About this tour
Explore the Loire Valley's Sauvignon heartland on this eight-hour guided tour through Sancerre and Pouilly. A certified wine expert reveals why these vineyards produce distinctly mineral Sauvignons, walking you through castle grounds, production cellars, and medieval villages. Taste around 10 wines across multiple stops, pair your picks with local goat cheese at lunch, and visit a traditional fromagerie to understand Crottins de Chavignol—the region's prized cheese. Groups of 2–8 travel by comfortable minivan; Paris rail access available.
Highlights
- Exterior tours of three châteaux including Sancerre and Tracy
- Two to three cellar visits with approximately 10 Sauvignon tastings
- Guided cheese factory visit and Crottins de Chavignol sampling
- Wine-and-food pairing lunch at a local restaurant
- WSET-certified sommelier shares 14 years of regional expertise
- Medieval village walks through Sancerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire
What to expect
Your guide opens with a walk around castle grounds, explaining terroir and the grapes that built Sancerre's reputation. You'll descend into working cellars to see fermentation tanks and oak ageing, then taste sequentially—learning how soil type shifts the flavour between villages. Mid-morning, you'll stop at a fromagerie where producers explain how goat milk becomes the creamy Crottins you'll sample. Lunch pairs three wines with restaurant dishes chosen to highlight each bottle's character. The afternoon circles back through hilltop villages, visiting a final cellar before returning to your starting point. Walking is moderate; steps and uneven cellar floors are standard.
Good to know
Lunch costs 25–35€ and is not included. If travelling from Paris, the train takes under two hours and can be arranged on request; public transport links the area. Wear comfortable shoes for village streets and cellar visits. The minivan holds up to eight people and is air-conditioned.
Tour sold and operated by Viator via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original BugBitten summaries written by our team — not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.