Day-by-day estate-visit plans for Beaujolais: weekend, first-timer and deep-cellar editions.
Day-by-day plans
The Ten Crus loop: Brouilly to Saint-Amour in three days ★ 4.7
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Day 1
- Morning
- Begin at Mont Brouilly, climbing to the chapel at the summit for a panorama over Brouilly and Cote de Brouilly, then taste at Chateau Thivin in Odenas.
- Afternoon
- Drive north to Régnié-Durette for the tenth and newest Cru, then continue to Villié-Morgon for the afternoon and a walk up the Cote du Py granite hill.
- Evening
- Evening in Belleville-en-Beaujolais with a glass of Morgon at a local wine bar.
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Day 2
- Morning
- Morning in Villié-Morgon: visit at a Morgon domaine by appointment, then drive north through Chiroubles to Fleurie for a mid-morning tasting.
- Afternoon
- Drive north through Moulin-a-Vent and Chenas to Saint-Amour, the northernmost Cru, tasting at small producers along the route.
- Evening
- Dinner in Julienas or Chenas.
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Day 3
- Morning
- Return south through the Beaujolais-Villages zone for a comparative tasting at a cooperative or negociant showing the full appellation range.
- Afternoon
- Visit Beaujeu town: the medieval streets, the Maison du Pays du Beaujolais, and a final Cru tasting before the drive south.
- Evening
- Drive to Lyon for a bouchon dinner serving the Beaujolais you have just tasted in its natural restaurant environment.
Gang of Four Morgon natural-wine deep dive, two days ★ 4.9
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Day 1
- Morning
- Arrive in Villié-Morgon and walk the Cote du Py volcanic schist hill before a morning appointment at Domaine Lapierre.
- Afternoon
- Afternoon visit at Jean Foillard, whose Morgon Cote du Py represents the most mineral expression of the hill, followed by an evening tasting at Guy Breton.
- Evening
- Dinner in the village using ingredients from the local market and a bottle of Morgon opened in the cellar.
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Day 2
- Morning
- Morning appointment at Jean-Paul Thévenet, the fourth member of the original Gang, whose Morgon Vielles Vignes comes from very old Gobelet vines.
- Afternoon
- Drive east to Lyon for an afternoon exploration of the natural-wine bars where Morgon became an international reference, ending with a bouchon dinner.
- Evening
- Natural-wine bar in Lyon's Presqu'ile neighbourhood.
Lyon, Beaujolais, and Maconnais: a three-day wine weekend ★ 4.6
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Day 1
- Morning
- Arrive in Lyon and spend the morning exploring the Presqu'ile natural-wine bar scene, tasting Beaujolais Cru by the glass before any winery visit.
- Afternoon
- Drive north to the Beaujolais: first stop Fleurie village, tasting at a small Fleurie producer, then drive to Villié-Morgon for a late afternoon walk.
- Evening
- Dinner in Villié-Morgon or Belleville-en-Beaujolais.
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Day 2
- Morning
- Morning appointment at a Morgon domaine followed by a drive north to Moulin-a-Vent for comparison between the two most structured Crus.
- Afternoon
- Continue north into the Maconnais, tasting Pouilly-Fuissé at the Roche de Solutre and comparing the limestone Chardonnay with the granite Gamay just tasted.
- Evening
- Dinner in Macon or drive back to Belleville.
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Day 3
- Morning
- Drive back to Lyon via the Pierres Dorees southern Beaujolais, stopping at a golden-stone village such as Oingt before a final morning wine-bar visit in Lyon.
- Afternoon
- Afternoon at leisure in Lyon before departure.
- Evening
- Departure.
Harvest week cellar pilgrimage, early September ★ 4.8
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Day 1
- Morning
- Arrive in Villié-Morgon during the third or fourth week of September when Morgon harvest is typically underway. Walk the vineyards before the morning picking crew starts.
- Afternoon
- Afternoon in the cellar watching whole-cluster sorting and the start of carbonic maceration vats.
- Evening
- Evening glass of the previous vintage with the growers.
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Day 2
- Morning
- Morning at a Fleurie domaine during their later harvest (usually one week behind Morgon). See the earlier-ripening Fleurie sand-granite terroir at work.
- Afternoon
- Drive to Moulin-a-Vent, the last Cru to harvest, and taste the previous year's structured Moulin-a-Vent from tank.
- Evening
- Dinner at a village restaurant open during harvest.
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Day 3
- Morning
- Visit Chateau Thivin on Mont Brouilly for a harvest-morning walk through the volcanic diorite vineyards at the top of the appellation.
- Afternoon
- Drive back to Morgon for an afternoon barrel-tasting session of the just-fermenting juice in one of the Gang of Four cellars.
- Evening
- Harvest dinner in Villié-Morgon.
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Day 4
- Morning
- Morning at a cooperative or négociant to understand the scale of the Nouveau production operation alongside the Cru program.
- Afternoon
- Drive south to Lyon for departure.
- Evening
- Lyon bouchon dinner with a Morgon Cru from the cellar.
Pierres Dorees golden-stone village and southern Beaujolais weekend ★ 4.4
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Day 1
- Morning
- Arrive in Oingt, one of the most beautiful medieval villages in France, and walk the village fortifications before a morning tasting at Domaine des Terres Dorees in Charnay.
- Afternoon
- Drive the Route des Pierres Dorees via Chatillon d'Azergues, Salles-Arbuissonnas, and the honey-stone villages that give the sub-region its name.
- Evening
- Evening aperitif with the local Beaujolais blanc (Chardonnay) at a domaine courtyard tasting.
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Day 2
- Morning
- Morning drive north to Villefranche-sur-Saone, the commercial capital of the Beaujolais, for the Saturday morning market and the Maison du Beaujolais wine shop.
- Afternoon
- Drive back south to Lyon via the Saone valley.
- Evening
- Lyon dinner with a Beaujolais from the Pierres Dorees producer just visited.
Itineraries in Beaujolais, FAQ
When is the best time to visit Beaujolais for wine?
Peak wine-travel season in Beaujolais is spring through autumn, with harvest the standout window.
Do I need an appointment to taste at Beaujolais estates?
classified-growth and grand-cru estates require booking days to weeks ahead; smaller family domaines often take walk-ins midweek.
What hours do Beaujolais cellars and tasting rooms keep?
most estates open 10:00 to 17:00 by appointment, often closed Sunday and Monday.
How does tipping work at Beaujolais tastings?
tipping is not expected at tastings; buying a bottle from the cellar door is the customary thank-you.
What is the one wine to try in Beaujolais?
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Beaujolais rewards trust.