Rick Steves Calls The Wines Of This Engaging French Region 'Easy On The Palate And On Your Budget'

Certified travel uncle Rick Steves loves his wine. And, being the extremely well-traveled gent that he is, Rick knows the best places in the world to try it, calling France an adventure for your taste buds. Enter: the hillside vineyards of the Rhône Valley, the riverside stretch from Avignon in the southeast all the way up to Lyon in central France, which produces Côtes du Rhône. It's one of the best European wines available in Steve's opinion; on his website, he calls this wine trail "one of France's most engaging" thanks to its "landscape carpeted with vines, studded with warm stone villages" and Mont Ventoux, the mountain range made famous by the Tour de France cycling race, which runs along the eastern flank of the region.

This wine also comes at a budget-friendly price, particularly when you're exploring its home turf. Steves says on his site, "The wines of the Côtes du Rhône (grown on the côtes, or hillsides, of the Rhône River Valley) are easy on the palate and on your budget." A bottle of red Côtes du Rhône produced by Domaine E. Guigal in Ampuis, a wine town in the north of the valley, comes in at $15, for example, and the winery offers extremely affordable tasting sessions starting from $20 online and even cheaper in person if you check out the local supermarket. Wine is not the only star of the budget-friendly Rhône Valley, however.

Wine is just one thing to indulge in here. The Rhône Valley has a lot more going for it as Steves enthuses "this hospitable place offers more than wine — its hill-capping villages inspire travel posters, its Roman ruins add a historical perspective, and the locals seem as excited about their region as you are."

Starting in the easily accessible city of Lyon, which is well linked to Paris by train  and has an airport of its own, is a smart start to exploring the Rhône Valley. A day there exploring the well-preserved Roman ruins and delectable restaurants will set the tone for the cultural explosion to come. Head south to the small town of Ampuis, where wineries line the river and the stunning Château d'Ampuis, a stately home that's as French as they come, is available to visit by appointment.

A stop in Hauterives doesn't disappoint, as, palate-pleasing wine aside, the Postman Cheval's Ideal Palace (Palais Idéal) is one of the most unusual and jaw-dropping pieces of outsider art in the whole of France. Created in the 1800s by a chap called Cheval, who was literally a postman, this surreal, dreamy structure is one for the books. Keep roaming south through the valley infamous for wine until you reach the quaint village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a must-visit in the region. It's a stunning little hamlet to walk around, taking in the medieval castle and the Romanesque marvel, the church Notre Dame de l'Assomption.

The star of the valley, though, is at its southernmost flank; Avignon is a medieval fairytale town that's traffic-free and an idyllic addition to your France itinerary. Steves says on his website: "A detour to Avignon is time well spent. Clean, lively, and popular with travelers, this city is an intriguing blend of medieval history, youthful energy, and urban sophistication."

First things first — are you drinking wines or just tasting them? Even a wine tasting can leave you a bit sloshed, so be sure to find wineries within walking distance of your accommodation (which is really not hard in this region), or pre-book wine tasting tours, where you'll be ferried around by a knowledgeable guide and, more importantly, a driver.

Packing comfortable footwear so you can mosey through vineyards on said tours is advisable, as many of the wineries are hilly – and remember to pack some gloves and a scarf if you're visiting in non-summer months, as the outdoor windy terrain can get chilly. Using wine-specific blogs and websites is also super helpful — we love customer reviews and tips on where the cheaper wineries are, too.

Give yourselves a few days to explore this fantastic region, so you can stop in two or three destinations at least. If you can't get enough of touring southern French wineries, add underrated Cahors and its sublime vineyards to your wishlist.