St-Émilion
Within the ruined cloisters of a 14th-century Franciscan monastery, winery Les Cordeliers has made sparkling Crémant de Bordeaux wine in its ancient…
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St-Émilion
The medieval village of St-Émilion perches above vineyards renowned for producing full-bodied, deeply coloured red wines and is easily the most alluring of all the region's wine towns. Named after Émilion, a miracle-working Benedictine monk who lived in a cave here between AD 750 and 767, it soon became a stop on pilgrimage routes, and the village and its vineyards are now Unesco-listed. Today, despite masses of tourists descending on to the town, it's worth venturing 47km east from Bordeaux to experience St-Émilion's magic, particularly when the sun sets over the valley and the limestone buildings glow with halo-like golden hues.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
St-Émilion
For captivating views of the hilltop hamlet, borrow one of four keys from the tourist office to climb the 196 spiralling steps of this 68m-high bell tower…
St-Émilion
Climb 118 steps inside this sturdy square tower – what's left of a 13th-century donjon – for a 360-degree panorama of the town, Dordogne River and its…
St-Émilion
A domed Romanesque 12th-century nave dominates the former Collégiale, which also boasts an almost-square vaulted choir built between the 14th and 16th…
St-Émilion
Defensive city walls were built around St-Émilion by the English in the 13th century. Several surviving sections of the medieval walls and gates can be…
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