Traveling in France: Saint-Émilion

While visiting Bordeaux, we took a side trip to Saint-Émilion, one of France's many great wine regions.  

Saint-Émilion wines are classified based on their quality: 

• Premier Grand Cru Classés (18 wineries)
• Grand Cru Classé (64 wineries)
• Everyone else (more than 200 wineries)  

We first toured a Grand Cru Classé winery, Château de Ferrand.  The château, which dates from the 1700's and was recently restored, and the vineyard were picturesque.  

We visited during late July when the young grapes are thinned.  Some bunches are removed to foster improved growth in the remaining bunches.  In the photo above, you can see some bunches on the ground.    

Jean-Claude dreams of having a vineyard and winery of his own.

The best part of the tour was a visit to the tasting room where we enjoyed some excellent Château de Ferrand wines.  During the tasting, we learned something new.  Our knowledgeable guide explained that the best way to evaluate by sight is holding the wine glass under a bright light and over a white surface.  Then, you can see the "flame of the wine" and assess whether it is young, ready or old.  

Viewing the "flame of the wine"

While sipping some wine, we spotted some artwork in the tasting room, a painting by Alexander Calder.  

We also spotted some Bic pens under glass.

We asked about the pens and learned that Château de Ferrand was acquired and owned by Baron Bich, the founder of the Bic pen company, and is now owned by an heir.  No joke.    

After visiting the winery, we next toured the picturesque village of Saint-Émilion, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Less than 2,000 people live in the village, which welcomes more than 1,000,000 visitors each year.  

A village has existed there since pre-history.  The village was once a Gallo-Roman town.  Grapes were cultivated since the 2nd century, if not earlier.  

The village today still looks like it did in the middle ages.  We strolled through the town, climbing some very steep streets.  A Romanesque church and former abbey occupy the top of the hill where the village is located.    

The cloister of the abbey

The nave of the church

The altar

The church has lovely stained-glass windows and a unique chandelier.

We also learned about the village's namesake, Saint Émilion.  He was a hermit who lived in the 700's. 

Before the church and abbey were built on top of the hill, the monks of Saint Émilion worshiped under the hill--in troglodyte caves carved into the hill.  Below is a view of the church's bell tower; the caves are located below, behind the windows.  

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While visiting Saint-Émilion, Marie-Chantal made a new friend.

Thanks for visiting Saint-Émilion with us.