Languedoc's best 'wine walks' (balades vigneronnes)

Going on a balade vigneronne or “wine walk” is a wonderful way to experience the wide range of premium quality Languedoc-Roussillon wines. Read on to find out how you can take part.

How does it work?

Usually held over a day or evening, a balade vigneronne involves a gentle hike of a few kilometers at most, around the vineyards of a particular appellation, with regular stops along the way to sample a selection of local wines, carefully matched with regional produce.

It’s like going for a gourmet picnic, except you don’t have to take anything with you, although you do have to put in a little leg work between courses (ideal for working off what you’ve just consumed).

There are usually six stops – aperitifs, appetizer (or as the French would say, la mise en bouche), first course (l’entrée), main course (le plat), cheese and dessert.

Participants sign up and pay in advance (some of these events are very popular, so be sure to book ahead), and turn up on the day with sensible footwear, sun cream and a hat (these three items are very important).

At the signing in table you’re given a little pouch with your cutlery, a branded wine glass you can keep (a nice souvenir), a booklet detailing what’s on offer, food and drink-wise, a map (essential), and a pen for writing up your tasting notes (it’s fun to jot down your impressions of the vintages as you go along – oddly enough, your writing tends to get wobblier as the walk progresses).

What if I don’t speak much French?

It’s all very friendly and informal and can be done without speaking a word of French, so don’t be put off if your language skills aren’t amazing or your wine knowledge is scanty – this is the perfect way to brush up both, and taste some amazing food and wine combinations while you’re at it.

When and where do Languedoc’s wine walks take place?

Walks are usually held in spring and summer, and organised by the various trade bodies representing Languedoc-Roussillon’s winemakers. They are usually publicised in local newspapers, tourist information bureaux and on the websites of the trade organizations themselves ( is the site of the AOC Languedoc appellation).

Another great place to get the latest info on wine walks (plus festivals, tastings and other wine-related events) is the French magazine Terre de Vins. Although only published in French, this great-looking title can be deciphered by anyone with a working knowledge of the language. Full of stunning photos, it details and reviews the latest and greatest places, be they hotels, restaurants, bars, wine domaines, wine shops or food producers, across the regions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence (a subscription costs €22 for 4 copies a year, or €30 for overseas subscribers. - or you can buy it at French newsagents).

The top 4

There are a number of wine walks held annually in Languedoc, but the four most famous and well-established are detailed below, covering La Clape, the Pic Saint-Loup, the Terrasses du Larzac and the town of Pézenas (a gentle stroll through the cobbled streets and pretty squares of one of Languedoc’s most charming towns - so you won’t see any vines on this one).

Held in the La Clape area (near Narbonne, in the Aude), in the third week of May, this walk has been going since 2004. An easy, six kilometre stroll takes you through the vines and around the lagoons (etangs) of this area, starting in 2008 from Château Capitoul.

The food element is taken care of by a different chef each year (in 2008 it was Narbonne chef Marc Schwall and caterers « les Cuisiniers Cavistes »), and each dish is matched with a selection of wines from the La Clape appellation.

Costs are €42, or €10 for a “panier enfant” (children’s picnic basket). This walk is part of the Printemps dans les Vignes programme, so more details can be found at www.printempsdanslesvignes.com or by calling the Syndicat de la Clape (+33 (0) 4 68 32 00 57), or emailing [email protected].

Held over the first or second weekend of June, the Pic Saint-Loup walk was the first of its kind and is probably the best known and most popular of the Languedoc balades vigneronnes, so you need to move fast to get tickets (apparently places are so highly sought-after that if you’ve done the walk one year, you can’t do it again the next).

The route changes each year so that different domaines get their share of the spotlight, but it is always around the famous landmark of the Pic Saint-Loup, whose red wines are renowned for their rich complexity.

Six tasting stations are arranged along the route, straw hats are supplied as part of the package (a nice touch!), and participants spend an entire day rambling slowly through the vines and across the rocky garrigue, covering a route of around 6 kilometres.

Over 60 different wines (AOC Coteaux du Languedoc whites and AOC Coteaux du Languedoc Pic Saint-Loup reds and rosés) are available to taste, which makes this is a unique opportunity to sample a wide variety of Languedoc wine styles.

The caterer changes each year (in 2008 the day’s menu was devised by Michel Kayser of Nimes’ award-winning Alexandre restaurant) and the dishes on offer are always of very high quality.

Ticket prices are 50 euros, for which you get an extensive wine tasting, a gourmet meal and a great day out - pretty good value, all in all.

To sign up, contact the Syndicat des vignerons du Pic Saint-Loup by callling +33 (0)4 67 55 97 47.

Held on a Saturday in early July, the “Circulade Vigeronne en Terroir des Terrasses du Larzac” is a bit of a mouthful, in more ways than one. A different starting point is chosen each year, but in 2008, the walk started in the charming medieval village of Saint-Guilhem.

Languedoc summers can be scorching, so the decision to hold this event in the cooler evening hours of 5 – 8 pm is a smart one. Following the pattern of other balades, participants work their way along a route that leads them in and around the village, including a foray into the cool depths of the famous grotte de Clamouse, with sipping, supping and savouring stations (les haltes de dégustation) along the way.

Ticket prices are €42; for details of next year’s dates and route, contact the Syndicat AOC Coteaux du Languedoc by calling +33 (0)4 67 06 04 44.