Le Roannais : The Tourist Office's Official Web site

With the early impulse, in the High Middle Ages, of the installation of the Monastic Orders, the cultivation of the vine saw considerable development in the Roanne area as the centuries passed, a development accentuated by navigation on the Loire which made it possible to despatch wine to Paris. Phylloxera stopped the expansion of the vineyards, the vines clinging to the sunniest slopes.

Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (guarantee of origin) since 1994, the vineyards of the Côte Roannaise today have about thirty vine growers in an area of 500 acres. Using the Gamay grape, Côte Roannaise drinks well young and is the ideal accompaniment to Roanne cooked pork meats and recipes. List of producer communes: Ambierle, St Haon le Vieux, St Haon le Châtel, Renaison, St André d'Apchon, St Alban les Eaux, Lentigny, Villemontais, St Jean St Maurice and Villerest.

One cannot talk about wines without mentioning the wine makers.

The vineyards of the Côte Roannaise today have about thirty vine growers in an area of 500 acres.

The doors to their cellars are, most of the time, open to the public for tastings and direct sales. They are ready to introduce you to the fruits of their labour and their know-how.