A savy blend of european and north african cultures under one same roof. Known for its dirtyness and wickedness, Marseilles is a changing worl. This new one is more tempting than it ever was. Since it was entitled European Capital of Culture in 2013, Marseilles keeps on surprising its visitors and the rhythm is not slowing down ! New charming and entousiastic places are popping all around the city, building a new atmosphere we just fell in love with here at WineTravelinFrance.

Most of these 7 new urban treasures are well-kept secrets by the locals but WineTravelinFrance takes you on a very special tour to give you a deeper insight on the refined Marseilles.

1.  The Mediterranean countries with the Mucem Museum

To get yourself into the Marseille mood, let’s start with the basics: the MuCeM. Besides perfectly enhancing the new and trendy image of the city, its opening was dedicated to the celebration of Marseille being entitled as the European capital of culture. Suspended between sky and water and floating at the entrance of the Marseille’s old port, the concrete structure looking at the open sea is an architectural jewel. MuCEM is more than a museum, the physical proof of the artistic mobilization linking expressions of the two shores of the Mediterranean gulf.

Address: 7 Promenade Robert Laffond, 13002 Marseille

2. Freanch savors with L’embarcadère Restaurant

A few waves away from the museum get on board the Embarcadère (literally pier in French): a fine and sincere brasserie that will make you fall in love with its beautiful products sourced from the earth and the sea of the region. But also its unique central table, designed as an old vessel where all the travellers gather to make their cuttlery and glasses swing in the air. The whole orchestrated by two marvellous and innovative french chefs.

Address: Quai de la Tourette, 13002 Marseille

3. Fusion cuisine at Les Terrasses du Port Restaurant

Best way to conclude your brief but intense romance with Marseille? Taking your time to enjoy a sunny and well-deserved brunch on the Terrasses du Port’s rooftop, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea with its 360 panoramic view. You’ll get the chance to capture a glimpse of the locals’ life that gets beautifully animated at that time of the week.  One of them, the restaurant Le Refectoire offers an intimate and original atmosphere and provides gastronomy lovers with simple and natural products coming from all over the region: fresh vegetables from the market, fish catch of the day…

Address: 9 Quai du Lazaret, 13002 Marseille

4. Exotic spices at Le Panier District

Funded and developed by rich traders in the 16^th century, Le Panier is both the most authentic part of the city and the living proof of how fast Marseille’s charm is evolving and continuously surprising us. To get the best of this marvelous mix, get there by foot as roads are closed to road traffic from 11.30am onwards and operate this very special atmosphere. Get lost in the tiny and romantic streets full of small craft shops and fine epiceries.
La Petite Epicerie, Bazar du Panier, Vanille Noire are part of our address selection not to be missed during your stroll around Le Panier.

Address: 13, rue du Manier, 13002 Marseille

5.  Italian flavors at Les Trois Forts Restaurant

A very nice place for either lunch or dinner with fresh products sourced from the region, as well as from Corsica or Italy. Located at the 7^th floor of the Sofitel hotel, the panorama is sublime and will make you feel “lost in a moment” for a brief time…

Address: 36 Boulevard Charles Livo, 13007 Marseille

6. European Elegance at La Casa Honoré Hotel

Enjoy some well-deserved rest in a stunning art deco guesthouse arranged around a courtyard with an intimate pool, right at the heart of the city. We also need to mention the finest selection of great design pieces, adding the perfect elegant touch to this cozy venue.

Address: 123 Rue Sainte, 13007 Marseille

 7. More than Marseilles! 

Craving for nature hunting and exploration of South of France’s authenticity? We take you on a trip to Cassis and the sumptuous “callanques”

• A wine estate few kilometers away form the fishing village : Cassis

To make sure your terroir-knowledge on the region is complete, the visit of Domaine Paternel, is your ultimate weapon. In fact,  located in the nearby charming village of Cassis, this estate produces wine that goes very well with  the famous bouillabaisse soup and grilled fish! A complex one with citrus fruit flavor and round with a good length. Get the chance to meet the passionate owner who’s always ready to share his love with its visitors.

• the worlwide renowned Callanques of Cassis

Last but not least: the magnificent “callanques” that simply are unmissable. Sculpted white limestone cliffs popping out of the sky blue sea are redefining the concept of natural beauty. With their poetic names: Sormiou, Morgiou and Sugiton stand tall as the Phocean pearls brought by the rich traders in the old times ! Get on board !

