Wines and Cuisine of France

The Wine Roads of Alsace, Burgundy & Champagne

Please note that this is a "suggested" private group itinerary, which can be changed to suit your interests. The tour price will depend on the number of participants, travel dates, type of hotels, etc.

This itinerary follows three of the oldest and most famous wine roads in France - Alsace, Burgundy, and Champagne - and it offers tastings of some of the best wines in the world. Along the way, you will also discover picturesque small towns and villages around the French countryside and get a taste of the local cuisine.

Alsace, located in eastern France and bordering Germany, primarily produces white wines. It is the only region in France that makes mostly varietals (wines named after the grape variety they come from): Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer are the best known. The Rieslings, in particular, are some of the most noted white wines in the world.

The wines of Alsace are superb and the regional cuisine is heavenly, but the sightseeing is unlike anything you have ever seen: from small villages of half-timbered houses copiously decorated with a rainbow of flowers to the Haut Koenigsbourg, a majestic medieval castle perched on a high rocky promontory overlooking the whole Rhine River valley. Not to be missed, of course, is Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace and the seat of the European Parliament. Tour the historical center, the Gothic cathedral built of pink stone and the old quarter ("La Petite France") with more typical timber-framed houses.

Burgundy. Wine making in Burgundy is a tradition going back a thousand years. Unlike Bordeaux, where classifications are awarded to individual chateaus (Margaux, Yquem and Lafite Rothschild, among the most famous), Burgundy classifications are more geographically centered: Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Côte d'Or, Côte Chalonnaise, Beaujolais and Chablis.

As in other regions of France, Burgundy wines have their own classifications: grand crus, premier crus, village and generic Bourgogne. Red Burgundy wines are usually made from Pinot Noir grapes, and white Burgundies from Chardonnay. (Beaujolais primarily uses Gamay grapes.) Two "must-sees" in this region: the "Route des Grands Crus" and the Flemish-Gothic Hospice de Beaune, with its distinctive brightly-colored tile roof, where the famous, lavish Burgundy charity wine auction is held every November.

Champagne. Taittinger, Mercier, Moët et Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Pol Roger are but a few of the world-famous brands of champagne from the region around Reims and Epernay. Those and many smaller wine houses are all within easy access on the "Route du Champagne." Another high point is Notre Dame Cathedral, a World Heritage Site and a jewel of Gothic architecture where the kings of France were once crowned. On the inside behind the altar, do not miss the set of colorful stained-glass windows designed by artist Mark Chagall - an unusual but wonderfully creative way to match Gothic architecture with modern art!

In Paris, if your timing is right, you may even catch the wine festival (Fête des Vendanges) in early October in Montmartre. There, you will find a small vineyard, lost in the middle of Paris, with a total annual production of about 700 bottles. Naturally, the festival is the occasion for pageantry, music, eating, drinking and all sorts of related merriment.

There are many possibilities on this route. Let us know where and when you want to go. We will create a custom program that fits your interests and requirements.

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APRIL 2008 PROGRAM

Day 1 - Saturday 12: Departure from the U.S.

Day 2 - Sunday 13: Paris. Arrival and transfer to hotel. Welcome dinner at "La Bonne Franquette" in Montmartre.

Day 3 - Monday 14: Beaune. Morning departure to Burgundy. Lunch in the picturesque town of Avallon (in the Chablis region) before proceeding to Beaune, Burgundy's wine capital also known for its artistic heritage. Walking tour of the historical city center. Visit the Joseph Drouhin cellars. Dinner with regional specialties.

Day 4 - Tuesday 15: Beaune. In the morning, visit the Morin Père & Fils cellars in Nuits St. George. After lunch, on to Clos de Vougeot (a 12th-century Cistercian building and historic site) and the Domaine Rions in Vosne Romanée. Return to Beaune by late afternoon.

Day 5 - Wednesday 16: Beaune - Strasbourg. Departure to Alsace. Stop in Colmar to walk the old town and admire the typical Alsacian architecture. Lunch on the way. Then on to Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace and the seat of the European Parliament. Dinner in the picturesque "Petite France" district.

Day 6 - Thursday 17: Strasbourg. Panoramic visit of Strasbourg including the Cathedral and the European Parliament. We then drive south to Obernai, a small town surrounded by vineyards, and on to Riquewihr, a quintessential Alsasian village world-famous for its Rieslings. Walking tour and free time for shopping. Proposed winery visits: Caves Jean Geiler in Ingersheim, Mittnacht-Klack in Riquewihr and Robert Blanck in Obernai. Evening at leisure.

Day 7 - Friday 18: Strasbourg - Reims. Morning drive to Metz, a beautiful historical city of the Lorraine region. Short visit and lunch. Afternoon drive to Reims, the capital of Champagne. Panoramic visit of the historical center, including the magnificent Gothic Cathedral where many French royal coronations took place.

Day 8 - Saturday 19: Reims. Morning visit of two of Reims' most famous champagne houses: Taittinger and Veuve Cliquot Ponsardin. Afternoon excursion to Epernay driving along the Champagne road known as "La Montagne de Reims." Visit and champagne tasting at the prestigious Moët et Chandon cellars. Return to Reims and farewell dinner.

Day 9 - Sunday 20: Reims - Paris. Morning drive to Roissy/CDG airport. Departure.

Included

• Transfers on arrival and departure
• 9 days/7 nights in 3-star hotels with twin-bed rooms
• 8 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 5 dinners
• Transportation by deluxe motor coach
• English speaking escort/guide
• Entrance fees to specified visits
• Local taxes and fees

Not Included

• Transportation to and from Paris
• Drinks with scheduled meals
• Guides and driver gratuities
• Personal expenses
• Health and travel insurance
• Other items not specifically listed under "Included"

Prices for 15 participants (ask us for small/big group pricing)

$3,045 per person, double occupancy
$572 - single supplement
May be adjusted for exchange rate fluctuations

    

Places on this route we have personally visited: Paris, Burgundy, Alsace and Champagne. See pictures from our trips:

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