7 French Wine Regions: €10 Tastes Like €100

The 7 French Wine Regions That Will Ruin Supermarket Wine for You Forever

I used to think wine was wine. Red, white, maybe rosé in summer. I’d grab whatever was on sale at the supermarket and call it a day. Then I spent two weeks driving through French wine country, and everything changed.

It started in Burgundy, at a family domaine where the winemaker — a woman in her 60s with dirt under her fingernails — poured me a glass of Pinot Noir from vines her grandfather planted. It was €10 for the bottle. It tasted like nothing I’d ever had before — silky, complex, alive. She explained how the same grape, grown 200 meters up the hill, produces a completely different wine. That’s when I understood terroir — not as a pretentious French word, but as something you can actually taste.

France has over 300 wine regions, but these seven are the ones that transformed my understanding of wine — and, more importantly, are the most enjoyable to visit as a traveler.

1. Burgundy (Bourgogne) — Where Wine Becomes Religion

The wine: Pinot Noir (red) and Chardonnay (white). This is where both grapes reach their highest expression. Burgundy invented the concept of terroir — the idea that specific plots of land produce fundamentally different wines.
Price range: €8-30 for village wines (you can drink superbly for €12-15). Grand Cru Burgundy costs €50-500+, but you don’t need to go there.
Best time to visit: September-October (harvest) or May-June (vineyards green, fewer tourists)

The Route des Grands Crus from Dijon to Santenay is the most famous wine road in the world — 60 km of vineyards that include Romanée-Conti (most expensive wine on Earth), Chambertin, and Meursault. You can cycle the entire route (flat, well-marked, ~4 hours) and stop at domaines along the way.

Where to taste:

• Domaine Rapet (Pernand-Vergelesses) — Family-run, appointment-only, 6 wines for €0 (yes, free). Incredibly generous and educational.
• Bouchard Père & Fils (Beaune) — Grand cellar in a 15th-century château. Guided tasting €25 for 7 wines including Premier and Grand Cru.
• Caves Patriarche (Beaune) — The largest cellars in Burgundy. Self-guided tour with 13 tastings for €15.

Pro tip: Beaune is the perfect base — a gorgeous walled town with more wine shops per capita than anywhere in France. The Hospices de Beaune (€8.50) is a stunning 15th-century hospital with polychrome tile roofs. Stay at Hôtel Le Cep (from €110) for charm, or Hôtel de France (from €70) for value.

2. Bordeaux — The Wine Capital of the World

The wine: Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blends (red), Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon (white). Bordeaux produces more fine wine than any other region on Earth.
Price range: €5-15 for excellent everyday wine. The classified growths (Margaux, Pauillac, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru) start at €25 and go to infinity.
Best time to visit: June or September-October

Bordeaux the city has been transformed in the last decade — once gloomy, now it’s one of France’s most beautiful cities with a stunning UNESCO waterfront, excellent restaurants, and the Cité du Vin (€22) — a gorgeous wine museum with an interactive tasting floor on the top level.

Where to taste:

• Saint-Émilion (40 min from Bordeaux) — A medieval village surrounded by vineyards. Walk the underground church carved from limestone, then taste at small producers. Château Franc Mayne offers tours + tasting from €15.
• Médoc (1 hour north) — The home of the famous classified growths. Some châteaux are grand affairs (€35-80 for a tour at Margaux or Pauillac), but smaller ones along the D2 wine road offer tastings from €8-12.
• The city itself — Bar à Vin at the Maison du Vin (right on the waterfront) serves glasses from €3-8 at near cost-price. Best value wine bar in Bordeaux.

Insider tip: Bordeaux’s right bank (Saint-Émilion, Pomerol, Fronsac) is generally more welcoming to drop-in visitors than the left bank (Médoc), where many châteaux require appointments. For spontaneous tasting, head right.

3. Champagne — Where Wine Becomes Celebration

The wine: You know this one. Champagne can only come from Champagne — everything else is sparkling wine.
Price range: €15-25 for quality grower champagne (the kind made by the farmer, not the factory). Big house champagne (Moët, Veuve Clicquot) costs €30-50 retail, less at the source.
Best time to visit: Year-round (cellars are underground). Harvest in September is magical if you can arrange a visit.

