This year Grape Escapes have paired wine tours with some of France's top celebrations such as La Fête de la Musique 21 June, Bastille Day 14 July and the Tour de France 5-27 July, to give visitors the chance to combine the festivities with some of the country's finest wines.

Now in its 33rd year, La Fête de la Musique is always one of the key activities in France's event calendar. Grape Escapes' three-night Flexible Bordeaux Tour is perfect for those keen to discover music and culture in this beautiful city whilst also having the opportunity to taste wines from the Medoc appellation or learn about the famous Merlot grape used in many of the regions finest wines. The city of Bordeaux takes the urban theme of this year's Fête de la Musique to heart with a number of hip hop, rap, electro, soul and latino performances peppered with more traditional bands and music. Enjoy the peace and quiet out in the vineyards during the day tasting the famous wines of the Medoc and St Emilion and venture back into town in the evenings for a spot of sophisticated tastings in the local wine bars and to soak up the city's party atmosphere.  Prices for the three-night Flexible Bordeaux Tour start from £565 per person.

The 101st Tour de France is running from Saturday 5 July to Sunday 27 July 2014 and will be made up of 21 stages, covering a total distance of 3,664 kilometres. Grape Escapes' three-night Flexible Champagne Tour to Reims is perfect for those keen follow the race in this beautiful city whilst also having the opportunity to taste great Champagnes. Stage 6 begins in Arras and finishes in Reims on 10 July covering 194km. The three-night Flexible Champagne Tour to Reims is perfect for some mid-week bubbles and offers a more in-depth introduction to the various tastes and styles of Champagne available. Prices for the three-night Flexible Champagne Tour to Reims start from £421 per person.

For the true Tour de France lovers amongst us who will be standing at the starting line ready to cheer off their heroes at Stage 16 of the race on 21 July in Carcassonne, take some time to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Medieval City built in 1280 with Grape Escapes Flexible Carcassonne Wine Tours. Visitors will be able to taste the famous Minervois appellation, used in some of the region's finest wines, when visiting the two wineries - one of which is located in Livinère, the only Cru in the Minervois. Prices start from £337 per person.

Today, Bastille Day is a wonderful mix of pomp, ceremony and great fun. Every single village, town and city in France has its communal meals, dances, parties and firework displays to commemorate the French Revolution. Grape Escapes' three-night Rhône Wine Tour based in Avignon is a fantastic way to make the most of the local festivals on 14 July, whilst also providing the perfect break for those looking for an in-depth introduction to the various tastes and styles of wines available in the Southern Rhône. The tour involves tastings of a variety of wines ranging from those by small, local producers right up to the famous Châteauneuf du Pape, and a history lesson in wine production since the Roman era. Prices for the three-night Avignon Rhône Wine Tour start from £663 per person.

For more information call +44 (0) 1763 273 373 or visit www.grapeescapes.net

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For more information please contact:
Representation Plus
Anna Wolstenholme / Felicity Beckett
Tel: +44 208 877 4511 / 504
E-mail: anna@representationplus.co.uk / felicity@representationplus.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

Grape Escapes is a specialist wine tour operator, offering wine tours to France, Spain, Portugal and Italy. Grape Escapes offer a broad range of wine tasting tours and trips to vineyards in Ribera del Duero and Rioja in Spain, Tuscany in Italy, Porto in Portugal and the main French wine regions: Champagne, Bordeaux, Burgundy, The Rhône, The Loire and Provence. Grape Escapes run numerous wine tasting trips for individuals, groups (social groups, hen weekends, wine clubs, car clubs, and birthday trips among others) as well as wine tasting trips for corporate clients. www.grapeescapes.net