Beaujolais (French pronunciation: [boʒɔlɛ]; Arpitan: Biôjolês) is a historical province and wine-producing region in France. It is located north of Lyon, and covers parts of the departments of Rhône and Saône-et-Loire. The region is known internationally for its long tradition of winemaking, and more recently for the Beaujolais nouveau.
Geography
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/86/Beaujolais_localization.jpg/220px-Beaujolais_localization.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Paysage_beaujolais.jpg/220px-Paysage_beaujolais.jpg)
The historical capital of the province is Beaujeu (Arpitan: Bôjor / Biôjœr) and the economic capital of the area is Villefranche-sur-Saône (Velafranche).
Wine
Almost all the wine produced in the region is red wine from the Gamay grape, of which the heavily marketed Beaujolais Nouveau is the most well-known, and the village crus the most prized.
Notes and references
- Mathieu Méras, Le Beaujolais au Moyen Age, Lyon, 1956.