| The pond circuit, a vineyard of contrasts | |
 | |
| The Etang vineyard | |
| Information | |
| Departure | Lançon-Provence |
|---|---|
| Arrival | Lançon-Provence |
| Length | 66 km |
| Duration | Daytime |
| Country |  France |
| Region | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur |
The landscapes and vineyards in Provence are wine tourism routes in the department of Bouches-du-Rhône. These travel proposals have been developed by Provence Tourisme, the Federation of Cooperative Cellars of Bouches-du-Rhône, the Federation of Independent Domains of Bouches-du-Rhône and the department's tourist offices.
Understand
Provence evokes the sun, the Mediterranean, the hilltop villages, the sweetness of life, the accent, the colors ... But also the wine! Marseilles that begins the history of the vine in Gaul, imported by the Greeks from Phocée at the end of the 7th century before our era. Today if the rosé remains the star of the tables, Provence also offers white and red wines of great quality. What makes the uniqueness of the Provençal vineyard, and in particular of the Bouches-du-Rhône, it is its landscape diversity. Here we do not only come to consume wine, we come to live an experience around wine, where vines, heritage and landscapes form an inseparable whole.
There is the Aix vineyard, where bastides and sumptuous parks create a poetic landscape. There is the Sainte-Victoire vineyard, as if protected by this extraordinary mineral mass repeatedly sublimated by Cézanne. There is the vineyard of the bay of Cassis which literally plunges into the sea. There is the Sainte-Baume vineyard where shaded valleys and spectacularly steep mountain landscapes mark the sacred character of the place. There is the Étang vineyard which plays on contrasts, between lagoon shores, hilltop villages and industrial landscapes.There is the Alpilles vineyard, where the presence of ancient remains and olive trees sometimes remind Greece.Finally, there is the Camargue vineyard, offering immense wilderness, a world apart with an almost insular character.
Seven landscapes for seven intense journeys, like coastal shipping in an archipelago that is both unique and multiple where wine cultivates its identity.
Steps
The Etang vineyard circuit
the'Pond-de-Berre, the inland sea delivers the charm of its lagoon shores. Surrounded by scrubland, pine forest and hills of safre, the largest salt lake in Europe penetrates the relief dominated by wooded shores, between foothills and cliffs. Vines and olive trees adorn the hillsides of this exceptional landscape, where remarkable natural spaces rub shoulders with industrial settings, fishing ports and hilltop villages. In Miramas, la Fare-les-Oliviers, Saint-Chamas, Lançon-Provence and Gignac-la-Nerthe, let yourself be surprised by the vineyards of the pond.
Saint Cyr Chapel in Lançon-Provence
Vineyard of the Etang de Berre, view from the rock of Château Virant
Vines of Château Virant
Le Petit Mousse at Merveille beach
Fishing port - Plage de Merveille
Walk La Petite Camargue
St Chamas La Poudrière
Village of Saint Chamas
Suffren belvedere in Istres
Art Zoo in Istres
Domaine de Sulauze vineyard
Domaine de Lunard vineyard
Cornillon-Confoux village
Cornillon-Confoux cooperative cellar
- 1 Lançon-Provence – Departure from the Saint-Cyr chapel in Lançon-Provence. Located on the edge of the D113 on the Chemin des Baïsses, it is the jewel of Lançon.
Cross the D113n and take it D21.
- 2 Rock of Château Virant – Stop at the Rocher du Château Virant car park to contemplate the vineyard and the Berre pond at your feet. Be careful, access to the rock is not secure.
At the crossroads D21 and D10 turn left to visit the Château Virant or turn right for the boutique du Chateau Calissanne.
- 3 Chateau Virant – The domain Chateau Virant is a benchmark in the Bouches-du-Rhône. Champion of hospitality with its vine museum, its shows (Jazz à Virant ...), its receptions and its themed visits, this large property of the Cheylan family, in Lançon-Provence, develops under the three hundred year old vaults of the Domaine des wines (and olive oils) whose fame has crossed borders.
- 4 Chateau Calissanne Lançon-Provence
Then continue on the D21 and cross the plain of the lower Arc valley. Take the D21b to reach the beach of Merveille.
- 5 Marvel Beach – Small detour to the beach of Merveille, its small fishing port and its taverns. The name "Merveille" comes from the ancient Mastramela or Mastrabela, a hypothetical submerged city. Alfred Sorel suggests another etymology: “maris vigilia” which watches over the sea.
- 6 Suriane domain – At the crossroads with the D10 turn left for the Suriane domain. The property is managed by Marie-Laure Merlin, 4th generation of winegrowers on these rich and fertile lands. The Domaine de Suriane produces wines and olive oil in an unexpected setting with sumptuous landscapes and contrasting colors.
Continue your tour by D10 and stop for a stroll at the Petite Camargue in Saint-Chamas.
- 7 Walk of the Petite Camargue – A footpath has been opened in the Petite Camargue by the Conservatoire du Littoral. It will allow you to discover this Natura 2000 classified wetland in the best conditions and without the risk of breaking its fragile balance. Information and activities will be offered to you along the marked and landscaped path.
