Wine Tourism Bordeaux
Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux, Côtes de Bourg

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Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux et Côtes de Bourg

Blaye, Bourg, deux vignobles de haute qualité. Face au Médoc, la rive droite de la Gironde est parfois oubliée, à visiter et revisiter, de bonnes surprises nous attendent.

 

Pour l’amateur de vin, rouge et blanc, qui séjourne en Charente-Maritime, une sortie oenotourisme dans les vignobles des Côtes de Blaye et des Côtes de Bourg est des plus faciles à organiser.

Par ailleurs, les prix à la propriété sont raisonnables avec un bon rapport plaisir/prix.

Il est à noter que depuis la création en 2007 de l'Union des Côtes de Bordeaux (UCB), on a les deux appellations Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux et Côtes de Bourg.

Les Côtes de Bourg n'ont pas rejoint la "marque" collective AOC Côtes de Bordeaux.

Blaye and Bourg vineyards map

 

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.

To simplify and facilitate the organization of outings in the vineyard, we consider that the territory of the Bordeaux Côtes de Blaye appellation is made up of three main geographic areas.

To the north, a first area around Saint-Ciers-sur-Gironde, Braud-et-Saint-Louis and Marcillac, a second area to the southwest around Cars and Blaye and a third area to the southeast with Saint-Christoly -de-Blaye, Saint-Savin and Cubnezais.

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.

Braud-et-Saint-Louis

In Braud-et-Saint-Louis, we suggest a visit to Château Les Pâques, a family estate where you can taste remarkable wines.

Château Les Pâques, Bordeaux Côtes de Blaye, Braud-et-Saint-Louis, vente à la propriété

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 Citadel of Blaye

The citadel of Blaye is, in fact, a town that is one kilometre long, with a small population, which keeps it alive whilst still retaining its tranquillity. You can get a feel of the town by strolling through the streets and you will get a full appreciation of its position, overlooking the Gironde, by walking around the walls.

Blaye, la rampe qui conduit à la citadelle

Blaye, la vigne de la citadelle domine la ville

Blaye, la vigne et l'échauguette

Blaye, vue sur la Gironde

Blaye, la Maison du Vin, une bonne adresse

The Côtes de Bourg vineyard

The Bordeaux Côtes de Bourg 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.

Côtes de Bourg - le village de Lansac

Côtes de Bourg - cépage Merlot en septembre

Côtes de Bourg - cépage Merlot en septembre

Côtes de Bourg - les blancs en septembre

Locate the wine-growing communities of the Blaye and Bourg vineyards

The city of Bourg-sur-Gironde

>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.

Bourg-sur-Gironde, le port sur la Dordogne

The covered washhouse, a curiosity of the Port district

This wash house was built in 1828 by the architect Robert. It is located at the time, near the old Royal Glassworks of the 18th century. In the 19th century, this is where washerwomen find themselves to wash clothes. Powered by water from the fountain, this frame has two basins. The largest is the washing basin while the second is used for rinsing the laundry.

Bourg-sur-Gironde, le lavoir, vue extérieure

Bourg-sur-Gironde, le lavoir, vue intérieure

Bourg, from the port to Place du District

Bourg-sur-Gironde, maisons construites sur les remparts

Bourg-sur-Gironde, vieille porte, ruelles étroites et pittoresques

Bourg-sur-Gironde, vieille porte, ruelles étroites et pittoresques

Bourg-sur-Gironde, la Portre de la Mer ou du Port, reste de l'enceinte fortifiée et son écusson anglais.  

"The only heraldic trace remaining from the English period of Bourg surmounts the exterior face of the Porte de la Mer, also known as the Port. Léo Drouyn describes this escutcheon as follows: “About two meters above the external arch, we have embedded an escutcheon whose inclined position is very rare in our regions. It is surmounted by a helmet from the front, and it has as supporters two birds, of which that on the right is a rooster; the head of the other is so rough that one cannot see its shape; but I think it's another rooster. " These coat of arms are attributed to one of the Andron, lords of Lansac, who hold the castle of Bourg for the king of England until the fifteenth century" source Wikipedia

Bourg, the Place du District

This place is named in memory of the statute of capital of District granted to Bourg in 1790. In this place, were until then, the gardens of the convent of the Recollected Fathers. It was in 1820 that the place was redeveloped and that it was planted at the edge of the cliff, an alignment of elders, of which only one remains today.

 

Bourg-sur-Gironde, la Halle de la place du District

La Halle in the heart of the city of Bourg

From 1535, Bourg had a hall located in the heart of the city. It was in 1867 that the architect Brun proposed the plans for the current hall, a frame with a fine and slender appearance composed of 14 cast iron balusters, a stone base, all topped by a slate roof. . The hall being surrounded on all sides by tall buildings, this architectural choice thus avoids a feeling of suffocation. Some buildings made in the 18th century are recognizable by their masks, architectural motifs typical of this period. Today the hall hosts the weekly market.

 

Bourg-sur-Gironde, la Halle et la Jurade

The Bourg "Jurade"

It is in this building that the Jurats that administer the city meet. Since the 13th century, they have had the power of justice in criminal matters. In the 18th century, the mayor still exercised this same power over his citizens. The pediment that crowns the front door keeps the scales of justice in its center. In fact, the Justice of the Peace court settled in these places at the end of the Revolution. Today the Hôtel de la Jurade, whose facade and bell tower date from the 18th century, houses the Tourist Office and the Tourist Office of the Canton of Bourg. On the side of the Hôtel de la Jurade, the house overlooking the river was built by Martial Brizard, brother of Marie Brizard, the famous Bordeaux liquorist.

 

Bourg-sur-Gironde, l'ancien Hôtel de ville, ou Jurade de Bourg

Bourg, the walk on the ramparts

Bourg-sur-Gironde, la promenade sur les remparts

Bourg-sur-Gironde, le monument en hommage à François Daleau et les deux canons rappelant "Bourg était une cité fortifiée et redoutée"

Bourg , the Castle of the Citadel

Bourg, city walk

Bourg-sur-Gironde,balade en ville, nous sommes bien dans une cité dédiée aux vins de qualité!