Bercy, Bercy me
Oh, things ain't what they used to be
A recent picnic near the vineyard of Bercy brought to mind the forgotten history of this quiet corner of Paris. Once the largest wine storage facility in the world employing 7000 workers, there’s nary a trace of its glorious past.
The Bercy vineyard, which was planted about 30 years ago, is the only link (and a tenuous one at that) to this once massive world of wine. Bercy was a cornerstone of Parisian commerce and culture from the 19th century until the mid-20th century. It is suggested that the buildings of the Cour Saint-Emilion, which were indeed part of this massive wine depot, are a testament to this past greatness.
Regrettably, the vast storage areas and docks once devoted to wine have either been demolished or reduced to a commercial mall with not a single museum or reference to the vine. Today’s ‘Village Bercy’ is a failed attempt to mimic Covent Garden in London and the soul of wine that so animated this historic area of Paris has been forgotten and replaced by fast food restaurants, tourist bars, and commercial wine shops that bring no joy whatsoever to what was once known as ‘happy Bercy’.
In 1996, 682m² of vines of Sauvignon and Chardonnay grapes and 341m² of table wine grapes were planted in the ‘Yitzak Rabin’ garden, situated in Bercy Park, which produce a light, pleasantly fruity wine (that can only be tasted by the public once a year during the Fête de la Vigne - if it happens). There are essentially two vineyards here. One that looks like the rows of vines you might find anywhere in most any wine region of the world, and the other a grape arbour with vines tangling themselves along trellises a couple of metres above the ground.
Nearby, close to the parapet by the Cour Saint-Emilion is the underground ‘chai’ or wine cellar that is used to vinify the grapes harvested each year from Bercy, Bergeyre, and Belleville, 3 of the 6 wines belonging to the city that are vinified by Sylviane Leplatre - the Clos Montmartre, the Clos des Morillons and the Clos des Arenes being the other three.
When I first started Paris Wine Walks, I thought of taking people to visit Bercy, but the vines alone seemed insufficient to inspire interest. And what remains of historical note beyond the mallification of the Bercy Village is rather dreary. But the park that surrounds the vines is lovely, and undoubtedly one of the most beautiful natural reserves in the city with quiet grassy knolls under shady trees coloured in with flamboyant flower beds. It’s a good place to get away from it all on a sunny day to lounge and read, share bread and cheese, sip wine and perhaps, in some spiritual way, reconnect with Happy Bercy.
UPCOMING WINE EVENTS
UrbAgri, Domaine viticole de Paris Gravelle is hosting the 1st Vine Flower Festival at the Paris Gravelle wine estate on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 June 2025.
The flower of the vine can be seen for only a few days between the end of May and mid-June, depending on the year. It will give birth to bunches of grapes.
All lovers of vines and wine, and even beer lovers, are invited to join us at the 1st Fête de la Fleur de Vigne, an open-air country event in late spring, on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 June 2025.
Registration is open at www.domainedeparisgravelle.fr
The programme:
Saturday 14 June 2025
9am: Introduction to viticulture workshop at the Paris Gravelle wine estate
11am: guided tour of the estate
12.30pm: Domaine picnic
3pm: Children's winegrowing pentathlon
Sunday 15 June 2025
10.30 am: Pentathlon vigneron adults
12.30pm: Plancha de la mer
To explore the vineyards of Paris and find again that spring in your step that the promise of renewed life brings, we invite you to join us on a wine walk, cultural tour, or treasure hunt. Tis the season to be out and about in the burgeoning green and the blossoming, flowering, budding perfume of nature’s infinite colour palette. Santé!
Thank you for letting me into your world and for reading the Paris Wine Walks Substack. Your support is invaluable as are your comments, suggestions, critiques, dreams, thoughts and remembrances. A little encouragement goes a long way, so please consider a paid subscription, which need cost no more than (a cheap) glass of wine per week. Or, book a wine walk!
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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