WINE TOURS in English

The Côte de Provence Wine Road & its History  

A Full Day tour in gently undulating countryside with several stops in the Wine Country

 

Wine was introduced to France 600 BC by the Phoenicians. The Romans later divided the region into large domains and, being experienced producers, introduced new grape varieties and improved wine-making methods.
The wines of Provence became well-known outside France during the Middle Ages. They were taken to the London court by Eleanore of Provence who became Queen of England. They were the favorite wines of French Kings in the 17th/18th Century.
The vineyard has been called “Côtes de Provence” since the 19th Century . The end of the 20th Century marks their rebirth as quality wines linked to the region’s geography, its climate and the growers’ “SAVOIR FAIRE” (KNOW-HOW)
From the early 20th century, excessive production had harmful effects on the quality of wine and measures had to be taken to protect it. Trade associations were founded to improve the quality of the products and the new trade requirements led to the certification of wines. The AOC (« Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée »- certified origin wine) became the main reference for wine production, with strict rules for its application defined by a decree in 1935 and the motto is: “Quality – not Quantity”.
We will visit the vineyards and the wine cellar and then organise a wine tasting of several varieties, labeled « Côtes de Provence » which is nowadays more and more valuable. An “Oënologue” will tell you all the secrets about wine and you can discover the quality and the wine variety and learn how to evaluate a « Côte de Provence »  wine, its colour, its bouquet and its aromas. We will serve you special Provençal Appetizers and/or Lunch according to your wishes 

Departure from   

CANNES ( City, surroundings, cruise terminal) 

SAINT ROPEZ and peninsula towns 

We offer several options depending on your time schedule 

On the Wine Road: Wine Pairing Lunch in a Gourmet restaurant 

At  the Winery: Toasts with anchoïade, tapenade, or Finger Lunch  with pâté, sliced deli meats, foie gras, farm cheese with fresh bread served during the tasting or or Seated Lunch ( from 8 people) in the shade of 300 years old trees 

We include only top-quality wine chateaux and estates in our programs. Visits are scheduled by special arrangements.  

Transport and guide service 

Luxury Sedan for 3/4 people with English or German speaking expert driver-guide  

Air conditioned Mini Van up to 7 people with English or German speaking expert driver-guide  

8 and more  : Mini Bus ( 17 seats) or motor coach ( up to 40 seats) with driver and licensed guide 

To ask for a quotation contact Eva at   eva.devemy@me.com  

or call 00 33 607 055 282                                          www.winetoursprovence.com 

The mention of Saint Tropez and the Mediterranean coast evokes images of glamour, beaches and celebrity. There’ s all of this and much more we will show you. 

Discover St. Tropez which is not only a famous seaside resort but also a genuine Provencal village with a rich cultural heritage. Your experted driver/guide will lead you for an unforgettable discovery of the architectural and traditional beauties of St. Tropez. Join the "scene" at the Place des Lices where there are countless popular cafés and twice a week a lively market. 

Drive on the “Route du Vins de Provence” to Ramatuelle one of the charming medieval villages and to Gassin. After a short walk uphill, you will arrive at the center of the village and its remarkable medieval church. 

Enjoy your private tour by a wine maker at two family owned wineries and learn about our Rosé Wine, the grape varieties, how the soil influents the taste and why we make this wine: it was Brigitte Bardot who put it on the map! You will also taste “Côte de Provence” white and red wine served with olives and snacks or with anchoïade, saussages, fresh vegetables and home made bread. 

This is the perfect contrast to your last stop which is at Port Grimaud Harbor, a village with a unique charm,  designed by the famous French architect François Spoerry. Resembling a Mediterranean fishing village, it is a modern complex of luxury housing with a fully equipped marina. Along the way you will pass colored houses covered with Roman tiles. They are linked by canals, alleys, tiny squares, and bridges and you have the opportunity to enjoy a boat trip 

Departure from   

CANNES ( City, surroundings, cruise terminal) 

TOULON PROVENCE City or Cruise Terminal 

SAINT ROPEZ and peninsula towns 

SAINT ROPEZ and peninsula towns – see 1 village and 2 wineries  ( NO lunch break )

morning ( back before lunch time ) or afternoon ( departure after lunch time )

We offer several options depending on your time schedule 

Saint Tropez, Ramatuelle: big choice of street cafés and restaurants in town, Beach Clubs and Restaurants 

We include only top-quality wine chateaux and estates in our programs. Visits are scheduled by special arrangements.  

