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Discovering Wine and Cognac
Holidaying in this region offers the perfect opportunity to study those famous French grapes at close quarters! We're situated in a vine growing area where grapes are used not only for wine-making but also for "Pineau" - a delicious aperitif which tastes something like mild port. (Although it is little-known outside the region, visitors have been known to fall in love with it at first taste.) If the spirit moves you...
Wine-lovers are spoilt for choice in a region which boasts many of the world's finest estates. This map gives an idea of some of the areas close at hand. Car ferries regularly cross to the Médoc peninsula from both Royan and Blaye. The "Haut Médoc" is home to some legendary châteaux... Lafite, Margaux, Mouton Rothschild, to name but a few. Even the region of Blaye (pronounced Bly) contains over 800 wine growers, producing mainly fruity reds from the Merlot grape. It's about 40 minutes' drive down the coast and a visit to the town's "Maison du Vin" gives a good overview of wines available locally. The lively and picturesque town of St Emilion (a World Heritage site) is well worth a day out, offering not only vineyard tours but a fascinating underground museum and some good restaurants. Last but not least, October is the month of the "Vendange" or grape harvest, when there's a palpable air of excitement in the vineyards. If you're lucky enough to be here then, you might even get offered a ride on one of the huge grape-picking machines! Producers of wine and cognac are generally a friendly and approachable lot, even if they can't speak much English. So don't be afraid to stop wherever you see signs saying "vente" or "dégustation" (tasting). Alternatively we can take you to the "domaines" where we buy our wine - one is a château and the other a humble farmhouse - and you can decide which is best! In this area, a decent bottle of wine needn't set you back more than about 3 Euros.
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Less than an hour's drive inland, brings you to the famous town of
Cognac,
where the likes of Hennessy and Remy Martin - as well as smaller producers - offer tastings and guided tours of their distilleries.