The vineyards of Savoie
The Savoie vineyards lie at the foot of the Alps and sprawl over four departments: Ain, Isère, Savoie and Haute-Savoie. Savoie has three key regional appellations (Savoie, Roussette of Savoie, Seyssel) and twenty geographic denominations (Ayse, Crépy, Marignan, Ripaille, Marin, Frangy, Seyssel, Chautagne, Marestel, Jongieux, Monthoux, Monterminod, Saint Jeoire du Prieure, Apremont, Les Abymes, Chignin, Chignin Bergeron, Montmelian, Arbin, Cruet and Saint John de la Porte). The most recent Savoie AOC is the Crémant. Les Deux Savoie have been producing sparkling wines for a long time but these wines have only been officially recognised as Crémant since 2014. The vines grow mainly on the slopes of Lake Geneva, between the Rhône and Lake Bourget and between Chambéry and Isère. On its Savoyard side, the vineyard covers a large expanse of 1800 hectares and 48 villages dotted with campsites of every size, from those with swimming pools and sports facilties to the smaller, more idyllic campsites.
Stroll through the vineyards of Savoie
A great way to discover the wines of Savoie, often overlooked, is to follow the wine routes around the 3 major wine regions of the Savoie. Between Lake Geneva and the Arve Valley, at the foot of Mont Blanc, the vines cover the sunny slopes of the alpine massifs. White wines dominate (70% of the production), with the Chasselas being most prolific and the Gringet being most unique. From the shores of Lake Bourget to the Rhône Valley, the reliefs of the Bauges, Epine, Monts du Chat and Revard make up a craggy landscape where sparkling wines and white wines are cultivated. Floral notes typify Jaquère, a grape variety unique in the world, as well as lighter reds made from Gamay, Pinot and Mondeuse noir, another 100% Savoyard grape variety. Further south, the Isère Valley is home to the largest AOC Savoie vineyards, with well-exposed sunny slopes that produce the greatest variety of Savoie wines: Abymes, Apremont, Saint-Jeoire, Saint-Jean-de-la-Porte, Montmelian, Arbin, Cruet, Chignin and Chignin-Bergeron. Wherever you stay during your camping or mobile home holidays in Savoie, you will never be far from one of these three wine routes. And as you travel, you’ll find open doors welcoming you and inviting you to share the passion and taste some of these delicious wines.
Vignobles and Découverte Label
Two Savoyard areas have been labelled Vignobles & Découverte (Coeur de Savoie and Savoie Lac Bourget) and showcase nearly 150 providers (winemakers, restaurateurs, etc.) eager to share their love of wine. Look out for them near the most beautiful campsites of Savoie as well as tourist hotspots like the wine museum of Montmélian.
