I’m Kayla Sox, and yes, I did this for real. I packed a small bag, my tasting notebook, and a sweater. Then I spent a week tasting across Champagne, Burgundy, and Bordeaux. I booked most visits on Rue des Vignerons, and I kept notes in Vivino. It was fun. It was messy. And it tasted like blackcurrant and chalk and oak.
If you’d rather skim the play-by-play (timings, mishaps, and money lines), I boxed it all up in this separate recap of what worked and what didn’t on my real-deal wine tour.
Quick route I took
- Paris to Reims (Champagne): 2 days
- Reims to Beaune (Burgundy): 2 days
- Beaune to Bordeaux (Médoc + Saint-Émilion): 3 days
If you want a high-level cheat sheet before you land, Just France offers concise regional guides that pair nicely with a wine-tasting itinerary like this.
Trains did the heavy lift till Bordeaux. Then I rented a car. A tiny one. Which was good for tight roads and tiny village parking. Bad for my legs, but fine.
Champagne: cold caves, warm hosts
First stop: Reims. I toured Taittinger. The chalk caves felt like a fridge with history. It smelled like wet stone and bread dough. I wore my sweater. Good idea.
The guide gave one pour of Brut Réserve and one of a vintage. The Brut tasted bright, with lemon and toast. The vintage felt deeper. More baked apple. Price for the tour was about what I expected. Mid-30 euros. Worth it for the caves alone.
Next day I went to Épernay. Moët & Chandon. Big house, slick tour. The Avenue de Champagne looked like a movie set. I liked the story and the bubbles. But it felt polished. A bit glossy for me.
Thinking of turning a cellar stop like this into an ice-breaker outing, and you need some social pointers? Dive into this first-date game plan—it lines up confidence hacks, fun icebreakers, and low-stress ideas so you both focus on the good fizz instead of logistics.
My favorite part? A small grower visit near Rilly-la-Montagne. Vilmart & Cie. Less fuss. More talk. Fresh hazelnut and pink grapefruit in the glass. We stood next to the press, and the winemaker pointed at the map like a proud parent.
Good tip here: book morning slots. Caves get busy after lunch. And bring a scarf. It’s chilly down there.
Burgundy: Beaune stole my heart (and my time)
I took the train to Beaune and checked into a small place near the ring road. I could walk to most cellars. That felt nice after a day of trains.
Need lodging inspo? I broke down the good, the meh, and the quirky in this hotel-by-hotel hop around Burgundy.
Joseph Drouhin showed us cellars under the old town. Low ceilings. Old barrels. Candle soot on the walls. The tasting had a clean arc: Aligoté, then village Pinot, then Premier Cru. The Premier Cru from Beaune had cherry, tea, and a hint of earth. Soft tannins. A quiet wine that sneaks up on you.
Bouchard Père & Fils had the famous library and a more formal feel. The guide spoke fast but clear. The Corton-Charlemagne had pear and a touch of flint. I stared at the glass for a bit and forgot to take a photo. That happens when a wine hits just right.
Still on the hunt for crisp, mineral-driven sips? I lined up a dozen bottles in this taste test of French white wines and what actually happened.
Lunch break hit me hard here. Many spots close 2:00 to 7:00. So I ate boeuf bourguignon at Ma Cuisine one day, and a ham-and-butter baguette on a bench the next. Both were right for the moment.
One more cellar: Patriarche. Huge network, self-paced with a guide at the end. Fun, but pours were small and the flight felt rushed. I liked it, but I wouldn’t send a first-timer there before Drouhin.
Bordeaux: cab, clay, and long drives
I grabbed a car in Bordeaux City and drove the D2 up the Médoc. The road runs past famous names like a roll call. I booked Château Pichon Baron. The tour was calm, with clear pacing. The glass of the Grand Vin showed blackcurrant, pencil lead, and cedar. Classic. It made me sit up straight.
Then Lynch-Bages. Plenty of gear talk, which I like. New vat room, clean lines, tech feel. The Pauillac blend had grip but stayed polite. I could see it aging well. The shop team was kind when I asked about shipping. They gave me a sheet with rates and timelines. I still crammed two bottles in my bag with socks. I know, not smart.
All that Médoc cab made me revisit a perennial question, and I captured the verdict in this Cab Franc vs. Cab Sauv, glass-in-hand showdown.
Saint-Émilion the next day felt like a postcard. Cobbled streets. Small steps. I toured Château La Dominique, which has that red rooftop art piece. The wine was plush and round. More plum than cassis. I bought a half-bottle for a train night. The town was busy, so I parked outside the walls. Walked in. Good call.
One snag: I hit a heat wave. Late afternoon in the vines was rough. Bring water. And spit. I know it’s not cute, but it keeps you clear. The spittoons are there for a reason.
The real-life bits no one tells you
- Say “Bonjour” first. Always. Then ask in simple French if English is okay. It smooths the room.
- Book ahead, even midweek. Harvest season can shut doors with no warning.
- Carry a sweater for caves and a hat for vines. Both will see action on the same day.
- Lunch is short. Eat 12–2, or carry cheese and fruit. I grabbed Comté and cherries from Monoprix more than once.
- Sunday is sleepy. Not much is open. Plan a walk or a museum.
- Parking in Saint-Émilion is tight. Go early or late.
- If you’re the driver, spit every time. The gendarmes do not play.
Tasting notes that stuck with me
- Taittinger Brut Réserve: lemon, toast, a neat line. Fresh finish.
- Joseph Drouhin Beaune 1er Cru: red cherry, tea leaf, a little earth. Silky.
- Corton-Charlemagne (Bouchard): pear, white flower, flint. Long tail.
- Pichon Baron (Pauillac): cassis, cedar, pencil shavings. Firm but fair.
- Lynch-Bages: black fruit, cocoa, graphite. Built to last.
- La Dominique (Saint-Émilion): plum, baking spice, soft edges. Easy smile.
None of these poured like a stunt. They felt true to place. That’s what I chase.
What I loved
- Stories matched the wines. The people cared. You can taste that.
- Clean logistics with Rue des Vignerons. Fewer emails. Less stress.
- Mix of big houses and small growers. You see both sides of the glass.
- Trains saved my brain. The TGV is a gift.
What bugged me
- Some tours felt too scripted. Glossy, fast, and done.
- August can be tricky. Closures, heat, thin staff.
- Shipping costs jump fast. I bought half-bottles to dodge that.
- A few tastings had very small pours for the price. I don’t need a full glass, but give me a fair look.
Cost snapshot I saw
- Big-house Champagne tours: around 30–40 euros, sometimes more.
- Burgundy cellar visits: 20–35 euros, often waived with purchase.
- Bordeaux Classed Growth tours: 25–45 euros, book early.
Prices move, but that’s the ballpark I paid.
If I did it again (and I will)
I’d go in late May or mid-September. I’d add the Rhône for a day with Chapoutier in Tain-l’Hermitage. I’d swing through Château La Coste near Aix for the art walk and a pale rosé on a shady bench.
That daydream probably has me reaching for a blush-toned glass like the one in my playful walk-through of [trying French rosé in first-person role play](https://www.justfrance