A wine guide to France

According to the late, renowned, Nobel-prize winning author, Ernest Hemingway, ‘[wine] offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.’ For anyone inclined to agree, where better to revel in your love of fine wines than the rolling vineyards of France?

To help you plan an itinerary filled with tastings and tours of historic cellars, read about the top destinations for wine, as chosen by global travellers.*

Épernay, Champagne

Épernay is the capital of the Champagne region and thus, the historic hub of bubbly. Surrounded by undulating, vineyard-covered hills, a visit to the town offers insight into the production of the world’s most glamorous drink; along its tree-lined Avenue de Champagne, behind elaborate building facades, you’ll find the houses of all the world’s most famous labels. Opening their doors to the public for tastings and tours, some even take visitors beneath the streets to see their subterranean cellars. Head to Mercier to board its wine cellar train ride, winding through 18km of caverns filled with aging barrels of wine, accompanied by an audio guide. Stay in a pale yellow, balcony-adorned building moments from the Avenue de Champagne at La Mignonette.

Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux

Looking out from the top of the medieval bell tower of Saint-Émilion, the contoured lines of Bordeaux’s vineyards stretch all the way to the horizon. The town itself was built upon slopes leading down to the Dordogne River, with narrow and steep cobbled streets that snake between butter-coloured, stone houses and Romanesque churches. There are numerous châteaux and family-run wineries just outside Saint-Émilion, where you can take part in tastings and be shown around the area’s labyrinthine network of limestone caves. These square-shaped tunnels were created over centuries, as the result of mining for local architecture, and eventually began to be used to store casks of aging wine – these days, touring them makes for a great day out. Within the town, Les Cordeliers is a must-see; this monolithic church, 14th-century cloister and cellars organizes guided daily tours from April through to September, and you can buy a bottle to take home from the gift shop. Check into La Maison Colline, an old stone townhouse with wooden shutters, a grand piano and a grandfather clock.

Beaune, Burgundy

The epicentre of the Burgundy winemaking region, Beaune is a walled town of cobbled streets and faded French grandeur that prides itself on its fine wine and cuisine. In addition to the wine cellars – where underground corridors are stacked with millions of bottles of wine – there’s a selection of excellent restaurants in the vicinity, serving the very best dishes to complement the local vintages. Sample a rich boeuf bourguignon braised in a local Burgundy wine, or a melt-in-your-mouth coq au vin accompanied by the region’s other speciality, Dijon mustard. And each November, the town hosts its annual wine auction at the Hôtel-Dieu, where you can revel in the atmosphere while serious bidders invest in the best local barrels (there’s a street festival and half-marathon for entertainment, too). Book yourself a suite with timber beams, antique furniture and chandeliers at the refined guesthouse, Côté Rempart.

Riquewihr, Alsace

Located along the Alsace wine route, the walled town of Riquewihr deservedly holds the title as one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. The surrounding countryside is covered with glossy grape vines, while the town’s fortified walls contain a captivatingly-pretty collection of half-timbered, brightly-painted houses decorated with overflowing flower boxes. But Riquewihr’s wine heritage is equally alluring; from riesling and gewürztraminer to pinot noir, it’s a place that produces some of the world’s most outstanding white wines. But it’s the Hugel family that is the most famous Alsatian estate, exported to over 100 countries worldwide from its 16th-century cellar; visit the tasting room here for a truly unforgettable experience. Stay in the centre of town, at the pretty, pink and typically Alsatian, Gîtes les bains.

Bordeaux, Bordeaux

An endlessly elegant city of neoclassical architecture, tree-lined avenues and bridges arching over the wide Garonne river, Bordeaux is also the centre of the eponymous, largest wine producing region in France. For rookies, La Cité du Vin (or City of Wine) is a museum dedicated to the history of wine (not just in Bordeaux but all over the world), a visit to which ends with a wine tasting on the top floor overlooking the city. There are also plenty of full-day and half-day tours to local wineries, with the option of adding food pairing and wine tasting options. Check into Les Chambres d’Art, a delightful Bordeaux B&B just minutes from the banks of La Garonne.

**The data analysts at Booking.com looked at endorsements for ‘wine’ in France by Booking.com customers. They then found the destinations that were most highly rated for this endorsement.