Those who know wines, especially French wines, likely are familiar with the wine growing regions such as Bourgogne, Côtes-du-Rhône, or Loire valley, but may not know that grapes are grown and wine produced also here in the Alps in Savoie and  Isère departments. The nearest vineyards are less than half a kilometer from our house, and the Savoie vineyards about 30 kilometers away.  Last time I checked, the Finnish alcohol beverage retailing monopoly Alko did not carry a single wine from Savoie, but now I find two reds, two whites, and one rosé in their online shop.

Last week when we were driving through Chignin vineyards to our Sunday hike in the Bauges mountains, we were thinking that the area would be nice for a leisurely hike, offering  splendid views to the vineyards, and the Belledonne  and Chartreuse ranges. Yesterday being a public holiday and the weather forecast quite promising, that’s where we headed. After the thick morning fog dissipated the views were great, indeed. However, one may not agree on the leisurely; the vines grow on very steep and rocky slopes. During our 12 kilometer hike (3h 36mins) we climbed 430 meters, and without the hiking poles some downhills were quite tricky (we thought it would be easy!)