September 21st 2014: France: St-Emilion

Monty the Motorhome is on his second French ‘Passion’ just outside the town of Saint-Emilion, in the Dordogne valley.

This settlement, which bans non-local traffic, has it’s origins in the 8th century when a hermitage was set up by Emilian, a monk from Brittany. Fortifications were added over the centuries, together with houses, chapels and monasteries. The stone is an ochre-coloured limestone, which together with the pinkish-red roof tiles make St-Emilion a picturesque place.

The town is now known more for it’s wine; vineyards in St-Emilion, plus those in surrounding villages, enjoy an exceptionally favourable climate and have exceptional vine-growing soils. This is reflected in the trade of the town - almost every other shop sells wine. We didn’t count them up, but guessed it was a figure well over 50.

Inside a wine 'cave' - underground chambers where wine is stored. This one has branched out and made it a shop as well

Deeper inside the 'cave' is the storage area

It really is an enjoyable place to potter around and we were lucky to be there on the day the locals hold a special celebration, known as the Jurade, to mark the start of the harvest. A small pipe band led a procession of local dignitaries, all robed up like a University graduation ceremony. They paraded around the town, before disappearing into a huge underground church, carved out of the rock in the 11th century.

We had the menu of the day at a busy little restaurant, sitting out on the square that forms the centre of the town - fairly normal fare, but interesting watching the world go by.

We visited a wine shop, had a tasting of the cheaper St-Emilion Grand Cru's and just bought one bottle. Even the cheaper ones are priced above €10.

Later we drove around some of the little roads that surround the town. The terrain is hilly and is dotted with picturesque villages, with the connecting roads winding through the vineyards.

Home tonight is on one such place - the vineyard that produces Chateau La Rose Cotes Rol. A large grassed area, opposite the main buildings, is available for up to 5 vans. We have joined 2 others and as this post is being written I am sitting under the shade of a walnut tree, sheltering from the sun.

The owners are away at the Jurade (information provided by an English friend of theirs who is staying to help with the harvest), so probably no tasting tonight.

We’ll probably have a bit of a stroll later - the place is quiet and peaceful, with virtually no traffic on the small roads that criss-cross the area. Looks like another excellent Passion.