Tavel brings together wine culture and architectural and everyday history. The following options offer different ways to explore these themes.
Winegrowing and themed trails
The Tavel AOC was established in 1936. The Caves des Vignerons de Tavel et Lirac offers tastings of Tavel, Lirac, Côtes du Rhône, Vin de Pays and Vin de table. Château Trinquevedel offers paid vineyard and cellar tours with tastings; advance booking is required. As conditions may change, it is best to confirm the time and visiting arrangements in advance. Groups can be accommodated at the Caves des Vignerons de Tavel et Lirac; the time and arrangements must also be agreed in advance. The options therefore differ in what you can plan: a tour with tasting by appointment, or an arranged group visit.
You can also explore the theme of winegrowing on foot. The Sentier des Galets starts at the Cave de Tavel and is 2.3 kilometres long. The trail is accessible to everyone and has no particular difficulties. Six information panels cover the grape varieties and terroirs that underpin this quality wine region; the trail also introduces the biodiversity of Tavel’s winegrowing area. Another themed option is the “Entre Sables et Lauzes” trail, with stops focusing on cultural heritage, terroir and grape varieties. The focus differs: the Sentier des Galets also explores biodiversity, while “Entre Sables et Lauzes” includes cultural heritage.
Buildings, gardens and former everyday places
The historic part of the Cave coopérative de Tavel was built in 1937. That same year, Henri Floutier designed the cave in a regionalist, neo-Provençal style. It was listed as a historic monument in 2013. Another link to the town’s history is Tavel stone: it is also called “Tavel marble” because it can be polished beautifully, like marble.
The Fontaine de Tavel was built in 1822. It was originally used to supply water; barrels were also soaked there before the grape harvest, laundry was washed, and horses were watered. Today, the Fontaine is used as a cultural venue, with open-air concerts held there on summer evenings. If you would like to include a concert, check the dates before travelling.
The Quartier des jardins dates back to the French Revolution. It comprises 62 irrigated gardens, which are still cultivated by Tavel residents. Here, a historically dated neighbourhood meets a gardening tradition that continues to this day. This glimpse of everyday life adds a living connection to the past to the history of the buildings and the Fontaine.
The Nef Solaire
The five sundials of the Nef Solaire offer a different point of interest. They are located at a rest area on the A9 between Orange and Nîmes. The Nef Solaire can be reached on foot from Tavel. This adds sundials as a distinct reason to visit alongside winegrowing and local history; the stated location is the motorway rest area.
Discover more destinations: Vers-Pont-Du-Gard, Verfeuil, Beauvoisin, Vic-Le-Fesq, Jonquières-Saint-Vincent, Laval-Saint-Roman, Corbès, Cassagnoles.
For the regional travel overview: Gard.
