Self-drive Eastern France

Eastern France self-drive holidays

France self-drive holidays | Credits-Eurostar

At a glance

Region:Multi Region
Type of Tour:,
Duration:13 Days
Guide Price:From £3729 to £4664 per person
Number of Meals:12 breakfasts + 6 lunches
Number of Winery Visits:17 wineries
Number of Wines Tasted:Approximately 64
Tour Transport:4 Private full day guided and transported tours (in Champagne, Burgundy, the Southern Rhône and Provence), E-bikes for one full day (in Burgundy) as well as some visits on foot (in Alsace and the Northern Rhône).
Dates / Availability:Available mid-week and weekends from May to October. Outside of these dates, slight amendments to the activities may be required.

Trip Summary

Eastern France self-drive holidays

Our self-drive Eastern France offers the opportunity to drive through Eastern France and experience the famous wine regions, with accommodation at charming boutique hotels, located in peaceful settings, away from the busy towns and cities.

On day one of your tour, drive from the UK to Champagne, taking the Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais. You have the complete freedom to choose your preferred crossing time, and then drive from Calais to Rilly-la-Montagne at your leisure. The driving time from Calais will be around 2 ¾ hours.

Upon arrival at Château de Rilly, check into your spacious room with its own private balcony or terrace, and spend a relaxing afternoon enjoying your pleasant surroundings.

France self-drive holidays

This evening, you may wish to dine in the Château’s on-site gourmet restaurant or alternatively, we would be very pleased to reserve you a table at one of our partner restaurants in Epernay, which is a 20 minute drive from the Château.

After breakfast on day two, you will be met at the Château by an English-speaking specialist driver/guide, who will accompany you throughout the day on a private basis. Your guide will regale you with tales and anecdotes of the history of Champagne and its vineyards, introducing you to the particularities of the region. You will firstly stop in a vineyard to learn about the work undertaken here, and the tour is designed to be as hands-on as possible. Here, your guide will explain the grape varieties permitted in Champagne and the yearly cycle of the work carried out in the vineyards. You will also pass through Hautvillers, the famous hilltop village where Dom Pérignon himself lived and is buried.

France self-drive holidays ©-H.-Guillaume
France self-drive holidays | Credits-Chateau-de-Rilly

You will then visit a small, family-run producer of Champagnes for a private tour of the fascinating Champagne-making process from press to bottle, and at least three tastings. An al fresco picnic lunch in a picturesque setting will then be served. In the cooler months, lunch will instead be served in a private dining room. After lunch, your guide will take you to another family-run estate, situated in another of the principle regions of Champagne. After a private tour of the House, you will taste Champagnes in contrasting style to those tasted during the morning.

Ending the day in true style, you will be welcomed as the VIP guests of Champagne Taittinger. Here, you will be taken on a private tour of the estate and cellars followed by tastings of three Taittinger Champagnes including their Prestige Cuvée, Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs. In the evening, we will reserve you a table for dinner in Château de Rilly’s restaurant. You will be able to order à la carte and payment can be made locally.

Alsace Wine Holiday ©-C.-Fleith-(1)
Riquewihr wine tour | Alsace-Kougelhopf-©-C.-Fleith

After breakfast on day three, check out of the hotel at your leisure and drive to Obernai in the Alsace, this will take approximately 3 ½ hours and we would be pleased to recommend a suitable place to stop en route for a lunch.

After settling in at the 4* Hotel A la Cour d’Alsace, why not explore the lovely town of Obernai, famous for its charming half-timbered houses each painted in the bright colours of the Alsace region? Take a stroll through the picturesque streets and perhaps stop to enjoy a glass of wine in one of the many Winstubs (literally meaning a wine lounge!). In the evening, head to the hotel’s restaurant for a three course dinner with drinks.

France self-drive holidays | Credits-A-la-Cour-d'Alsace

On the morning of day four after breakfast, set off on foot to your first visit of the day. This winery, just a ten-minute walk from your hotel, produces wines with the utmost respect to the traditional ways of their ancestors and have done so for generations.  You will be taken on a very comprehensive private tour of the cellars, where you will see the beautiful old oak barrels and then taste four wines, accompanied by some pretzels.

