Heading for Wine Country

We will soon be winging our way to France, almost by definition wine country. But we will be spending the bulk of our journey specifically in the Bordeaux wine country, with a few side trips here and there. We are aiming for a quieter pace than our last couple trips, slowing down and hoping to soak in more of the feel of each place we visit rather than rushing through.

I am including a map to give an idea of where we’re hopping. (This may be hard to read. If you click on the image, you may be able to enlarge it. I’m afraid I was at the limit of my Google mapmaking skill set. There are blue markers for each place we’re staying, and they are numbered chronologically. Good luck!)

We will spend the first few nights along the Atlantic Coast, which we hope will make a relaxing start to the trip. Then we’ll head north for a few days in Cognac, an area we’ve never visited before, and one steeped in history.

Next will be 5 days in the Medoc area of the Bordeaux wine country, which is the largest wine region in France. We will stay in Margaux, a good base for our exploring. Then we’re off to the beautiful city of Bordeaux, where our niece Jill and her husband Randy will join in our trek. After a few days of city sights, we’ll spend a couple nights at a vineyard outside the charming town of St-Emilion.

The Dordogne next claims our attention. Sarlat will be our home for a week of visiting prehistoric caves, pilgrimage sites, castles, and villages. Our dear companions have to head back to Portland and working life, at which point we will move on to the Entre-deux-Mers wine region for a few nights. We will wrap up our trip in the Sauternes region, also for a few nights.

While we expect plenty of opportunities to taste lovely Bordeaux wines, our focus is on the history, bastide towns, castles, churches, and chateaus, with lots of charm and cobblestones along the way.