Essential Avignon

Avignon Wine Tasting Tour

Avignon Wine Tour - bridge-of-avignon

At a glance

Region:The Rhône
Type of Tour:
Duration:3/4 Days
Guide Price:From £568 to £1457 per person
Number of Meals:2 breakfasts and 1 lunch (3 Days)
3 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 1 dinner (4 Days)
Number of Winery Visits:3 wineries and 1 tasting session (3 Days)
4 wineries and 1 tasting session (4 Days)
Number of Wines Tasted:Approximately 8 (3 Days)
Approximately 11 (4 Days)
Tour Transport:Full day transported and guided tour (3 Days)
1 full day and 1 half day transported and guided tour (4 Days)
Dates / Availability:Available mid-week and weekends throughout the year (except July)

Trip Summary

Our Essential Avignon break is ideal for those looking for a midweek or weekend Rhone wine tour, providing an excellent introduction to the various tastes and styles of wines available in the Southern Rhône. You will visit a selection of celebrated appellations and gain a breadth of knowledge and experience with regards to this fascinating and prestigious wine region.

After having settled in at your chosen hotel, you will enjoy an early evening wine tasting of three Rhône wines. Your wines will be accompanied by a platter of cheeses and meats. The remainder of the evening will be free for you to explore the delights of Avignon independently.

Avignon Wine Tour - empreintedailleurs
Avignon Wine Tour - Credits-Eurostar

On day two of your Rhone wine tour, you will meet your English-speaking driver/guide at a central meeting point and embark on your oenological discovery of the stunning surrounding vineyards. Today, you will visit three appellations, including Gigondas, Vacqueyras and the most notable, Châteauneuf-du-Pape. 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 visit will conclude with tastings of their award-winning wines. In the afternoon, you will be welcomed to dine in a quintessentially Rhône bistrot for lunch. In the afternoon, you will visit the village of Vacqueyras, where you will see the famous dentelles. Meaning lace in English, these short, steep mountains are covered in broom and you will have time to admire the beautiful rock formations and the magical terroir. You will then meet a wine producer in the village, who will show you around his estate. A tasting session of some of his wines will then ensue. Before heading back to Avignon, your guide will take you to Gigondas. The countless wine-related archaeological artefacts found in this appellation are testament to the Roman’s appreciation of wine. The day will end with a tour and tastings as the guests of a highly regarded wine maker in this appellation. You will then be chauffeured back to Avignon, in time to relax and enjoy  the evening.

If you are to opt for the four day package, the itinerary will be slightly different. On day two you will have a full day guided and transported tour of three key appellations, Gigondas and Vacqueyras, (as mentioned above) and a third, Rasteau. Rasteau’s history is defined by fortified sweet wines produced from the Grenache grape. You will still enjoy a bistro lunch and be dropped back into the centre of Avignon at the end of the day.

Avignon Wine Tour - Cave L.Pascale ADT 26
Rhone Valley Wine Tour

On day three, you will continue your exploration of the Rhône Valley, with an extensive tour of the jewel in the crown, Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The tour will be slightly more in-depth than that in the 3 day package and will include a visit to one winery. In the afternoon of day three, you will be free to explore the cultural and historical side of this wonderful region. You will firstly have entry to into the famed Palais des Papes. The palace is one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe and was once the papal residence and the seat of Western Christianity during the 14th century. You will also have the opportunity to visit the Pont d’Avignon, an authentic medieval bridge, with picturesque views of the Rhône River. The bridge was the inspiration for the song Sur le Pont d’Avignon and is considered a landmark of the city. In 1995, the surviving arches of the bridge, together with the Palais des Papes were classified as a World Heritage Site.

In the evening, a three course dinner with drinks with be served at a local premium restaurant.

Region Map

Outline Itinerary

Day One of your Rhone Wine Tour

  • Upon arrival in Avignon, check into your chosen hotel in the city centre.
  • Free afternoon to explore the city and relax.
  • Enjoy an early evening tutored tasting session of three premium wines from Northern Rhône. Your wine will be accompanied by a platter of cheeses and meats.

Day Two of your Rhone Wine Tour

  • Your tour day will comprise of:
  • A full day guided and transported tour of Vacqueyras, Gigondas and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, including tours and tastings at three wineries.
  • A bistrot lunch is included on the tour.
  • Please note if you are on the 4 days package, the third appellation will be Rasteau.
Avignon Wine Tour - Palais-des-Papes
Rhone Wine Tour

Day Three (Optional) of your Rhone Wine Tour

  • Your tour day will comprise of:
  • A half day guided and transported tour of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, including a tour and tasting at one winery.
  • Afternoon in Avignon, including entry to Palais des Papes and Pont d’Avignon.
  • In the evening, a three course gourmet dinner with drinks will be served.

Final Day of your Rhone Wine Tour

  • After breakfast, check out of the hotel.

(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.

Accommodation

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). Considerable 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
Le Cloitre Saint Louis - AvignonSuperior4*3 Days£658Book Now
Le Cloitre Saint Louis - AvignonSuperior4*4 Days£1057Book Now
Hôtel d'Europe - AvignonSuperior5*3 Days£926Book Now
Hôtel d'Europe - AvignonSuperior5*4 Days£1457Book Now
Avignon Wine Tour - visite vignobles cornas
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Enhance your Experience/Tour Upgrades

Enhance your Rhone Wine Tour

Please contact us to request further details and a full list of 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 France! See below for some of the most popular upgrades.

  • Stay longer! Just let us know which hotel you prefer and we would be very pleased to let you know the supplement to stay an extra night in Avignon.
  • Spend a night or two in a Provençal Château. Just a 40 minute drive from Avignon is the beautiful Château de Mazan, nestled in the foothills of the Mont Ventoux.
  • Fall in love with Paris. Let us put together an itinerary for you in the city of love!
  • Discover more French wine regions. As well as trips to Avignon, we also arrange holidays to Burgundy, the Loire Valley, Champagne, the Rhône Valley, Alsace, Provence, Cognac and the Languedoc-Roussillon.
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Further Information

Travel to your Rhone wine tour

The price of this package doesn’t include travel to Avignon. Please see our travel page for further information.

Essential Tours

For more information on our essential tours please see our Essential tours page.

Further Information / To Book

To secure your booking, a deposit of £100 per person is required (or 20% if the price of your trip exceeds £500 per person). Your remaining balance will then be due 60 days before travel. Please call us on +44(0)1920 468 666 or e-mail info@grapeescapes.net to requests a booking form.

Rhône Valley tour Caves Brissac HD 047 © JS Evrard

Fabulous tour, fabulous location and fabulous wines. Celine was an extremely knowledgable guide and the diverse range of vineyards and wineries that we visited in Chateauneuf du Pape were wonderful.

Jennifer - Middlesex, UK