At the end of the tasting, your next rendez-vous is at a winery, a ten-minute walk away. This small producer will provide a real contrast to your last visit; a very typical, authentic experience, where you will meet the wine-maker and taste your way through five wines, served with the region’s famous and uncompromising Munster cheese along with a slice of delicious kougelhopf, an Alsatian cake made with almonds and raisins. After a busy morning tasting, take a break for a spot of a lunch! There are plenty of charming restaurants and cafés to choose from in the town and we would be pleased to make some recommendations.

France self-drive holidays| Credits-Tourism-Colmar
France self-drive holidays | Alsace-Vines--Credits-Meyer-and-ADT-Alsace

Time then to head for your last visit of the day, a producer with five generations of experience.  Here you will learn about the unique wines of the region as well as gaining an insight into the local wine making. After a private tour of the cellar, the producer will talk you through a tasting of several different varietals, and you will also enjoy a glass of the region’s sparkling wine, Crémant d’Alsace.

After such an enlightening day, your hotel awaits, where your evening is free to do as you please. Again, we would be happy to recommend a restaurant for dinner.

After a breakfast on day five, check out of the hotel and drive to Burgundy. The drive to Vosne-Romanée is approximately 3 ¼ hours. Here, check into your Privilège room at the 4* Hotel le Richebourg, nestled in the heart of the Côte de Nuits. The remainder of the day and evening will then be free to do as you please. This evening, we would be very pleased to reserve you a table for dinner in the hotel’s gourmet restaurant.

France self-drive holidays | Gastronomie-vin_-Photo-Alain-Doire_Bourgogne-Tourisme
France self-drive holidays | TASTEVIN-DANS-UNE-CAVE

Today e-bikes will be provided for the day (if you would prefer a private driver instead, just let us know and we will provide you with the relevant supplement). Take a 14km ride along the famous Route des Grand Crus to Aloxe-Corton, one of the only villages in Burgundy to boast both red and white Grand Cru wines. Here, you will be welcomed at the authentic family-owned Domaine Comte Sénard, where you will visit the vineyard, Les Clos des Meix, as well as the 13th Century cellars. The visit will conclude with a three course traditional lunch, during which you will have the unique opportunity to taste six Grand Cru wines, complemented further by comments from one the estate’s sommeliers. After lunch, head back to Vosne-Romanée to visit a premium winery in the village. As well as having a private tour of the historic cellars, you will taste five wines including a Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru. The evening will then be yours to relax and perhaps enjoy another glass of wine or two at the hotel.

France self-drive holidays | Mercurey-vignes-juin2016

On day seven, you will be met at the hotel by an English-speaking specialist driver/guide, for a full day private transported tour of the world-famous Côte de Beaune appellation, the true home of the Chardonnay grape.

In Puligny-Montrachet, you will be welcomed as the guests of one of the biggest names in the village. The experience will include an hour spent learning about the work in the vineyard before returning to their winery in the centre of the village where you will enjoy a tour of their estate. Following the tour, you will be taken to their tasting rooms where a broad tasting of nine wines from the Côte de Beaune including Premier Cru wines will be offered alongside a delightful three course lunch. In the afternoon, you will be taken to the magnificent Château de Chassagne-Montrachet. Here you will enjoy a private tour of the estate, followed by a tasting session of the estate’s wines. You will be taken back to your hotel at the end of the day. As always, we would be pleased to reserve you a table for dinner if required.

France self-drive holidays

After a leisurely breakfast on day eight, check out of the hotel and drive to the Northern Rhône. The drive to Tournon-sur-Rhône is approximately 2 ½ hour. Upon arrival at the 4* Hotel de la Villeon, check into your Romantic room. The remainder of the day will be free for you to settle in and explore your surroundings independently.

On day nine, all your visits will be within walking distance of your hotel. You will firstly enjoy a private guided tour of a prominent local winery, seeing first-hand the fascinating wine-making process, followed by extensive tastings of their wines. You will then be welcomed at the Paul Jaboulet Aîné boutique. One of the biggest names in the Northern Rhône and producer of the world-revered “La Chapelle,” this estate has been making highly sought-after wines for almost two Centuries and you will have the opportunity to taste six different wines; reds and whites from both the Southern and the Northern Rhône. A three course lunch with a further two Jaboulet wines will then be served.

