Private Food & Wine Tour in Beaujolais
As a gourmet wine and food destination, Beaujolais is idyllic; the landscape is out-of-this-world beautiful, often described as the “Tuscany of France,” with rolling hills and stunning valleys speckled with striking châteaux and villages. From country inns, bistros and street cafés to wine cellars and Michelin-starred restaurants, there is a venue for every style and mood.
And the best news of all is that Beaujolais is far more than the light, fresh, fruity Nouveau for which it became famous. Nouveau still very much has its place—it makes a perfect bistro wine and is a familiar sight in Lyon’s bouchons—but the Beaujolais-Villages appellation and all ten crus are concentrated in the northern half of the vineyard. Here, Gamay finds granite alongside gneiss, schist, sandstone and volcanic-derived soils, expressing itself in a particularly varied way.
The result can be dense, structured red wines, particularly among the crus, with the freshness and substance to improve in bottle. Some draw comparisons with neighboring Burgundy, but they remain unmistakably Beaujolais.
With more than twenty years’ experience planning and organizing private food and wine tours, Cellar Tours is perfectly placed to introduce you to some of the best Beaujolais. You will have a chauffeur-driven Mercedes throughout, visit privately arranged wineries, and dine in some of the region’s best eateries. We will select and confirm your accommodation and final services in advance in your personal proposal. As with all Cellar Tours trips, everything is tailor-made and adapted to your needs, desires, group size, and timing. Please contact us for more information about this experience.
As featured in
Signature journey
Highlights include private winery tours and tastings, gourmet meals, chauffeur-driven travel, and guided village visits.
Day 1Lyon - Chasselay - Oingt - Régnié-Durette
Charming Oingt
Pick up this morning at your hotel in Lyon or at Lyon airport and head to the bewitching Beaujolais wine country. The first stop is Chasselay, just 20 kilometers north of Lyon. This tiny village is home to the Guy Lassausaie restaurant, where an incredible welcome lunch awaits you.
The current owner and head chef, Guy, is the fourth generation of his family to lead this Michelin-starred eatery. You will feast on a mouth-watering tasting menu with creations based on typical Lyonnaise dishes with an exotic touch, perfectly paired with exquisite wines. Dishes include Steamed Lobster Marinated in Apple Cider Vinegar, Crunchy Salad with Granny Smith Apple and Fennel, Steamed Sea Bass, Creamy Green Asparagus Soup, and Roasted Veal Fillet and Sweetbread.
After lunch, you will visit some of the most emblematic historic hamlets, such as Anse, Oingt, or Alix. A local guide will lead you through a fantastic walking tour. Anse, historically crucial for defense, is a fascinating medieval town; highlights include the church of Saint Peter and its modern spire, which, though built in 2005, fits perfectly with its ancient surroundings. Oingt proudly holds the “Les Plus Beaux Villages” status: narrow cobblestoned streets lined with elegant, golden stone houses and magnificently preserved monuments.
In the early evening, settle into your quaint hotel, the Hôtel Villa Alexandre, set in a postcard-perfect manor house dating back to the late 1700s. Enjoy a free evening to relax on-site.
Day 2Odenas - Vaux-en-Beaujolais - Salles-Arbuissonnas-en-Beaujolais - Lantignié
Restaurant Auberge
After a leisurely breakfast, your chauffeur will be waiting to take you to Château Thivin. Steeped in history, dating back to the 13th century, you will receive a private VIP tour with friendly hosts Evelyne and Charles Geoffray, who take great pride in sharing their experiences and stellar wines, including Côte de Brouilly, Brouilly, Beaujolais Villages, and Beaujolais rosés from Odenas; some of the most impressive examples of ancient practices, supreme terroir, and modern techniques. These fruity wines will undoubtedly awaken your appetite, and lunch follows at Michelin-starred Auberge de Clochemerle.
Chef Romain Barthe leads the realm here. The pleasure and pride he takes in enhancing the flavors and textures of ‘nature’s gifts,’ as he calls his raw ingredients, show in each dish. Sit back and relax in the convivial and stylish dining room, or join Romain and his team at the ‘host’s table’ in the kitchen for an enjoyable behind-the-scenes experience.
After lunch, you will drive to nearby Salles-Arbuissonnas-en-Beaujolais to visit its Romanesque cloister and church. The surviving cloister dates from the 12th century.
You will then move on to the lovely Domaine de Thulon in Lantignié. Family-run by husband-and-wife Annie and René, the estate has grown from 8 hectares to 17, producing award-winning wines, including Beaujolais-Villages Rosé, Beaujolais-Villages Rouge, Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau, White Beaujolais-Villages (Chardonnay), Régnié, Chiroubles, and Morgon-Charmes. The estate follows agriculture raisonnée, with next-generation son and daughter Laurent and Carine both extremely hands-on in the business. Enjoy a private tour and tasting with your endearing hosts.
Then you will head back to your charming hotel for a free evening. You might like to relax and unwind in their wellness area, take a swim, or book a massage.
