Pépites du Sud, or the art of making each wine tourism visit unique.

We are France’s first tour operator specialising in wines from the South. Our stomping ground is the world’s largest wine region, embracing Languedoc, Roussillon and the Rhone Valley. We won’t take you anywhere else, but what you experience with us you won’t find anywhere else.

The vineyards of Southern France offer a treasure trove of wine tourism gems. We hunt them down for you. Every winegrower has their own character, but more importantly, each one tells a unique and fascinating story. We do our utmost so that you get to meet them. We introduce you to them and ensure you get to taste their vinous treasures through our one-of-a-kind tours.

It is a wine-centric experience, a unique opportunity to engage your senses and emotions, connect with others and the local culture, which we design based on our inspiration (Seasonal Treasures) or yours (Customised Treasures). This is a multi-faceted experience, focusing primarily on top-end wines epitomising their appellation (AOC or IGP). It can be an encounter with winegrowers – both men and women – who will take time out to talk about their estate and the secrets of their expertise. It can also be an introduction to vineyard settings – the countryside, vineyards, heritage, gastronomy, culture, wine villages, traditions and scenery.

You choose from our choice of Seasonal Treasures or Customised Treasures. We select our partners, book and organise your stay, including travel, appointments with the winegrowers, meals and wine tourism hospitality (meals at the winery, gîtes, restaurants and hotels) and activities (tastings, winery and vineyard tours, restaurants, walks and hikes, leisure activities, wine events and sightseeing tours for example). We create each road book. From short getaways (2 day/1 night weekend breaks) to week-long stays (7 days/6 nights), we ensure that each experience suits every visitor’s pace. Our expertise has got you covered! 

The treasures we introduce you to are not just designed for the most engaged connoisseurs. From groups of 2 to 100 people, aged 18 to 98, we welcome and accompany a wide audience of visitors all year round. They range from groups of friends to family loved-ones and tasting clubs to team building events. They may be very different but they all have three things in common:

• They enjoy wine and take an interest in wine culture, but don’t necessarily feel the need to know all there is to know.

• They have high standards when it comes to the quality of the experience (food and accommodation, for instance). • They like to engage with the people who make the wines.

• Jérôme Villaret, the founder of Pépites du Sud, has devoted a lot of time and effort to the vineyards of Languedoc, Roussillon and the Rhone Valley. His close ties with numerous winegrowers prompted a desire to develop a different style of wine tourism, one which goes behind the scenes to connect with the more intimate side of the men and women who make wine, their realities and the magic they conjure up.

• As specialists in the wine regions of Languedoc-Roussillon and the Rhone Valley, we can guide you towards the best places to visit, taste, eat and sleep in a wine-focused setting (Vignobles & Découvertes charter). Our extensive range of contacts provides the keys to opening many doors.

• We guarantee that you will get a similar welcome to trade members (journalists, sommeliers…), thanks to the quality specifications we have developed with our partners.

An agricultural engineer and vineyard owner descended from a family that has grown wine in Cevennes (Occitania region) since the 16^th century, Jérôme has held key positions in wine marketing boards in the Rhone Valley and Languedoc. After spending many years travelling the globe to promote these major wine regions and contributing to their move upmarket and the creation of the Occitania Vignobles & Découvertes destinations, he established Pépites du Sud to bridge the gap between the regions’ image and the outstanding experiences they offer through their wines.