Vineyards and bikes: A Di-VINE duo!
In Vaucluse, you can stroll between the vines of famous or secret vineyards.
In Spring, the vines take on a shade of intense green, and the golden clusters of grapes are almost transparent, soon to turn deep purple in summer. In the Autumn, the leaves are painted with red and gold before giving way in winter to the vine stocks, whose gnarled wood is almost sculpture-like, telling the story of the vine.
Discover a new painting with the arrival of every season.
facile
intermédiaire
difficile
Duration:
5 days
Pratice:
Bike rides
A living painting – and a delicious one!
When is the best season to cycle through our vineyards?
The answer is – all year round! You can follow our 23 marked paths that will take you across 3 appellations, 8 crus and 2 natural sweet wines (that should be tasted in moderation of course😊 – alcohol abuse is bad for your health)
And to make you want to visit even more, we’ll give you a little preview of what awaits you in Provence!
Wine and History
Sometimes in our region, wines and monuments are intimately linked, with the Rhône acting as the magistrate. Examples?
In Vaison-la-Romaine, the museum displays stone tablets which tell the story of Bacchus and Ariadne. In Beaumes-de-Venise, a fragment of bas-relief depicting a grape harvest was discovered. In Villelaure, a sarcophagus of Bacchus and Ariane tells the story of the era…
In Richerenches, the Templars who used to work on the vineyards…
In Avignon and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the popes of Avignon planted vines whose divine nectar was the pride of the papal tables…
Since then, the vineyard has continued to evolve and today, next to the estates, a museums dedicated to wine continue this love story. Don’t forget about the house of the truffle and wine as well as the Corkscrew museum (both in Ménerbes), the Brotte museum (Châteauneuf-du-Pape) or the museum of truffle and wine in Richerenches and the museum of arts and wine in Ansouis.
We invite you too to follow embark on a journey of wine and history!
Top Tip
The Brotte museum offers a “tasting” tour and a “prestige” tour, both of which are included in the Vaucluse Provence Pass
“Wine and History” Itineraries
Wine and the Giant of Provence
The AOC Ventoux, which we will cross as we travel from Le Crestet to Apt (the appellation zone), covers a multitude of landscapes, from the foothills of the Giant of Provence to the Luberon plain, and the north side of the river Coulon.
As well as the 4 itineraries that to cross the vineyards from the foothills of Ventoux to the Comtat Venaissin plain, the Luberon can also be crossed following the northern route of the Tour du Luberon, which passes through the villages of Ménerbes, Lacoste, Joucas, Goult, Bonnieux and Apt…
The perfect place to admire the vineyards
It’s difficult to choose just one, but we love to take in the views from the esplanade at the top of the road leading from Barroux to La Roque Alric. This vantage point offers fabulous views in every direction: On one side the view of the fields of vines and Mont Ventoux is breathtaking, and on the other, the vines stretch as far as the Dentelles de Montmirail!
Gourmet favourite
In Mormoiron, the Château Pesquié offers picnics that can be enjoyed in the shade of century-old plane trees, with Ventoux in the background!
“Wine and the Giant of Provence” Itineraries
Wine and the Rhône Valley
Gourmet favourite
A picnic and bike ride in Châteauneuf-du-pape at the Cellier des Princes and in Avignon, a wine-tasting workshop at the Ecole des Vins and lunch (or dinner) at the Carré du Palais, overlooking the Palais des Papes.
The vines are everywhere!
In this area, which partly runs alongside the fierce river, the illustrious names of the Côtes du Rhône sud appellation are dotted across the landscape, promising unforgettable tastings:
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Séguret, Sablet, Cairanne, Rasteau… Without forgetting Avignon, the capital of the Côtes du Rhône.
Although many of the cycling routes are flat, you will sometimes need to reserve some energy to reach your next destination (and the next wine-tasting stop😉).
The perfect place to admire the vineyards
The esplanade of the Popes’ Castle in Châteauneuf-du-Pape has plunging views of the vineyards with Mont Ventoux in the distance, which can also be seen from the heights of Séguret, on the forecourt of the church.
“Wine and the Rhône Valley” Itineraries
Wine and the Luberon
Although the wines of the AOC Luberon are sometimes kept a secret, the fact remains that the vineyards located between plains, charming villages (including Gordes, Ménerbes, Ansouis, Lourmarin classified among “The Most Beautiful Villages of France”) and forests are beautiul places to go for a stroll.
Here, too, as in the Rhone Valley, you’ll sometimes have to pedal hard to reach the next domain, but always take it at your pace and enjoy the ride: There’s no need to rush! 😉
The perfect place to admire the vineyards:
From the gardens of the Domaine de la Citadelle or from the villages of Ménerbes and Lacoste 😊
Gourmet favourite
At the Domaine Marrenon in La Tour d’Aigues, why not go for a walk with a winemaker who will tell you about the Luberon terroir, before letting you taste the wines of the estate. The visit will end with a Provencal picnic (from June to September)!