A stylish building that reflects to the most famous wine river !

The building is facing the river and is entirely covered of glass and aluminum golden slabs so it will nicely reflect on the Garonne River. Looking at these, a surprising resemblance can be noticed with the Fondation Louis Vuitton that just opened in the capital city.
Parisian architects’ team from  XTU was chosen to give the building the curved shapes, the fluidity and the elegance of a great Bordeaux wine. But one can also see these curves as the representation of the wine’s swilling movement when falling into a glass. It will be up to you to decide! What cannot be denied is the spirit of wine that is beingevocated by the futuristic and magnificent structure. And the success is already there!

Not opened yet but already awarded !

Travel + Leisure magazine has awarded the Cité du Vin as the most beautiful museum of the year among thirteen other contestants.
The Cité du Vin aims at positioning itself as the place that brings together tradition and modernity in one glamorous style, perfectly enhancing the image of its host, the city of Bordeaux. In addition of serving knowledge about wine cultures and traditions to its visitors, the Cité du Vin will be used as a tourism-platform for the explorers of the region. In fact, a dedicated space for wine tourism will be settled inside the museum to encourage people to discover and enjoy activities across the surrounding vineyards Saint-Emilion, Médoc, L’Entre-Deux-Mers, Graves, Pomerol and all the wine making zones of Gironde area.

A long story to tell …

The story of French wine will be told inside the Cité du Vin, but not only! The Cité du Vin offers a deep understanding of the civilizations that played a great role in wine’s epic saga that started 3000 years back! From the remote and dry areas of Mesopotamia, to the mysterious wine grapes of chili, via the wineries of the Australia’s Gold Coast… The first exhibition, starting on the 13th of July, will thus be dedicated to Georgia, considered as the “cradle of wine viticulture”.

Wine but not only

More than twenty innovative multimedia and digital installations will be displayed to offer you a refreshing look on the development of wine culture and the art of good life that went along.
Along these exhibitions, program will include cultural activities linked to wine will also be shown to the audience. You will thus be able to participate to concerts, dancing representations, debates, workshops and even… watch football games during the European Competition that happens in June.

400 000 to 500 000 visitors are expected for the first year of this new “Guggenheim of wine”, a prestigious nickname that American newspapers already adopted.
And last but not least, restaurants and bars will also be on site, so you will be able to test what you have learned, right after the visit! More than 14 000 bottles will be stored in the cellars of the building, including 200 french wines and 600 different wines from various countries.

A not to be missed museum for wine amateurs and wine experts ! Another reason to visit Bordeaux and its wine regions.

In 2015, there were more than 130 spots to cultivate wine, dispatched all around the city. It is now time for a visit of the very best of these hidden places.

The heard of Parisian Wine around Bercy,  Paris 12

Funny fact about this vineyard there: to access it, you will have to exit the Cour Saint-Emilion subway station ! (Saint Emilion being the most famous wine area in Bordelais) Yes Wine is everywhere in Paris and this parc is one of its greatest testimony ! This mix of chardonnay and sauvignon was planted in 1996 to revive the tradition of wine in this part of Paris.

As a matter of fact, in the 19^th century, Bercy was the biggest wine market in the world! Wine barrels were carried on the Seine River and then stocked in Bercy warehouses. Every Sunday, Parisians were going in the small restaurants and bars edging the warehouses so they could to taste and celebrate the very best of French wine.

The ritual disappeared over the years because of the neighborhood renovation and the removal of wine depots. Nevertheless the restaurants remain. After visiting the small vineyard you will be able to enjoy the setting of what can be considered as the most authentic wine-drinking place of Paris.

Grow your wine and drink it at Bistrot Melac, Paris 11

This restaurant is a Parisian institution! Only 30 bottles are produced every year but the place constitutes a charming symbol of the love for wine in Paris.  The vineyards are cultivated in the cellar of the establishment and grow up on the walls outside and create a green shield during the summer. After the harvest, the owners ask for the help of children to trample the grapes in the vats, in the traditional way !

The spot tries to preserve its familial and warming spirit by offering the clients the very best of French meat, cheese and wine.