France self-drive holidays | Domaine-Jaboulet-Aine-2
France self-drive holidays | Tain-l'Hermitage

After lunch, you will have plenty of time to admire the breathtaking views across the Valley from the iconic “La Chapelle,” a stone chapel which was allegedly built by a 13th Century knight who fell in love with the vineyards here. In the afternoon, enjoy a tutored tasting session of five wines at the prestigious Chapoutier. We would be delighted to recommend a restaurant for dinner if required.

After breakfast on day ten, check out of the hotel and drive to Mazan. The drive is approximately 1 ¾ hours. Upon arrival at the Château de Mazan, check into your Deluxe room. The remainder of the day will be free for you to do as you please.

On day eleven, you will be met at the Château by an English-speaking specialist driver/guide, for a full day private transported tour of the world-famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation.

France self-drive holidays - Baux-de-Provence-vineyards-and-lavender

You will start by looking at the unusual terroir that is responsible for the ultra-ripe grapes that come from its vines and will then visit the cuverie of a wine maker, to understand their wine making philosophy. The private visit will conclude with tastings of their award-winning wines. Following the morning’s activities, you will be welcomed to dine in a quintessentially French bistrot for lunch. In the afternoon, you will then continue your tour, visiting a further two Châteauneuf-du-Pape wineries. You will be taken back to the Château de Mazan at the end of the day. The Château de Mazan has a charming restaurant on site and we would be pleased to reserve you a table for dinner if required.

After breakfast on day twelve, you will once again be met at the Château by an English-speaking specialist driver/guide, for a full day private transported tour, this time to discover the refreshing rosé wines of Aix-en-Provence and surroundings.

France self-drive holidays | Food-Credits-Hotel-le-Richebourg

Today, you will experience the Provençal art de vivre! Private tours and tastings will be arranged at two wineries in the appellation and you will be given some free time for lunch in the picturesque Aix-en-Provence. You will be taken back to the Château de Mazan at the end of the day.

On your final day, after a leisurely breakfast, check out and drive back to the UK, taking the Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais. If you would prefer to spend a night en route to break up the nine hour drive, we would be pleased to arrange this for you.

France self-drive holidays ©J.-Guillard-Scope
France self-drive holidays | Credits-AU36

Outline Itinerary

Day One of your Eastern France Self-drive Holidays

  • Drive from the UK to Champagne, taking the Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais. You are free to choose your crossing time.
  • Upon arrival, check into your spacious room with its own private balcony or terrace at the 4* Château de Rilly.
  • Free afternoon and evening to relax and enjoy your pleasant surroundings.
  • For dinner this evening, we can reserve you a table in the Château’s gourmet restaurant or alternatively, we can recommend a restaurant in nearby Epernay.
France self-drive holidays | OTAR---Carmen-Moya

Day Two of your Eastern France Self-drive Holidays

  • After breakfast, you will be met at the hotel by an English-speaking specialist driver/guide, who will accompany you throughout the day. Your tour day will comprise of:
  • A private tour and tasting at a small, family-run Champagne house.
  • Time in the hilltop village of Hautvillers including a visit to the Church where Dom Pérignon is buried.
  • An alfresco picnic lunch in a picturesque setting, or in a private dining room during the cooler months.
  • A private tour at a second boutique Champagne House
  • A private tour and three tastings at Champagne Taittinger
  • This evening, we will reserve you a table for dinner in Château de Rilly’s restaurant.
France self-drive holidays | Credits-Dom-Caudron
France self-drive holidays | Credits-Champagne-Le-Gallais

Day Three of your Eastern France Self-drive Holidays

  • After breakfast, check out of the hotel.
  • Drive to the quaint town of Obernai in Alsace. The drive is approximately 3 ½
  • Upon arrival, check into your Superior room at the 4* Hotel A la Cour d’Alsace.
  • The rest of the day is at leisure and a three course dinner with drinks will be arranged for you at the hotel in the evening.
Alsace Wine Holiday- Credits-Meyer-and-ADT-Alsace
Strasbourg wine tour | Food-Credits-A-la-Cour-d'Alsace

