Group tour operator and DMC for tours to Beaujolais, France
Beaujolais Wine Festival
Experience the famous Beaujolais Nouveaux festival; France's famous grape harvest festival
Beaujolais Nouveau Day is marked in France on the third Thursday in November with fireworks, music and festivals. Under French law, the wine is released at 12:01 a.m, just weeks after the wine’s grapes have been harvested. Parties are held throughout the country and further afield to celebrate the first wine of the season. Along the roads of Southern Burgundy, discover the history and the heritage of lush countryside.
Read moreLes Sarmentelles; Le Grand Tradition du Beaujolais
The most famous —Les Sarmentelles—is held in the town of Beaujeu, the capital of the Beaujolais region. Now in its 29th year, the festival kicks off in the early evening the day before Beaujolais Nouveau, the five-day festival features wine tasting, live music and dancing. During the afternoon on Beaujolais Nouveau Day, a heated tent offers wine and a range of local foods for visitors to sample.
Halfway between Southern and Nothern Europe; Mâcon
In the Mâconnais area, there’s always something to do. The urban and architectural wealth of Mâcon is witness of a past. Mâcon town centre invites you to visit its museums and historical sites. In the vineyard, the luscious vines roll through the hills and a lot of typical villages shelter old wash houses and winemakers’ houses. Cutting through the city is the Saône River, straddling the winding river are some excellent restaurants and a small historic centre consisting of a narrow streets near the riverfront.
As the saying goes “It’s Beaujolais Nouveau time” so get in touch today to find out some more details.
Dates
November 2025
Suggested itinerary
Day 1-2
Depart the UK.
Take a short sea crossing to Calais and travel south for an overnight before arriving in Macon on day 2.
Day 3
Burgundy and Sarmentelles.
Full day excursion with an English speaking guide through the vineyards and famous places in the south of Burgundy. Highlights include the Solutré Rock, an important prehistoric site. Many horse bones, flints and coins have been discovered at the foot of this limestone cliff. It was used as a hunting site for over 25,000 years. Also included is a guided tour of the Château de Pierreclos, a fine example of medieval architecture. Here, take a stroll on the terrace overlooking the vineyards and imagine the activity that reigned in the fifteenth century in the kitchen or the bakery. At the end of your visit, enjoy a wine-tasting before an outstanding four course lunch with drinks (a glass of wine + coffee).
Day 4
Mâcon.
After a leisurely start to the day, you will meet with your English speaking guide for a tour of the town of Mâcon. The centre has a fantastic mix of diversified and imposing architecture with houses and private mansions dotted about the old town. Enjoy a four course lunch with drinks included (a glass of wine + coffee) in the village of Romaneche Thorins before a guided visit of the Hameau Duboeuf, Beaujolais Wine Park. The Hameau Duboeuf has a unique collection of displays which present a wonderful journey through the trades of the vine and wine. Explore the legendary wine route: the Paris-Lyon-Mediterranean line and the ‘Jardin en Beaujolais’, where you can learn about the fragrances of the flowers that make up the rich aromas of wine.
Day 5-6
Return to the UK.
It’s time to leave the Macon and return to the UK. Make an overnight stop en route back to Calais for the return crossing on Day 6.
Suggested hotel
Ibis Macon Sud ***
The colourful Ibis Macon Sud hotel is set 5.4 km from Gare de Mâcon-Loché T.g.v. railway station and 7.4 km from Musée des Ursulines. The cozy rooms come with wooden floors, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs with satellite and work desks. There’s a la carte/buffet restaurant serving regional dishes, a 24-hour casual bar, meeting rooms and a seasonal outdoor heated pool.
Dates | Half Twin | Single supplement |
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November 2025 | Price on request | Price on request |