Condrieu is a small town on the right bank of the Rhône, and its fame rests on a grape. Viognier, a fragrant white variety with notes of apricot and blossom, was almost lost here in the twentieth century, when only a few hectares survived on the steep granite terraces above the town, and the wine from this tiny area has since become one of the most sought after in France. The vines cling to slopes so steep that they are held by dry-stone walls, and in autumn the terraces blaze yellow above the river.
The town also gives its name to a small goat's cheese, the Rigotte de Condrieu, which is protected by a designation of origin and is often eaten fresh with a slice of bread and a glass of the local white. The quayside has a row of restaurants and cafés with terraces facing the river, and in summer it is a lively place to sit, with river cruise boats mooring at the pier and barges passing with a slow rumble. Opposite, across the water, the hills of the Ardèche rise in blue folds. Les Roches-de-Condrieu, next door, has a small port and a modern feel, while Saint-Clair-du-Rhône is a quiet village just beyond.
The area was once the heartland of the Rhône boatmen, the mariniers, a close community that lived and worked on the river. Old houses along the quay have wide doorways where barrels and bales were hauled in and out. Behind the town, the lanes climb into the Pilat massif, a forested ridge where the roads wind through chestnut woods and offer one of the better rides in the region. Condrieu has about thirty-six hundred people, so fuel is available in town, and Le Péage-de-Roussillon, about ten kilometres south, has more stations and shops.
For a good meal, choose a table by the water, ask for something from the river or the hills, and order a glass of Condrieu, which has a scent of peaches and a surprisingly long finish. Traffic on the main road along the Rhône is heavy, so linger on the quay until the evening rush is over. The light on the water, with the Ardèche hills behind, is lovely just before sunset.