- 8 Flavian Bridge – At the edge of the Model: Starting road you can admire the Pont Flavien. No wonder this Roman bridge is the most beloved monument in Saint-Chamas! There emerges something indefinable and moving about this site, undoubtedly the fact of following in the footsteps of so many men before us ... Its state of conservation is also remarkable despite its 2000 years of existence. 'historical hazards.
- 9 Village of Saint-Chamas – Continue to the village of Saint-Chamas. Due to its geographical location, between Étang-de-Berre and hills, Saint-Chamas benefits from an incomparable asset and its rich past also contributes to give it this image of a typical and charming village. The walking tour that we offer will allow you to discover the different facets of Saint-Chamas in a minimum of time. You will go along the Etang de Berre and overlook it. From the top of the hill of the Virgin, you will discover the Pertuis district with its colorful roofs, its fishing and marina ports and on the other side, the Delà district with its bell tower, its church, its town hall. . We hope that this walk will make you want to deepen your knowledge of Saint-Chamas: the history of the village at the Paul Lafran Municipal Museum, the rich flora and fauna of the Parc de la Poudrerie.
Leave Saint-Chamas by the D10 and immediately take the RD10b to go up to Miramas-le-Vieux.
- 10 Miramas-le-Vieux – Miramas-le-Vieux, an authentic medieval hilltop village, overlooks the Etang-de-Berre and offers you a 360 ° view. Strolling through the alleys, you will immerse yourself in the charm of Provencal villages. Not to be missed: the Notre-Dame gate, the carefully restored 13th and 14th century dwellings, the bicentennial Aleppo pine, the ruins of the castle ramparts.
Leave this balcony on the pond by the D16 known as the road to Beyond. Between Miramas-le-Vieux and Istres, it is a road shaded by Aleppo pines, which offers beautiful views over the Etang, Miramas-le-Vieux and the bay of Saint-Chamas.
- 11 Suffren belvedere – At the entrance to Istres, the Suffren belvedere offers a splendid view of the pond.
- 12 Olive tree pond – Before going around the Etang de l'Olivier d 'Istres stop at Esplanade Bernardin Laugier. On the 6,000 m ”of the Bernardin Laugier esplanade, you can discover La Grande Diagonale with its 57 pillars 114 to 505 cm high, in the colors of the city, not to mention the famous stripes that recall the columns with black bands and white which made the reputation of Buren. 220 hectare pond, connected to the Etang de Berre by the Cascaveau canal, with its highest water jet in France spouting over 50 m., The Etang de l'Olivier and its bypass, invites you to strolling, walking but also sport with a fitness trail and the possibility of renting new generation bikes and machines. Located in the heart of the city, the pond is next to the Saint-Sulpice chapel, a major exhibition center, the Mediterranean garden, Dinosaur'Istres or even the Art Zoo.
Leave the center of Istres to go around the Etang de Olivier via the D53.Over there D53a and the N569 you arrive at the entrance of Domaine de Sulauze.
- 13 Domaine de Sulauze – A vineyard, but not only. Growing all biodynamically (vines, wheat, barley, olive trees, etc.), Karina and Guillaume have established respect for the land and its cycles as a principle and have made sharing with their hosts a real way of life. Here is an area where life is good and where people like to share wine but also beer, that from their own brewery.
- 14 Miramas – Near the TGV station of Miramas, a detour to the village of brands Macarthur Glen is proposed. This open-air shopping center, like the traditional, colorful, tree-lined streets of Provence, offers 120 high-end boutiques, luxury brands at reduced prices (from 30 to 70% all year round), and 8 cafes and places to eat. Discover major French and international brands such as Maje, Polo Ralph Lauren, Karl Lagerfeld and many others at outlet prices.
Otherwise continue by D10 towards Saint Chamas. Before Saint Chamas take in a roundabout the D16.
Over there D16b you arrive again in Saint-Chamas via the Field of Lunard.
- 15 Field of Lunard – Near the village of Saint-Chamas and the medieval village of Miramas-le-Vieux, tourist pillars of the Etang de Berre, François Michel, following his father's footsteps, cultivates 30 hectares of vines, around a pretty 18th century bastide converted into guest rooms. A family welcome, around fine wines.
- 16 Panoramic route of Cornillon-Confoux – Before passing under the bridge of the Marseille - Miramas railway line, turn left on the so-called tourist road of Rabassière to arrive at the hilltop village of Cornillon. The panoramic circuit of Cornillon-Confoux, located on its rocky outcrop, allows an exceptional view on the pond of Berre in its eastern part. Below the smiling countryside with its cultivated fields. Its 360-degree panorama sweeps across the Alpilles to the west, the Sainte Victoire to the east, the Luberon, the Touloubre Valley, and in good weather the Mont Ventoux to the north of the Vaucluse.
- 17 Lançon-Provence – The return to Lançon-Provence is by the way of the cooperative. A fine example of cooperative architecture. Our tour ends at Lançon-Provence. The wealth of Lançon's heritage can be discovered through the streets and alleys of its village, in its hamlets and through its hills. The many vestiges of the past that have been preserved are wonderful testimonies of the life, of everyday life, of the history of the ancients.
