--- title: "Beaujolais Wine Tour from Lyon: Crus, Villages, Tips" description: "Plan a Beaujolais wine tour with a team based in Villefranche: the ten crus, the golden-stone villages, a day from Lyon, Beaujolais Nouveau and tastings." url: "https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/beaujolais-wine-region" image: "https://www.mobeeinternational.com/_astro/01M5J4124JE37PK58SSR2XY65D.Cdmo1kaP_tnVvn.jpg" --- 1. [Home](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/) 2. [Travel insights](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles) 3. Beaujolais Wine Tour: The Ten Crus, the Golden Villages and a Day from Lyon [Travel insights](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles) # Beaujolais Wine Tour: The Ten Crus, the Golden Villages and a Day from Lyon Plan a Beaujolais wine tour with a team based in Villefranche: the ten crus, the golden-stone villages, a day from Lyon, Beaujolais Nouveau and tastings. By [Lucas Gebhardt](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/team/lucas-gebhardt), Founder & CEO · Published on October 22, 2026 · 7 min read ![Alsace villages, French Christmas in 7 Days: Alsace Markets, Lyon & Val d'Isère Skiing](/_astro/01M5J4124JE37PK58SSR2XY65D.Cdmo1kaP_ZGe2La.webp) A Beaujolais wine tour starts 30 minutes north of Lyon, and it is the wine region we know best: our office is in Villefranche-sur-Saône, its main town. **One day with a driver covers the golden-stone villages of the south and two or three of the ten crus in the north.** Sleep one or two nights in the vineyards if you want to taste the crus properly, or if you come for Beaujolais Nouveau, released on the third Thursday of November (**November 19, 2026**). Abroad, the Beaujolais is better known for its Nouveau than for its crus, which is a pity. The region makes serious, often age-worthy reds from the Gamay grape, sold at prices that still surprise visitors who have just been to Burgundy. ## The Beaujolais in brief: south and north | | South: the Pierres Dorées | North: the crus | | --- | --- | --- | | Landscape | Rolling hills, golden limestone villages, small castles | Steeper slopes of granite and schist, villages named after their wine | | Main appellations | Beaujolais (red, rosé and white) | The ten crus and Beaujolais-Villages | | Villages to see | Oingt, Theizé, Châtillon-d'Azergues, Bagnols | Fleurie, Juliénas, Villié-Morgon, Chiroubles, Romanèche-Thorins | | From Lyon by car | about 30 to 45 minutes | about 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 | | Best for | Village walks, long lunches, architecture | Tasting the region's finest wines | ## Twelve appellations, one grape The vineyard covers about 13,500 hectares (33,000 acres), and about 97% of it is planted with Gamay. Chardonnay is the only white grape allowed, for the small production of Beaujolais blanc. The wines are sold under 12 appellations: - **Beaujolais**, mostly from the south; - **Beaujolais-Villages**, from 38 villages in the north and center; - **ten crus**, each named after its village or hill. Beaujolais Nouveau is made only under the first two appellations, never under the crus. The Beaujolais is often filed under Burgundy in wine books, and its northern tip touches the Mâconnais, but it has its own grape, its own appellations and its own character. Our guide to a [Burgundy wine tour from Lyon](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/burgundy-wine-tour-from-lyon) explains how to add Beaune and the Côte d'Or. ## The ten crus, from north to south | Cru | What to know | Style in the glass | | --- | --- | --- | | Saint-Amour | The northernmost cru, on the edge of the Mâconnais | Supple and fruity | | Juliénas | A wine village with old cellars and steep slopes | Firm, with spice | | Chénas | The smallest cru, rarely seen abroad | Structured, quiet | | Moulin-à-Vent | Named after the old windmill above Romanèche-Thorins | The most built to age, often compared with Burgundy | | Fleurie | The Madone chapel watches over the village | Floral, silky | | Chiroubles | The highest vineyards of the crus, up to about 600 m | Light and fresh | | Morgon | A large cru around the Côte du Py hill | Deep, ages well | | Régnié | The most recent cru, recognized in 1988 | Bright, red fruit | | Brouilly | The largest cru, around the foot of Mont Brouilly | Generous, easy to love | | Côte de Brouilly | The slopes of Mont Brouilly, on hard blue stone | More mineral and tense than Brouilly | When we plan tastings, we pick two or three crus that contrast, for example Fleurie, Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent, rather than trying to see all ten in one day. ## The Pierres Dorées: the golden-stone villages South of Villefranche, the villages are built from a local limestone tinted by iron oxide, which turns honey-gold in the late afternoon sun. The whole Beaujolais has been a UNESCO Global Geopark since 2018, and nowhere is the link between rock, buildings and wine easier to see than here. - **Oingt**, a medieval hilltop village above the Azergues valley, is the only village in the Rhône department listed among the Plus Beaux Villages de France. Walk up to the tower and the church for the view. - **Theizé** and **Châtillon-d'Azergues** have castles and chapels in the same golden stone. - **Bagnols** is home to the **Château de Bagnols**, a 13th-century castle that is now a hotel, a good example of the region's top end. The wines here are mostly Beaujolais red, with rosé and the rarer white, and a glass on a terrace in Oingt is a fine way to end a morning walk. ## Our usual day trip from Lyon | Time | Plan | | --- | --- | | 9:30 a.m. | Pick-up at your hotel in Lyon | | 10:15 a.m. | Oingt: the lanes and the view before the lunch crowds | | 11:30 a.m. | First tasting at a family estate in the Pierres Dorées | | 1:00 p.m. | Lunch in a village restaurant | | 3:00 p.m. | North to the crus: tastings in Fleurie or Morgon | | 5:00 p.m. | The chapel on Mont Brouilly for the view over the vineyards and the Saône valley | | 6:15 p.m. | Back in Lyon | **Why we book a driver.