Hello all,
We are in Bordeaux and the French Basque region late June into July this year. I am looking for a few interesting towns to visit on our way from Bordeaux to our Lodgings near St. Jean-de Luz. We are thinking of hitting a few wineries in Sauternes, and looking for a few towns in that vicinity to check out along the way, especially if located along the Garonne river for a lunch stop. Any advice much appreciated !
BT
Hi William,
Sauternes is a bit out of the way for a drive to St. Jean de Luz but it is a pretty area if you don't mind adding extra hours to your drive day. Cadillac is a charming town on the Garonne, close to Sauternes. Parking is right outside the town wall. This is the town many of the river boat tours stop as their 'visit' to Sauternes. Typically, you will need to make advanced reservations to visit the wineries and usually you will want to assume each winery visit is roughly an hour. Château d'Yquem is probably the best known. Both the history and property are stunning. It's also quite expensive to visit. A smaller, lesser known winery is Château Rayne Vigneau (https://www.raynevigneau.fr/). More reasonably priced but equally as good.
Enjoy your visit to Bordeaux and Basque country!
William,
Be fully aware that the French are very strict about their DUI laws. The limit is lower than in the US, so please be mindful when wine tasting. The have a very low tolerance for drinking and driving.
Great advice !
Cadillac-Sur-Garonne looks very nice.
Thanks !
