Fascinating Weekend Vineyards and Discoveries

Fascinating Weekend Vineyards and Discoveries in Chinonais

The Fascinating Weekend Vineyards and Discoveries is a national oenotourism event that takes place every third weekend of October in territories labeled Vignobles & Découvertes. In Indre-et-Loire, it is deployed in the Chinon-Bourgueil-Azay destination, offering visitors a unique immersion in the Loire Valley wine world.

A National Event, A Local Deployment

Supported nationally by the Vignobles & Découvertes label, the Fascinating Weekend brings together over 70 wine destinations in France. The Chinon-Bourgueil-Azay destination, labeled for many years, actively participates in this event by offering a rich and varied program. The goal is to discover wine terroirs through original and accessible experiences for everyone.

Various Oenological Activities

The Fascinating Weekend program in Chinonais offers a multitude of activities: oenological activities in historic monuments, hiking and cycling tours in the vineyards, tastings and visits at winegrowers', sidecar rides through the wine landscapes, and visits to troglodytic caves dug into the tuffeau stone. These activities allow for the discovery of the Chinon, Bourgueil, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, and Azay-le-Rideau appellations.

The Chinonais Terroir

The Chinon-Bourgueil-Azay territory is one of the major centers of Loire Valley viticulture. The AOC Chinon produces remarkable red wines based on Cabernet Franc, while the AOC Bourgueil and AOC Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil complete this palette with wines of character. The vineyard landscapes, dotted with castles and troglodytic caves, offer an exceptional setting for oenotourism.

Vignobles en Scène: The New Name

From 2025, the Fascinating Weekend is evolving and taking the name Vignobles en Scène. The format remains the same — the third weekend of October — but this new name marks a desire for renewal and modernization of the event. The program continues to highlight the players in the Vignobles & Découvertes labeled territory.