** Tasting and driving do not mix, and the legal limit in France is 0.5 grams of alcohol per liter of blood, stricter than the 0.08% limit in most of the US. The roads between the crus are narrow and unmarked in places, and a driver who knows them also knows which estate has someone free to receive you. **Without a car.** TER trains link Lyon Part-Dieu to Villefranche-sur-Saône in about 25 minutes, up to every half hour. That gets you to the region's main town, not to the estates. The Hameau Duboeuf, a wine park and museum at Romanèche-Thorins, has its own train stop, but for anything else you need a car or a driver. If you are coming from Paris, our guide to [Paris to Lyon by train](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/paris-to-lyon-by-train) covers the TGV, and Villefranche is a short regional train beyond Lyon. ## Two days or more: sleeping in the vineyards A night in the Beaujolais changes the trip: you taste at the end of the afternoon when winemakers have time, and you wake up in the vines. - **Villefranche-sur-Saône**, the economic capital, has a long main street lined with Renaissance courtyards behind its facades. - **Beaujeu**, the historic capital that gave the region its name, hosts the Maison du Terroir Beaujolais and Les Sarmentelles, the best-known Beaujolais Nouveau festival. - **The Hameau Duboeuf** at Romanèche-Thorins presents the vine and wine through a museum, gardens and tastings. In 2026 it opened Wednesday to Sunday and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays; check before you go. - **Burgundy is next door.** From the northern crus, the Mâconnais starts within minutes, and Beaune is a little over an hour away by road, which makes a Beaujolais and Burgundy trip of three or four nights easy to build. Many of our travelers prefer to stay in Lyon and go out to the vineyards for the day. That works well, and our answer to [is Lyon worth visiting](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/is-lyon-worth-visiting) explains how we split time between the city and the vines. ## How tastings work in the Beaujolais - **Most estates are family-run**, and the person pouring is often the person who made the wine. Visits are by appointment; we book every one. - **Several cru villages have a communal tasting cellar**, a caveau, where you can taste wines from many producers in one stop. It is useful when time is short. - **Three estates a day is our limit.** After that, the wines blur together. Spitting is normal and expected, even for visitors. - **Buying wine.** Estates sell at the cellar door. US customs lets you bring wine home in checked luggage, with duty beyond the personal allowance; we tell you which estates can ship. - **Eat with it.** Back in Lyon, the bouchons serve Beaujolais in the pot, the thick-bottomed 46 cl bottle, with saucisson brioché and quenelles. ## Beaujolais Nouveau and the wine calendar - **Beaujolais Nouveau:** released on the third Thursday of November since 1985, on **Thursday, November 19, 2026**, and November 18, 2027. The celebrations start at midnight on the Wednesday. In Beaujeu, **Les Sarmentelles** festival runs from November 18 to 22, 2026, with the midnight release, fireworks and tastings of the new vintage. Our guide to [France in November](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/france-in-november) puts the release night into a wider trip. - **Harvest:** usually September, sometimes from late August in warm years. Since 1857, winegrowers have climbed to the chapel of Notre-Dame-aux-Raisins on Mont Brouilly every September 8 to ask for a good harvest. During picking, winemakers have little time for visitors, so we book fewer tastings. - **Spring and early summer:** green vines, calm estates and long lunches outdoors. April to June is our favorite time to taste. - **Winter:** quiet and gray, with some estates closed for holidays, but the cellars are warm and the winemakers have time. ## The Beaujolais with reduced mobility Many cellars are down steep steps or in vaulted basements, and Oingt is a cobbled hilltop with steep lanes. The Mont Brouilly chapel is reached by road. For travelers who use a wheelchair, we choose estates with a ground-floor tasting room and level access, which we check beforehand, and we plan the village walks in Villefranche and the flatter centers. The Beaujolais anchors many of our [food and wine trips](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/trips/food-and-wine), and our [French Christmas in 7 Days](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/the-magic-of-french-christmas), from €2,099 (about $2,400) per person, already includes a night in Lyon. Tell us which wines you like and how much time you have, and