Côtes du Rhône Wine Tour from Lyon: 3 wineries, 16 wines

Terraced vineyards at 60-degree angles, three wineries, two grape varietals

A full-day wine tour from Lyon visits three family wineries across the Northern Côtes du Rhône Valley, where Syrah and Viognier grapes grow on the steep, sun-facing slopes of Côte Rotie and Condrieu. The guide leads a small group through the barrels room at the first winery, then across the vertigo-inducing terraced hillsides of Côte Brune and Côte Blonde before tastings at two more family producers. You taste about 16 wines total, including Condrieu white, Côte Rotie red, and St Joseph from both styles.

Step-by-step itinerary

Cotes du Rhone Wine Tour from Lyon

• Meet guide at Lyon Office de Tourisme
• Board minivan for wine tour
• Panorama at Notre Dame de Pipet Mount
• Learn about grapes and wine history in Vienne
• Drive through Ampuis and Cote Rotie vineyards
• Visit first winery and taste 6 wines
• Lunch at local restaurant (not included)
• Visit family winery in Condrieu and taste 5-6 wines
• Stop at third winery for 5 wine tastings
• Return to Lyon Office de Tourisme

The experience

The tour begins at 8:50 am at the Lyon Office de Tourisme on Bellecour Square, where an English or French-speaking guide meets the group and loads an air-conditioned minibus. The first stop is Vienne, a Roman city overlooking the Rhône valley from Notre Dame de Pipet Mount. The guide explains the terroir philosophy and the region's wine history (these wines were famous in Rome 21 centuries ago) before the group crosses into Ampuis, the world capital of Syrah production.

At 10:45 am, you enter the first winery and walk through the barrel-aging rooms to learn how the wines develop over time. The tasting room opens onto a tasting of three white and three red wines, including Condrieu, St Joseph and Côte Rotie. After this first winery, the group breaks for lunch at a local restaurant serving Côtes du Rhône cuisine. The guide translates the menu and explains each course. Lunch costs from €20 on weekdays (special of the day) and €25 on weekends and is not included in the tour price.

In the early afternoon, the minibus crosses into Condrieu, the birthplace of Viognier. A family winery there shares the story of this grape varietal, which nearly disappeared decades ago, before pouring a second round of tastings: five or six wines including Condrieu white, St Joseph and Côte Rotie. A third winery follows with another five Rhône wines, letting you linger over the aromatic intensity of Viognier and the Syrah in their original terroir. The guide drops the group at Bellecour Square at 5:15 pm.

What’s included

• Wine tasting of about 16 to 18 wines across three family wineries.
• English and French-speaking guide.
• air-conditioned minibus transport from Lyon.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday and ThursdayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to12h before

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by KANPAI TOURISME

Is this one for you?Small groups of up to eight travelers share the minibus and the winery visits, so you travel with other wine enthusiasts rather than alone or as a couple. The fixed itinerary and guide-led pace mean you see the steep Côte Rotie slopes, learn the history and terroir philosophy, and taste systematically across three producers without arranging the route or translations yourself.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

What are Côte Rotie and Côte Blonde, and why does the tour stop there?

Côte Rotie, meaning "roasted hillside," is the famous Syrah vineyard region of Ampuis, planted on terraced slopes at 30 to 60-degree angles facing the Rhône River. Côte Brune and Côte Blonde are the two main hillsides within it, both bathed in sun. The tour drives across these precipitous slopes so you see firsthand why the terrain and exposure make this the world capital of Syrah production.

How many wines do I taste, and what styles are included?

You taste about 16 to 18 wines across the three wineries. The tastings include white and red Condrieu, white and red St Joseph, and Côte Rotie, so you experience both the Viognier whites and the Syrah reds that define the Northern Côtes du Rhône.

Is lunch included in the tour price?

Lunch is not included. The group stops at a local restaurant in the early afternoon where menus start from €20 on weekdays (special of the day) and €25 on weekends. The guide will translate and explain the courses for you.

What time does the tour start and end, and where?

The guide meets the group at 8:50 am in front of the Lyon Office de Tourisme building on Bellecour Square, opposite Le Royal Hotel. The minibus drops you back at the same location at 5:15 pm.