Chateau / Country House rental in St Ciers sur Gironde, France - Elegant 18th cent. manor w/ private pool, beautiful park, St. Emilion, Bordeaux. - Property 3863

Review - part 1: Beyond Paris: Bordeaux. Author: Linda Mathieu. Added: 07/18/2003. Type: Article. Bordeaux: the name conjures thoughts of legendary wines in hues of deep red, French châteaux and rolling vineyards whose names are associated with quality; that specially shaped bottle filled with the nectar of the gods, the wine known the world over as the crème de la crème of wines. Is it any wonder that anyone lucky enough to possess a bottle of Bordeaux wine feels blessed? Names like Mouton Rothschild, Lafite Rothschild, or Latour are instantly recognizable even to the amateur wine connoisseur. Like most areas that I have found in France, Bordeaux is an area where one should spend more that a few days in exploration. First comes the ancient and beautiful city of Bordeaux itself; the nearby coastline can be visited en route to the area if you want to sit on a beach and enjoy the Atlantic.

Review - part 2: The region where the wine is grown is divided in two by the Gironde River. Great vineyards grow on either side in the soil, which is heavy with rocks and pebbles that drain water away from the grapevines as well as holding in the heat during the night, something that leads to the magic of the flavourful grapes’ becoming the region's signature wine. On the west side of the Gironde is the Médoc region, where the some of the most famous vineyards are found, those with the stronger, more robust taste. On the east side, lighter wines are made, such as St-Emilion. The sweet white Sauternes are made further to the south, and the little town of Cognac lies to the north. We didn't have a long time to stay in the Bordeaux area, but we discovered that a great way to see the region when driving south from Paris is to start at Royan. This town was totally destroyed during WWII, but has a great beach. Taking the ferry, which leaves every hour from the dock, gave us a pleasant experience.

Review - part 3: The best way to see this region is to stay in the area for a week. Highlighting our own too-short stay too was the bed-and-breakfast called La Sauvageonne, where we stayed near the small town of St.-Cier-sur-Gironde. A little oasis in an ocean of vineyards owned by delightful Marc Rudat and Alain Bienfait, it is one of the nicest inns I have ever stayed at. The rooms were huge, with luxurious bathrooms to match. For those wanting a longer stay, a gite with a kitchen is available. Strolling around the grounds was heaven, and best of all, there was a swimming pool that we took full advantage of during hot afternoons. Alain himself prepared and served us one of the best meals we had during our time in Bordeaux, consisting of braised pork tenderloin and vegetables, a crisp salad dressed in a tangy vinaigrette, and Poire Belle Helèn. As we just happened to have a great bottle of Bordeaux from Château Beychevelle to go along with our sumptuous dinner.

Golf: Lacanau, Bordeaux Lac, and Cognac all are within an hours drive and have great courses.

Guest Book: La Sauvageonne – quiet, peaceful, beautiful, incredible food…..(D. Lambert)... Accueil agréable, calme garanti, prestation de qualité, cuisine raffinée, piscine…. Que demander de plus pour être aux anges - Paradise on Earth - assuré dans le futur. Merci pour tout. (Albert Antibi)... Grazie per l’accoglienta calda e familiare – A tutti gli italiani che passeranno di qua un avviso : non perdete la Table d’Hôtes (Alain grande cuoco)...

Other Activities: wine tasting, visiting castles and caves, ferry boat to the Medoc