Tastings · WINE TASTING TOURS IN FRANCE
The good ones fill up weeks ahead. Below: the 15 wine tasting tours in France to book early, what each includes and how they differ once you are through the door.
Visit Bordeaux’s Cité du Vin at your own pace with a digital guide in eight languages. Explore 18 interactive displays about wine, test your senses, learn how wine is made, then enjoy one glass from a choice of about 15 wines on the 8th-floor belvedere.
“This is definitely a must see and do. Really enjoyed my visit at the museum”
This three-hour Montmartre walk combines eight food stops with local history, art, wine, and hilltop views. English-speaking guides such as Julie, Marie, Oscar, and Pierre-Edouard lead small groups of up to 15 from Moulin Rouge to Sacré-Cœur. Expect macarons, chocolates, cheese, cured meats, wine, and plenty of stairs.
“This was a very fun afternoon filled with food and tidbits of info about the locally-owned businesses in Montmartre. Julie led a fascinating tour up the hill, winding through the neighborhood to visit shops for bites of traditional French cuisine. She easily accommodated dietary restrictions in our group, and every stop was expertly curated and ready to serve the tour. We met other travelers from the US in our group, and tried food items we would not have sought out on our own. We are still talking about the macrons!”
Travel by comfortable coach from Paris to Chambord and Chenonceau, with self-guided castle visits, a wine tasting, and two hours in Blois for lunch. English-speaking guides such as Dee, Jasmina, John, and Thelma add lively stories during the long drives. Expect a full 13-hour day, plenty of walking, and little time to linger.
“We had an amazing Loire Valley day trip! Dee was an outstanding guide — knowledgeable, engaging, and passionate about the history of the castles and the region. She made everything easy to understand and really brought the stories to life. Pierrick was an excellent driver — professional, safe, and very kind. The whole journey was smooth and comfortable. The wine tasting was a great bonus, and the entire day was perfectly organized. Highly recommend this tour — especially with Dee and Pierrick.”
Travel from Bordeaux to Saint-Émilion in an air-conditioned minivan with up to eight people. Walk the medieval village, visit a Grand Cru Classé château, taste three to four wines, and share cheese, cured meat, bread, and dark chocolate. Guides such as Dorian, Nina, Vicky, and Theo are praised for clear wine lessons and warm storytelling.
“Really pleased with the Tour and the group I was with. It was extremely informative and enjoyable and our tour guide Nina was great.”
Choose Médoc for château-hopping along the Castle Road, with up to five wines and a French snack platter, or Saint-Émilion for one Grand Cru Classé château, three to four tastings, and a guided walk through the UNESCO-listed village. Your English-speaking guide handles the driving in a small minivan.
“Gabrielle was a great guide and a great driver! He shared a lot of local history and knowledge and welcomes all questions. The wineries were so pretty and the wine was excellent. The snack we received at the second winery complimented the wine perfectly. Thanks a for a fun afternoon!”
Spend eight hours in Bordeaux’s Saint-Émilion and Pomerol wine country with an English-speaking guide. Visit chateaux, taste three sets of wines, tour cellars and vat rooms, and walk through the UNESCO-listed village. The small group has a maximum of eight people, with free time for lunch and shopping in Saint-Émilion.
“Easy to locate pick up site. Small group of 8 in Mercedes travel van. Very clean. Lea was our guide and had great personality.”
Travel from Bordeaux in an eight-seat minivan to Saint-Émilion, where you’ll tour a grand cru château, taste red wines, and walk through the UNESCO-listed village. Guides such as Guy, Luigi, Mathis, Dulce, and Rodolphe bring strong wine and regional knowledge. Plan on two hours of driving, a short village visit, and some walking on steep cobbles.
“This was such a great tour. Luigi our guide was so u knowledgeable about the wines and area. Enjoyed it a lot!! Chateau Bellevue was lovely too!”
At Les Caves du Louvre, an English-speaking guide leads you through 18th-century cellars near the Louvre. Interactive rooms explain grapes, terroir, fermentation, and French wine regions through aromas, visuals, games, and an app. Finish with three French wine tastings and sommelier guidance. The tour lasts about an hour and small groups may be available.