Two cities dominate: Reims (45 min from Paris by TGV — detailed in our Day Trips from Paris guide) and Épernay (the Avenue de Champagne — a single street with €2 billion of wine aging underneath it).

Where to taste:

• Taittinger (Reims) — Tours through Gallo-Roman chalk cellars (4th century!) + 2 glasses. €29. Atmospheric and educational.
• Moët & Chandon (Épernay) — The biggest name. Imperial cellars stretching 28 km. €32 for tour + 2 glasses.
• Small growers — The real discovery. Drive the Route du Champagne through villages like Hautvillers (where Dom Pérignon is buried) and stop at family houses. Champagne Laherte Frères in Chavot — organic, biodynamic, extraordinary quality, tasting from €15.

Pro tip: Grower champagne (look for “RM” on the label — Récoltant Manipulant) is made by the person who grew the grapes. It’s more individual, more interesting, and 30-50% cheaper than big house champagne of equal quality. Once you discover grower champagne, you’ll never go back to mass-market.

4. Loire Valley — The Wine Garden of France

The wine: Extraordinarily diverse. Sauvignon Blanc (Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé), Chenin Blanc (Vouvray, Savennières), Cabernet Franc (Chinon, Bourgueil), and sparkling Crémant de Loire.
Price range: €5-15 for excellent bottles. Loire wines are some of the best values in France.
Best time to visit: May-October (combine with château visits — see our Loire Valley Castles guide)

The Loire is 1,000 km long, making it France’s most geographically diverse wine region. The wines are generally lighter, fresher, and more food-friendly than Bordeaux or Burgundy — perfect for summer drinking.

Where to taste:

• Vouvray (near Tours) — Chenin Blanc from dry to sweet, some sparkling. Domaine Huet is world-class biodynamic. Free tasting.
• Sancerre — The hilltop town overlooking the Loire makes France’s most famous Sauvignon Blanc. Domaine Vacheron — organic, mineral, extraordinary. Tasting €10 for 5 wines.
• Chinon — Cabernet Franc that tastes like violets and pencil shavings (in a good way). Domaine Charles Joguet — legendary producer. Tour + tasting €15.

5. Alsace — Fairy-Tale Villages and Aromatic Whites

The wine: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Muscat, Pinot Blanc. Aromatic, expressive whites in tall, elegant bottles.
Price range: €6-15 for excellent wines. Alsatian Grand Cru wines (€15-30) are among France’s most undervalued.
Best time to visit: September-October (harvest) or December (Christmas markets — wine + fairy lights)

The Route des Vins d’Alsace runs 170 km through the most photogenic wine region in France — half-timbered villages, stork nests on chimneys, and Vosges mountain vineyards. Unlike Bordeaux or Burgundy, most Alsatian producers welcome walk-ins and many tastings are free.

Where to taste:

• Colmar (base yourself here) — Wine bars in the old town, plus dozens of producers within 15 minutes’ drive. More in our Hidden Gems guide.
• Domaine Weinbach (Kaysersberg) — One of Alsace’s finest. Grand Cru Riesling that’s worth every cent. Tasting by appointment, €15.
• Cave de Ribeauvillé — Cooperative with excellent quality. Free tasting of 8+ wines. Bottles from €6.

Insider tip: Alsatian wines are the most versatile food wines in France. Riesling with seafood, Gewurztraminer with Asian food or cheese, Pinot Gris with white meat. Buy a few bottles (they’re light enough to pack) and impress everyone at your next dinner party.

6. Rhône Valley — Power and Elegance

The wine: Northern Rhône: Syrah (Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, Cornas) — powerful, peppery, age-worthy. Southern Rhône: Grenache blends (Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Vacqueyras) — rich, warm, spicy.
Price range: Southern Rhône: €6-15 for Côtes du Rhône. Châteauneuf-du-Pape: €20-50. Northern Rhône: €15-40+.
Best time to visit: May-June or September

The Rhône Valley stretches from Lyon to Avignon, with the Northern and Southern sections producing fundamentally different styles. The Southern Rhône — especially around Châteauneuf-du-Pape — is the most fun to visit: papal history, sun-baked vineyards, and generous pour sizes.

