Driving Trip/Wine Regions

Burgundy, Rue de Vin.

I am sure you will receive lots of advise. I would caution you about drinking and driving. Unlike here roadblocks are done all year long and at any time of day. Better to purchase the wine and drink it when you get back to your hotel.

We found that unlike North America, at least in Italy, wine tasting and tours are a lot less common.

The joinusinfrance podcast (www.joinusinfrance.com) has a show on wine regions and another on driving in which they give explicit details about drinking and driving in France. It is a must listen.

I'm leaving Sunday. This time it's Burgundy and Alsace, to see the area and wine towns, in 10 nights (my 17 nights is rounded out with flying to Europe, several nights in Paris, a night in Reims and a couple of nights in Normandie). I'll train from Paris to Auxerre, rent a car and stay three nights in Semur-en-Axois, two nights in Beune, and three nights somewhere around Strasbourg. I may venture into Germany a little (Karlsruhe, Heidelburg, Baden Baden) because I really haven't spent time in this area.

Thank you! Was hoping for more area/town recommendations but love the podcast idea. Yes we have driven in France and other parts of Europe and are very cautious about drinking and driving :)

http://www.burgundy-tourism.com/discover/travel-the-wine-routes
We stayed in Volnay, which is tiny, at Domaine Francois Buffet. Loved their wines. Private tasting and tour of the cave with the winemaker/owner. Also tasted at Gerard Quivy, at aClos Bellefond - Domaine Louis Nie, and at Château de Corton-André. Loved them all. You should plan to call ahead to make an appointment.

We visited Burgundy last fall. We really liked the small villages NE of Beaue such as Chateauneuf en Auxois, Semur en Auxios and Flavigny. We also liked the Rue de Vin, traveling route D974 visiting wineries along the way. We stayed in Talant (Hotel le Bonniere), a suburb in northern Dijon. It was a lovely, quiet town and the hotel was wonderful.

Southwest France in Herault / Languedoc Rousillon has beautiful wines and wineries. The are small, family owned affairs that are all unique. It's my favorite area of France to visit wineries.

Anita - any specifics from that area? I have a couple of unplanned days in the region coming up - looking for ideas to fill out the week.

Thanks,
Matt

Thank you!!

We've visited every region in France, and I think I'd say that my favorite region is the one I just visited. We just got back from a trip that included a week in the Savoie region and a week in the Drome Provencal. The Savoie has become a favorite region, for wine and otherwise. I also love the wines of the Southwest, but that encompasses a lot of territory. I've written about a lot of wine regions in my travel blog at http://mainelywinenews.blogspot.com/. But it's not all about wine; it's also about cheese.