Even if you don’t get the chance to drink their wine, make sure to visit Bistrot Melac to enjoy the convivial atmosphere of the place.
Address : 42 Rue Léon Frot, 75011 Paris

The « most chic » parisian vineyards at Parc de Bagatelle, Paris 16

Located in the most refined botanic garden of Paris, this vineyard is a secret gem that not many Parisians know about.   Its intimacy is preserved as it is a private exploitation (and the only one in Paris hopefully). The grapes were planted ten years ago in the garden of a private mansion, originally built for the Maharajah of Kapourtala.

If you want to be part of the happy few, you can try getting an appointment to visit the place and learn more about it. The master of the house displays wine courses and lessons on the process of vinification.
La Vigne de Paris-Bagatelle: 10 route du champ d’entraînement, Paris 75016

Popular Parisian vineyards at Belleville, Paris 19

Far away from the snobbish attitude of Parisian elite, the wine culture of Belleville reflects the energy and the diversity of its inhabitants.

Located on a hill that offers one of the city’s panorama, the vineyard aims at reviving the old age of “piquette” ( the so-called undrinkable wine with poor quality). A wine produced in the past times for the lower classes and drunk in the popular cabarets.

During the first part of the XIXth century, every year, the hill was the scene of an entertaining parade called « la descente de la courtille ». For the carnival, and after a few glasses of wine people were running down the hill. People with their costumes were shouting and throwing objects everywhere in a festive atmosphere.

The ancient plot cultivated by monks, was rehabilitated in 1992 and is now made of Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grape varieties.
Address:  Rue des Saules, 75018 Paris

Finally, the most famous vineyards in Paris, Le clos Montmartre, Paris 18

Paris’s most iconic vineyard. If you are paying a visit to the French and you love wine you just cannot miss those. Perched on the famous Montmartre hill, this vineyard is the largest of the city with more than 1700 vines. According to historians wine was cultivated in the zone since the Roman age. In 1935, the city dedicated a day to celebrate the wine in Montmartre, the tradition went one and now gathers 500 000 people every year.
Because of the lack of sunshine, the production shifted from red to rose. Hopefully 1000 bottles of those were produced last year, giving you a chance to get your hands on it.

On top of those vineyards, Paris offers many and very original wine activities that you should experience once in your life.

Last summer, I had the chance to spend a week at friend’s place, a few kilometers from Ajaccio, the capital of Corsica, a French island in the Mediterranean Sea. After a lazy sunny day, like every day, we were having a glass of wine admiring the sunset over the blue sea. It was a Corsican wine, of course, but this one caught my attention, smooth and brutal at the same time, with a silky and intense flavor. It was called la Cuvée Casteddu produced by Domaine Saparale. The next day I decided to go and visit the winery. But what I found it was not only a winery …

It was simply a piece of paradise, nestled in a hilly area that you can easily miss unless you see the little sign placed right after a curve. As if it was purposely done to divert any visitors ! The road follows a curving river,  narrows progressively, untill you cross a bridge and discover on your left a beautiful alley of plane trees, with old vines on each side of the road which leads you to a cluster of charming, authentic, and welcoming stoned houses.

From Africa to Corsica

The buildings are more than 150 years ! Once upon a time … 1845 Philippe de Rocca Serra, left his Mediterranean island to conquer Africa.  But Nostalgia prevailed and he returned to Corsica to fulfill his dream: to establish the most exemplary rural areas that would showcase the best of his dearest island. At home, in the Valley of Ortolo, he undertook a « pharaonic » project: planting 100 acres of vines with Corsican grape varieties only, olive trees, a citrus orchard fruit trees, cattle in the meadows …  a cellar and buildings to house all kind of trade. More than a hundred workers arrived daily from neighboring villages to work in the vineyard. Thus was born the Saparale Estate, that would become one of the renowned and respected areas today. Precursor, Corsican wine Saparale gained unexpected success. As Philippe de Rocca Serra went against the current trend of the times and chose local varieties rather than high producing grape varieties: the Saparale wine quickly gained national fame and won a gold medal in 1900. Unfortunately, phylloxera swept through the valley and the vineyards had to be re cultivated from scratch. The changing socio-economic conditions, local banditry already active as well as disorders of the war furthermore caused the decline of the area. The area was proudly re established in the late 20s. For 60 years, the area plunged into a doze, marking nature to resume its rights.  In 1995, a new impulse was given by Philippe Farinelli. The buildings are coming slowing being renovated, the vineyard  has become more beautiful than ever as well as its wines…

