogue between populations,' the French foreign affairs ministry told EU Observer. 'We work hard at maintaining a differentiation between the regime responsible for the war and the population, its civil society, and the opposition,' it said. 'It is essential to maintain this window, to enable Russian society to get access to a plurality of reliable sources of information.' The British and Spanish government were asked for comment. The European Commission said they could not comment, despite being given 72 hours notice, because it was summer. Eurostat, the EU's statistics body, has collected data on the number of guest nights spent in 'collaborative economy platforms', which includes sites such as Airbnb and Expedia since 2018. The UK's Office for National Statistics has collected similar data since mid-2023, meaning pre-invasion figures are not available and there might be minor methodological differences between the two bodies. Data on broader hotel stays across Europe have not been updated for the entirety of Europe in 2024.
Daily Mail
18 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Paris' hotspot hell: Locals fear chic neighbourhood is turning into 'Disneyland' as streets overrun with tourists, gas-guzzling buses and huge queues at every patisserie
With its cobbled streets, bohemian cafés and sweeping views over Paris, Montmartre boasts an incomparable charm that attracts millions of tourists every year. The hilltop Parisien neighbourhood is steeped in rich artistic history, but today it is one of the many pockets of Europe facing an unprecedented number of visitors. Many of the 27,000 residents are now at breaking point, unable to cope with their once-scenic streets being transformed into a sea of crowds thanks in part to influencers romanticising the district on TikTok and Instagram. Last year, the imposing Sacré-Coeur - a white-domed basilica in the heart of Montmartre - was the most visited monument in France, ahead of the Eiffel Tower, with 11 million tourists. With tourists now outnumbering residents 423 to one, Montmartre now has an even denser tourist zone per capita than Venice. The Parisien district is the latest hotspot to face a growing wave of anti-tourism sentiment, with locals becoming increasingly frustrated by selfie-hunting holidaymakers bringing chaos to their doorsteps. A string of anti-tourism protests have taken place across Spanish islands, while tourists themselves are even getting fed up. In Rome, where tourists have been crammed shoulder-to-shoulder this summer, one visitor said it was like being 'part of one big sweaty herd'. Now the peace has been shattered in Montmartre, with locals warning their home has been transformed into an 'amusement park'. Michèle Barrière, who has lived around the corner from the Moulin Rouge for three decades, told The Telegraph: 'Enough is enough.'Montmartre has become an amusement park, and we are the attractions. Soon they'll be throwing us peanuts. 'It's Disneyland.' She added: 'It has got totally out of hand. I have nothing against tourists per se, but now my prevailing feeling is one of hostility. Sometimes I can't even reach my front door due to these hordes.' Another resident, Eric Durand, said the end of the Covid lockdowns coupled with Paris hosting the Olympic Games last summer has brought a huge influx of tourists. Locals say Montmartre first became a tourist hotspot after the 2001 cult movie Amelie, with visitors flocking in their droves to film locations including the Café des Deux Moulins. Netflix hit Emily in Paris has brought a fresh wave of tourists who love to visit La Maison Rose restaurant or the Wall of Love. Last year, the Paris Olympics brought the road bike race to Montmartre - and today, the final stage of the Tour De France will make a detour via the chic neighbourhood for the first time ever. Julien Ogeard, a manager of a Montmartre restaurant, told The Telegraph the area is 'losing its soul' and that he is considering moving out, adding: 'I'm not the only one.' @pamelachelsea29 Went to Montmartre today because I just wanted to see what's around, and there was just too much of a crowd 🥲 I never liked being around big crowds and will always find an escape where I can relax and enjoy my time. Like this garden 🪴 Even though there were a few people but it's not as bad as the ones in front of the Sacré-cœur ✨ PLUS on the way up I already witnessed a couple of people being scammed and forced to wear the 'friendship' bracelets 👀 So please be very aware of your surroundings and never let any of these scammers trick you to wear these bracelets 😬 #montmartre #montmatreparis #sacrecoeur #paris #parisfrance #photospots #bestspot ♬ Lil Boo Thang - Paul Russell Adding to the anger is the recent introduction of new traffic restrictions, that many fear could drive small businesses out. Families are also leaving in their droves, driven away by rocketing house prices and tourist rentals. Between 20 and 30 per cent of properties are Airbnb listings, according to estate agents. Locals have also hit out at gas-guzzling tourist sidecars and Citroen 2CVs racing down cobbled streets. In recent months, fed-up residents have voiced their frustration by unfurling banners with messages in their windows. They included 'Forgotten residents', Let the Montmartrois live' and 'Behind these facades there are people'.
Daily Mail
19 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Rita Ora flashes her legs in leather hot pants as she enjoys a stroll with husband Taika Waititi in St Tropez
R ita Ora ensured she was the center of attention wearing a sizzling outfit for a stroll with her husband Taika Waititi in St Tropez. The singer turned heads in a pair of revealing red hot pants with a studded detail around the hem. She teamed the risque shorts with a bold yellow slogan T-shirt, black leather boots and oversized shades. Her hubby, meanwhile, looked laidback in a baggy T-shirt and pants. Hot right now! The singer flashed her gym-honed pins in the sexy studded shorts All smiles: Rita left little to the imagination wearing the cheeky shorts
