It’s time for family
What do Château du Taillan and Château Paloumey have in common apart from the fact that they are both Crus Bourgeois on the Bordeaux to Médoc wine route? A passion for the vine of course! Here, wine and vines are passed on from generation to generation. Armelle Falcy Cruse, owner of Château du Taillan, and Pierre Cazeneuve, owner of Château Paloumey in Médoc pamper their vines as if they were babies. Year in, year out, they welcome you for highly-colourful, highly-tasty tours. In autumn-time, you’ll even have the chance to attend the birth of the little newcomer! Enjoy a one-of-a-kind moment with a group for half a day at Château Paloumey or a full day for two at Château du Taillan (winemaker-style lunch included). Grape picking and vinification will no longer hold any secrets for you! Harvesting hasn’t started yet? Well, no worries, here we can adapt. And why not extend your break at the Médoc Golf Club, just 8 km away.
It’s time to party
On the 3rd Sunday in September, the Jurade parades through the cobblestone streets of the small medieval town of Saint-Emilion near Bordeaux. What’s a Jurade you may ask and what’s the grape-harvest ban? A Jurade comprises vineyard ambassadors attached to their region. Dressed in traditional red robes, they celebrate the vintage harvested by parading through streets and alleyways and officially launching the grape harvest. Watch while celebrities are inducted and enjoy evening entertainment. Perhaps you’ll even come across the singer Sting who’s one of these ambassadors! And, while you’re here, take time and discover the vineyards and learn all about grape-picking.
It’s time for kids
Do your kids love splashing about in the water? Well then, they’ll definitely adore splashing about in bunches of grapes! Head off to the Cognac vineyards to Archiac en Charentes at 1h30 from Bordeaux and take part in the traditional grape harvest festival at the Maison de la Vigne et des Saveurs. What could be more fun than stamping on bunches of grapes and being rewarded with wonderfully-fresh grape juice? And, so parents don’t miss out, head on for a tour of one of the major Cognac trading houses, half an hour down the road. Of course, a tasting session of the famous eponymous eau-de-vie is on the cards!
29 September 2019 from 10am to 6pm
It’s time for nature and the unusual
Lovers of wines and of unusual experiences, this break’s right up your street (but shush, keep it to yourself, as places are limited)!
Direction the Landes department and a date at the Tursan vineyard in the Chalosse… You know, this region located between Dax and Mont-de-Marsan, just south of the great Landes forest.
Your first day there starts at the Tursan Winemakers’ Cellar in Geaune where one of the winegrowers will welcome you and be your guide for the day. After picking grapes, time for comfort and cheer: a 100% local buffet picnic at the heart of the vines! Then back to the cellar for a somewhat more studious afternoon: to discover vinification followed by a tasting session: Tursan will no longer hold any secrets for you. After a delicious, romantic dinner, Iwan and Nancy Van Es, owners of La Petite Couronne Hotel, invite you to spend the night in their eco-lodge: the Duck Cabin. And, to wind down after this hectic day, indulge in the wood-heated outdoor spa. The next day is dedicated to discovering Saint-Sever and its abbey, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, a stopping place on the Santiago de Compostela route.
From €145/person
21 AND 22 SEPTEMBER 2019
28 AND 29 SEPTEMBER 2019
5 AND 6 OCTOBER 2019
Epicurean, creative and curious, Carole adores cooking, aperitifs between friends and fine wine. Her addiction: chocolate! Her habit: bringing back local specialities from her holidays to share with friends and family.