Côtes du Rhône Wines In-A-Day
Popes & red wine villages in Provence's Rhone Valley
This incredibly scenic drive through the southern Côtes-du-Rhône Villages isn't just for wine lovers.
It starts and finishes in the Medieval walled city of Avignon, passing through beautiful countryside and several wine-growing villages before finishing in perhaps the most famous of all, Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
The itinerary is a tour of Avignon and the Comtat Venaissan which includes all the major wine producing villages of the Côtes du Rhône. Avignon itself is a magical place although, for many, the real stars are the villages.
I have chosen seven of my favourite wine villages which can be easily be visited in a day. All are on the left bank of the Southern Rhône and have A.O.P (i.e. Appellation d'Origine Protégée, previously A.O.C.) status guaranteeing that the wine comes from a particular village or region. There are actually 21 such villages – feel free to add your own to the itinerary if you have time!