Transport and guide service 

Luxury Sedan for 3/4 people with English or German speaking expert driver-guide  

Air conditioned Mini Van up to 7 people with English or German speaking expert driver-guide  

8 and more : Mini Bus ( 17 seats) or motor coach ( up to 40 seats) with driver and licensed guide 

To ask for a quotation contact Eva at  eva.devemy@me.com  

or call 00 33 607 055 282

www.winetoursprovence.com 

This full day tour includes the Highlights of Provence plus a chance to explore the small resorts towns of Sanary sur Mer, Bandol and Le Castellet perched on a hill with a breathtaking view and avoids long driving time!   

Take the opportunity to visit a very local style Open Air Market of Sanary sur Mer ( fruits, vegetables, olives, spices, fish, wine.........and much more) and learn about our traditional producers included Olive oil and Tapenade producers). 

Sanary's port is the hub of all the action, but instead of outsized white yachts, you'll find red, blue, and green fishing boats gathered at the wharf. This boats called «  Pointu » are the proud of our fishermen.  

Some free time for shopping and strolling before we bring you on the Scenic drive to Bandol where you will have your first Wine Tasting Session in a Boutique of the very special Appellation made by Mourvèdre, a local Red wine grape variety. 

The sheltered situation of  Bandol has provided perfect conditions for wine making since 600 BC.  This is arguably the most famous wine region of southern France, and the crisp, delicious Bandol rosé wine defines summer as much as the cicada's rasp and the red has an unique flavor.

Taste several olive oil samples from different local producers at the Boutique of Oil.

As you travel to Le Castellet  which is a charming well-restored medieval village were great activities with wine and immortal flowers took place before the village was given up for economic reasons, you will get good views of the vineyards and learn about the grape varieties we use for “Côte de Provence” and “Bandol” wine before the next tasting in a family owned winery : walk around the wine and olive tree plantations, visit the cellar, learn how the “terroir” influences the wines before enjoying the tasting of white, rosé and red wine served with local specialties as well as different.

Departure from  TOULON PROVENCE City or Cruise Terminal 

We offer several options depending on your time schedule 

Sanary sur Mer: buy your Pick Nick at the Market ( we have a cool box on board ) and savor it at the beach ( summer) 

Bandol: big choice of street cafés and restaurants 

On the Wine Road: Wine Pairing Lunch in a Gourmet restaurant 

At  the Winery: Toasts with anchoïade, tapenade, or Finger Lunch  with pâté, sliced deli meats, foie gras, farm cheese with fresh bread served during the tasting or or Seated Lunch ( from 8 people)   

We include only top-quality wine chateaux and estates in our programs. Visits are scheduled by special arrangements.  

Transport and guide service 

Luxury Sedan for 3/4 people with English or German speaking expert driver-guide  

Air conditioned Mini Van up to 7 people with English or German speaking expert driver-guide  

8 and more : Mini Bus ( 17 seats) or motor coach ( up to 40 seats) with driver and licensed guide 

To ask for a quotation contact Eva at    eva.devemy@me.com  

or call 00 33 607 055 282                                                        www.winetoursprovence.com 

French products are famous all over the world and these three products are in connection with Provence and the French Riviera for years 

During this Full Day tour your experienced driver-guide will introduce you local producers which are proud to explain you their « tresors » 

The Phoenicians introduced wine to France 600 BC. The Romans later divided the region into large domains and, being experienced producers, introduced new grape varieties and improved winemaking methods.
The wines of Provence became well known outside France during the Middle Ages. Eleanore of Provence who became Queen of England took them to the London court. They were the favorite wines of French Kings in the 17th/18th Century.
The vineyard has been called “Côtes de Provence” since the 19th Century . The end of the 20th Century marks their rebirth as quality wines linked to the region’s geography, its climate and the growers’ “savoir faire” ( know how ) 

The Grasse region, in the South of France, which enjoyed a favorable climate, began to specialize in both aromatic raw materials and the actual production of perfume.

The age of Enlightenment saw a major expansion in perfumery products. Scented waters gave way to toilet vinegars and bathing gradually came back into favor. 