“Beautiful caves with a lot of information around the fermentation processes, different yeasts, the regions of wine and of course terroir (different characteristics that influence taste). Our guide was fantastic - very enthusiastic, interactive and friendly, plus extremely knowledgeable around the different regions and grapes. The premium tasting was wonderful and included three very different wines, all with their unique traits. Overall the experience was wonderful and we would come back in a heartbeat. Highly recommended!”
Spend one relaxed hour at Château Saint-Georges Côte Pavie, a five-generation family vineyard on Pavie Hill. Your English or French-speaking guide, often Valentin, Chloe, or Matthieu, explains the soil, grapes, cellar, and aging process before serving three red wines. The château is walkable from Saint-Émilion and its train station.
“Excellent and informative tour, really enjoyed and super easy to get to on foot from the main road between the station and St Emilion.”
Meet your local guide at Place Massena for a three-hour walk through Vieux Nice, Cours Saleya, and Castel Hill. Expect 20 food tastings, Provençal wine, olive oil, socca, pissaladière, petits farcis, calisson, and a Niçoise salad lesson. Guides may include Lara, Laura, Marion, Gabby, or Sasha.
“Laura was an excellent guide. The food and drink along the tour were very good. In spite of the heat it was a worthwhile experience.”
Meet your English-speaking sommelier at a 17th-century cellar near the Louvre for six French pours: one Champagne and five regional wines. You’ll learn tasting technique, labels, terroir, appellations, and pairings. Guides such as Laury, Felicity, Paul, and Clement have led engaging sessions. Add cheese or charcuterie for €15.
“Everything was great. The sommelier was incredibly knowledgeable and funny”
Travel from Lyon in a small air-conditioned minivan to southern Beaujolais for scenic wine tastings, a croissant stop, medieval Oingt, and a family winery visit. Guides such as Rachel, Yann, and François explain terroir and French wine, while the final tasting includes local meats, cheeses, and bread. Expect about four hours, with no hotel pickup.
“I have to be honest, I was prepared for your basic run of the mill wine tasting in a cellar. Instead, the tour guides drove us into the mountains where we did an outside wine tasting while having a beautiful view. Our next stop was a cute little town, Oingt. Absolutely stunning! We then drove to our final destination where we had a tour of the owners vineyards and his cellar but had the tasting in a cute tasting room paired with cheeses, meat and bread. DELICIOUS! Highly recommend.”
Spend five hours exploring Bordeaux wine country by coach with an English and French-speaking guide. Depending on your date, visit Saint-Émilion and its underground church, or tour two châteaux in Médoc, Graves, Sauternais, or Entre-deux-Mers. Friday combines Blaye’s citadel with a château tasting. Expect scenery, local wine, and small pours rather than a full meal.
“excellent trip, organised, well chosen chateux to visit. can highly recommend”
Spend 3 to 3.5 hours tasting croissants, Moroccan crepes, chocolate, pastrami, French-Syrian pastries, cheese, and natural wine across Le Marais. Your English-speaking guide, such as Antoine, Vanessa, Alice, or Arturo, adds neighborhood history and practical dining tips. Choose a shared group of up to 10 or a private tour.
“David is a very friendly informative guide. I learned a lot about the way that French people live. David talked about various facts about the city. The food was delicious with a wide variety. I would highly recommend David as a tour guide.”
Meet at Musée Vivant du Fromage on Île Saint-Louis, suit up, and descend into a cool cheese cellar. Over 90 minutes, guides such as Pierre, Agathe, Gabriel, Paul, and Dion explain cheesemaking before pairing seven cheeses with three wines and fresh baguette in a group of up to 12.
“This experience was perfect from start to finish. It started in a ‘Cheese cooling room’ where we learned about the process of making cheese as well as little history - before proceeding downstairs to a cellar where we tasted different wines and paired them with cheeses. Pierre was simply the most amazing and attentive host. I’ll be back on my next trip to Paris!”
The lists most people start from.
