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02/18/23
Wine Regions Near Paris
The best wine tours near Paris will take you to the best French wine regions and, in fact, some of the best wine regions in the world. This is not really a surprise, given France is where winemaking and viticulture were first refined.
The wine regions of France now produce between 7 and 8 billion bottles of wine per year! French wine represents 29.1% of total wine exports worldwide!
No doubt, if you are traveling to Paris, you will want to visit at least a few of the world-famous vineyards near Paris. If you are not sure which French wine regions near Paris you should visit or which wine tours from Paris you should book, then this guide is for you.
In this guide, you will learn about the French wine regions near Paris, and what type of wine each region produces so you can choose the best French wine region that suits your wine preferences.
So you can make the most of your time in each wine region, the guide also looks at the best French wine tours from Paris in each location and the best wineries near Paris for self-guided trips. If you are spending a little longer in the region, this guide will also provide additional options.
French Wine Regions Map
There is commercial production of wine in every region of France except those along the north coast. While the French Wine Regions of Champagne, Burgundy, and Bordeaux enjoy worldwide recognition, there are other important Wine Regions in France that you should explore.
Here’s the list of our favorite French Wine Regions, also shown on the French Wine Map. This guide only considers the first six French Wine Regions on this list, as Provence and Languedoc-Roussillon are too far for wine tours from Paris.
- Bordeaux
- Burgundy
- Loire Valley
- Champagne
- Alsace
- Côtes du Rhône
- Provence
- Languedoc – Roussillon
TIP: This Grand Cru Wine Tasting in Paris, with 6 different high-quality French wines including Grands Crus and Premiers Crus, is the perfect introduction to the French Wine Regions.
Best Wine Tours from Paris
TOUR NAME | WINE REGION | DURATION | DEPARTS | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Bordeaux (Saint-Emilion) | 4 hrs | Paris-Bordeaux | ||
Bourgogne (Chablis) | 12 hrs | Paris | ||
Loire Valley | 11 hrs | Paris | ||
Champagne | 11 hrs | Paris | ||
Alsace | 8 hrs | Paris-Colmar | ||
Côtes du Rhône | 8 hrs | Paris-Lyon |
TIP – Want to ensure your wine makes it home? Here’s the list of the best wine tote bags and wine suitcases
Bordeaux Wine Region
The Bordeaux wine region is located in the south of France along the southern Atlantic coast and is one of the largest wine-producing regions in France.
The French wine regions in Bordeaux are often split into the Left Bank and the Right Bank, being bisected by the Gironde River. Places worth exploration for their beauty and wines include the Saint-Emilion wine region and the Médoc wine region.
The wine of Bordeaux includes a wide range of wines, including some of the world’s most expensive wines. The best Bordeaux wines are the reds which are a blend of Cabernet, Sauvignon, and Merlot.
White wines from Bordeaux include Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon blends whereas its sweet whites range from Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes.
This is not the closest wine region to Paris but who can resist the temptation of drinking Bordeaux wines where they are produced?
Best Bordeaux Wine Tours from Paris
SELF-GUIDED TOURS: book one of the first trains from Paris to Bordeaux. From Bordeaux, this afternoon wine tour to Saint-Emilion with tastings is highly recommended.
With more time available, book a hotel in Bordeaux for more choices of wine tours in Bordeaux. We especially like this full-day Bordeaux wine tour with tastings that covers the wine regions of Saint-Emilion and Médoc.
You can also check out this quick guide to the Châteaux de Médoc to plan a weekend getaway to this wonderful wine region.
Bourgogne Wine Region
The Bourgogne or Burgundy wine region is located a few hours’ drive southeast of Paris. Within the area, there are in fact several wine regions of Burgundy including Chablis, Beaujolais, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Côte Chalonnaise, and Maconnais.
Wine from Burgundy includes several famous French wines, with the region best known for its Chardonnay (white Burgundy), Beaujolais Nouveau, and Pinot Noir (Burgundy red wine). Other types of Burgundy wine include a small number of roses and sparkling wines.
Best Burgundy Wine Tours from Paris
GUIDED TOURS: This wine-tasting in Burgundy tour departs from Paris, and you will have multiple wine-tasting opportunities in three different wineries in Chablis. As well as wine tasting, you will have free time for lunch in the beautiful medieval town of Chablis.
SELF-GUIDED TOURS: the drive from Paris to Dijon only takes 3 hours, and there are many local wineries around Dijon to visit, offering wine tours in English with tastings. Check the previous users’ reviews and locations on the map and choose the best wineries for you. With more time available, consider this Route des Grands Crus Bourgogne road trip itinerary.
Loire Valley Wine Region
Southwest of Paris is the Loire Valley, one of the largest wine-producing regions in France and also one of the best French wine regions close to Paris.
