I do this every year as a geographical exercise, and every year I learn something new!
This year’s map: https://www.letour.fr/en/overall-route
NICE MOYEN PAYS > NICE: Bellet The only AOC near Nice, part of Provence,
NICE HAUT PAYS > NICE: Bellet – Hard to find but it’s out there! Chateau de Bellet might be the easiest one to find.
NICE – SISTERON: Pierrevert, another Provence AOC that’s hard to find. Just get Cotes de Provence if you have to get something.
SISTERON > ORCIÈRES-MERLETTE: IGP Haut Alpes, possibly impossible to find but you can use Savoie for that mountain feeling!
GAP > PRIVAS: Now we’re squarely in the Rhone, right between north and south! Infinite choices. Get Hermitage if you want but the most specific thing is IGP Ardeche or Cotes du Vivarais.
LE TEIL > MONT AIGOUAL: Now we’re into Laguedoc… grab some Pic Saint Loup or Costieres de Nimes!
MILLAU > LAVAUR: Some interesting, underrated appellations nearby: Cahors, Cotes du Tarn, Gaillac… I’d go with something representative of AOC strife: You Fuck My Wine by Mas del Perie.
CAZÈRES-SUR-GARONNE > LOUDENVIELLE: Let’s take a break from wine and drink some Armagnac
PAU > LARUNS: This is an easy one! Squarely in Jurançon.
LA CHARENTE-MARITIME: Oops, we just flew past Bordeaux but landed squarely in Cognac country. Drink up!
ÎLE D’OLÉRON LE CHÂTEAU-D’OLÉRON > ÎLE DE RÉ SAINT-MARTIN-DE-RÉ: The people that came up with this route really like Cognac.
CHÂTELAILLON-PLAGE > POITIERS: We just barely escape Cognac country to make it to the Loire. Treat yourself to some Haut-Poitou Sauvignon Blanc.
CHAUVIGNY > SARRAN CORRÈZE: Sarran Correze is basically in the middle of a wine desert… no AOC’s nearby, although there is a tiny IGP in here that produces vin de paille. Nope, I’ve never seen it. TIL.
CHÂTEL-GUYON > PUY MARY CANTAL: Yay! Auvergne! Treat yourself with some Saint-Pourçain or Côtes du Forez made from Gamay. Technically, we’re in the Loire although closer in spirit to Beaujolais.
CLERMONT-FERRAND > LYON: Still in Auvergne.. keep drinking that Gamay! Although you could thrown in some Mâcon chard just to mix it up.
LYON > GRAND COLOMBIER: Don’t forget to grab some Gang of Four Cru Beaujolais while munching on charcuterie in Lyon
ISÈRE: Rest up with some Savoie wine
LA TOUR-DU-PIN > VILLARD-DE-LANS: Halfway between the Northern Rhone and maybe Bugey. Try some Bugey de Cerdon or Cote Rotie. Your choice.
GRENOBLE > MÉRIBEL COL DE LA LOZE:
MÉRIBEL > LA ROCHE-SUR-FORON: Still in Savoie. Keep drinking that crips Savoie wine.. although you’re close enough to Switzerland for some Chasselas
BOURG-EN-BRESSE > CHAMPAGNOLE: Pick up some chicken at Bourg en Bresse and drink it with some Cotes du Jura when you arrive at Champagnole
LURE > LA PLANCHE DES BELLES FILLES: This is halfway between Jura and Alsace, but since we did Jura already, time for some Grand Cru Riesling
MANTES-LA-JOLIE > PARIS CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES: It’s Paris. Pick up a 2 euro bottle of any random wine at a corner store along with a baguette and a chunk of cheese and drink up at the park.
Dining and Cooking