Day Four of your Eastern France Self-drive Holidays

  • After breakfast, enjoy a full day of private tours and tastings at local estates. All of the visits are within walking distance of the hotel. Your day will comprise of:
  • A private tour and tasting of five wines at a nearby winery.
  • A private tasting of five wines with local specialities at a second winery.
  • Free time for lunch.
  • A private tour and tasting of five wines at a third winery.
  • Head back to your hotel at the end of the day.
  • The evening will be free for you to do as you please.
France self-drive holidays | Alsace-Munster-cheese-©-D.-Bringard-ADT-68
Wine escape | Alsace-Wine-Road-grape-picking-©-Dumoulin-CIVA

Day Five of your Eastern France Self-drive Holidays

  • After breakfast, check out of the hotel and drive to the village of Vosne-Romanée in the Côte de Nuits.
  • Here, check into a Privilège room at the 4* Hotel le Richebourg.
  • The afternoon and evening will be free to relax and enjoy your pleasant surroundings. We would be very pleased to reserve you a table at the hotel’s restaurant for dinner this evening.

Day Six of your Eastern France Self-drive Holidays

  • After breakfast, e-bikes will be provided for the day. Your tour day will comprise of:
  • A tour and three course lunch with tastings of six Grand Cru wines at a premium winery in the village of Aloxe-Corton.
  • A private tour and tastings at a winery in Vosne-Romanée.
France self-drive holidays
France self-drive holidays

Day Seven of your Eastern France Self-drive Holidays

  • After breakfast, you will be met at the hotel by an English-speaking specialist driver/guide, who will accompany you throughout the day on a private basis. Today you will be taken to the Côte de Beaune. Your tour day will comprise of:
  • A vineyard workshop, cellar tour and tasting lunch with nine wines in Puligny-Montrachet.
  • A private tour and tastings at the majestic Château de Chassagne-Montrachet.
  • You will be taken back to your hotel at the end of the day.
  • As always, we would be pleased to reserve you a table for dinner if required.

Day Eight of your Eastern France Self-drive Holidays

  • After a leisurely breakfast, check out of the hotel and drive to Tournon-sur-Rhône.
  • Upon arrival at the 4* Hotel de la Villeon, check into your Romantic room.
  • The remainder of the day will be free for you to explore independently.

Day Nine of your Eastern France Self-drive Holidays

  • After breakfast, make your way to your first visit. Today all your visits will be within walking distance of each other.
  • Enjoy a private tour and tastings at a prominent local winery.
  • You will then enjoy an insightful tasting session of six Northern and Southern Rhône wines, both red and white, at the Jaboulet tasting boutique in Tain l’Hérmitage.
  • A delicious three course lunch with two further Jaboulet wines will be served on site.
  • In the afternoon, we will arrange a tutored tasting session of five wines at the prestigious M Chapoutier.
  • We would be delighted to recommend a restaurant for dinner if required.

Day Ten of your Eastern France Self-drive Holidays

  • After breakfast, check out of the hotel and drive to the Château de Mazan.
  • Upon arrival, check into your Deluxe room.
  • The remainder of the day will be free for you to do as you please.

Day Eleven of your Eastern France Self-drive Holidays

  • In the morning, you will be met at the Château by an English-speaking specialist driver/guide, who will accompany you throughout the day on a private basis. Your tour day will comprise of:
  • Private tour and tastings at three Châteauneuf-du-Pape wineries.
  • Lunch with drinks in a quaint bistrot.
  • We would be pleased to reserve you a table at the hotel’s restaurant for dinner if required.
France self-drive holidays | Domaine-Bunan-©-José-Nicolas
France self-drive holidays | Credits-Château-Paradis---cycle-of-vines---Grapes

Day Twelve of your Eastern France Self-drive Holidays

  • After breakfast, you will be met at the Château by an English-speaking specialist driver/guide, who will accompany you throughout the day on a private basis. Today you will be taken to Aix-en-Provence and surroundings. Your tour day will comprise of:
  • Private tour and tastings at two wineries.
  • Free time for lunch in the picturesque Aix-en-Provence.
  • As always, please let us know if you require a table reservation for dinner

Final Day of your Eastern France Self-drive Holidays

  • After a leisurely breakfast, check out of your hotel and begin your homeward journey, taking the Eurotunnel from Calais to Folkestone.

