Bonjour mes amis!
Some villages are simply pretty. Saint-Émilion, however, is in a category of its own. This honey-colored medieval village sits on a limestone hill less than an hour east of Bordeaux. Vines surround it on every side. Its name also appears on some of the world’s most coveted wine labels.
What makes it unforgettable is what lies underneath. For centuries, villagers quarried the stone beneath their feet to build their homes. As a result, the hill is hollow with tunnels, cellars and even a church carved straight into the rock. Add a macaron recipe from 1620 and cobblestone-lined streets that have their own name. Suddenly you understand why we never tire of this place.
So here is everything you need to know before you visit Saint-Émilion.
Saint-Émilion at a Glance
| Where | Gironde, about 25 miles (40 km) east of Bordeaux |
| UNESCO status | World Heritage Site since 1999, as the Jurisdiction of Saint-Émilion |
| Don’t miss | The Monolithic Church, the bell tower and the tertres (steep cobbled lanes) |
| Local treat | Almond macarons made from a 1620 recipe |
| Getting there | Direct train from Bordeaux Saint-Jean (about 30 minutes), then a short walk |
| Time needed | At least half a day. A full day, or an overnight stay if you can |
| Walking | Some steep, uneven cobblestones; comfortable shoes essential. But don’t worry, there are streets with smooth gentle slopes if you prefer to avoid the steep ones. |
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Why Saint-Émilion Is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
In 1999, UNESCO added the Jurisdiction of Saint-Émilion to its World Heritage List. The listing covers the village and seven surrounding communes, nearly 20,000 acres in all. UNESCO calls it “an outstanding example of an historic vineyard landscape that has survived intact and in activity to the present day.”
In other words, this is not a museum. It is a working wine region, and it has been for a very long time. The Romans planted the first vines here. Later, in the Middle Ages, the village grew rich as a stop on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela.
The Jurade (the town council) was founded in 1199, when King John of England granted the village its charter. Yes, England! Aquitaine belonged to the English crown for three centuries after Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry II. Today the Jurade is a wine brotherhood. Its members still wear red robes and proclaim the harvest each September from the top of the Tour du Roy.
The Monolithic Church: Saint-Émilion’s Underground Treasure
From the market square, you would never guess it is there. Behind a modest Gothic portal lies the église monolithe (monolithic church). It was carved out of the limestone hill in the early 12th century. “Monolithic” means made from a single stone. In fact, nothing here was built at all. Everything was dug out.
Above all, the scale is astonishing. The nave stretches 38 meters (125 feet) long and rises about 12 meters (nearly 40 feet) high. To create it, workers removed some 15,000 cubic meters of rock. The local tourist office calls it the largest monolithic church in Europe.
“From the market square, you would never guess that an entire church lies beneath your feet.”
The church honors Émilion, a Breton monk who settled here as a hermit in the 8th century. His cave, known as the hermitage, is part of the same underground visit. So are the Trinity Chapel, with its medieval paintings, and the catacombs. Remarkably, the church is still consecrated and hosts the Jurade’s ceremonies.
Visits are by guided tour only and last about 45 minutes. Underground, the air stays cool all year, so bring a light layer even in summer.
Climb the Bell Tower
The church’s clocher (bell tower) is the one part you can see from miles around. It rises 68 meters (223 feet) above the village. Admittedly, climbing its 196 steps is a real workout, and the spiral staircase is narrow. However, the view from the top takes in the whole village and its UNESCO vineyards. Tickets are sold separately at the tourist office for a small fee.
The Tertres: Saint-Émilion’s Steep Cobbled Streets
Saint-Émilion is built on a slope, and its streets make sure you notice. Locals call the steepest lanes tertres (literally “mounds”). Four of them link the upper town to the lower town around the Monolithic Church. But don’t be scared away, there are other streets available too, with longer and gentler slopes to reach the bottom.