The vineyards in the Loire Valley are known for producing some of France’s highest-quality white wines. Because of its relatively short distance from the capital, wine day trips from Paris to the Loire Valley are very popular.
The Loire Valley wine region comprises four distinct wine areas: the Pays Nantais, Anjou-Saumur, Touraine, and the Central Vineyards.
The Loire Valley wines include light reds and sparkling wines. In fact, after Champagne, the Loire Valley is France’s second-largest producer of sparkling wine.
Other wines from Loire Valley include fruity, light white wines, slightly sweet rosés, smooth light reds, crisp, dry sparkling wines, and sweet white wines.
Loire Valley Wine Tours from Paris
GUIDED TOURS: this Loire Valley Wine tour from Paris explores the city and Château of Amboise, plus two different wineries in unique locations with wine tastings.
SELF-GUIDED TOURS: the drive from Paris to Blois takes less than 2 hours, and there are many local wineries between Blois and Tours to visit, offering wine tours in English with tastings. Check the previous users’ reviews and locations on the map and choose the best wineries for you.
You can combine your wine explorations in the area with a visit to Château de Blois or Château de Chambord
Champagne Wine Region
The region of Champagne is France’s coldest winemaking region and is located in the east close to Belgium and Luxembourg.
Champagne is also one of the most famous wine regions in France. It is also the closest wine region to Paris, so Champagne day trips and Champagne wine tours from Paris are very popular.
GOOD TO KNOW: In Ile-de-France we also produce champagne! More precisely, 80 Ha of the wine country near Paris, in the Seine-et-Marne department, is dedicated to producing champagne wine. This is because the champagne vineyards are located in the former province of Champagne which corresponds today to the Grand Est region (Aube, Marne), but also the departments of Aisne and Seine-et-Marne.
The wine region of Champagne is most famous for its champagne wine. Whilst many of us may call sparkling wine ‘champagne,’ the fact is a sparkling wine from this region is the only sparkling wine that can be technically called ‘champagne.’
Other than champagne wine, the cooler climate of this French wine region lends itself to be perfect for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Champagne’s whites tend to be lighter, crisper, and less fruity than other wine areas in France.
Champagne Wine Tours from Paris
GUIDED TOUR: If you are looking for Champagne wine tours from Paris, you will love this small-group Champagne day tour with tastings. The tour visits the Reims Cathedral, the famous champagne house of Nicolas Feuillatte, and a local winery.
SELF-GUIDED TOUR: take a train from Paris to Reims and check out one of the best champagne houses in Reims. If you have a car, you can extend your champagne explorations to one of these local wineries between Reims and Epernay. Check the previous users’ reviews and locations on the map and choose the best wineries for you.
With more time available, you can take this Champagne road trip from Paris which combines beautiful sights and champagne wine.
Alsace Wine Region
In Eastern France, close to the border of Germany, Alsace is one of the cooler wine-growing regions in France, with wines mostly sparkling sweet wines, dry whites, and rosé whites.
The region of Alsace has historically had close ties with Germany and German culture, which is evident in the wine from Alsace. Due to its German influence, the wines from Alsace include some of the best Rieslings, Pinot Gris, and Gewürztraminer wines.
Whilst the French wine region of Alsace is predominantly known for its white wines, it also produces some red and rosé wines.
Best Alsace Wine Tours from Paris
GUIDED TOURS: the most popular half-day and full-day wine tours in Alsace depart from Colmar or Strasbourg. This half-day wine tour from Strasbourg explores the lovely city of Obernai and visits 2 wineries. This full-day wine tour from Colmar visits 3 different wineries to sample distinct Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner, and Riesling wines.
SELF-GUIDED TOURS: If you have a car, here’s the list of local wineries between Colmar and Ribeauvillé offering wine tours in English and tastings. With more time available, consider this Alsace Wine Route road trip itinerary which combines sightseeing and wine tasting.
Côtes du Rhône Wine Region
Located in Southeastern France along the Rhône River, the wine region of Côtes du Rhône is best known for its reds and is, in fact, one of France’s major producers and exporters of red wine.
This French wine region is split into two sections: Northern Rhône and Southern Rhône. Northern Rhône Valley vineyards make some of the most expensive wines in the region while in Southern Rhône, you will find more white wines with blends of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier.
We always ensure a good stock of Rhône Valley wines: red wines from the Rhône and red wine from Bordeaux are our favorite ones!
Côtes du Rhône Wine Tours from Paris
SELF-GUIDED TOURS: take the first train from Paris to Lyon. After a second coffee in Place Bellecour, join this Northern Rhône Valley wine tour, departing from Lyon, where you can sample up to 12 different Côte du Rhône wines.
And there you have it, the best French wine regions near Paris with a list of some good Paris wine tours to explore them. Which of these French wine regions close to Paris is on your bucket list?
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