Beaujolais Food & Wine Tour
Ten crus, granite hills, and forty years of misunderstanding to clear up. A full day on the northern roads in a vintage Range Rover, at estates that do not open to the public, with eight wines unlike anything you expect from Beaujolais, and a lunch that takes its time.
- Duration
- Full day — 8 h
- Stops
- 2 to 4 wine estates
- Tasting
- 8 wines minimum
- Departure
- Lyon
- Price
- See the calendar
The ten Beaujolais crus in one tour
Beaujolais suffers from a misunderstanding that has lasted forty years. The reality is ten crus on granite soils, winemakers who vinify plot by plot, and age-worthy wines nobody expects there.
A whole day in the north of the region is enough to change your mind.
The northern roads, in a vintage Range Rover
The route follows the most beautiful roads of the northern vineyard, the ones that climb between Fleurie, Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent, aboard a vintage Range Rover.
Two to four visits depending on the pace of the day, at estates often closed to the general public, with the backstage of winemaking and generous tastings.
Between two tastings, the unscheduled stops
A chapel hidden in the vines, a private medieval castle, a local artisan: your Insider adjusts as the day goes on.
At midday, lunch in a seasonal restaurant or an elegant picnic at our winemaker's hut in the vines, your choice.
What your Insider can also arrange
The stops below are examples, not a set programme. They are here to give you ideas: the day's agenda is then decided together with your Insider.
A sanctuary for endangered grape varieties
A local winemaker has planted and tends a collection of vine varieties at risk of disappearing, so that future generations of winemakers can still reach them. It is a living conservatory, and it can be visited.
A castle, and the guardian born inside it
Its now-retired guardian was born in one of the towers and has never left the area. Nobody tells the story of these walls better than he does.
A beekeeper, and his end-of-year blend
You put on the suit and follow him out to the hives. One detail sums up the region: at the end of the year he blends his different honeys exactly the way a winemaker blends their cuvées.
A barbecue under the cherry tree
Beside our winemaker's shed stand a cherry tree and an open view over the vines. That is where the barbecue lunch is served, as an option and at extra cost, when the season and the mood allow.
None of this is automatic, and this list is far from complete. Every outing is put together for the people living it: yours will be one of a kind, and it will never have been run in exactly this way before. Your Insider will contact you before departure to pick, among these experiences and many others, the ones that best match what you are after.
A private tour, the Insiders way
A local Insider who knows the region and its best addresses by heart, a vintage Range Rover just for you, and nobody at the wheel but him.
Book this tour
Full day — 8 h. Pick your date: the calendar shows availability and the price for your group size.
A question before booking? Email us at thomas@insidersexperience.com or call +33 6 98 78 29 28.
Practical information
Included
- Private full day with a local Insider, in a vintage Range Rover
- Return train tickets Lyon ⇄ Beaujolais
- Tastings at 2 to 4 wine estates, minimum 8 different wines
- Lunch at a restaurant with local products (or a picnic, your choice)
- Tasting of wines, cheeses and charcuterie in the vines
- Wi-Fi on board
Not included
- Driving: your Insider takes the wheel, you can taste
- Your wine purchases on site
Meeting point
Private transfer or train from Lyon, train tickets sent in advance if you choose that option.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. After that, the booking is charged in full.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference with the Beaujolais half-day?
The half-day covers two estates in four hours, without a meal. The full day goes up to four estates, adds lunch and leaves time for detours: castle, chapel, artisans.
How many wines do we taste?
Eight at least over the whole day, plus the open-air tasting in the vines.
Can we have a picnic instead of going to a restaurant?
Yes, it is an option to choose when booking: a carefully prepared picnic set up in the vines.