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The
Côtes de Blaye vineyard
Starting from
Royan, go in the direction of Bordeaux and take the D730 road up to
Mirambeau. At Mirambeau, take the N137 in the direction of Bordeaux
and after about 2 km, turn right on the D255 towards
Saint-Ciers-sur-Gironde. At this point, one leaves the department of
Charente-Maritime to enter the department of Gironde. The first
village of the appellation Côtes de Blaye is named Saint-Palais, not
to be confused with Saint-Palais-sur-Mer.
Saint-Ciers-sur-Gironde Saint-Ciers-sur-Gironde
is the main centre of the northern part of the appellation. In the
square in front of the church, a panel indicates the châteaux around
Saint-Ciers. The Château des Matards is worth a visit. To reach it,
take the D18 direction Saint-Bonnet-sur-Gironde, up to the village
Le-Pas-d’Ozelle. The TERRIGEOL family , traditional wine growers,
will welcome you warmly and will invite you to taste a wide range of
their Premières Côtes de Blaye wines, both red and white. To remind
us that we are only within a few kilometres from the Charente
department, the family also offers pineau and cognac from their
Domaine de la Margotterie. After the visit, one can
return towards Saint-Ciers to the D255 and follow it up to Blaye. It
is interesting to take a walk in the citadel for its historic interest
and for the views of the Gironde.
Cars To find the vineyard again, take the
D937 in the direction of Cars. Located a few kilometres from Blaye,
Cars is an important centre of the southern part of the appellation.
The Château Peybonhomme-les-Tours has a friendly atmosphere in the tasting room.
From Cars, one can return to
the Gironde by following the D133, in the direction of
Saint-Ciers-de-Canesse and Roque-de-Thau. Be sure not to miss the
small road D669 which runs along the Gironde for a dozen kilometres up
to Bourg. The views over the Gironde are magnificent and if it is
lunch-time, stop at a small terraced restaurant by the river.
The
Côtes de Bourg vineyard
In Bourg, you can
leave the car in the lower part of the town on the quays and go by
foot up the alleys which climb towards the upper part of the town.
From the walk on the walls, you can appreciate the vast panoramic view.
The vineyard covers 3 600 hectares in an area of about 15 kilometres
by 10, cultivated by 600 wine growers. The Châteaux are often on top
of hills and it is a pleasure to drive on the hilly roads of the
region to reach them.
This is the case with the Château
La-Croix-Davids in Lansac, two kilometres from Bourg by D23 or D134.
This château, situated on highest part of Lansac, is worth a visit
for the quality of its wines and for the landscape. Note that the
Château La-Croix-Davids also has a retail shop on the central square
of Bourg.
After Lansac, follow the D23, direction Pugnac, to join
N137, direction Blaye, then Mirambeau where the D730 will take you
back to Royan.
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