Travelers can now get their fill of French favorites via 459 (and counting!) different culinary experiences along the country鈥檚 new food trail. (No marathon required.) It鈥檚 a food and wine lover鈥檚 road trip dream come true 鈥� and summer and fall offer up some of the trail鈥檚 best experiences.

In France, food and wine are key parts of cultural identity. The unique terroirs, agricultural traditions and tastes from each region and department weave together to create a culinary fabric that is undeniably French. This importance even led to the addition of the French gastronomic meal to Unesco鈥檚 list in 2010. Last year, the designation was even awarded to the French baguette.

Exceptional wine varieties, escargots in bubbling butter, herbaceous aperitifs, seemingly infinite styles of cheese, delicate pastries, spicy mustards, aromatic black truffles and (yes) chewy, crusty baguettes: consider these merely the amuse-bouches on a long list of quintessential French specialties available on this culinary trail, which stretches from Dijon through Lyon to Marseille.

Gastronomic delights, 459 ways

Rolled out locally in 2020 and internationally in 2022, the 459 vetted activities along the are designed to allow expert gourmets and casual epicures to design their dream food-and-wine road trip. Travelers can book experiences as they see fit: perhaps just a meal or two at a to enhance an already planned trip, or else a purpose-built journey with multiple stops along the 385-mile trail. Activities range from winery visits with , indulging in the menu at an restaurant and stomach-busting food tours through France鈥檚 gastronomic capital of Lyon, to off-the-beaten-plate experiences like , in Dijon or creating a bottle of from regional C么tes du Rh么ne, chardonnay or Burgundy varietals.

Travelers can incorporate as many elements from the trail into their itinerary as they desire and make their way through the Burgundy, Auvergne-搁丑么苍别-础濒辫别蝉 and Provence regions of eastern France at their own pace. Although the trail鈥檚 main artery connects cities along the A7 highway, participating hosts for the Vall茅e de la Gastronomie are sprinkled throughout the surrounding countryside, giving travelers delicious detours and behind-the-scenes looks into the smaller communities and producers behind some of France鈥檚 most epic food and wine products.

Personalized itineraries can be built out on the Vall茅e de la Gastronomie website, where travelers can search and filter experiences, then contact participating hosts to book. It鈥檚 a completely customizable exploration into what makes French gastronomy so unique. Many of the activities are not only accessible by car but by bike, foot and train as well.

New experiences added in 2023 include a to meet the kids and learn about goat-milk and -product production; and made from hyper-local ingredients; an experience; and winery tours and tastings at , one of Beaujolais鈥� most beautiful wine estates (by the same architects and landscape designers behind the Ch芒teau de Versailles).

2023鈥檚 most delicious experiences

August and September offer pleasantly sunny weather that鈥檚 perfect for a sensory experience 鈥� yoga, chic picnics or relaxing massages 鈥� set in the fragrant Dr么me Proven莽ale lavender fields at . Summer is also the perfect time to test your 鈥溾€� (caving and wine tasting) skills by descending into the cool, natural caves of Ard猫che鈥檚 Grotte Saint-Marcel for an underground wine tasting in complete darkness.

On the coast, an afternoon trip with local fishermen from sustainable fishing company takes you off the land and out onto the Mediterranean for a revitalizing skip across the water and fresh-caught lunch aboard the boat.

From August through October, as summer transitions to fall, Domaine Michelas Saint-Jemms offers the remarkable opportunity to live out a wine enthusiast鈥檚 dream of working in a Northern Rh么ne Valley vineyard as a .

Where to stay along the way

Where you recharge between eating, drinking and adventuring will depend on your chosen route. Still, a handful of overnight stays are officially a part of the Vall茅e de la Gastronomie and an experience in their own right.

In Burgundy鈥檚 village of Charolles, the provides a privileged place to lay your head: in Chef Fr茅d茅ric Doucet鈥檚 renovated childhood home, right above his Michelin-starred restaurant, where you can indulge in a tasting menu of the region鈥檚 produce 鈥� including its famous Charolais beef. Trace your protein with a pre-dinner trip to the farm, and be sure to save room for Maison Doucet鈥檚 extensive cheese-cart offering.

Speaking of Michelin stars, why only plan a meal or at the three-starred Maison Pic when you can make a night of it? has smart, contemporary rooms, convivial communal spaces and a serene garden courtyard and pool area. On the opposite end of the spectrum yet no less memorable, the in Ard猫che lets travelers stay on-site at the winery family鈥檚 residence, where organic meals, lively and passionate conversation, bucolic views and wine are all plentifully available.