IS WINEMAKING THE FRENCH NATIONAL SPORT?
Yes. Wine is made all over the country, with the exception of the extreme north-west. Wine-producing areas are officially divided into 17 regions; the most celebrated are Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne, but Alsace, Armagnac, Beaujolais, Bergerac, Cognac, Corsica, Jura, Languedoc, Rousillon, Provence, the Rhone Valley, Savoie, the South-West and the Loire Valley are all in with a shout. Within each region, there is a daunting number of further subdivisions. Bordeaux alone has four classifications and 57 appellations. Fortunately, you don’t need an in-depth knowledge to enjoy a trip to any vineyard or château – just let your tongue and nose decide what you like. In addition, most of the regions offer fine scenery, from the medieval towns of the Rhone Valley and Burgundy to the spectacular castles of the Loire Valley. WHERE WAS THE FIRST VINEYARD? Fortunately for France (and the rest of the world) the Greeks brought their Bacchanalian expertise to Massalia, now Marseilles, around 600BC.
