In the River Rhone valley, close to the Eastern boundary of the Massif Central, there is a kingdom of wine to be explored. We are in the Rhone-Alpes region, at the borders of Southern Burgundy, in the historical lands of the Beaujolais region, one of the most important French winemaking areas, rich in castles, villas and hotels de charme. Beaujolais Nouveau is a new red wine guaranteed by the AOC label (Appelation d’Origine Controlee, Controlled Designation of Origin) and it is the best known of the many wines produced in this part of Europe.
This region, crossed by large rivers sided by hills with granite and clay terrains clad in one of the highest vine density ratios worldwide, is home to the Maconnais-Beaujolais Wine Route, a set of 12 itineraries and 65 villages to be visited. All the itineraries start from the old towns of Cluny and Macon. Macon is a beautiful town, with a distinctly Mediterranean feel, of Southern Burgundy, on the Saone river. The facades of its buildings and its flowered terraces seems to have been inspired by paintings by Monet or Cezanne. In Macon it is nice to walk around the many lovely narrow streets of the old town, enjoy the beautiful views from the bridges crossing the River Saone or just sit in one of its outdoor cafes and feel wrapped in a very special atmosphere. Places not to be missed in Macon are Place aux Herbes, with its colourful daily vegetable market, and the Maison de Bois, a house covered in elaborate wooden carvings looking onto a picturesque square. After leaving Macon to follow the Maconnais-Beaujolais Wine Route, you will be impressed by the variety of vineyards you come across, with white and red Macon, Saint-Veran and Pouilly-Fuisse, Saint-Amour, Vire-Clesse and Moulin-a -Vent as some of the most valuable vineyards in the Maconnais and Cote Beaujolaise regions. In the Beaujolais region, winegrowers’ houses, little churches, fortresses and historic hotels housed in old castles are really numberless..
It is always the right season to visit Beaujolais. But if you want to fully enjoy it, you must visit it on the third Thursday of November, when the new vintage of Beaujolais Nouveau is released to the world. There are about 120 festivals held in the Beaujolais region alone, to honour and celebrate the arrival of this enticing, fruity, light-bodied, six-week-old red wine, to be most pleasantly welcomed and generously tasted in one of the many picturesque bistros or festive parties. Although Beaujolais Nouveau is not considered a particularly valuable wine, over 90 million bottles are produced every year and are exported to 140 countries worldwide.
Beaujeu is the historical capital of the Beaujolais region. It is a small town surrounded by vineyards and named after the first lordly castle of the Beaujeu family which was built on a high-perched rock above the village. A few kilometers from Beaujeu and only half-hour’s drive from Macon, there is another castle nestled amidst vineyards and forests, namely Chateau de Pizay, one of the widest estates in the region, embraced by 75 hectares of vineyards and surrounded by an exquisitely laid 18th century garden. Lyons, the third city of France and one of the richest in restaurants recommended by the Michelin Guide, is only some 45 minutes’ drive away.