Circuit of the Aix vineyard, the vineyard of the bastides
Monumental gates, alleys lined with plane trees, vast country houses surrounded by landscaped parks ... The elegance of the estates and prestigious cellars sublimates the landscapes of the Aix countryside. large Provencal farmhouses emerge between rows of vines and wooded areas. At the edge of pine forests and oak groves, a dovecote, a fountain, a chapel ... come here and there to add a delicate touch to this rich architectural and cultural heritage. Once a place of pleasure and an aristocratic emblem, the Provencal country house has become a place of history, wine and meeting dedicated to all epicureans.
The Sainte-Victoire vineyard circuit, under the watchful eye of Cézanne
A few minutes from downtown Aix-en-Provence, a road winds through the pines to a rocky mass dazzling with white: the Sainte-Victoire mountain. Cézanne's tireless muse seems omnipresent on the horizon. At its feet, the Arc Valley spreads its landscapes where, like the artist, grapes feed on light. The vineyard has found here one of its most expressive waters. Whatever the season, the sun plays with the limestone cliffs and the ocher of the earth reflects the silhouette of the vines to compose an infinite picture. That of an escape to a country house flanked by plane trees beyond a glacis of vines ... Images exalted by Cézanne and recognized worldwide but which nobody gets tired of.
The Cassis Bay vineyard circuit, diving into the sea
The marriage of the vine and the sea. Such is the learned alchemy which contributes to the reputation of the Cassis vineyard, famous for its plots of vines overlooking the Mediterranean and the quality of its white wines, but also reds and rosés. . Since the Greeks and Romans, the goldsmiths of the vine have sculpted the limestone terraces above the bay of Cassis, between creeks and Cape Canaille. They offer themselves to the gilding of the Provence sun and let themselves be caressed by the finesse of the sea air. An ecosystem coupled with rare know-how, rewarded in 1936 by obtaining the first Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée in France, and since then maintained by twelve estates, mostly family owned. In total, 215 hectares of wine excellence in the heart of unique landscapes, now included in the Calanques National Park.
The Sainte-Baume vineyard circuit, a sacred land
A primary, unique and magical forest, a massif which reigns supreme over the surrounding valleys, an impressive peak culminating at 1041 m, Sainte-Baume imposes its coronation like no other. The air is crisp and the panorama breathtaking. A colorful wine region is hidden in its limestone folds. Like a thousand-year-old monastery perched on its cliff, the cave - la baume in Provençal - of Sainte-Marie Madeleine, watches over the valley from which it receives the share of the angels from the surrounding cellars. Placed under the sign of divine protection, it is perhaps the magic that prevails here in the transformation of grapes into wine ...
The Alpilles vineyard circuit, the ancient dream
A shades of green and gray stand out from the bare limestone rock. In these landscapes adorned with olive trees and magnificent minerality, exceptional villages stand out from their bell towers: Les Baux-de-Provence, Eygalières, Maussane-les-Alpilles, Fontvieille, Mouriès, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence… Names associated with an elegant, chic and refined Provence. Between Greco-Roman remains and gastronomic addresses, the wine estates cultivate their typicity. That of a wine as rooted in its territory as the cicada is in the cypress.
The Camargue vineyard circuit, the wines of the Delta
Like a wild elsewhere, this land which winds between sea, ponds and marshes retains the imprint of vibrant and passionate traditions. An almost indomitable territory where Man skillfully finds his place in the face of rebellious nature. Among the landscapes are marshes, rice fields and beaches where breeding bulls rub shoulders with horses and flamingos. In the heart of the Camargue Regional Natural Park, this territory distils along the roads and paths of wine estates with original grape varieties, often embellished with cultural and gastronomic activities inviting long stops. When an unparalleled natural ecosystem relies on unprecedented agricultural talents, visitors should not shy away from their pleasure.
To go
Circulate
To see
Do
Events
May
Cassis celebrates its wine - Cassis
Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence wine festival ”- Rognes
Gourmet winegrowers trail - Trets
Picnic at the Independent Winegrower in- in independent estates
Vine and wine festival - in the cooperative estates and cellars
Les musicales dans les vignes ”- in several places
May to September
Winegrowers' walks organized by the Federation of cooperative cellars of Bouches-du-Rhône
June
Roman day - Lower Castle - Vernègues
July
Aix-en-Provence Wine Festival - Aix en Provence
Musicenvignes - Château Paradis - Le-Puy-Sainte-Reparade
Vinômusic Festival - Domaine Terre de Mistral- Rousset
Jazz in Beaupré - Château Beauprè - Saint-Cannat
July August
Art & Wine - in several places
Open Air Cinema - Château Gassier - Puyloubier
August
The chikoulades - Lambesc
September
The Star Harvests - Cassis
October
Discovery rally of the wines of Sainte Victoire - Trets
Around the harvest - Domaine Dalmeran ”- Saint-Etienne-du-Grès
Summer and winter
The evenings of Minna - Villa Minna - Saint-Cannat
