Les Caves du Louvre, a place steeped in history to discover French wines

This article was originally published in English

The Caves du Louvre in Paris was once a wine cellar that supplied the Kings of France since Louis XIV.

If you think of Paris, you probably think of iconic buildings like the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.

Yet beneath the streets of the City of Lights lies a hidden world.

THE Louvre Cellars are another side of Paris. Built in the 18th century, this little-known tourist spot is an underground network of cellars and tunnels, which previously served as a wine cellar for King Louis XIV and his successors.

“The cellars were built by André Eynaud to store wine for the king. They were built in the 18th century and to facilitate the delivery of wine to the king, he built two tunnels,” explains Justan Fondbertasse, head sommelier at the Caves du Louvre.

“One of the tunnels was used to transport wine from the Seine, because at that time there were no trains or cars, the easiest way to transport wine was by boat. And then there was a second tunnel that left here to go directly to the Louvre, where the King lived” he adds.

At Les Caves du Louvre, everyone can live like a King, choosing a tasting session while walking through the cellar’s corridors and underground passages.

France may have ended its monarchy, but one thing it has retained throughout history is its passion for wine.

A market of prime importance for the country’s economy and culture

In the rest of France, too, wine is big business.

In 2023 alone, national production is estimated at 46 million hectoliters, according to the French Ministry of Agriculture.

Regions like Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne are renowned for their wine production, but experts at Caves du Louvre believe the rest of the world has barely scratched the surface of what France has to offer.

“Most people don’t know that France has over 850 varieties of indigenous grapes and over 70,000 wineries. Each winemaker has a different interpretation of the grape varieties and their terroir, their region” explains Mr. Fondbertasse.

According to the data analysis firm Statistaa French person drinks an average of 47 litres of wine per year. It is therefore not surprising that retail sales of wine in France alone reach 4.6 billion euros.

If you are in France and want to learn more about the world of wine, a visit to the Caves du Louvre could be a good place to start.