Baguette Off CourseA practical guide for exploring France.HomePlan my trip ↗Compare vineyard journeys in Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Loire, the Rhône Valley, Languedoc, Alsace and Savoie. Choose a practical base, check how to reach the estates, and arrange tastings before you travel.
Major public wine festivals, tastings and professional fairs across France’s vineyard regions. For 2026–27 dates currently announced.
| Wine region | Event, date & place | Audience | Wine tasting | Prestige | Why go | Booking & details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burgundy | Chablis Wine Festival 24–25 October 2026 · Chablis | General public | Producer tastings, village programme and local food; tasting access may require a glass/pass. | Flagship appellation festival | Excellent autumn vineyard weekend; expect a busy village and book a bed early. | Festival entry is public; check tasting arrangements and reserve accommodation. Event information ↗ |
| Burgundy | Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction Weekend 13–15 November 2026 · Beaune | Auction: wine trade / registered buyers; surrounding weekend: wine lovers and visitors | Estate and cellar tastings, special cuvées, dinners and wine events around Beaune. | Internationally prestigious charity auction; a major Burgundy calendar date | A strong way to experience Beaune at its liveliest; the auction itself is not a public tasting. | Book tastings and dinners; reserve accommodation and restaurants well ahead. Event information ↗ |
| Loire Valley | Vignobles en Scène: 1,2,3…vins 16–18 October 2026 · Saint-Benoît-la-Forêt, Chinon area | General public; adult tasting workshop | One-hour introduction with three Loire wines and appetizers; timed sessions at 11:00, 14:00 and 16:00. | Regional wine-tourism weekend; approachable rather than formal | A practical add-on to a Chinon and Loire châteaux trip. | Timed places; contact the venue and book ahead. Event information ↗ |
| Bordeaux vineyards | Saint-Émilion Harvest Festival 10–11 October 2026 · Saint-Émilion | General public and wine enthusiasts | Grands Crus Classés tastings, vineyard walks, food workshops and a winemakers’ dinner. | High-profile event centred on the classified growths of Saint-Émilion | A particularly good weekend for meeting producers and combining wine with the UNESCO-listed town. | Reserve selected tastings, workshops and dinners; see the official ticket page. Event information ↗ |
| Bordeaux vineyards | Bordeaux Fête le Vin 7–11 July 2027 · Bordeaux riverfront | General public, visitors and wine professionals | Appellation pavilions, tasting pass, wine-school workshop and regional food village. | Bordeaux’s headline public wine festival | Best for sampling a wide range of Bordeaux appellations in one city visit. | Buy the tasting pass in advance; reserve hotels early for festival week. Event information ↗ |
| Côtes du Rhône | Découvertes en Vallée du Rhône 18–20 October 2027 · Avignon and Rhône Valley venues | Wine trade professionals | Professional tasting and producer meetings; not a general-public festival. | Major trade showcase for Rhône Valley appellations | Relevant for trade visitors; leisure travellers should use the Rhône public-event calendar for tastings open to visitors. | Professional registration / accreditation required. Event information ↗ |
| Côtes du Rhône | Vignobles en Scène! · Rhône Valley programme 16–18 October 2026 · Participating Rhône Valley wine-tourism destinations | General public; programme varies by venue | Some events combine winery visits, tastings, food pairings and vineyard experiences. | National wine-tourism weekend with regional experiences | Good for adding a hosted wine activity to an Avignon or Rhône-village itinerary. | Many activities have limited places; check each listing and reserve. Event information ↗ |
| Languedoc vineyards | Vignobles en Scène: Canal du Midi vineyard dinner 16 October 2026 · Cruzy, Languedoc | General public; food-and-wine visitors | Guided Canal du Midi outing followed by an aperitif and dinner with local wine pairings. | Distinctive local wine-tourism experience | A memorable rural evening for travellers based around Béziers or the Canal du Midi. | Dinner is a timed event; reserve with the organiser. Event information ↗ |
| Languedoc vineyards | Vignobles en Scène! · Languedoc programme 16–18 October 2026 · Participating Languedoc wine-tourism destinations | General public; programme varies by venue | Winery visits, tastings, food pairings and immersive vineyard activities, depending on the event. | National wine-tourism weekend | Useful for finding a bookable tasting or harvest-season activity near a Languedoc base. | Check each event listing; advance booking is advised. Event information ↗ |
| Savoie | Saveurs & Terroirs 27–29 November 2026 · Savoiexpo, Chambéry | General public and families | Regional winemakers, food producers and free oenology classes with tastings. | Large Alpine food-and-terroir fair; broad regional draw | An easy city-based way to taste Savoie wines alongside cheeses and other Alpine products. | Buy a fair ticket; check whether individual classes or evening events need booking. Event information ↗ Ticketing / booking ↗ |
