Evaux Les Bains to Le Lioran, France – Day 11
Sadly, today, we will not travel through a wine region, but… to the east of our cyclists, we will pass the Loire regions of Saint-Pourçain, the Côtes Roannaises near Roanne. the Côtes du Forez around Montbrison and the Puy-de-Dome near the Côtes d’Auvergne around Clermont-Ferrand
To the northwest, there is the small region of Châteautmeillant.
But we begin in Evaux Les Bains. This is a spa town, founded by the Romans where they had thermal baths. The Roman Baths, abandoned in the 5th century regained popularity in the 17th century.
Here is a link to a video https://youtu.be/BxkwN6r6k4c?si=YLLsY5VmqLFoXX1w
The town is also known for the beautiful Romanesque style church Abbatiale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul with its roof of chestnut tiles.
Côtes d’Auvergne and the regions of Central France
These are exciting regions because they are outside of the area typically known as the Loire Valley. They sit south of the famous regions of Pouilly sur Loire and Sancerre.
Saint-Pourçain
Saint-Pourçain is an appellation in Central France. It is obscure and considered one of the oldest vineyard areas in France, possibly dating back to the Phoenicians. They produce red, white, rose and sparkling wines of Pinot Noir, Gamay, Chardonnay, Tressalier and Sauvignon Blanc.
Here’s a link to the Bubbly Professor on the region. https://bubblyprofessor.com/2022/01/30/five-fast-facts-about-saint-pourcain/
Cotes Roannais
Cotes Roannais is a 20 km hillside between Clermont-Ferrand and Lyon. You’ll find red and rosé wines made of Garmay, many, like Beaujolais Nouveau, made with carbonic maceration.
https://www.roannais-tourisme.com/en/gastronomie/vignoble-cote-roannaise/
Côtes du Forez
Côtes du Forez makes wine of 100% Gamay, like Beaujolais, but the soils are different here. My friend Lynn of Savor the Harvest wrote a piece on these wines.
https://savortheharvest.com/gamay-take-two-meet-the-cotes-du-forez-appellation/
Côtes d’Auvergne
Côtes d’Auvergne is located in the Puy-de-Dôme department, which is a frequent stop on the Tour, just not this year. Again the wines are primarily red and Gamay with some Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Within the Côtes d’Auvergne you find 5 appellations:
- Mardargue: in the North near Riom & Châtelguyon.
- Châteaugay: named for the city that is 10km north of Clermont-Ferrand.
- Chanturgue: around Clermont-Ferrand. This is the smallest appellationint he region.
- Corent: sitting 20 km south of Clermont-Ferrand, known for rosé.
- Boudes: in the southern part of the region near the city of Issoire. Here it is drier and the slopes are steeper.
https://www.cotesdauvergne.com/en/
Châteautmeillant
Châteautmeillant is a region that specializes in vin gris (a rosé wine) and red wines of Gamay and PN. Located in the Indre and Cher departments, it spans 7 Villages: Châteaumeillant, St-Maur, Vesdun, Champillet, Feusines, Néret, and Urciers. It covers just 75 hectares of sandy or clay and sand soils. Vineyards trace to the 5th Century. The area was a junction between Rome and Gaul; wine was stored here in amphorae. 96% of this wine never leaves France. https://www.vins-centre-loire.com/en/les-vins-de-chateaumeillant/
The countryside is beautiful, and the Puy Mary Pas de Peyrol at 1589 meters (5213 feet!) will be the highest climb of the day.
Le Lioran
We end in Le Lioran a small mountain resort, one of the few remaining in central France. While outdoor activities are popular year round, ski season is definitely the busiest.
For more information on all of the Stage’s of the “Tour de France”
Wine along the “Tour de France” – 2024
Robin Renken is a wine writer and Certified Specialist of Wine and WSET 3 Certified. She and her husband Michael travel to wine regions interviewing vineyard owners and winemakers and learning the stories behind the glass.
When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.
Check out our book series, “Tempting Spoonfuls” available through Amazon!
Inspired by the flavors and aromas in wines, these books create “tempting spoonfuls” of flavors to pair with wines.
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This book is 60 pages, 18 recipes, lots of beautiful photos, and insights into some fantastic small wineries!
“Tempting Spoonfuls – small bites paired with wines from around the Globe” – This book takes us around the globe to explore 12 wine regions, a wine from the region, and then gives you a recipe for a pairing!
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The goal is to make your mouth water and encourage you to create your own “Tempting Spoonfuls.”
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