Beaujolais Wine Country: The Trendsetter’s Travel Destination

Picture sitting in a restaurant along the Beaujolais wine route, sipping a glass of locally made wine while gazing out over rolling hills laced with vineyards and centuries-old architecture. Fortunately, it has never been easier to turn this daydream into a dream vacation. In addition to launching the new Beaujolais wine route in 2009, Inter Beaujolais is releasing additional user-friendly travel tools for visitors this spring: free copies of the updated 2^nd edition of the Beaujolais Wine Tourism Guide Book (available at local Offices du Tourisme) and an online interactive map of must-see destinations at www.beaujolais.com, where a free guided audio tour and GPS-compatible program can also be downloaded. Beaujolais is proud to be the first region in France to offer a GPS mapping system for its wine route.

Why choose Beaujolais? The stunning, picturesque region – often referred to as the “Tuscany of France” – is a wine and food lover’s paradise, boasting a number of Michelin-starred chefs and award-winning restaurants, including the famous Le Cep. In the heart of the region lies the bustling city of Lyon, which is not only considered to be the gastronomic capital of the region, but also of all of France. More than 150 chateaux and ancient architectural sites such as Chateau de la Chaize dot the scenic wine route throughout the 36 quaint villages. Chateau de Bagnols and Chateau de Pizay are open to the public and offer hotel and spa accommodations. There is a plethora of must-see sights, but two that should not be missed include the Romanesque cloisters of Salles-Arbuissonas and the “land of golden stones,” le Pays des Pierres Dor