Like every third Thursday of November, this year again, we will toast to a new vintage of Beaujolais nouveau. A perfect opportunity to follow the tracks of this region which extends its vineyards north of Lyon and which also includes the ten other Beaujolais crus
A capital city not to be missed
To discover the Beaujolais, you must start with its capital Villefranche-sur-Saône. Villefranche became the economic capital of Beaujolais, supplanting Beaujeu, which was too far away, before taking over the political capital in 1532. Although surrounded by ramparts, Villefranche was above all a market town, which explains its configuration, of which the city center still bears witness today: from the very beginning, a street oriented north-south constituted the main axis, wide for its time because it was occupied by a market. This central street, renamed several times over the centuries to become the Rue Nationale - Rue Nat' for the inhabitants - is still the pulse of the city and it is around it that the discovery is articulated. Some visits are unavoidable, such as the collegiate church Notre-Dame des Marais. Take a tour of the fifteen chapels to admire all the stained glass windows, the oldest of which dates from the 14th century. Don't forget the great organ of 1834, classified as a historical monument, with its 45 stops, its 2 cases and its 2,300 pipes, the work of the Callinet company. Then, direction the Auberge de la Coupe d'Or, whose courtyard dates back to Louis XIV, the Maison du Patrimoine and the Musée des Conscrits, the Musée Paul Dini, which gathers important artists of the region, as well as the old houses of the city. Finally, in the superb historic building of the Hôtel-Dieu, you will find the tourist office, which presents the Beaujolais Destination, a few minutes north of Lyon and easily accessible from the A6. You will find addresses of winemakers, tours to take, tourist brochures to download, places to stay, restaurants and the highlights of the Beaujolais heritage. In short, plenty of ideas to discover with family or friends to get off the beaten track and understand these vineyards in a fun and pleasant way.
A Beaujolais, Beaujolais wines
Beaujolais is first and foremost Beaujolais, made up of a range of wines with strong personalities, from the Beaujolais Nouveau (the most extensive appellation, some of which can be tasted as early as November) to the ten Beaujolais crus (Brouilly, chénas, chiroubles, côte-de-brouilly, fleurie, juliénas, morgon, moulin-à-vent, régnié, saint-amour) and the beaujolais-villages (spread over 38 communes, they represent 25% of the total production of the Beaujolais vineyard). This homogeneous range meets all the expectations of a modern, spontaneous and lively consumption and opens up all the pleasures of tasting, from the aperitif to the party with friends, to gastronomic meals
The truth of Beaujolais is not literature: it is at the bottom of the glass, notwithstanding the beautiful pages that have been dedicated to it, from Thomas Jefferson to Colette or Bernard Pivot! The Beaujolais appellation essentially concerns three cantons, Villefranche, Anse and Le Bois-d'Oingt, as well as a few villages in the cantons of Arbresle and Tarare. We can add a few plots of land bordering the communes producing Beaujolais-Villages and Crus, i.e. a total of 72 communes in which Beaujolais is the only production for the majority or a combination of other Beaujolais appellations and other productions such as fruit, market gardening or mixed farming
Thousands of farmers
The Beaujolais is characterized by its brilliant robe, its color between the glowing cherry and the purplish purple. Fruity, light, aromatic, fruity, bouqueted, lively, easy to drink, they develop very fresh aromas of pressed grapes or small red fruits with a dominant red currant. The appellation dates back to 1937. Each year, half of the production is marketed as Beaujolais Nouveau. The appellation "Beaujolais Villages" concerns thirty-eight communes that joined forces fifty years ago to create the first French AOC using the term "villages". The Beaujolais Villages stretch over 30 km between the Saône valley and the mountains of Haute-Azergues and Haut-Beaujolais. It is the official text of April 21, 1950 that confirms the right to the Beaujolais-Villages appellation. On the thin, filtering soils, easy to work, 1,700 winegrowers produce on 5,700 ha. Most of these wines age well and are highly prized by French restaurateurs. Fresh, lively, lively and cheerful, mischievous and charming, they are more refreshing than heady, more discreet than pedantic and more slippery than intrusive. About forty communes on the southern edge of Beaujolais officially make up the part of Beaujolais called the Pierres Dorées, producers of the Beaujolais appellation. Here the harvesting machine is still forbidden because the Beaujolais vinification requires a whole bunch fermentation. The Beaujolais Nouveau and the Beaujolais of the four seasons are produced here. This region, surrounded by the Azergues river, whose hills are of sedimentary origin, carries in its clay-limestone soil yellow ochre color the famous golden stone
To be tasted fresh!
For Beaujolais Nouveau and Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau, it is recommended to drink them chilled at a temperature of 12°C. The aromas and the wine in the mouth are at their optimum expression. For Beaujolais and Beaujolais-Villages, it is recommended to drink them at 13°C-14°C in order to bring out the aromatic richness of the Gamay grape. Depending on its richness, they can be kept for 2 years or more. For the Beaujolais crus, a temperature of 16°C is recommended. However, we can consider a lower temperature for a 1 or 2 years old vintage, 15 °C, for example, and slightly higher for a 3 to 5 years old vintage: 17 °C, for example. To be enjoyed in moderation of course!
Useful information
When to visit? You can visit the region all year round, harvesting in September and tasting the new Beaujolais from the third Thursday in November.
How to get there. By car, by train or by plane (via Lyon), everything is possible.
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Useful. To prepare at best your escapade.
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