A week in the Médoc in Gironde

Bordeaux is, of course, a must when visiting the Gironde. Despite its size, Bordeaux is still a human-sized city, making it easy to see all the essential sights in a day. Start your exploration at the Place de la Bourse, reflected in the water mirror opposite. This beautiful spot has become one of Bordeaux's most emblematic landmarks, the one you see in all the photos and postcards! Next, wander through the narrow cobbled streets of the historic centre in the Saint-Pierre district. The charm of this district lies in its monuments, shady squares, numerous little shops and a host of bars and restaurants. Don't miss the Porte Cailhau and the Grosse Cloche, the town's ancient gateways.

Continue along rue Sainte-Catherine, the longest pedestrianised shopping street in Europe, and head up towards the Opéra and Cours de l'Intendance. Here, you're in Bordeaux's golden triangle, where luxury boutiques and jewellers follow one another. Continue as far as Porte Dijeaux and head back down towards Place Pey Berland, where you'll find the town hall and the church of Saint-André de Bordeaux, an architectural gem!

After lunch, take a leisurely stroll along the banks of the Garonne towards the Cité du Vin. This emblematic city museum offers a discovery trail based around wine, and its distinctive architecture is well worth a visit. The Cité du Vin also offers a number of wine workshops.

👛 Price: €10 per person for a self-guided tour, including a tasting of 2 wines.

On the way to the Cité du Vin, take the opportunity to make a diversion to the Chartrons district, where the little streets and shops, with their atmosphere of antique dealers and booksellers, invite you to take a stroll.

This morning, it's off to Blaye and its citadel, around 50 kilometres from Bordeaux. Blaye is most famous for its citadel, built by Vauban in the 17th century as part of the " Verrou Vauban ". Blaye is also surrounded by no fewer than 6,000 hectares of vineyards! You can take advantage of this to visit some of the producers and discover the local appellations, such as Blaye or Côtes de Bourg.

Along the way, you can take the opportunity to stop off at the remarkable Grotte de Pair-non-Pair in the commune of Prignac-et-Marcamps. Visits to this prehistoric Palaeolithic cave are by prior arrangement. Once you arrive at the Blaye citadel, be sure to take the guided tour of the citadel's underground passages to discover the defence systems of the Vauban engineers, some secret passages and, more generally, life in the citadel in the Middle Ages.

👉 Find out all about the guided tours of Blaye organised by the Tourist Office here

Continue your discovery at the Museum of History and Archaeology, inside the citadel. In this place steeped in history, you'll discover period furniture, illustrations, archaeological remains, etc. Finally, don't miss the Place d'Armes, with its exceptional panoramic view over the Gironde estuary and its islands.

Today, it's off to Pauillac, on the other side of the estuary. To get there, start by taking the ferry from Blaye to Lamarque, and enjoy the ride across Europe's largest estuary! Lamarque and Pauillac are about ten kilometres apart.

👉 Find all the information you need about ferry crossings on the Gironde ferries website.

Pauillac is a must on the Bordeaux wine routes. Situated along the Gironde estuary, the town is home to a small marina that's very pleasant to stroll around, with its quays with 18th-century facades, restaurants and all sorts of little shops.

Your discovery of Pauillac will be under the sign of wine: the town is home to a large number of wine-producing estates. You can choose to walk through the vineyards and marshes along the footpaths. If you're a wine lover, or just curious, don't miss out on a visit to at least one winery to taste some of the grands crus, such as Château Mouton-Rothschild, Château Lafite-Rothschild or Château Pichon Baron.

Today, we're off to Soulac-Sur-Mer, stopping off at the little village of Talais. Once an island, now a small village, Talais is surely the most surprising commune in the Médoc. Situated between the Gironde estuary, the ocean and the beaches, Talais is home to a small port and colourful fishermen's huts. The calm and soothing white, blue and green scenery is sure to charm you!

Talais is easy to visit on foot or by bike. A 6km loop takes in the town, the neo-Romanesque church, the harbour, the estuary dyke and the oyster marsh. At the port, you can sample oysters from the producers before taking the cycle path to the oyster marshes. Once you arrive at the Baluards marsh, you'll find a viewpoint with a soothing view over the estuary and the carrelets (raised fishermen's huts with a fishing net), where you can see Royan, Suzac and Talmont on the other side of the river.

Back on the road towards Soulac-Sur-Mer, you are now leaving the Gironde estuary to head for the Atlantic coast. The large California-style beaches, the waves, the cool atmosphere... You're discovering a different side of the Médoc! Take advantage of the beaches, such as Plage Centrale and Plage de l'Amélie, to relax or take a stroll. And why not try your hand at surfing? Take the time to stroll through the town and discover the Soulac Villas, and don't miss the superb covered market in Soulac. Its neo-colonial-style market hall is home to a multitude of local produce.

Finally, we recommend that you go as far as Verdun-sur-Mer to take a boat and get a close-up view of the Cordouan lighthouse, a must-see site in the Médoc. It's the only French lighthouse that still has a keeper!

👉 You can book your boat trip online, directly on the Vedettes La Bohème website.

On the programme for the day: beach, beach and more beach! With almost 15 kilometres of beach, Lacanau Océan is a magnificent seaside destination. So, what's on your agenda for the day? A rest, a picnic, a stroll, a water sport?

In Lacanau, you can choose between several ocean beaches, each with its own charm. The central beach is the most accessible and the most famous. In summer, there aren't many places to lay your towel! The Écureuil beach is ideal for families, with its children's club. The super sud beach offers two different atmospheres: a very lively part and a quieter part for a quiet swim. Finally, the Lion beach is recommended for travellers looking for a quiet spot. Accessible only on foot from the super south beach, it is inevitably less busy, but caution is advised as it is not supervised.

As well as the beach, Lacanau is also home to 18km of forest cycle paths. The " Loop of the Lion " route is very easy and can be done with the whole family. So take the time to stroll in the shade of the pine trees and enjoy the great outdoors!

For this final day, there's a change of atmosphere at Lac de Lacanau. The northern part of the lake has a long, beautiful beach. On the west side, you can admire the varied natural scenery of the vast wilderness of Longarisse. A wide signposted footpath takes you through one of the wildest parts of the lake. From Longarisse, this path winds between the waters of the lake, where reeds and water lilies alternate, and the high wooded dunes from which the lake is revealed.

Lac de Lacanau is one of the Grands Lacs Landais and invites you to spend your last day in Gironde in the most peaceful of surroundings, right in the heart of unspoilt nature. You can go fishing, windsurfing, pedal-boating, canoeing, kayaking and many other water sports, as well as cycling around the lake or simply relaxing on the beach between swims.