Côte Rôtie & Crozes-Hermitage Wine Villages Day Trip
Within 45 minutes of Valence lie two of the Northern Rhône's most celebrated appellations: Crozes-Hermitage, whose vines spread across the plain just north of Tain-l'Hermitage, and the vertiginous granite terraces of Côte Rôtie further north near Ampuis. Neither is overrun with wine tourists, which means cellar doors open with genuine warmth and prices remain sane.
Tain-l'Hermitage and the Hermitage hill
The granite monolith of the Hermitage hill rises directly from the Rhône at Tain-l'Hermitage, 20 km north of Valence, and its syrah vines produce wines that age for decades. The cooperative Cave de Tain (open daily, no appointment needed) offers excellent introductory tastings and sells bottles at producer prices — a good starting point before hunting out smaller domaines.
Walk up the signed path behind the town to the chapel at the summit for a 360-degree view of the Rhône bend, the Vercors and the Ardèche. The walk takes 25 minutes each way and is genuinely lovely in morning light.
Crozes-Hermitage villages and smaller producers
The Crozes-Hermitage appellation surrounds the hill and covers eleven communes — Mercurol, Gervans, Larnage among them — where you can knock on cellar doors with a reasonable chance of a personal tasting. Domaine Alain Graillot in Pont-de-l'Isère is one of the appellation's benchmark names and welcomes visitors by appointment.
For a meal after tasting, Le Quai in Tain-l'Hermitage serves Rhône-focused bistro cooking beside the river with a wine list that doubles as a local producer directory. The terrace in summer is one of the most pleasant lunch spots in the entire region.
More of Valence
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Valence →
