10 Things To Know When Booking Provence Wine Tours In 2024
By Richard Hoskisson – 12 July 2024

Three of my favourite things in the whole world to do are;
☀️ Being in Provence
🍇 Drinking (rosé) wine
🍷 Combining being in Provence and drinking rosé wine.
Therefore, I have done lots of research to write this article giving you my best tips for enjoying your own Provence wine tour.

I have been falling in love with Provence since my very first visit in 2002. Having moved here permanently two years ago, I have taken myself, family and friends on many excursions to sample the beautiful wines and vineyards of this stunning region of France.
Best Provence Wine Tour
There are so many wineries to choose from depending on where you stay in the region. You could explore deep into the Luberon starting in Avignon, explore the areas of Aix en Provence or immerse yourself in the glamour of St Tropez and its coastal vineyards. For me, living on the Côte d’Azur, I like the tours that are in the heart of the region and depart from Aix-en-Provence.
Reserve your Provence Wine Tour today!
I recommend this superb half day tour departing from Aix-en-Provence.
⭐️ Great value for money
⭐️ Choice of a morning or afternoon departure
⭐️ Take the stress out of having to drive yourself
10 Things To Know When Booking Provence Wine Tours
It can feel pretty overwhelming to plan a visit to a region as large as Provence. My top ten tips below are designed to take the stress and work out of your planning in order to have the best day in this beautiful part of the world.

1. Rosé wines from Provence are the best in the world
Rosé wine originates from Provence; the Phoceans brought grapes from Greece to Massalia (now Marseille) in the 6th century BC. They truly have had millennia to perfect the product.
As always, I have done the hard work for you by trying many wines and I can definitively confirm that the product is pure perfection. French Rosé is simply sunshine in a bottle perfect for lazy poolside afternoons.

2. Booking a Guided Tour saves the worry of having to drive
Drink driving laws in France are strict and one can become ‘over the limit’ quickly. Booking a guided tour or a driver for the day means you can enjoy your Provence wine tour with peace of mind.
If staying in Nice/Cannes, it is possible to find tours that will pick you up, take you out to the Var/St Tropez area and bring you back. These can be quite pricey but there are some bargains to be found. Being in a larger group will help bring the price down.
💡 My Recommendation – base yourself in Aix-en-Provence for a few days and take my suggested half-day tour. Prices are reasonable and the tour guides are friendly and knowledgeable. Click here to book.

3. Planning lunch in advance is essential
When on a wine tour in Provence, plan your route in advance with a lunch stop either side of a winery visit. For me, a pre-packed picnic is the best way to enjoy a day out in Provence.

⚠️ It can be notoriously difficult to find somewhere to eat lunch in France after 2:30pm. Often, at peak times, a reservation is necessary wherever you end up.
4. Go familiar – visit a vineyard of wine you enjoy drinking
In the USA and UK Whispering Angel from Château d’Esclans is probably the most famous Provençal rosé. Minuty and Ultimate Provence (UP) are also well-known wines overseas.


Château d’Esclans the home of Whispering Angel is always a favourite of mine – Christian and his team there are so welcoming for a wine tasting and it is popular, but never busy.
Minuty is also a great spot in a beautiful location, close to Saint Tropez. Often the staff conducting the tastings are learning all about wines themselves and keen to impart their knowledge.
Ultimate Provence is a rosé wine lifestyle resort with hotel rooms, restaurants and a spa. A luxurious treat.
5. Being Adventurous leads to surprises
Further to my point above, on your Provençal wine tour, do also try to go off the beaten track. Spend a little time discovering places close by to somewhere more well known – you will be pleasantly surprised.
A few years ago we wandered along one of the roads of The Var and found Domaine Château Marguï – selling spectacular wines. As we chatted to the winemaker, we discovered that the winery is owned by American, Star Wars director, George Lucas and he has developed his own wines called Skywalker Wines. We left with the force and some wonderful memories.


Another winery I found – Domaine des Mapliers – we contacted through Instagram and the winemaker travelled up from Nice to open up for us, allowing us to sample his wines. It was a very special day.
6. Plan your day in advance – don’t wing it if going off the beaten track
As I outlined above, I had very special treatment from a winemaker I contacted in advance. If self-planning your Provence wine tour, take some time to plot your route and contact the wineries before the day, especially if going off the beaten track.
⚠️ Do note that in France, businesses are generally not that responsive to email. Phone calls are more effective (but understandably challenging if you do not speak French).
However if the winery has a social media presence, you will find that contacting them directly (via Instagram for example) should yield a response.

7. There are some excellent red wines made in Provence
Provence is not all about rosé wine – well it kind of is as 89% of production is related to rosé – BUT, that does leave 11% for reds and whites and there are some super wines. Mourvèdre, Syrah and Grenache are predominantly grown in Provence and often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon make some hearty reds, worthy of sampling.
8. Wine tasting is usually free
In all the wineries that I have visited in Provence, the wine tasting has been free (with the exception of UP – Ultimate Provence).
However I always buy a bottle (let’s be honest it’s usually a case) to take home so as to be polite. I recommend buying at least one bottle at each vineyard to share on a special evening when back home and reminisce about your unforgettable time in Provence.

9. Don’t be afraid of the language
As an active French learner, I do try my best to speak French and the effort you make to use a few words or phrases will be greatly appreciated.
However, in most farms you will find staff that speak English, in fact we even found someone a few years ago near Vidauban, who spoke Afrikaans, much to the delight of my South African, Afrikaans speaking partner.
10. Pace Yourself
There is the potential to try a lot of wine. For those of you who watched 1990s TV in the UK, you may remember well, Patsy and Eddie in Ab Fab wine tasting in France – needless to say it did not end well.


To avoid this situation, stick to a few wines, ask questions, take your time and savour the flavours whilst enjoying the experience. Don’t be afraid to use the spittoon if needed, this, after all, is the professional way to taste.
Best Time To Visit
The bigger, more well-known wineries are open year round, and are often much quieter. However the smaller vineyards have restricted opening times out of season.
I recommend a wine tour between the months of May and September. Do keep in mind that July and August can be extremely busy in the southern region of France.


May, June and September are the best times to visit as the weather is cooler, yet still sunny and there are less tourists. This makes the perfect atmosphere for enjoying a picnic or lunch on a terrace or town square, under the Provençal sun in between visits to wineries.
FAQs
You may still have many questions about planning your Provence Wine Tour. Do not hesitate to get in touch with me, if there are any other questions you may have.
Can you visit wineries in Provence?
Yes, there are around 430 vineyards in the whole of Provence, so there are plenty to choose from. When planning your tour, remember that the smaller wineries may require an appointment in advance.
Which wine is Provence most famous for?
There are 9 appellations in the Provençal region. The most famous are the Côtes de Provence, Coteaux d’Aix en Provence and Coteaux Varois en Provence, all offering reds, whites and rosés.
Rosé wines are the most famous, yet there are some hearty reds and fruity, dry whites.
Where to stay in Provence for wine?
Aix-en-Provence is the perfect place to base yourself for a Provence Wine Tour.
How many days in Provence is enough?
Provence is a huge region of France. You could stay anywhere from 1 day to several weeks. At least 3 days would be required to really enjoy the city of Aix-en-Provence and its surrounding areas.
Come back next year and choose somewhere else to explore!


The Wrap Up
Planning a Provence Wine Tour does not have to be overwhelming. The wineries are welcoming and staff knowledgeable. For rosé wine lovers, it is the perfect place to visit. Yet there are also some beautiful reds and whites to sample.
If it is all too much to plan, simply base yourself in Aix-en-Provence for a few nights and book a half day wine tasting tour by clicking here.