An overview of IDF vineyards (part 3)
Municipal, associative, heritage
This is the third in a four-part series on the vineyards I visited in the Île-de-France in the summer of 2020. Although there are a few missing elements (I haven’t included all the places I visited, as some were too small or too neglected to be of interest, or simply couldn’t be found), when all is said and done, this will be fairly complete.
Which isn’t to say it’s a complete listing. There are undoubtedly hundreds of other little vineyards hiding in the Paris region that are not part of an association, a municipal project, or a heritage programme. In general, this series has focussed on the vineyards of the Île-de-France that do not produce wine for sale. They are predominantly overseen by volunteers, members of clubs and associations who have wanted to maintain a historical link with the rich viticultural past of their communes. Most have been around for many years, many dating from the 1930s.
The commercial vineyards that have been planted since 2016 with the objective of producing wine for sale are part of the renaissance that is taking place in the Île-de-France. We have gradually been covering each one of them with a dedicated post, and will continue to do so as and when we can. If you would like to join us on one of these outings, which generally take up the better part of the day, please send us a message.
Nogent - Confrérie du Petit Vin Blanc-Nogent sur Marne - impossible to visit because the vineyard is on the grounds of a seniors retirement home, but the vineyard is visible from the corner of the rue du Port and the rue Charles VII.
Villepinte - Sausset - The Sausset vineyard: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Finally, the most recent and largest vineyard, the Parc départemental du Sausset, was planted in October 2004. Its 2,300 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines make this vineyard the second largest in the Île-de-France region. The vineyard here is located in the Parc départemental du Sausset and accessible from the Parking des Erables. The vineyard itself is a short walk but entirely fenced in and in a setting that seems somehow desolate. Contact Patrice Bersac for info about the future of this vineyard for wine-making.
Clairoix - Les Crinquineurs du Mont Ganelon, municipal councillors, and various interested persons. The chosen land, about 600 m², is located near the church, upstream. The setting with the church is charming, but this too is fenced in and on a rather steep slope. Clairoix is charming with a beautiful Roman bridge and a pretty village with a river running through.
Visited Compiegne, Crecy la Chapelle, Vincy Manoeuvre and Ferté sous Jouarre, but found no vines anywhere...
Provins - La Tour César Patrice Bersac, president of the SYVIF (Syndicat des vignerons en Île-de-France) looks after the vineyard below the Tour César. Entirely fenced in, but quite visible, planted entirely to hybrid grape varieties. Provins is of course a lovely medieval tourist attraction.
Magalyval - Blunay - Located on 2 hectares on the slopes of the Seine, between Provins and Nogent-sur-Seine, Jean-Michel Bourgoin produces some 10,000 bottles (mainly Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir and Viognier). Will be harvesting for the first time this year (2020). Was in the process of building a chai when we popped by. Visited the vineyard with Patrice Boudignat, whose vines, were they planted, would be right next to Bourgoin's.
Patrice Boudignat - Vin des Copains Had a great visit with Patrice Boudignat whose vineyard project is right next to that of Jean Michel Bourgoin's. Planting has been delayed because of a number of issues and though he originally applied for total of 15 hectares, he is now planning to plant only 3 to begin. Is also involved in the vines of the Tour César with Patrice Bersac and has bought a house near there that he intends to use for tastings. Has a very cool tasting room in Blunay where we tasted a Sauvignon from Valenciennes and a Melon de Bourgogne (Coropeia) from Muscadet.
Liverdy en Brie - Quite by chance, we came upon a small, private vineyard off the route de Coubert and was then informed by the rather wary young woman whose family planted and harvested it, that there was also a communal vineyard, but this, we were unable to find, despite repeated efforts and questioning of locals.
Solers - There are two vineyards here. One is communal and small off a dirt track, close to the agglomeration and the other is outside of the village close to the TGV tracks and under power lines. Planted entirely to Chenin, it is overseen by Antoine de Clermont Tonnerre. Met the father of the young man who is cultivating these vines, but stupidly forgot to get his name. Left my card though...
Nonville - Le Clos de Nonville - Beautiful 7 hectare vineyard planted to 1/3 Pinot Noir, 1/3 Chardonnay and 1/3 Sauvignon in an ideal setting. The property is almost entirely surrounded by a stone wall with a bourgeois manor house set in a park of 38 hectares with a river running through, sluices, ponds, bridges and a large organic vegetable garden. The vines, which were planted between 2017 and 2020 are on a gentle slope lined with trees at the top. First harvest should be next year (2021).
Since those notes, Nonville was sold to the Bertrand Group and is still under renovation. We have tried to get back to see the changes they are making, but so far, without success.
Clamart- Clos Franquet, Confrérie du Clos de Clamart, Mairie de Clamart. This tiny vineyard is hidden behind a wall in the middle of the urban suburb of Clamart, just under 10kms from the heart of Paris. The municipal vineyard located at 5 Rue Franquet bears witness to Clamart's wine-growing past, which covered 110 hectares at the beginning of the 19th century. Today, the Clos de Clamart brotherhood cultivates and harvests 174 Chardonnay and Sémillon vines with the help of volunteers to produce Clos Franquet wine.
Roquencourt / Le Chesnay - A 500-foot Chardonnay vineyard, its very urban location and fairly stony soil allow for interesting ripening. Located in the Parc Forestière de Rocquencourt off Rue Sabretache and parallel to Chemin du Tour d'Enfer next to a car park and clearly visible from Route de Versailles, which runs right next to it. Of very limited interest, unless you are already there... The upcoming ‘marriage’ between Le Chesnay and Rocquencourt will lead to the pooling of technical services between the two towns. The project to expand the technical facilities in Rocquencourt, which was to extend to the site of the ‘Clos du Roy’ vineyard, has been abandoned.
Saint-Arnoult-En-Yvelines - Today, located on 3.5 acres of communal land, the vineyard consists of 1,260 Chardonnay vines adorning the hillside facing the Fosse-aux-Chevaux business park. Access is via an unpaved road, indicated by a sign that says 'Vigne Municipale'. Nice location with forest and fields around.
Thomery - Les Longs Sillons. Thomery is rather unique in its layout. Long grassy pathways lined with old stone walls reveal vestiges of the times when the entire village grew vines along these walls. Here and there Chasselas vines can still be seen, trained to grow up the walls, the grapes then accessible to all, though most are grown on the inside where grape loving passersby cannot get at them. It was vines from Thomery, along with others that, formed the original vineyard of the Clos Montmartre in Paris (1933), which has now been replanted to over 15 hybrid varieties.
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My book, ‘The Hidden Vineyards of Paris’ (reviewed in Jancis Robinson’s wine blog, the Wine Economist, National Geographic Traveler UK, UK Telegraph) is available for purchase via our website and at anglophone bookshops and wine shops in Paris. You can also find it at the Musée de Montmartre and the Librairie Gourmande.
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