St. Emilion Vineyards & Village

Soak up the colorful history and winemaking heritage of the world-renowned regions of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion, a UNESCO World Heritage site, on this walking tour and visit to a wine château. You’ll learn that this beguiling wine region is the heartland of the merlot grape, with its rich and round wines. Begin with a scenic drive through a landscape of vineyards that reach right up to Saint-Émilion’s 13th-century town walls and surrounding moat, which is dug out of solid rock. Enjoy a walking tour along the village’s hilly, cobbled lanes, seeing the Église Collégiale and its magnificent cloister, the town’s ramparts, the marketplace and the Église Monolithe, an astonishing, partly subterranean 12th-century sanctuary carved out of a limestone outcropping. During your leisurely stroll, you’ll also view the Porte de la Cadène gate and the commanding Tour du Roy tower. Appreciate a brief chance to shop before continuing to a nearby château, where you’ll step into the wine cellars and sample a first-rate recent vintage. Browse the château’s fine selection of wines, perhaps selecting a bottle or two to bring home as prized mementos of this bounteous land.

• Wear casual, weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
• Dress appropriately for a religious venue; shoulders and knees must be covered.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.