by Trains and wine make natural partners, whether it’s a glass of crisp white over a relaxing lunch in a restaurant car as you cruise through the Alps or on a railway course that passes through a region renowned for its fine wines. Many of Europe’s most prized wine regions lend themselves naturally to rail exploration.
Take the train from São Bento station in Porto to Pocinho, for example, for fine views of the estates that underpin the port’s trade. Other classic European wine regions where trains run through vineyards include Hungary’s Tokay, Germany’s Moselle valley, Spain’s Ebro valley (for fine Rioja) and Switzerland’s Lavaux region where a large cru white, made from grapes Chasselas, even playing up the rail link. : Dézaley is called Cemin de Fer, the class of the Massy family.
North from Avignon to Valence
It’s a tempting rail-wine connection that takes me to Avignon on a damp early spring day, to explore the Rhône valley. There are few travelers around. Avignon Center railway station looks handsome with its yellow and white walls. This is the jumping off point for the regular slow trains to Lyon (two and a half hour journey). This regional railway line once carried large, fast trains, but no longer. The TGVs run north to Paris on a high-speed line that follows well east of the Rhône valley. Only regional trains adhere to the old valley route, on the way accepting a roll call of great appellations that line each side of the Rhône as the railway continues upstream from Avignon. The railway passes Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Hermitage, and later in the journey there are fine views across the river to Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie.
Related: Rail route of the month: cheese, chocolate and a magical journey to the Swiss town of Gruyères
Slipping out of Avignon Center on the blue-and-white train bound for Lyon, there are views to the left of the ancient walls of the city, then we cross the Crillon Canal. We have barely left the suburban sprawl of Avignon when we stop at a station called Sorgues-Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It is not a vine, but a few minutes later, the characteristic low hill where the most famous vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape can be seen to the west, and on the other side of the railway the rugged Provençal countryside stretches east to the east side. The wine region of Vacqueyras and, in the distance, the hill country around Gigondas and Beaumes de Venise, the latter noted for its aromatic Muscat.
Our train bends slightly back to meet Orange, after which we have our first real encounter with the main channel of the Rhône River. It’s not all pretty – we pass cement works, abandoned car graveyards and nuclear power stations.
Viognier offers the prospect of a heady perfume of orange blossom, apricots and almonds.
Halfway through the journey, I stop for lunch in Valence where the elegant design of the Valence Ville railway station recalls the architectural idiom of the Grand Trianon at Versailles. I know this route well, and in either direction a stop at Valence is mandatory. Coming from the north, it is the first town that embodies the energetic vitality of the southern scent of France, while going north there is an opportunity to bid south. adieu. And take in the famous vineyards ahead.
Outside Valence, the nearby valley sides and the countryside, now a little greener, host vineyards that produce powerful red wines made from the Syrah grape, and many opulent whites, which show finesse at their best. three very contrasting grapes: Marsanne , Roussanne and Viognier. The latter gives the prospect of a heady perfume of orange blossom, apricots and almonds.
Northern Rhône vineyards
Leaving Valence, there is a view of the Rhône to Cornas, famous for its bold reds. Then we cross the Isère River and soon we are cruising past a litany of celebrated vineyards. The signs show the valuable parcels of land owned by famous winemakers such as Chave, Chapoutier and Jaboulet.
There is a neck view of a church high on a slope above the railway. No church but the one that presides over a parcel of land in the Hermitage called La Chapelle, which is associated with red wines that develop slowly over many years in the bottle.
On the left, the slow waters of the Rhône and on the right the gentle slopes with the vineyards of Crozes-Hermitage. Across the river is Saint-Joseph. But the best is yet to come. For lovers of the Viognier grape, and I count myself among their number, Condrieu and Chateau-Grillet are the highlight of this trip. The steep slopes of both names can be seen on the opposite bank of the river as we approach the station at Saint-Clair-Les Roches where I stay overnight in the Hotel Bellevue (doubles from €115, one room).
It won no prizes for architectural ambition, but among the hotel’s many redeeming qualities are a Rhône view as fine as its name suggests, good food, and access via a bridge over the river to the Condrieu vineyards on the west bank .
“That’s called Guigalville,” says the waiter at the hotel as he heads to the vineyards above the river and points to the family that has done so much to promote the wines of Condrieu and the neighboring Côte-Rôtie . So the next day, I take a local bus to Ampuis to visit the Guigal estate and taste some local wines.
The Condrieu is a star, with a perfect balance of acidity and fruit. Then it’s back to Saint-Clair and the train continues north up the valley to Lyon. There is a breathtaking view across the river to the Château d’Ampuis, where the Guigal family lives. Our train stops at Vienna, a riverside town famous for its Roman remains. Then we run non-stop to Lyon, a 20-minute hop, passing through Seyssuel where ambitious young winemakers are buying land amid rumors that its wines may offer the finesse of Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie.
Now the last of the vineyards are gone as we enter Lyon, passing the factories and oil refineries, power stations and sewage works. I note that the train I’m on continues past Lyon to Mâcon, giving me the option of extending my wine tour north to include Beaujolais and the southernmost part of the Mâconnais.
I’m tempted, but I promise Switzerland, so I land in Lyon and make my way to the Lavaux region on the north side of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) where I’m expecting a glass of Luc Massy’s Dézaley Chemin de Fer grand cru .
Travel details
There are 11 direct regional trains every weekday from Avignon Center to Lyon. The service is less frequent at weekends with nine direct trains on Saturdays and seven on Sundays. The one-way fare from Avignon Center to Lyon Part Dieu via the Rhône valley is €40.70. Purchase at the station before departure or in advance via Rail Europe for £36 (tickets priced in sterling no longer incur a booking fee).
Nicky Gardner lives in Berlin. She is co-author of Europe by Rail: the Definitive Guide (Hidden Europe, £18.99). To support the Guardian and Observer, order your copy of the 17th edition from guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.
