Rhône Valley: The Tour de France through wine

After a beautiful escape through the heart of the Languedoc vineyards , the Tour de France route offers the riders several stages in the heart of the Rhône Valley . An ideal itinerary for exploring the vineyards !

A journey through the heart of the Rhône Valley vineyards

While the profiles of the upcoming stages are very different from one another, the Rhône Valley vineyards offer a great diversity of wines . Between slopes that delight climbers and tracks ideal for sprinters, the Rhône Valley is also often divided into two zones: the northern part and the southern part.

A closer look at the profile of the Rhône vineyards:

Northern Rhône Valley : Bordered to the west by the Massif Central and to the east by the Alps, the northern Rhône Valley lies between Valence and Vienne. This location provides a temperate and cool climate, with a continental influence. The soils of this region are ancient and composed of granite and schist. The vineyards have adapted to this landscape by cultivating themselves on narrow, sloping terraces. One of the distinctive features of the vineyards of the northern Rhône Valley is the limited selection of grape varieties, restricted to four. Red wines are generally made from Syrah, while white wines vary between Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussanne.

Southern part : In the heart of Provence , the Southern Rhône Valley stretches from Montélimar to Avignon. Benefiting from a Mediterranean climate, the vineyards are planted on gently sloping hills and plateaus. The red and rosé wines are made primarily from Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, and Carignan grapes, as well as other unusual varieties such as Counoise and Vaccarèse. For white wines, the same grape varieties used in the northern part of the Rhône Valley are found, along with others such as Grenache Blanc, Clairette, and Bourboulenc.

A tour of the main appellations of the Rhône Valley

Over the years, certain stages of the Tour de France have become highly anticipated by (television) viewers, such as the ascent of Mont Ventoux or the roads overlooking the Ardèche gorges, which offer breathtaking views. The reputation of the Vallée-du-Rhône and Côtes-du-Rhône appellations is also well established, with numerous prestigious wines produced there.

A quick look at the map :

• The northern part of the Rhône Valley boasts illustrious wines for aging, such as Côte-Rôtie , the oldest vineyard in the valley, producing structured red wines marked by notes of fruit, spice, and violet. Other notable wines from this region include Hermitage, available in both white and red, as well as Cornas and Condrieu .
• The southern part of the Rhône Valley also contains prestigious wines such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape , a wine meant for aging, available in red or white. Other wines include Vacqueyras , with its rich and powerful red, fragrant rosé, and balanced white, as well as Gigondas and Beaumes-de-Venise .

Gourmet stops in the Rhône Valley

While thousands of spectators will line the roads, many gourmet tourists also travel to the region to enjoy the various regional specialties.

On the agenda for our stops in the Rhône Valley:

To start the meal off right , there's nothing like enjoying Lyon specialties such as the famous rosette de Lyon, Jésus, grattons, Tablier de Sapeur or Cervelle des Canuts.

For the main course , you can enjoy various specialties such as Daube de boeuf au Cornas, Poularde de demi-deuil, or even Quenelles lyonnaise.

Cheese or dessert? Both! We greedily enjoy a Rigotte de Condrieu, a Montélimar nougat ice cream, or even Lyonnaise bugnes.

Commentary on the stage: A land of wines, the Rhône Valley offers a wide range of tastes that will delight all wine enthusiasts and the many wine tourists .

Quentin (Les Grappes)