Week-end in the heart of Beaujolais country

Very easily accessible by car or train, the Beaujolais spreads to the edges of Lyon and yet, you are in the heart of the country. This beautiful, soft and undulating region was one of the first to understand the interest of agricultural tourism, (here, it would be better to say wine-growing tourism...) and there are lots of "ready-made" programs to discover a region which is at the same time luxuriant, calm, and rich with varied resources.

This formula, baptized "Savours and Colours" take us through the vineyards and the cellars with accommodation of excellent quality in charming guest houses grouped together under the quality label "secrets of the land". So no surprises, only excellent ones.

You will arrive in the middle of the morning, then after settling in; you leave to discover the "Clos de Haute Combe" in Juliénas to discover vine cultivation on the slopes. You will learn absolutely everything on the wines of the domain, and when you lift up your eyes, in clear weather, you can see the whole of the valley of the Saône and, in the distance, the Alps range; which is not rare in Beaujolais country. Lunch will take place in Saint Amour (a name that cannot be invented...) at the "Auberge du Paradis"! The afternoon is devoted to a free stroll in the vineyards along the vintage route: Saint Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Fleurie, Morgon, Régnié... they are 12 in all. The only condition required to get maximum pleasure; be equipped with comfortable shoes. Then you go back to your guest room for dinner and the night.

The second day is dedicated to the discovery of the "golden stones" country, its medieval villages and notably Bagnols castle, a true marvel patiently rebuilt by passionate and very rich English people and which is today one of the most beautiful and prestigious hotels of France. The ochre yellow stone, that the buildings are made of, is truly golden in the light of the sun and even more so when the light is low-angled, as in the autumn.

You will have lunch at the «Terrasses de Pommiers» after a visit to the «Domaine du Sallerin» where reasonable cultivation is practised: fertilizer suppression, fight against erosion. The stay ends by a meeting with a wine grower of the "Reflet des Pierres Dorées", a brand which has been launched by the Tourist Office and whose members choose the wines to be kept.

This circuit is given here only as an example. You can easily imagine that lots of formulas abound in a region gathering together so many wills and know-how.

* ABUSE OF ALCOHOL IS DANGEROUS FOR HEALTH, AND MUST BE CONSUMED IN MODERATION.