France Has a Gourmet Food Trail That Runs From Dijon to Marseille

If your dream trip involves chocolate, cheese, wine, and a constant stream of baguettes, we've found your next vacation. 

Vallée de la Gastronomie pays homage to France's rich culinary and wine traditions through a food-and-wine road trip that goes from Dijon to Marseille through Lyon. The massive trail, which has had  59 new activities added since 2020, includes 448 different stops along a 385-mile route. 

Whether you're into history, adventure, gastronomy, or simply adore a nice glass of wine with a view, the trail is a dreamy way to explore the wonders of France. With picnics in the lavender fields of Dröme Provençal and tours of the Mas Des Tourelles, La Vallée De La Gastronomie France immerses visitors in French hospitality.

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Activities along the trail

With a wide variety of expert-led tours, workshops, and activities, visitors have the opportunity to immerse themselves in French culture while traveling the route. 

Guests can go truffle hunting, stay overnight in a historic farmhouse, join a chef on a tour of local producers and prepare a meal together, or get the insider's guide on how to make Lyon's famous pâté-croûte. 

Cooking classes and tastings 

Become a chocolatier, cheesemaker, or truffle hunter and learn the history of regional specialties by participating in cooking classes and tastings. Visitors can also stop at Michelin-starred restaurants or dine at traditional regional restaurants.

Activities also include a food tour of the famous Les Halles Paul Bocuse in Lyon, a visit to Dijon’s Cité internationale du vin et de la gastronomie, and a tour of L’huilerie Beaujolaise, which produces oils and vinegars used by chefs like Eric Ripert and Daniel Boulud.

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Get a taste of mustard from Dijon, calissons from Aix, nougat from Montélimar, and rice from Camargue with local experts who will share their insights through interactive activities. 

Channel your inner sommelier

The Voyage Gourmand also includes numerous wine courses, tours, and experiences for beginners and aficionados alike.

Related: How to Find the Best Wines of the Loire Valley

Visitors can learn how to blend wine to create their own vintage as they explore the wide variety of grapes that are celebrated in French wine-making: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, Cabernet, and Merlot, just to name a few.

“Guests can experience Speleologie, a wine tasting in the Saint-Marcel cave. Visitors descend into the heart of the cave and taste in complete darkness three local wines, including one that is aged in the cave itself,” says Corinne Renard, Market Manager of the Auvergne-Rhone-Alps Tourism Board. 

Find more information at https://www.valleedelagastronomie.com/en.