Whether red, white or rose, dry or sweet, still or sparkling, wine has been synonymous with France for centuries. Undoubtedly the most influential wine-producing country in the world, France has made a true art form of fermenting the juice of the humble grape.

The history of French wine is a long and intricate one. Well before Julius Caesar conquered the territory that we know today as France, the Greeks had been tending the first vineyards in the region since 600 B.C. However, it isn't just experience that places French wine so firmly on the map, but a combination of the right soil and climate known to connoisseurs as terroir. Each wine producing region has its own terroir, which gives each wine its personality.

Highly regarded individuality among French winemakers defies generalities. Wineries in different regions not only produce very distinctive wines, but grow different varieties of grapes and have unique production methods.

Aboard the Hirondelle you will experience the magnificent diversity of French wines as you meander through its canals and admire its vistas. Each new region presenting unique and exciting wines to relish.