Where to taste:

• Châteauneuf-du-Pape — The ruined papal castle overlooks a sea of vines. Domaine de la Janasse and Château Mont-Redon both offer excellent tastings from €10-15.
• Tain-l’Hermitage (Northern Rhône) — Cave de Tain cooperative has an excellent shop. Crozes-Hermitage from €8 (incredible value for Syrah).
• Gigondas — The “baby Châteauneuf” at half the price. Domaine Saint Damien — powerful, affordable, welcoming. Free tasting.

7. Provence — Rosé Season Is Every Season

The wine: Rosé, rosé, and more rosé. Provence produces 40% of French rosé and most of the world’s premium rosé. Also excellent reds from Bandol (Mourvèdre) and whites from Cassis.
Price range: €6-12 for quality rosé. Bandol: €15-25.
Best time to visit: May-September (rosé weather)

Provence rosé isn’t the sweet, pink stuff you might be thinking of. It’s dry, pale, mineral, and incredibly refreshing — essentially the perfect summer wine. Drinking it ice-cold on a terrace overlooking lavender fields is one of life’s great pleasures.

Where to taste:

• Bandol — The most serious wine town in Provence. Domaine Tempier is legendary (appointment required). More accessible: Moulin de la Roque cooperative — free tasting, bottles from €7.
• Côtes de Provence — Hundreds of domaines between Aix-en-Provence and Saint-Tropez. Many have gorgeous grounds. Château Miraval (yes, the Brad Pitt one) offers tours for €16 and the wine is genuinely good.
• Cassis — Tiny fishing port making exceptional white wine. Clos Sainte-Magdeleine — clifftop vineyard overlooking the sea. One of the most beautiful winery settings in France. Tasting €10.

Practical Tips for Wine Touring in France

• Spit, don’t swallow — especially if you’re driving. Every tasting room has spit buckets (crachoirs). Using them is normal, expected, and smart. You’ll taste better too.
• Buy at least one bottle per domaine you visit — it’s considered polite when they’ve given you a free tasting.
• Speak a little French — Even “Bonjour, je voudrais faire une dégustation s’il vous plaît” (Hello, I’d like to do a tasting please) goes a long way. See our French Phrases guide.
• Don’t be intimidated — French winemakers are among the most generous, passionate people you’ll meet. They want to share their wine. Ask questions, even basic ones.
• Ship wine home — If you buy more than you can carry, most domaines can arrange shipping. Expect €15-25/box for European delivery, €40-60+ for overseas.

Budget Breakdown

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to book tastings in advance?

For big names (Bordeaux classified growths, top Burgundy domaines, Champagne houses): yes, often weeks ahead. For small producers, cooperatives, and most Alsatian/Loire/Provence domaines: just show up. Call the day before to be safe, especially in off-season.

Can I bring wine home on the plane?

Within the EU: no limits for personal use. From France to the UK/US: check your country’s customs allowance (usually 2-4 bottles duty-free). Wine bottles go in checked luggage in a Wine Skin bag (€2-3, available at wine shops — protects against breakage). I’ve brought back 12 bottles in a suitcase wrapped in dirty laundry. None broke.

I don’t know anything about wine. Will I feel awkward?

Absolutely not. Most tastings cater to beginners. Say “Je suis débutant(e)” (I’m a beginner) and the winemaker will adjust their explanation. The whole point is to learn and enjoy, not pass an exam.

Best region for a first wine trip?

Alsace. The most accessible, most photogenic, most beginner-friendly, and most affordable. Free tastings everywhere, easy-to-appreciate wines (aromatic whites are more immediately enjoyable than tannic reds), and the villages are unforgettable.

Ready for more France? Our 7-Day Itinerary includes wine region stops, and the Road Trip guide routes through three wine regions. For wine in neighboring countries, Spain Soul’s Andalusia guide covers sherry country.