The Louvre Caves in Paris were once a wine cellar that provided royalty.
When you think of Paris, you probably think of iconic buildings like the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.
But beneath the streets of the City of Lights lies a hidden world.
The Louvre caves are another side of Paris. Built in the 18th century, these underground cellars and tunnels are a lesser-known tourist destination, once used as a wine cellar for King Louis XIV.
At the beginning of the century, the sommelier of the late king ordered the construction of this space, which allowed the palace to be supplied with wine at full discretion.
“The cellars… were built by André Eynaud to store the king’s wine. They were built in the 18th century and he built two tunnels to facilitate the delivery of wine to the king,” explains Justan Fondbertasse, head sommelier of the Louvre Caves.
“One of the tunnels was used to transport wine from the Seine, because back then there were no trains or cars, the easiest way to transport it was by boat. And then there was a second tunnel from here that led directly to the Louvre, where the king lived,” he adds.
France may have lost its monarchy more than 200 years ago, but it has retained its passion for wine.
At the Caves du Louvre, anyone can live like royalty by opting for a wine tasting session amid the cellar’s many underground passageways.
In the rest of France, wine is also an important business.
According to the French Ministry of Agriculture, the country produced about 46 million hectoliters in 2023 alone.
Regions like Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne are known for their wine production, but experts at the Louvre believe the rest of the world has only scratched the surface of what France has to offer.
“Many don’t know that in France we have over 850 local grape varieties and over 70,000 cellars. Each winemaker will interpret the grape varieties and their territory, region differently,” explains Fondbertasse.
According to data analysis firm Statista, the average French person drinks 47 liters of wine each year.
It is therefore not surprising that the retail sale of wine in France alone reaches 4.6 billion euros.
If you’re in France and want to learn more about the wide world of wine, a visit to the Louvre Caves might be a good place to start.