(ii) The outline itinerary is indicative and is subject to minor changes depending on supplier availability. Availability cannot be guaranteed until we have received a confirmed booking, together with the deposit payment (or payment in full where the dates of travel are in less than 60 days). If the named accommodation / visits are not available, we will endeavour to find suitable alternatives of a similar grade; this may be subject to a supplement or a rebate depending on the price available.

France self-drive holidays | Dom_Devillard_101
France self-drive holidays | Copyright-Mas-de-Mourchon

Accommodation

Utterly fantastic. Great advice, superb hotels and wonderful people. A real immersive experience.

Richard - Essex, UK

Package Prices

  • These prices are per person and based on two people travelling together and sharing a twin or double room.
  • These are realistic guide prices, based on travel in standard season (usually April to the end of October). Discounts often apply for travel out of season (usually November to the end of March) or if there are more than two of you travelling together. Please let us know your preferred travel dates for a definitive price.
  • Although we propose specific hotels as part of our standard packages, we enjoy excellent relationships and preferential rates at the majority of the hotels in each of our featured destinations. Therefore if you would prefer to stay in a different hotel, this can be arranged. Please contact us for the relevant supplements/discounts.
  • Other room grades are available at most of the hotels that we work with. Just let us know which hotel you prefer and we will send you the relevant supplements for the various room grades.
  • Single supplements and extra night prices are available upon request.
Hotel NameRoom GradeStar RatingDurationPrice Per Person
Self-drive Eastern France HotelsSuperior4*13 Days£4664Book Now
France self-drive holidays |Credits-Domaine-Viticole-de-la-Ville-de-Colmar

Enhance your Experience/Tour Upgrades

If you would like to make your Grape Escapes holiday even more special, there are a number of additional activities that we can arrange for you. To complement the experience, these could be arranged to fit in/around your current itinerary or we can arrange additional nights and room upgrades at your hotel, as well as your travel arrangements, a stop-over en route and even a visit to another part of the country! See below for some of the most popular upgrades.

  • Stay longer! Just let us know your preferred hotel and room grade, and we will provide you with the relevant supplement for extra nights with breakfast.
  • Additional tours and activities! We would be delighted to provide inspiration for more wine tours and cultural activities. The possibilities are endless!
  • Experience the region’s gastronomy. The wine regions are brimming with unique gastronomic dining opportunities and what better way to enjoy a glass than with a mouth-watering meal? We offer a variety of menus to suit every budget. Contact us for prices.
  • Tailor-made tour extensions. The team at Grape Escapes have travelled extensively in Europe, not just in the wine regions and can therefore recommend and arrange tailor-made tour extensions to other regions and cities, for example Paris in France or Bilbao in Spain.
Dom Perignon visit |View-from-la-Terrasse-des-Abbayes-Credits-Champagne-Le-Gallais

Further Information

Travel to your Eastern France self-drive holidays

The price of this package includes Folkestone to Calais Eurotunnel crossings. Please contact us for other travel options and further information about travelling to our self-drive holidays France.

Self-Drive Breaks

For more information on our Self-Drive breaks please see our Self-Drive page.

Further Information / To Book

To secure your booking, a deposit of 20% of the price of your trip is due upon booking. Your remaining balance will then be due 60 days before travel. Please call us on +44 (0) 1920 46 86 66 or email info@grapeescapes.net to request a booking form.

France self-drive holidays | Vineyards---Credits-Domaine-Viticole-de-la-Ville-de-Colmar

Really great trip with good vineyard choices and interesting wines.

Sarah - Cumbria, UK

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Groups

From birthday weekends and hen trips to bespoke tours for wine clubs, car clubs and U3A’s, our group trips are always tailor-made.

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