Côtes du Rhône Live the Experience Press Pack MORE INFORMATION ON : MORE INFORMATION - Press Service - [email protected] - Tel. 04 90 27 24 18 Contents Page 03 Page 12 Editorial The Cultural Destination Map of the Vineyards History, People and Wines Exploring the 9 Wine Trails Page 06 Page 14 The Romantic Countryside The Festive Destination Destination Unmissable Events in the Côtes du Rhône Some Côtes du Rhône Favourites Page 08 Page 16 The Active Destination The Côtes Du Rhône Fly, sail, cycle, walk… Aims and Ambitions Page 10 Page 24 The Gourmet Destination Contacts Flavours of the Vineyard 2 CÔTES DU RHÔNE WINE TOURISM Editorial Authentic yet enigmatic; festive and full of contrasts; there are many different sides to the côtes du rhône vineyards. this is France’s second largest winegrowing area, brimming with flavours and full of hidden trea- sures. wine estates, museums, undulating footpaths, award-winning villages, breathtaking landscapes and unforgettable cultural icons line the region’s 9 wine trails. Excellent tourism potential, driven by a vibrant, future- facing industry and illustrated by the measures we take to ensure a warm welcome for all and to protect the landscape and environment (see p. 18-22). Although just a few hours from Paris, life in the Côtes du Rhône is lived in the slow lane, at a leisurely pace just perfect for discovering the secret nooks and crannies of this major tourist region. Our vineyards are easily accessed from Lyon and Marseilles; you can watch them appear alongside the river as you make your way along the ViaRhôna or Route Nationale 7. CÔTES DU RHÔNE WINE TOURISM 3 A Programme around the Côtes du Rhône’s 9 Wine Trails Wine enthusiasts can explore the 9 wine trails designed by Inter Rhône, with an opportunity to experience the different terroirs and lifestyles of the Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Rhône Villages. From the gateway of the Camargue, through Provence and up towards Lyon, the routes lead visitors across 6 départements, (the Drôme, the Gard, the Ardèche, Vaucluse, the Loire and the Rhône) teaching them about both culture and viticulture along the way. There are cellar visits to be made, as well as a host of other activities. Each of the routes is clearly co- lour-coded and signposted. Rhône www.vins-rhone.com is the go-to guide for visitors. Here, you can tailor-make your own wine-trail itinerary according to your own personal interests. All activities involving exploration of the Côtes du Rhône terroirs and vineyards are indexed and sorted for our “oeno-tourists” to peruse at their leisure, depending on mood. They are listed under the headings of: festive, active, gourmet and intriguing”. Appellation categories Duché d’Uzès Rhône Valley AOC appellation area Côtes du Rhône appellation area Area covering 171 communes in 6 diffe- rent departments: Ardèche, Drôme, Gard, Loire, Rhône and Vaucluse Rhône 16 Côtes du Rhône Crus Northern Crus: 8 - Southern Crus: 8 2 Vins Doux Naturels (Natural sweet wines) Côtes du Rhône Villages Area covering 95 towns including the 18 geographical names mentioned on the label. Main cities 4 CÔTES DU RHÔNE WINE TOURISM The Northernmost Vineyards From Pont Saint Esprit From Vienne to Valence, Wine Route 1 wends its way to Saint Victor la Coste through the heart of the northernmost vineyards. In the Gard département along the right bank of the All those years ago as the River Rhône shaped the River Rhône, Route 6 follows the valley of the Cèze, Rhône Corridor, it formed a unique set of features, taking in the Côtes du Rhône villages of Chusclan, illustrated by the legendary hill at L’ Hermitage. The Laudun and Saint Gervais. The landscapes feature craggy, rugged landscapes feature vines clinging a combination of garrigue and vineyards, together to its steep slopes, making an impressive, majestic with hilltop villages and some notable historical sight. sites. Drôme Provençale Around the Dentelles de Montmirail Further south, Route 2 features undulating, full-size Along Route 7, we can admire the vineyard picture-postcard views across vineyards, olive landscape interwoven with picturesque villages groves and lavender fields. Magnificent villages such such as Séguret, listed as one of the most beautiful as Rousset-les-Vignes and Saint-Pantaléon-les- villages in France, and whose elegance is matched Vignes line up to be admired, alongside numerous only by the quality of its unforgettable vineyards. mediaeval châteaux, testament to a rich and varied Fine beds of limestone have been carved into shape past. by erosion, and are now home to a plethora of vineyards, orchards and hillsides, making the perfect backdrop for a delightful wine-tasting session. With The Enclave suitable rock faces both to north and south, the The Enclave is something of an