Stoned houses turned into somptuous villas

Mrs Farinelli, who liked to be named Julie, turned some of those houses into a secret, intimate and delightful home stay, ideal for 2 to 3 families, or couples who want to escape the busy Corsican summer life. The houses in the hamlet make up one of those rare places where you feel immediately at home. A unique location for a dream holiday: living the château lifestyle whilst breathing in the atmosphere of a family home. Each house has its own privacy, swimming pool with a breathtaking view of the countryside, the mountains and the vineyards of course ! Julie can arrange everything you need to make your stay unforgettable: private dinner, hiking, horse back riding, massage, …unless you want to do simply nothing. This is the option we recommend you !

Other recommendation is to book well in advance! Known by only the happy few but long time repeaters! Contact us on : info@winetravelinfrance.com

More seriously, knowing your agenda is very tight and that you have the only possibility to spend one day outside Bordeaux, then it all depends on how much you are « into » wine and what you expect from the vineyards.

If your main reason is to visit wine chateaux and taste renowned Bordeaux wines, then either the Médoc or Saint-Emilion will definitely meet your expectations. Bordeaux’s and even world’s finest wines are produced in these two regions. So you won’t get wrong in choosing one of these areas.

If discovering wine and learning more on local grape varieties are your main objectives, then figure out which region makes the wines you most enjoy. It could be a particular château, estate or a particular style of blending of  the 3 main red grape varieties that varies according to the area: firm, structured Cabernet Sauvignon-based blends are found in the Médoc, that has had a long history of making very full-bodied red wines with high tannins, low acidity, and medium to high alcohol levels: in other words, the classic Bordeaux blend. Saint-Émilion the softness and light sweetness of Cabernet Franc and especially Merlot bear a distinctive magic all their own. With time, the best wines mature to a silky complexity.

The type of landscape and sceneries vary also from one region to the other. In the Médoc, you’ll admire gorgeous chateaux, really grand and impressive buildings, large and outstanding wine producers  such as Margaux, Lafite, Mouton Rothschild, Cos d’Estournel, … Villages are small, quite plain. In Saint Emilon, the wine producers are smaller, less impressive but very elegant. Villages though are more picturesque.

Medoc for wine chateaux, Saint Emilion for its exquisite village

That is why, if wine is not the primary reason for spending a day among the vines, you might want to go to Saint-Emilion. Here the wines are magnificent, as good as those in the Médoc, but what makes this area different is the beauty of the landscape and the village of Saint-Emilion itself, inscribed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1999 that is partly carved from the rock that surrounds it.

You can spend your whole day just strolling the streets and enjoying the town of Saint-Emilion without ever visiting to a single wine château located around the villages. Even though you should! At least to have lunch in one of the few estates that serve stylish and delicious meals in unique settings overlooking their vineyards.  Make sure you have a guided tour of the village including the Monolithic church, the Cloister and La Tour du Roy.

There are almost 800 châteaux in and around St-Emilion. Easy to get headaches when choosing ones!  Again if wine is not your priority, rely on your instinct and, above all, your travel guide !

Medoc chateaux where known not to encourage visitors to step in for wine tasting. Historically, their tasting rooms were mostly open to really serious buyers or highly specialized groups. But it has dramatically changed for the last 5 years, and now private guides generally can get you in, if you make appointment ideally with a reliable agency some days in advance.  You’ll be driven on the « route des chateaux » passing well-known and many classified growth châteaux like Mouton-Rothschild, Latour, Palmer or Pichon-Longuneville. Pause at a few photo-worthy places. But, make sure you are with a small group if you were to have a private lunch in one of them. Those chateaux don’t open for individuals only. Ask your wine agency to organize it for you.
Whatever you choose, make sure you have a guide and/or a driver so that you can fully enjoy your day tasting wine and appreciating the very minute you spend on the wine roads.  Unless you are a “wine geek”, don’t go over 2 wine tastings per day. Make sure they are totally different with different techniques and blending so that you get more familiar with the wine process and styles.

You’ll come back anyway to visit the region you missed !

Visit Sauternes, for example, which is gold to the Bordeaux vineyards, a sweet, syrupy AOC, classified in 1855 with the prestigious Château d’Yquem as the only Superior First Growth.