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Tourism in Gironde: between vines and stone, Saint-Émilion tells a thousand years of history

Tourism in Gironde: between vines and stone, Saint-Émilion tells a thousand years of history

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Saint-Émilion, in Gironde, near Libourne, fascinates as much with its medieval architecture as with its centuries-old vineyards. This exceptional heritage justifies its status as a must-see site.

It's a village you think you know before you even set foot there. And yet, Saint-Émilion continues to surprise. Perched on a limestone promontory, this picture-postcard town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999, is not limited to its great vintages. "It's a city where stone and wine have been in dialogue for centuries. Everything here has been built with coherence, with this golden rock that gives the place its beauty," explains Nathalie Lassègues, a tour guide for nearly twenty years and a resident of the vineyard-side commune.

Nathalie Lassègues has been a tour guide for eighteen years and lives in Saint-Émilion, where she knows every nook and cranny.
Nathalie Lassègues has been a tour guide for eighteen years and lives in Saint-Émilion, where she knows every nook and cranny.

Photo LD

The first time you arrive in Saint-Émilion, the sight is striking: cobbled streets, ancient ramparts, Gothic bell tower, 360° panorama of the surrounding sea of vines... Saint-Émilion reveals itself like a movie set. And for good reason: this village of 2,000 inhabitants, barely a hundred of whom still live inside the ramparts in winter, is a veritable open-air museum. "It's a distillation of history, heritage, and landscapes. A place unlike any other," summarizes the guide.

A past carved into the rock

Its name comes from that of a Breton monk, Émilion, who came to settle in a cave in the 8th century. A religious community formed around his hermitage. It was on these foundations that the city would develop, strengthen, and become an important stopover on the roads to Santiago de Compostela.

To visit Saint-Émilion, it is best to avoid heels and opt for a good pair of sneakers.
To visit Saint-Émilion, it is best to avoid heels and opt for a good pair of sneakers.

Photo GUILLAUME BONNAUD/SO

The monolithic church , carved into the cliff face in the 11th century, bears witness to this fervor. An emblematic monument, it impresses with its size (nearly 40 meters long) and its architectural audacity. “It’s invisible from the outside, but once inside, you’re struck by the space and the light. It’s a unique place in France, and I still feel a thrill there, even after all these years,” confides Nathalie Lassègues. Behind her, the cloister of the collegiate church, imbued with silence, allows one to measure time. “It’s a place I like to show in the early morning, when there’s still no one there. There’s a poetry, a very special atmosphere.”

A village shaped by the vine

The other pillar of Saint-Émilion is the vine. Present since Antiquity, it shapes the landscape and the local economy. Surrounded by an ocean of perfectly aligned vines, the village lives to the rhythm of harvests, tastings, and vintages. This is also the area that was classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999: all eight villages within the jurisdiction of Saint-Émilion and their hills, "a remarkable example of a historic wine-growing landscape that has survived intact," according to UNESCO.

"Beauty here is also the regularity of the wine-growing landscapes, their dialogue with the city," emphasizes Pierre Lucu, a resident of the historic center for fifty years. A former physical education and sports teacher and lover of the region, he has dedicated several books to its landscapes, wayside crosses, mills, and dry-stone huts.

Pierre Lucu has lived in Saint-Émilion for fifty years. He particularly enjoys nature getaways, a stone's throw from the village, in the heart of this picture-postcard landscape that reflects the history of the place.
Pierre Lucu has lived in Saint-Émilion for fifty years. He particularly enjoys nature getaways, just a stone's throw from the village, in the heart of this picture-postcard landscape that reflects the history of the place.

Photo LD

"What touches me are the discreet viewpoints, the forgotten paths. I often take my friends to the Fongaban valley or to the heights to the east, towards the Brunet gate [one of the city gates]. From there, you can see the entire Dordogne valley. The autumn mists there are magnificent. It's a more secretive, more peaceful Saint-Émilion," he confides.

Must-sees and beautiful escapes

Visiting Saint-Émilion obviously means stopping by the great classics: the monolithic church, but also the Tour du Roy – the only Romanesque keep still intact in Gironde –, the collegiate church and its cloister, or the cellars of the former Cordeliers, transformed into a place for walking and tasting. "When you come to the back of the Tour du Roy, you have a view of the buildings, the roofs of the village, less of the surrounding vineyard. It's a magical and different point of view," says Nathalie Lassègues.

The medieval city attracts more than a million visitors each year
The medieval city attracts more than a million visitors each year

Photo GUILLAUME BONNAUD/SO

But it's by getting off the beaten track that the real magic happens. "Whenever I can, I suggest my visitors avoid the shopping streets and walk along the moats, through the Brunet Gate, or toward the ramparts. The evening light is sublime," she adds. Maëlig Lagarde, a chocolatier based in the center of the village, shares this same love of the city. "I fell in love with this place. It's not just a tourist showcase. There's a special energy. Here, the people are humble, kind, and supportive. They're real people."

A magnificent setting, a life that fades away

Saint-Émilion hasn't escaped the consequences of its success, however. The downside is that local life is fading. "In the past, there were several local businesses, a real village dynamic. Today, the majority of shops are geared towards tourism. In winter, it's a different world," confides Pierre Lucu. Despite everything, there remains a sense of solidarity, a form of neighborhood life. "We help each other out, we know each other. Every summer, we organize a meal around the well; it's our way of maintaining connections, despite everything."

When we talk about Saint-Émilion with Maëlig Lagarde, the town's chocolatier, she doesn't talk about the beauty of the place but about the kindness of the people.
When we talk about Saint-Émilion with Maëlig Lagarde, the town's chocolatier, she doesn't talk about the beauty of the place but about the kindness of the people.

Photo LD

With over a million visitors a year, Saint-Émilion also has to contend with sometimes-challenging infrastructure. Limited parking, few buses from Libourne train station, cobbled streets that are difficult to access... visiting requires a bit of planning. "Regular shuttles between the train station and the center, especially in summer, would be a real plus," says Nathalie. Despite these limitations, the magic works. "This village is an alchemy. Everything is connected: the history, the architecture, the geography, the wine. That's what makes it unique," she concludes. And perhaps that's the real secret of Saint-Émilion: a place that continues, despite mass tourism, to amaze those who take the time to lose themselves there.

Must-sees: The monolithic church, the collegiate church and its cloister, the Roy Tower, the Cordeliers site, the Brunet gate and its panoramas. To extend your visit: Walk to the Fongaban valley, view of the Dordogne valley, trails around Barbanne. A Tèrra Aventura treasure hunt allows a free and unusual discovery of the village and its surroundings. Access: Saint-Émilion train station 1.5 km from the center. Few shuttles from Libourne. Bring good shoes (cobbled streets and steep slopes). Tip: Visit early in the morning or at the end of the day, and extend the walk beyond the ramparts.
SudOuest

SudOuest

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