Day 3Chiroubles - Denicé - Mont Brouilly - Régnié-Durette
Château de Javernand vineyards
You are in for a real treat this morning: a private visit to the gorgeous Château de Javernand. Not only is this one of the most picturesque estates in the region, but Arthur Fourneau and Pierre Prost farm eight hectares of organically cultivated vines on Chiroubles’ high granite slopes. The resulting wines are the definition of finesse. After a stroll around the stunning grounds, your tasting will include their white Mâcon-Villages, Chiroubles Vieilles Vignes, and the very special Chiroubles Indigene.
Then, it is just over half an hour’s drive to Château de Buffavent, an elegant 16th-century country house surrounded by darling gardens. Admire the luscious vineyards that spread across the rolling hills as far as the eye can see before sitting down to a wine-tasting lunch in the stunning dining room or pretty terrace. Lovingly prepared local delicacies will be perfectly paired with their sumptuous wines.
A digestive walk follows at Mont Brouilly; the striking Notre-Dame-des-Raisins Chapel perched on the top of Mont Brouilly is a must-see, if not for the magnificent panoramic views. Reaching nearly 500m above sea level provides the perfect lookout over the Beaujolais wine country. The 19th-century chapel was built to protect the surrounding vineyards.
After a terrific day, get back to your wine country hotel in the late afternoon, so you have time to enjoy the pool and the sauna if you wish. We can suggest places to dine out tonight, via taxi.
Day 4Romanèche-Thorins - Fleurie - Juliénas
Château des Jacques
This morning, you will visit the esteemed Château des Jacques, steeped in viticultural history and long regarded as a top Beaujolais producer. Further improvements and innovation have strengthened this stature under Louis Jadot’s ownership. Julie Pitoiset has led the estate since January 2023. Dense, concentrated, structured, and capable of aging – honestly, among the most majestic Beaujolais on the market. After such a scrumptious tasting, you will be ready for lunch.
Lunch will be exceptionally special today, taking place at the historic, biodynamic Château des Bachelards wine estate. Completely private and prepared for you by Michelin-starred Chef Aurélien Mérot (Auberge du Cep), you will have an elegant table set up for you in the garden or inside the wine cellar (depending on the weather and time of year). Linen tablecloths, real silverware, and flower decorations will add to the special feeling at this memorable lunch in the heart of the Fleurie vineyards.
Château de Juliénas is on the agenda this afternoon. Built in 1582, it has vaulted cellars dating from 1744 and vineyards in Juliénas, Fleurie, Moulin-à-Vent and Beaujolais-Villages Blanc. You will receive a private welcome from Thierry or Aurélie, followed by a tour through the 18th-century cellars and a tasting of the estate’s wines.
Then it’s back to your cozy hotel for your farewell dinner at their special on-site restaurant. Authentic local flavors with lovingly prepared seasonal ingredients come together for a memorable last evening, complemented by superb wines, of course!
Day 5Villié-Morgon - Chénas - Lyon
Château Bellevue
This morning, you will have time to visit one more estate, the utterly delightful Château Bellevue, for a private tour and tasting. This quaint 19th-century stately home has the prettiest gardens from which you can look out over the village of Villié-Morgon. The tour includes the impressive vatting room and cellars and ends with a tasting of Château Bellevue Morgon, along with choice wines from their other estates in Fleurie, Moulin-à-Vent, and Saint-Amour.
Lunch follows at Les Platanes de Chénas, where the cooking draws on French bourgeois tradition and the shaded terrace looks across the surrounding vineyards.
After lunch, head back into Lyon for drop-off at your hotel or the next port of call. We will plan the day around your onward travel time.
Genevieve has spent more than 20 years creating private food and wine journeys across Spain, Portugal and France. She regularly visits the regions featured in these collections, meeting winery, hotel, local guides, and restaurant partners, exploring new experiences, and reviewing feedback from Cellar Tours guests. Her role is to help travelers choose the wine region, itinerary style, and pace that best match their interests—not simply the destination with the most famous name.
This five-day Beaujolais journey explores the region well beyond Nouveau, with privately arranged visits and tastings across celebrated crus including Morgon, Chiroubles, Côte de Brouilly, Moulin-à-Vent and Juliénas.
Wine is matched by a strong gastronomic thread, from Michelin-starred lunches to private meals at wine estates, while château accommodation, hilltop villages and chauffeured drives through the vineyards give you time to enjoy the landscape as well as the cellars.
Your personal proposal will detail the château stay, winery appointments, meals, private guiding, chauffeur services and experiences included for your dates.
International flights, travel insurance, personal expenses, optional spa treatments, gratuities and meals or tastings not listed in your itinerary are usually not included unless specifically stated.
All wine visits and tastings are private and pre-arranged for your party.
We plan your Beaujolais journey around your individual requirements. Share mobility considerations, allergies, dietary preferences, and pacing needs early so we can adapt hotels, transportation, dining, château visits, and walking tours wherever possible.
