Minibus Hire Across France

Vineyard days by minibus, with a driver so everyone can taste

A wine day works best in a small group. Cellars are narrow, tasting rooms are small, and nobody has to stay sober to drive. A minibus with a driver is made for it.

Champagne, starting from Reims

The Champagne hillsides, houses and cellars joined the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2015, from the Saint-Nicaise hill in Reims to the Avenue de Champagne in Épernay. Épernay and Hautvillers are each about half an hour from Reims by car.

Book every house visit ahead, above all in high season, and check the group size each one accepts. Some houses only take small groups, which is exactly where a minibus earns its place. In Épernay, Rue Jean Moët has a few coach spaces a short walk from the Avenue de Champagne.

Passenger van interior
Passenger van interior

Bordeaux and Saint-Émilion

Bordeaux wine country has six main areas, from the Médoc to the Entre-deux-Mers. Margaux is about 31 km from the city and Saint-Émilion about 41 km, each around 45 minutes, so two estates and a long lunch make a relaxed day.

Saint-Émilion, on the UNESCO list since 1999, has a coach park at the top of the village, Villemaurine, for stays of up to 10 hours, and another by the old station further out.

Rules worth knowing before you go

  • The Champagne wine trail has five routes: Reims and its region (152 km), Épernay and its region (153 km), Vallée de la Marne (199 km), Côte des Bar (244 km) and Côteaux Vitryats (94 km)
  • The Climats of Burgundy have been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2015, running about 50 km south from Dijon to the Maranges along the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune
  • Wines of Provence has three appellations: Côtes de Provence, Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence and Coteaux Varois en Provence

Burgundy, the Rhône and Provence

The Climats of Burgundy stretch about 50 km south from Dijon along the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune. Beaune is about 155 km from Lyon, close to 1 h 45 min, so it suits an early start or a night in town.

The Rhône vineyards run from Vienne down to Avignon, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape is only about 17 km from Avignon. Provence wine comes under three appellations, from Coteaux Varois en Provence to Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence or Côtes de Provence. Estates with the Vignobles & Découvertes label welcome visitors.

Your questions, answered

How many estates can we visit?

Plan on two or three, with lunch in between. Tastings run long, and the drive between estates is part of the pleasure rather than something to squeeze.

Who books the tastings?

You do, or your guide does. Send the confirmed times with your request so the pickup and the route can be built around them.

Can we do Champagne as a day out from Paris?

Yes, though it is a full day: Reims is about 144 km from Paris and Épernay about 142 km, roughly 1 h 45 min to 2 h each way by car. A minibus is a touch slower, so set off early.

More places to explore

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