administrative Dentelles de Montmirail are a paradise for climbers anomaly, comprising four communes of the all year round. Vaucluse, but within the Drôme département. It is home to an array of magnificent heritage villages, and offers plenty of opportunity to taste Côtes Around Avignon du Rhône Villages Visan and Valréas wines. Route As the capital of the Côtes du Rhône and the food 3 also hides another jewel in its crown: the truffle, capital of Provence, Avignon boasts an illustrious along with an iconic truffle market in the erstwhile history which has led to its inclusion as a designated Templar town of Richerenches. UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is a major spiritual, political, economic and cultural centre, and still retains its hallmark as one of the greatest and Vineyards of the Ardèche most beautiful examples of the Gothic style in all of Route 4 is the most untamed of the Wine Trails, Europe. Make time to visit the unique new showcase known for its unusual views over the vineyards for wine tourism in the famous Palais des Papes in and its unchanged natural landscapes. This is the Avignon - due to open in 2015. destination of choice for the active visitor, offering caving, vineyard walks, climbing, kayaking, canoeing down the Gorges de l’Ardèche… From Roquemaure to Remoulins To the west of Avignon, Route 9 takes visitors through the vineyards of the Gard: Ville- From Orange to Vaison la Romaine neuve-Lez-Avignon, across from the City of the Route 5 criss-crosses the Côtes du Rhône villages of Popes, then Lirac and Tavel with their famous crus, Cairanne, Roaix, Puyméras, Plan de Dieu and Massif and finally Roquemaure, birthplace of the Côtes d’Uchaux. Welcome to the grandeur of the Roman du Rhône. Walkers should be sure to stop at the era! The Arc de Triomphe in Orange leads you Pont du Gard to admire this masterpiece of Roman into the gates of the town, while the magnificent architecture, which has withstood the tests of time amphitheatre rivals that of Vaison la Romaine. to an impressive degree. This trail is steeped in the history of the Camargue. CÔTES DU RHÔNE WINE TOURISM 5 The Festive Destination Unmissable Events in the Côtes du Rhône In the Côtes du Rhône, any event is an excuse to party. With 380 festive celebrations scheduled throughout the year, the region’s event diary is full to bursting. There are theatre and music festivals, gourmet walks, sporting events and open-air tasting sessions… The Côtes du Rhône is transformed into a giant open-air concert hall, full of heady, delicious scents and rousing music. Dionysus, god of grapes, wine and theatre, graciously presides over all these landmark events. Avignon’s 3 major festive events The Côtes du Rhône Pomp and Circumstance An Ovation celebrate their own - The Start of Harvest in for the New festival in July Avignon: August Harvest in November The Côtes du Rhône – long-standing The Ban des Vendanges is a partner of the Avignon Festival celebration to announce that the Millevin introduces Every year, the Avignon Festival hosts grapes are ripe and harvests can Côtes du Rhône wines over 1,200 different performances, begin: the perfect excuse for a party and the new vintage to including drama, dance, visual arts full of colour and music, with grand great fanfare in Avignon, to an and music. The city of Avignon parades featuring the Compagnons audience of vignerons, négociants, becomes a full-scale theatre with des Côtes du Rhône and other fraternities and other fun-loving an audience of 40,000 enthusiastic traditional Côtes de Rhône wine enthusiasts. A colourful, festive spectators strolling through the fraternities. programme with good food and city’s winding lanes. Between 7 The programme includes performances, good wine – all in a magical setting. and 11pm, enjoy a glass of Côtes du games and entertainment in the Rhône or Côtes du Rhône Villages spectacular parkland at Rocher des in the friendly atmosphere of Côtes Doms and the Clos de la Vigne du du Rhône pop-up bar in the Maison Palais des Papes, a typically Provençal des Vins. A sommelier guides guests exhibition/event and open-to-all through his personal selection, whilst tasting of Côtes du Rhône wines with winemakers are on hand to share a gourmet market featuring local their insights and expertise. products, followed by a free concert in the evening. 6 CÔTES DU RHÔNE WINE TOURISM It’s all happening in the vineyard May: The Vineyard does as it likes October: The Harvests of Yesteryear in Chusclan Here in the Côtes du Rhône, the Fête de la vigne et du vin (Festival of Vine and Wine) is an open day on a grand scale for cellars and vineyards throughout the region, For one weekend only, the village will and is held on the first Saturday following Ascension be revisiting old times – visitors will Day.