| Savoie | Vignobles en Scène! · Savoie events 16–18 October 2026 · Participating Savoie wine-tourism destinations | General public; individual event formats vary | Local vineyard walks, visits and tastings where listed by the host. | National wine-tourism weekend | A good seasonal reason to pair an Annecy or Chambéry stay with a vineyard visit. | Reserve directly with the host for timed or limited-capacity events. Event information ↗ |
| Alsace | Vignobles en Scène! on the Alsace Wine Route 16–18 October 2026 · Alsace Wine Route villages | General public and wine-curious visitors | Local programme across the route; tastings and experiences depend on the participating venue. | First national edition of a wine-tourism weekend | A natural fit for a Strasbourg or Colmar trip with a day among the wine villages. | Some visits and tastings require advance booking; check the local listing. Event information ↗ |
| Provence vineyards | Vignobles en Scène! · Provence programme 16–18 October 2026 · Participating Provence wine-tourism destinations | General public; programme varies by venue | Wine tastings, vineyard experiences and food-pairing events at participating hosts. | National wine-tourism weekend with local Provence events | A useful autumn add-on to an Avignon, Aix or Mediterranean itinerary. | Check individual listings; advance booking is recommended for small-group experiences. Event information ↗ |
Dates and access categories are based on organiser or destination-tourism information available on 27 September 2026. Several festivals publish parts of their programme later in the year; always reconfirm before booking transport.
| Wine region | Suggested stay | Best known for | Getting to the vineyards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burgundy | 3–5 days | Pinot Noir, Chardonnay & the Climats | Train to Dijon or Beaune. Book an organised vineyard outing or local transport for estate visits. |
| Loire Valley | 3–5 days | Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc & châteaux | Use Tours as a rail base. Wine estates are often outside towns; reserve the final transfer. |
| Bordeaux vineyards | 3–5 days | Médoc, Saint-Émilion & Sauternes | Arrive at Bordeaux Saint-Jean. Compare guided outings with train access to selected towns; estates still need a final leg. |
| Côtes du Rhône | 2–4 days | From Avignon and Orange to the Rhône vineyards | Use Avignon TGV or Orange as rail gateways. Arrange a local transfer or guided outing for estate visits and tastings. |
| Languedoc vineyards | 3–5 days | Mediterranean varieties, appellations and vineyard villages | Take the train to Montpellier, then arrange a guided vineyard visit, local transfer or carefully planned car hire for rural estates. |
| Savoie | 2–4 days | Jacquère, Altesse, Mondeuse & Alpine food | Train to Chambéry or Montmélian; arrange estate appointments and local transfers. |
| Alsace | 3–5 days | Riesling, Gewurztraminer & Crémant | Rail between Strasbourg and Colmar. Check village buses or book a guided outing. |
| Provence vineyards | 2–4 days | Southern Rhône and Provençal wine villages | Train to Avignon, then arrange a local excursion or booked transfer to the vineyards. |
Estate opening dates, tastings and local transport vary. Confirm appointments and arrange a safe return journey.
Dijon → Beaune → Côte de Beaune villages
Compare a village wine with a named vineyard plot, visit the Hôtel-Dieu and pair a regional meal with local wines.
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Tours → Vouvray → Chinon · optional Saumur extension
Combine one château day with a vineyard day, then discover Saumur’s distilling tradition.
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Bordeaux → one wine area per day
Choose contrasting appellations rather than trying to cover both banks and Sauternes in one day.
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Avignon → Orange → Châteauneuf-du-Pape · choose one wine area per day
Compare village appellations and Rhône styles; confirm estate appointments and a safe return plan before tasting.
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Montpellier → Pic Saint-Loup · optional Pézenas or Narbonne extension
Pick one cluster of vineyards each day; combine a tasting with a village or coastal visit without trying to cross the whole region.
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Chambéry → Apremont → Chignin → Arbin
Discover small Alpine vineyards, Savoyard cheeses and Chambéry’s vermouth tradition.
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Strasbourg or Colmar → vineyard villages
Combine a winstub meal, an estate visit and the art of Colmar; add fruit distilling as a separate visit.
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Avignon → Châteauneuf-du-Pape → nearby villages
Keep the route close to Avignon and choose one wine area each day; check appointments and transport before visiting.
Explore this wine region ↗For tastings, choose a guided transfer or a driver who will not drink. Check opening dates and book appointments directly with estates.