The most famous is the Tertre de la Tente, a winding lane of large, uneven stones. It climbs from the church square up to the bell tower square. By contrast, the Tertre de la Cadène is paved with smaller cobbles and feels a little gentler. Meanwhile, the boldest walkers tackle the Tertre des Vaillants, whose name means “the valiant.”
There is a lovely legend about those cobblestones, too. According to local tradition, English ships once carried them as ballast. After unloading the stones in Aquitaine, sailors filled their holds with barrels of wine instead.
Along the way, look for the Porte de la Cadène. This Gothic archway perfectly frames the bell tower, and it is one of the most photographed spots in the village. Beside it stands the Maison de la Cadène, a rare half-timbered house.
A word of honest advice: wear shoes with good grip and take your time. The stones can be slippery after rain. Canes and walking sticks are a smart idea here.
The Macarons of Saint-Émilion: A Recipe From 1620
Forget the pastel sandwich cookies you see in Paris. Saint-Émilion’s macarons are simple, round and slightly cracked, baked on sheets of paper. They are crisp outside, soft inside and wonderfully almondy.
The recipe dates to 1620, when Ursuline nuns founded a convent in the village. The French Revolution later closed the convent and scattered the sisters. According to local legend, one of them, Mademoiselle Boutin, traded the secret recipe for food and shelter.
Since then, the recipe has passed through just a handful of families. Today it belongs to Nadia Fermigier, who still makes the macarons by hand. The ingredients have not changed in four centuries: sweet and bitter almonds, egg whites and sugar. Her little shop is at 9 rue Guadet, right next to the post office.
“The ingredients have not changed in four centuries: almonds, egg whites and sugar.”
Wine Beneath Your Feet
The same limestone that hides a church also shapes the wine. Saint-Émilion sits on Bordeaux’s Right Bank, where Merlot and Cabernet Franc thrive in limestone and clay soils. The result is a rounder, softer red than the Cabernet Sauvignon blends of the Médoc.
The old quarries also found a second life. Because their tunnels stay cool and dark all year, they make ideal cellars. Several estates now age their wine in galleries dug centuries ago. At the Cloître des Cordeliers, for example, sparkling wine rests in cellars beneath a medieval cloister.
Practical Tips for Visiting Saint-Émilion
- Getting there: Direct trains from Bordeaux Saint-Jean take about 30 minutes. The station is about a mile from the village, a pleasant walk through the vines.
- Book the underground tour early: Visits are guided only, and groups fill quickly in summer. Reserve through the tourist office.
- Go early or late: Saint-Émilion welcomes over a million visitors a year. Mornings and late afternoons are much calmer.
- Wear the right shoes: The tertres are steep and uneven. Leave the sandals at the hotel.
- Staying the night is also an option: In the evenings, the village turns quiet and golden. It is our favorite time to be there.
- Watch the calendar: Jurade ceremonies in June and September add color, but also crowds.
- Take macarons home: They travel well in their paper sheets and make a lovely gift.
Discover Saint-Émilion With Us
Saint-Émilion is the highlight of Day 3 on our 8-Day Bordeaux & Dordogne Tour. We begin the morning at a boutique winery. There, the owner welcomes us for an estate tour, a tasting and a homemade lunch among the vines.
In the afternoon, our guide leads a walking tour of Saint-Émilion’s cobblestone streets and underground monuments, including the Monolithic Church. Finally, we visit a family-run winery to explore its old quarry cellars and taste its acclaimed reds.
From there, the tour continues into the Dordogne, with Sarlat, Rocamadour, castles and prehistoric caves. With no more than 16 travelers, it is a relaxed and personal way to experience this corner of France.
Keep Reading
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- Dordogne (PĂ©rigord) Map & Guide
- Rocamadour: The Cliff-Hanging Village
- Dordogne, France: 6 Reasons Why You Must Visit
- 10 Must-See French Villages
Ă€ bientĂ´t, mes amis
Julia
Our Boutique Small Group Tours
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