Loire Valley Wine Tour from Paris
Small Group Tour
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Sancerre & Pouilly-Fumé wines
Explore the beautiful the Loire Valley wine region on this small group day trip from Paris! The Loire Valley is one of the largest wine producing regions in France and home to the wonderful Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé wines. It is also one of the regions that produces some of the tastiest goat cheeses in the world.
This adventure is all about tasting and learning to appreciate the unique “terroir” of the Loire Valley. You’ll learn all about the wonderful Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot noir grapes and several different types of goat’s cheese. To do that you’ll be visiting two wineries with fascinating histories, walking through vineyards, and touring cellars full of oak barrels. You’ll also visit a local farm where you will see goats get milked and learn all about how goat cheese is made.
The first winery you’ll visit has an amazing Franco-American history with Thomas Jefferson and General LaFayette playing roles in it. Their beautiful chateau has a medieval donjon tower and is completely surrounded by vineyards that serve to create high quality Pouilly-Fumé wines. The second winery you’ll visit is run by two hardworking brothers who are passionate about natural wine making methods and create amazing Sancerre wines.
Sauvignon Grapes and Pouilly Wines!
This adventure will start when you meet up with your guide near Notre-Dame Cathedral in the center of Paris. The drive to the Loire Valley is only 2 hours from Paris and you’ll be riding in comfort in one of our brand new 8 passenger vans with big leather seats and fresh A/C. Your first stop in the Loire Valley will be at the beautiful Château de Tracy winery.
The Château de Tracy has a fascinating family history of winemaking dating back to 1396! This winery focuses on the Sauvignon Blanc grape and helping it to fully express all of its potential in their exclusively Pouilly-Fumé wines. This dedication to the Sauvignon Blanc vine has helped their wines to become fruity, opened, and well-balanced in taste.
You’ll tour their vineyard, touch the chalky-flint soil, learn about their winemaking process and see the oak barrels where their wines are aged. Then get to taste 4 of their most prestigious Pouilly wines. The owner will also bring out some of their favorite local cheeses for you to try and teach you how to pair their wines with different cheeses.
The Medieval Town of Sancerre
Then you’ll be off to explore the charming little hilltop town of Sancerre which gave its name to the wine. The town of Sancerre was founded in the 1100’s and has a long and interesting history to discover. Your guide will lead you through the little cobblestone streets of this Medieval town and share with you what makes it so unique.
Together you’ll visit the “Tour des Fiefs” a fortified tower that was once part of the impressive stonewalls that surrounded Sancerre. The “Tour des Fiefs” is a Keep tower that dates back to the year 1380! At the top of this massive stone tower is a view that will take your breath away. You’ll see the entire medieval town below you, the shining Loire river, and 20 miles of amazing vineyards in any direction you turn.
After you’re visit is over you will be able to take a break and eat lunch in Sancerre. You can choose to have a simple sandwich from the bakery or sit down for some local specialities at any of the other great restaurants and cafes. There are a dozen or so available with a wide variety of foods that will suit all types of tastes and budgets. The lunch break will last an hour.
Sancerre Wine and Goat Cheese
After lunch you’ll visit the Fleuriet winery that is run by two brothers who are passionate about their Sancerre wines. While these brothers are proud of the traditional winemaking process and “savoir-faire” of the Sancerre region they are also interested in innovation and creating new traditions. They even use a unique way of pressing their wine and letting it flow with gravity to their fermenting tanks.
You’ll learn about Oak barrels, stainless steel tanks, cement tanks, and even a cool egg shaped tank that they have in their cellars. They’ll explain the strict “Sancerre” regulations for making wine and then serve you at least 3 of their highest quality wines. Including some rare Sancerre Rouge and Sancerre Rosé wines that are made exclusively from the Pinot Noir grape.
Following that you’ll head off to the Ferme des Chapotons. You’ll meet the farmer and get to know the cute little dairy goats in person. You’ll see how they are milked and how their milk is turned into cheese. You’ll then taste several different types of goat cheese as well as maturations. From the fresh tangy young cheeses to the rich nutty aged cheeses you’ll try them all.
Good to Know:
- Your lunch is not included in our tours price so please do bring along some cash to pay for it.
- You can pick up a few bottles of wine and some “crottins” of goat cheese for souvenirs or gifts to bring back home. Our limit for transporting wine in the van is 18 bottles per person. How much cheese you are allowed to bring back depends on how stinky it is.
- You can stretch your legs, get a coffee, and use the restroom, on your way to the Loire Valley and on your way back to Paris as we schedule a rest stop into both drives, half way through.
- While our guides do accept well aged wines as proof of gratitude for a job well done, it is often easier just to remember to bring along a little cash and give a traditional “tip” at the end of your tour.
Group size
Max. 8 pers. per tour
Duration
All day
Back in Paris around 7PM
What's Included
- Transportation by luxury A/C minibus
- Knowledgeable & friendly guide
- All entrance tickets
Language
All of our tours are commented in English
Dates & Times
April to October
Monday & Thursday at 7AM
Meeting point
1 Place Saint-Michel
Click here for picture
Reservation required
For the Loire Valley Wine Day Trip from Paris,, you will meet with your driver-guide outside of 1 Place Saint-Michel in Paris.
Tour Highlights
The town of Sancerre
Walk on cobblestone streets and learn about this charming town.
Chateau Tracy Winery
Visit this beautiful family run winery dating back to 1396!
A Sauvignon Vineyard
Learn about the Sauvignon blanc grapes as you walk in a vineyard.
The Fief Tower
See the breathtaking views, over all of the region, in this medieval donjon tower.
Domaine Fleuriet Winery
Learn about how Sancerre wines are made.
Chapoton Goat Farm
Watch the goats get milked, learn how cheese is made, and taste it too!
Frequently Asked Questions
Once within 24 hours we do not provide refunds for any reasons.
We accept children that are at least 7 years old on this tour. While this tour’s content was not planned out with kids in mind we do allow children that are aged at least 7 years old to join it with one of their parents. Kids younger than 7 years cannot join this tour as we do NOT have the suitable baby/child seats for them to ride in that are required by European law.
There is no legal drinking age in France for minors who drink under the supervision of a parent. It is illegal to allow a minor to become inebriated (drunk). The legal age to buy alcohol is 18.
Yes, we can fit up to 3 cases (18 bottles) of wine per person in the van and bring it back to Paris with you. Once in Paris you’ll have to figure out how to bring the wine back home with you on your own.
It is possible to ship them in the mail (expensive) and it is also possible to bring some bottles back in your checked luggage. We do not know every airlines limitations so it is best to check with your specific airline before packing your bags to go home.
As for the border customs limit it depends on each country/state, please check ahead. Usually anything that is obviously for a personal consumption (a few bottles) is not taxed.
