Lirac: A Wine Landscape, Trails and Cultural Heritage

Lirac combines a distinctive wine landscape with marked trails and cultural sites. If you are looking for a destination where winegrowing, outdoor activities and historic sites are key features, the village offers several ways to plan your days. Lirac’s vineyards are characterised by terraces and slopes; they lie on the right bank of the Rhône, opposite the Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine-growing area. They form a 1,200-hectare ring in the heart of the Gard department’s garrigue and amid Roman remains.

Wine and Tastings

Lirac is the oldest cru in the Côtes du Rhône to produce red, rosé and white wines. At the Maison du Cru Lirac, visitors will find more than 50 wine estates, cellars and wine merchants. Tastings of red, white and rosé wines are offered there. Visitor arrangements may change, so check them before you arrive.

A special date in the annual calendar is the “Balade Gourmande des Jaugeurs et des Vignerons de Lirac”. It has been held every year in May since 2005. The approximately 5 km walk passes through the vineyards, with breaks for tasting food and Lirac wines. This event combines exercise with culinary stops in the wine landscape.

Hiking Trails and Mountain Bike Routes

For a marked hike, the “De vignes en garrigues” circular trail starts at the Maison du Cru Lirac. It is 6.8 km long and takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes. “Enquête dans les vignes” offers another way to explore the village and its surroundings: this 4 km experience route passes through vineyards, forests and the village, where you solve an exciting mystery along the way.

The mountain bike routes vary in length and scenery. The marked Mountain Bike Trail No. 25 is a very easy 9 km loop that runs through the village and vineyards to the Ermitage de la Sainte Baume; it takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. The blue-marked Mountain Bike Trail No. 26 is an easy 14 km loop with a stated duration of 1 hour and 45 minutes. It passes through combe valleys, vineyards, garrigue and forests. This lets you compare the shorter No. 25 route with the longer No. 26 loop, which also features a variety of landscapes.

Lirac Sport Détente offers a family-friendly hike for a wide audience one Sunday each month. As activity schedules can change, check the dates before your trip.

Heritage and Sainte Baume

The Église basse in Lirac, also known as the parish church crypt, is listed as a historic monument under a decree dated 31 March 1992, including its painted decoration. The paintings date from the 12th and 13th centuries. The listing therefore covers not only the site itself but explicitly its painted decoration as well.

The Ermitage and Cave of Sainte Baume include a Neolithic cave, a chapel built in the 17th century and a statue of the Virgin Mary. The site became a place of pilgrimage. It is 2 km from Lirac and can be reached via a freely accessible footpath in a wooded natural area. The Les Amis de la Sainte Baume association holds events, open days, tours and concerts there throughout the year. For a specific visit, it is worth checking the dates in advance.

Getting There

Lirac is about five minutes from the Roquemaure exit on the A9 and about 15 minutes from Avignon TGV station. These approximate travel times can help you plan your journey. You can weigh up which of the wine, hiking or cultural options will shape your stay by considering the activities and routes listed above.

Discover more destinations: Cardet, Saint-Jean-De-Maruéjols-Et-Avéjan, Issirac, Avèze, Soustelle, Saint-Hilaire-D'ozilhan, Pujaut, Remoulins.

Back to the regional travel guide: Gard.