The French Royal court was the undisputed model of refinement and elegance throughout Europe and eventually France became the home of the greatest perfume makers and most innovative perfumes. While Paris was the capital of trade in perfumed products, the town of Grasse, with its extensive fields of jasmine and rose, became the capital of production. 

It was during this period that Grasse began to acquire its worldwide reputation for the diversity and quality of its production and you will get a V.I.P private guided tour in a selected Factory 

Option:  

A creative Workshop in Grasse 

Individual tests to evaluate your sense of smell 

Pin-pointing the structure of fragrances 

Introduction to the technique of match-mixing to achieve a pleasant and harmonious blend to suit one’s own personal criteria: smell, use, and type of skin,... 

Under the guidance of the perfumer, called "The Nose” each participant has a range of 126 essences at his or her disposal and will be able to make up his or her own special blend. 

A bottle with the perfume thus created and a personalized label is offered to each participant 

Departure from   

Cannes City or Cruise Terminal 

Nice City or Cruise Terminal 

Saint Tropez and vicinity 

We offer several options depending on your time schedule 

Big choice of street cafés and local restaurants 

Wine Pairing Lunch in a Gourmet restaurant 2* Michelin or  

Wine: We include only top-quality wine chateaux and estates in our programs. Visits are scheduled by special arrangements.

Perfum: guides tour is free, Perfume seminar starts from 24€ ( 30 minutes) or 48€ ( 2 hours) 

Transport and guide service 

Luxury Sedan for 3/4 people with English or German speaking expert driver-guide  

Air conditioned Mini Van up to 7 people with English or German speaking expert driver-guide  

8 and more : Mini Bus ( 17 seats) or motor coach ( up to 40 seats) with driver and licensed guide 

To ask for a quotation contact Eva at  eva.devemy@me.com  

or call 00 33 607 055 282 

www.winetoursprovence.com 

Aix-en-Provence retains much of its unique character imparted to it in the 17th  

and 18th centuries. A town famous for its music and literature, it is also the  

birthplace of the famous impressionist, Paul Cézanne. But note that Aix en Provence was founded by the Romains  and they have grown wine in the surroundings ! 

Your will be driven trough the city center and have a walk through this relatively pedestrian city. You will pass through the Quarter Mazarin, with its unique 17th century chessboard pattern and many aristocratic townhouses with their Baroque façades and beautifully carved wooden doors.  

The old town, Vieil Aix, is a labyrinth of narrow streets leading to the 17th century Town Hall, the Archbishop's Palace, and St. Sauveur Cathedral with its delightful Romanesque cloister.  

After a stroll in this exceptional town a short drive to the Wine Country in the Saint Victoire area  ( the mountain paint by Cézanne lot of times ) you have the opportunity to taste a “Côte de Provence” labeled wine and also a “Coteaux d’Aix” Appellation and take this behind the scenes tour with those for whom winemaking is a passion as well as a way of life. 

Your personal expert guide will help you to make the differnce ! 

Cézanne’s words: "When I was in Aix, I thought I would be better off elsewhere. Now that I'm here, I regret Aix... when one is born there, that's it, nothing else appeals." 

(Letter to Philippe Solari, Tailloires, 23rd July 1896). 

Departure from  TOULON PROVENCE City or Cruise Terminal 

We offer several options depending on your time schedule 

Aix en Provence: big choice of street cafés and restaurants 

On the Wine Road: Wine Pairing Lunch in a Gourmet restaurant 

At  the Winery: Toasts with anchoïade, tapenade, or Finger Lunch  with pâté, sliced deli meats, foie gras, farm cheese with fresh bread served during the tasting or or Seated Lunch ( from 8 people)   

We include only top-quality wine chateaux and estates in our programs. Visits are scheduled by special arrangements.

Transport and guide service 

Luxury Sedan for 3/4 people with English or German speaking expert driver-guide  

Air conditioned Mini Van up to 7 people with English or German speaking expert driver-guide  

8 and more : Mini Bus ( 17 seats) or motor coach ( up to 40 seats) with driver and licensed guide 

To ask for a quotation contact Eva at  eva.devemy@me.com  

or call 00 33 607 055 282

www.winetoursprovence.com