Cotes du Rhone Wine Tour (9:00 am to 5:15 pm) - Small Group Tour from Lyon
Description
Carved on the rock by generations of wine-makers along the Rhone River, the Northern Cotes du Rhone Valley provides a striking spectacle with the vertigo-inducing vineyards of Cote Rotie & Condrieu. Discover the Côtes du Rhone Region through 3 wineries and taste the almost absolute perfection of Syrah and Viognier varietals in their "birthplace":
Tour Options
Itinerary
At 8:50 am, our guide English Speaking guide will meet you in front of Lyon Office de Tourisme building main entrance door located on Bellecour Square (50 m opposite Le Royal Hotel). After a short walk, participants will get on the 8 seaters minivan to begin the Cotes du Rhone wine tour.
Start this full day wine tour in Vienne city with a stunning panorama on the Rhone valley from Notre Dame de Pipet Mount. With your guide, be introduced to the different grapes varietals of the Northern Cotes du Rhone, the crus wine appellations and the philosophy of the region relying on "terroir". Take time also to admire the spectacular old roman theatre as you guide tell you about the fascinating history of the wines from Vienne which were famous in Roma, 21 centuries ago.
Cross Ampuis town, the world capital of Syrah and visit "Cote Rotie" vineyards literally "roasted hillside". Drive on the precipitous vertigo inducing terraced slopes of "Cote Brune" and "Cote Blonde" and appreciate the 30 to 60 degree angles hills bathed in sun facing the beautiful Rhône River.
At 10:45 am, visit a first winery and learn some secrets about the Rhone wine-making savoir-faire. Walk through the barrels room and talk about the art of aging wine. Then go to the wine-tasting room and taste 3 white and 3 red wines including Condrieu, white & red St Joseph and Cote Rotie famous appellation.
Delight yourself with a delicious meal in a local restaurant which serves Cotes du Rhone cuisine. Our guide will be happy to translate and explain all the different courses for you! Menus start from € 20 during the week (special of the day) and € 25 on weekends. Lunch is NOT included.
In early afternoon, cross Condrieu, birth town of Viognier grape which produces the world famous white wine. The group will get to know its unique story, how this grape varietal almost died a few years ago. Then, push the door of a family winery and taste 5-6 different Cotes du Rhone wines among them, Condrieu, St Joseph or/and Cote Rotie appellations.
Finally, stop at a third winery to delight yourself with another 5 beautiful Rhone wines: take time to enjoy the intense aromatic Viognier and the quasi absolute perfection of Syrah grape of the Northern Cotes du Rhone in their original terroir.
At 5:15 pm, our guide will drop you off at Bellecour Square in front of Lyon Office de Tourisme. The perfect excursion for syrah and viognier lovers !
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(28)
We booked a wine excursion to explore the Rhone Valley wines. Sébastien collected our small group from our hotel and took us for a day’s adventure. We visited three wineries and tasted 4-6 different wines at each. It was very interesting for us because we have had little experience with the wines of this region. We were delighted with some of them and will look to purchase some bottles when we return home. Sébastien took us to a wonderful restaurant on the river for lunch. Throughout the day we peppered him with questions about the wines of the region, French language and culture and many other topics. Since he comes from a family with several generations of wine makers he is deeply knowledgeable. We all thought that he was an excellent host and guide. We are now thinking perhaps of coming to Beaujolais for a day of wine tasting on our next trip. Highly recommended!
Thank you so much for your review! We were so happy to guide you and meet you ... I am so happy that you liked the day, the wineries and the lunch by the Rhone River... We are ready to welcome you again and show you the beaujolais wine region. Merci Anthony, Sebastien & Olivier
Sebastien was the best guide imaginable for this excursion. I would highly recommend him without reservation. If you are considering booking this tour, don't hesitate. You will love it!
Great wines, beautiful views, and a wonderful host. Thank you for a fantastic day in the Côtes du Rhône, Olivier!
We had a wonderful day with Olivier learning all about Northern Cote du Rhône wines and the different AOC. We tasted some amazing reds and whites and visited some unique vineyards. The Cote Rotie area was exceptionally beautiful. Olivier was a great guide explaining the region and the various varietals in an easy to learn way. The day was well organized with a delicious stop for lunch midday. I have been on a few wine tours in different regions and would highly recommend this tour, it was the perfect balance of education and enjoyment! Dont hesitate to book this if you are considering it! It’s well worth the money! Thank you Olivier for a fantastic day!
Merci beaucoup for your comment ! A big cheer from Lyon, France. All the best to both of you, Olivier
Knowledgeable and friendly guide. The best thing was that we went to a very small producer who clearly had the best wine. Recommend wholer klsrt this excursion
Mange tak. Med venlig hilsen fra Lyon, Frankrig. Olivier
Oliver was an excellent tour guide, very knowledgeable and easy to talk to. We learnt a lot from him about the wines and the area. We went to 3 very different wineries and had a lovely lunch along the Rhone river, The Mercedes van was very comfortable for 8 people.
Thank you very much for your message. Happy you like the Côtes du Rhône wines and this region with such an amazing history... Merci beaucoup, All the best from Lyon, France. Olivier
Olivier does a wonderful bilingual tour of the Côtes du Rhône. He picked us up in his comfortable Mercedes Vito van and took us and a French family for a spectacular overview of the valley from the ancient Roman town of Vienne. Over the day, we visited three small family owned wineries and had lunch at Les Epicurieux in Ampuis. It was a perfect day. Highly recommended.
Merci beaucoup for your review ! Yes Côte Rotie, Condrieu, Saint Joseph and the Northern Côtes du Rhône wines are unique ... As well as the Epicurieux menu ! Thank you very much and I send you my warm regards from Lyon, France. Olivier
We enjoyed our experience and all the wines we sampled. Olivier was an incredible host. We spent two days with him. Highly recommend this experience. 10 out of 10. For sure. We purchased wine from almost every single stop and all was delivered quickly. Loved all of it. The stop for lunch on the first day was awesome.
Merci Susie! I wish you a Merry Christmas to you and your friends! Maybe you can open a nice bootle of wine that you bought in Beaujolais or the Northern Rhone Valley. My best regards, Olivier
If you’re looking for a fun day of wineries, this is the tour for you. We went to three different wineries. All very different. Tasted 19 wines. Had an amazing lunch. Oliver, our guide, was very friendly and knowledgeable. We really enjoyed our day. Highly recommend.
Merci beaucoup! I am so happy you liked the tour to the Northern Cotes du Rhone. I wish you an excellent trip through France. Olivier
We were very happy with our guide, the wine, and the whole experience. Do recommend, well worth the money.
Merci beaucoup. I wish youan excellent week of holidays in Lyon, Olivier
