Beaujolais wine route

Villefranche sur Saône : Villefranche-sur-SaôneFounded in the 12th century by the Barons of Beaujeu, the town became the capital of the Beaujolais in the15th centuryVisit the town and the Collegiate church of Notre Dame des Marais. Lacenas : Famous for its induction ceremonies into the guild of the "Companions of Beaujolais" held in the cellars of 16th century Montauzan castle. The Companions have their own wine-making cellar at the entrance to the village. Saint Paul chapel and the restored 13th century frescos. Saint-Julien en Beaujolais : The museum dedicated to Claude Bernard, the father of experimental medicine. Mementos of his family and professional life (instruments, manuscripts) and a film about his life and work.

Salles Arbuissonas en Beaujolais : Priory founded in the 10th century by the monks of Cluny and taken over by the Benedictines in the 13th century. Superb Gothic porch Opening onto the Romanesque cloister. Beaujolais Villages wine. 39 municipalities have the right to use the Beaujolais Villages appellation. Beautiful red cherry colour, with red fruit overtones highlighted by blackcurrant and strawberry. Vaux en Beaujolais : Picturesque village which inspired Gabriel Chevalier's famous best-selling novel "Clochemerle" (1934). The village expresses the spirit and traditions of Beaujolais wine makers.Superb views from the road through the passes on the peaks of the Beaujolais hills. Odenas : The gardens in 17th century Chaize Castle were landscaped by Le Nôtre. The cellars are the longest in the the Beaujolais (110 m). Pierreux Castle was also built in the 17th century. Other castles include Nevers and Thivin. Vintage : Brouilly. The vineyard, at the foot of Mont Brouilly, it is most extensive of all the Beaujolais "crus" - 1,200 ha (3,000 acres). Deep ruby in colour, with red fruit plum and peach flavours, and mineral overtones. Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly are different. The latter is a pedigree wine with a crimson robe and flavours of fresh grapes and irises.

Saint Lager : Ravatys Castle houses the Pasteur Institute research facility and wine cellar. Régnié Durette : The great Grange-Charton estate belongs to the Hospices deBeaujeu the architecture of which architecture is a perfect reflection of its wine-making purpose. Vintage : Régnié. The most recent Beaujolais wine vintage. Supple and well structured with the cherry robe purple highlights and currant, blackberry and raspberry flavours.

Beaujeu : The historic capital of the Beaujolais.

See:

• The "Sources of the Beaujolais" wine and tourist centre in a beautiful 16th century half-timbered house
• The Marius Audin Folk Museum
• The Maison du Pays which runs wine tasting all the time and sells local produce and products.
• 100 km of signposted footpaths will take you through the vines, deciduous woods, the meadows, moors and groves of conifers...

Avenas : 12th century Romanesque Church in the style of Cluny. Jullié : 17th century la Roche Castle and its rare rotating bridge. Superb views to the East from Le Vâtre chapel Signposted footpaths from Jullié. Juliénas : See the 16th century Maison de la Dîme with its double arcaded gallery. Many castles including Bois de la Salle, a former priory now the co-operative cellar, Juliénas, built in feudal times and Les Capitans, are monuments to the history of the vineyard. Vintage : Juliénas. A deep ruby robe for this lively wine which is as delicious young as after a few years in bottles. Generous bouquet of peaches and red fruits and floral flavours.

St Amour Bellevue : Pottery in the village. Vintage The most Northern of all Beaujolais Vintages, Saint-Amour is a lively, finely balanced wine with a ruby robe and flavours of Kirsch, spices and reseda with a tenderly harmonious body. Poterie installée dans le village. Cru - Saint-Amour - Le plus septentrional des Crus du Beaujolais est un vin vif, fin et équilibré à la robe rubis et aux arômes de kirsch, d'épices et de réséda. Il a un corps tendre et harmonieux. Chénas : Chénas Co-operative, in the former castle cellars, markets several Beaujolais wine vintages. Vintage : Chénas - the rarest Beaujolais and Louis XIIIth's favourite wine. Ruby robe tinted with garnet, a structured body, with flowery tones dominated by roses and peonies. Generous when laid down.

Le Hameau-en -Beaujolais. A centre for communications, culture and wine tasting, and a living museum of the history of the Beaujolais, its people - and its wine.

Audio-visuals and events. Vintage : Moulin à vent.The "Lord of the Beaujolais wines" gets its name from and old windmill on one of the hills near Romanèche- Thorens. A structured wine with a dark ruby robe, scents of iris, faded roses, spices and ripe fruits. A wine for laying down, it is one of France's great names. Fleurié :

The Chapel dedicated to the Madonna overlooks the vineyard and the village, which has the oldest co-operative wine cellar in the Beaujolais. The "Great Beaujolais Wines International Market is held there on the Saturday after All Saints' day. Vintage : Fleurié. a beautiful carmine robe, the most "feminine" of all Beaujolais vintages is attractively velvet and elegant with floral and fruity flavours: iris, violet, faded roses, peaches, blackcurrants and red fruits.

Chiroubles : Co-operative Cellar decorated with frescos focused on the vine. Superb views from the Terraces of Chiroubles at an altitude of 750 m. Vintage : Chiroubles This highest Beaujolais wine. Fine and very fruity, it is one of most typical too - succulent, tender and elegant, with a bright red robeand flavours of peony, lily of the valley and violet.

Picture Philippe Fontaine

Villié-Morgon : Fontcrenne castle, standing in very beautiful grounds, is now the Town Hall. It has the biggest wine tasting cellar in the area. Vintage : Morgon. A fleshy wine with a distinctive character extremely full on the tongue. Deep garnet robe, ripe cherry, peach, apricot and plum flavours.

Corcelles en Beaujolais : Corcelles castle dates back to the Middle Ages and stands, surrounded by its vineyards, in a beautiful French garden.

Saint Jean d'Ardières : Maison des Beaujolais which proposes tasting sessions at any time of all twelve Beaujolais appellations. Pizay castle, partially 15th century with 19th century additions is now a hotel complex.

Belleville sur Saône : Notre Dame church was an abbey in the 12th century. St Georges de Reneins then back to Villefranche : 15th century Marzé castle.

Three other castles are worth detouring to see. Boitray, which looks mediaeval,Vallières built in the 16th and 17th centuries and Laye built in the 18th and 19th centuries.