Wine Hiking in the Côtes du Rhône
Autumn is the ideal season for hiking! The landscapes are adorned with their most beautiful colors, the mild weather is there to make the vineyards of the Rhone Valley your playground of the moment! Between walks in the vineyards and visits to estates, set off on the hiking trails and take the time to explore the terroirs of the Côtes du Rhône! Here is a selection of 3 must-see spots for walking and tasting.
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The Dentelles de Montmirail: A Hiker's Paradise
The chiseled limestone blades stand against the sky. In the warm glow of the setting sun, they form an orange mineral barrier surrounded by vines. The Dentelles are formed by three parallel ridges between which stretch interior valleys whose slopes are also planted with vineyards. The region's winegrowers have long understood the full richness of these thousand-year-old terroirs and benefit from a beautiful range of appellations: Côtes du Rhône, Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Beaumes-de-Venise reds, muscats of Beaumes-de-Venise.
Starting from the center of the village of Gigondas, a walk accessible to all walkers allows you to reach the Rocher du Midi belvedere. The paths cross typically Mediterranean vegetation whose aromas of scrubland will sharpen your senses. This loop of a little less than 3 hours will never cease to suspend you by the diversity of its fauna and flora, and by the beauty of its landscapes.
Practical information: hike "Les Dentelles de Montmirail" n° 232055 on the free Visorando app - 6.58km in 2h50 - Average difficulty.
The Côtes du Rhône Gardoises on the right bank of the river
In the Gard department, on the right bank of the Rhône, the vineyard colonizes a land full of history. A string of estates perpetuates the Roman wine-growing heritage whose prosperity was based on the possibility of easily shipping wines to the interior of Gaul by river. In a strategic position, a stone's throw from the main communication routes, the wines in the Côtes du Rhône Gardoises appellation still base their reputation today on their quality, directly from a limestone terroir that gives them finesse, suppleness and elegance.
Starting from Chusclan, a beautiful hike allows you to walk through varied terrain, offering magnificent views of the Rhône and Mont Ventoux, on the other side of the river. The bravest will reach the medieval site of the Château de Gicon which overlooks the valley, bringing a cultural touch to this sporty hike!
Practical information: “Dent de Marcoule and Château de Gicon” hike no. 215101 on the free Visorando app – 15km in 5h30 – Difficult level
The mythic Hermitage’hill
Further north, in the Drôme, the Hermitage hills are streaked with vines. Dominating the small town of Tain, a small chapel stands, a lookout watching over the estates clinging to the sometimes steep slopes. A stone's throw from the terroir of the famous Saint-Joseph appellation, the terroirs of the Crozes-Hermitage and Hermitage appellations require meticulous work from the winegrowers, subject to the rugged topography. In the middle of the fields, paths stretch as far as the eye can see and allow you to crisscross, along sawtooth profiles, a territory offering breathtaking panoramas of the Rhône with, in the distance, the squat silhouette of the Vercors massif emerging.
From the Tain cellar car park, a superb hike on the famous Hermitage hill offers magnificent views of the Rhône. First, paved, the dirt road approaches the slopes that lead to the explanatory panels that mark out this route as sporty as it is instructive!
Practical information: hike "Belvédères et vignobles de Tain l'Hermitage" n° 711571 on the free Visorando app - 5.85km in 2h20 - Average difficulty
