Northern Rhône Syrah Wine Tour from Lyon, Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu
Vines on slopes of 30 to 60 degrees, and two family estates
Taste Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu and St Joseph wines on some of France's steepest, oldest vineyards, where terrace walls were built in Roman times. This small group tour from Lyon takes you to two family wineries in the Northern Rhône Valley, with eleven wines poured across the afternoon.
Step-by-step itinerary
Northern Rhone Valley wine tour
- Meet guide at Lyon Office de Tourisme
- Walk to minivan and start tour
- Stop in Vienne for Roman theatre view
- Learn about terroir and grape characteristics
- Cross Ampuis and see Cote Rotie vineyards
- Drive on terraced slopes of Cote Brune and Cote Blonde
- Pass by Condrieu town and learn about Viognier grape
- Visit first family winery and wine-taste six wines
- Drive to second family winery and tour facilities
- Taste five different Cotes du Rhone wines
- Return to Lyon Bellecour Square and end tour
- Office of Tourism and Congress of Metropolis of Lyon 10m
- Theatre de Vienne 10m
- Ampuis 10m
- Condrieu passing by
- Chavanay 45m
- Malleval 45m
- Office of Tourism and Congress of Metropolis of Lyon 5m
What’s included
- Guiding language.
- A guide who knows wine and the Lyon region.
- Tasting of eleven wines.
- Air-conditioned minibus for eight.
Next departure: 15 Mar 2027
Information
Taste Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu and St Joseph wines at two family wineries, where you walk steep terraces with Roman-era walls in the Northern Rhône Valley.
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The experience
The minibus leaves Lyon behind and the road opens onto the Northern Rhône Valley, just 25 minutes south. In Vienne you stand above the Rhône and face a Roman theatre about 2,000 years old, with the whole valley spread out below. Your guide explains the terroir and how the grapes of the northern region differ.
Ampuis, the world capital of Syrah, comes next, followed by the Côte-Rôtie vineyards, whose name means roasted hillside. The road climbs the precipitous, vertigo-inducing terraces of Côte Brune and Côte Blonde, slopes of 30 to 60 degrees bathed in sun above the Rhône. Condrieu is only driven through, and the guide tells you how Viognier nearly vanished in the 1960s.
At the first family winery you step in for a short visit, then taste six wines, among them some Condrieu, St Joseph or Côte-Rôtie. After a short drive, the second estate gives you a private tour of its facilities, with secrets of Rhône winemaking and barrel aging, before five more wines: three reds and three whites.
Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and French.
Does the tour stop at the Roman theatre in Vienne?
Yes, the minibus stops in Vienne so you can see the roughly 2,000-year-old Roman theatre and the view over the Rhône Valley. Your guide explains the terroir and grape differences there.
Is Condrieu a stop on the wine tour?
No, Condrieu is only driven through, without a stop. The guide explains how Viognier nearly disappeared in the 1960s as you pass.
How many wines are tasted, and what are they?
Eleven wines in total: six at the first family winery and five at the second. At the second winery, three are reds and three are whites, including famous Condrieu, St Joseph and Côte-Rôtie appellations.
Does the second winery include a private tour?
Yes, at the second family winery the guide shows you the facilities and explains barrel aging and winemaking secrets before the tasting.
Operated by KANPAI TOURISME. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated 10 days ago
Northern Rhône Syrah Wine Tour from Lyon, Côte-Rôtie Slopes
4h 30m · EN · FR
from € 109 per person
≈ US$ 122 in your currency
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