Following a morning pickup from your hotel in Avignon, meet your guide and hop aboard your air-conditioned minivan for the journey deep into the rolling hills of the Rhne Valley. The fertile, sun-drenched soils around Avignon offer perfect conditions for growing grapes, and wine has been produced in the region since Roman times.
Stop at two different vineyards in the Chteauneuf-du-Pape winemaking territories and listen as your guide explains how grape varieties including Grenache, Cinsault and Counoise flourish. Gain insight into the age-old winemaking techniques in operation and enjoy panoramic views from the cellars over the Rhne Valleys castles and mansions many of which date from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Explore the cool cellars where wine sits slowly maturing in barrels then enjoy a tasting session of some of the wines produced. Listen as your guide details the complex flavors and scents at play in your glass, then sip the wine to identify them yourself.
For tours on Monday and Thursday you'll visit two wineries. On any other day of the week, enjoy one wine-tasting in a winery as well as a visit to the UNESCO World Heritagelisted Roman amphitheater in Orange. Built early in the 1st century AD, the amphitheatre is widely considered the most impressive in Europe.
After approximately four hours exploring the rolling vineyards of the Rhne Valley, hop back aboard your minivan for the return journey to your hotel in Avignon, where your tour will come to an end.