we will [plan your Beaujolais days](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/plan-your-trip) around the right estates. More guides: [Places and regions](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/articles/topics/regions) ## Related destinations - [France](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/countries/france) ## Contents Written by ### [Lucas Gebhardt](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/team/lucas-gebhardt) Founder & CEO · Based in Villefranche-sur-Saône Founder of Mobee International, wine and golf enthusiast, designs trips that show France the way the French live it. [More about Lucas](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/team/lucas-gebhardt) ## Trips for this guide - [![The magic of French Christmas](/_astro/01M5J4124JE1AS6FJX6HMX3VTN.Dyfvhrac_VXXAc.webp)**French Christmas in 7 Days: Alsace Markets, Lyon & Val d'Isère Skiing**From €2,099 · 7 days](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/the-magic-of-french-christmas) - [![Luxury honeymoon trip from Paris to Provence](/_astro/01M5J4124PCV0X28RGDBW365YT.lZhWvtW-_Z16PGzJ.webp)**Luxury France Honeymoon in 14 Days: Paris, Burgundy, Alps & Provence**From €9,999 · 14 days](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/luxury-honeymoon-trip-from-paris-to-provence) - [![Wine Getaway to Cognac](/_astro/01M5J4124MAGX84KA6Y71NCFTD.TtHMYKx5_Z2eTFfx.webp)**Cognac Getaway in 6 Days: Distilleries, Vineyards & Bordeaux Blending**From €1,999 · 6 days](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/wine-getaway-to-cognac) When you’re ready, we’re ready ## Let us help you plan a trip that feels right Tell us what you’re dreaming about: dates, pace, who you’re traveling with, and what would make it special. A real person will get back to you with thoughtful ideas, not a generic pitch. ## Frequently asked questions ### How far is the Beaujolais from Lyon? The southern Beaujolais starts about 30 minutes north of Lyon by car, and Oingt is about 40 minutes away. The crus are farther north, about 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 depending on the village. Villefranche-sur-Saône, the main town, is about 25 minutes from Lyon Part-Dieu by regional train, which makes an easy day trip with a driver from your hotel. ### What are the 10 crus of Beaujolais? From north to south: Saint-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly. They are all in the northern Beaujolais, mostly on granite and schist, and all made from Gamay. Moulin-à-Vent and Morgon age the longest, Fleurie and Chiroubles are lighter and more fragrant, and Régnié became a cru most recently, in 1988. ### Is Beaujolais part of Burgundy? Not quite. The Beaujolais is often grouped with Burgundy in wine books and shops, and its northern edge meets the Mâconnais, but it has its own grape, Gamay, its own twelve appellations and its own trade body. Most of the region lies in the Rhône department, just north of Lyon. Many travelers combine both in three or four nights. ### Can you visit the Beaujolais without a car? Only partly. Regional trains reach Villefranche-sur-Saône in about 25 minutes from Lyon, and the Hameau Duboeuf has its own station, but the villages and family estates are spread over the hills with little public transport. A private driver is the comfortable option, and it lets everyone taste. Cycling between the crus is possible for fit riders on an e-bike. ### When is the best time for a Beaujolais wine tour? April to June and late September to November are the best months: the estates have time for visitors and the weather is mild. During the harvest, usually in September, winemakers are busy and visits are fewer. Come in mid-November for Beaujolais Nouveau, released on November 19 in 2026, if you enjoy village festivities and do not mind cool, gray days. ## Plan this trip Day by day, with prices. Each one is reshaped around you. [All itineraries](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages) ![The magic of French Christmas](/_astro/01M5J4124JE1AS6FJX6HMX3VTN.Dyfvhrac_aIbiM.webp) 7 days / 6 nights ### [French Christmas in 7 Days: Alsace Markets, Lyon & Val d'Isère Skiing](https://www.mobeeinternational.com/packages/the-magic-of-french-christmas) Six nights in December: two in Colmar for the markets and wine villages, one at the Hôtel-Dieu in Lyon with dinner at Paul Bocuse, three in Val d'Isère with two full ski days. First-class train, 4- and 5-star hotels. 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The question is not whether you can go, but how to make the experience as comfortable, accessible, and rewarding as possible. Tailor-made, from France ## Let us help you plan a trip that feels right Tell us what you’re dreaming about: dates, pace, who you’re traveling with, and what would make it special. A real person will get back to you with thoughtful ideas, not a generic pitch. 1. 1Share your dates and wishes 2. 2Get a priced itinerary within 48 hours 3. 3Refine it together, then travel 9 travel designers in Lyon and Nice reply to every request themselves. ★★★★★ > “A wonderful travel partner” Carol W., Seattle, WA · 4.8/5 on 273 reviews - [US+1 607 354 8896](tel:+16073548896) - [Europe+33 4 26 30 36 82](tel:+33426303682) - [contact@mobeeinternational.com](mailto:contact@mobeeinternational.com) Two minutes, three steps. 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