Life in Médoc

Ce jourd’hui du Soleil la chaleur altérée
A jauni le long poil de la belle Cérès :
Enfin il se retire ; et nous gagnons le frais,
Ma Marguerite et moi, de la douce soirée,

Nous traçons dans les bois quelque voie égarée :
Amour marche devant, et nous marchons après.
Si le vert ne nous plaît des épaisses forêts,
Nous descendons pour voir la couleur de la prée ;

Nous vivons francs d’émoi, et n’avons point souci
Des Rois, ni de la Cour, ni des villes aussi.
Ô Médoc, mon pays solitaire et sauvage,

Il n’est point de pays plus plaisant à mes yeux :
Tu es au bout du monde, et je t’en aime mieux ;
Nous savons après tous les malheurs de notre âge.

Etienne de la Boétie, sonnets, XXIV

The estuary

What to read

Edgard Pillet, du village natal à l’Abstraction, Véronique Auriol (Ed. Libre Label). Painter, sculptor, architect, designer, writer… Edgard Pillet, born by the Gironde estuary in Saint-Christoly-Médoc, made his mark on the XXth century art. You will get to know him more thanks to this intimate account of his life.

What to see

Our lovely village of Saint-Christoly-Médoc and its church’s bell tower, tiny port, and delightful stone buildings. The “carrelets”, little fishing huts anchoring their tall legs in the water. The estuary islands, showing and disappearing at the whim of the ever-changing river…

What to eat

Delicious “Claires du Médoc” oysters and prawns, locally farmed in ponds filled with estuary waters. Along with some wild plants collected on the banks of the Gironde according to Laurence Dessimoulie’s harvesting guide, Savourez les plantes sauvages de l’estuaire (Ed. Sud-Ouest).

The vineyards

What to see

Dreamy names such as Château Mouton Rothschild, Château Beychevelle, or Cos d’Estournel are only 20/30 minutes away from us. The endless and immaculate vineyards evolving season after season, the jaw-dropping châteaux and wine cellars, the fascinating stories… The secret world of Grands Crus is as awe-inspiring as you would imagine.

What to read

Le Vin de la liberté, David Haziot (Ed. Robert Laffont), an historical novel about Louis Gaspard d’Estournel, the founder of the orientalistic estate Cos d’Estournel.

What to drink

Of course, a glass of Château Leboscq, or Château Planquette, from the nearby village of Saint-Yzans-de-Médoc, where Didier Michaud makes a fantastic organic, natural wine. If you want to get carried away by exceptional vintages, you will be spoilt for choices — some of the best wines in the world are made on this little strip of land!

The ocean

What to see

One of our favorite spots is the picturesque seaside town of Soulac-sur-Mer. Long sandy beaches, a XIIth century basilica, Notre-Dame-de-la-fin-des-Terres (“Our Lady of Land’s End,” how dramatic!), listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, beautiful Art Deco architecture, an excellent ice-cream maker, a charming bookshop… Both pretty and really laid-back, Soulac always wins our hearts. (For those who prefer calmer waters to swim in, Piqueyrot on Lake Hourtin-Carcans is the perfect place!)

What to read

Les 301 marches de Cordouan – Ma vie de gardien de phare, Jean-Paul Eymond, and Virginie Lydie (Ed. Sud-Ouest), the story of the former Cordouan lighthouse keeper. The “Versailles of the Sea” at the mouth of the Gironde estuary is the oldest lighthouse in Europe.

What to wear

A linen dress or separates with espadrilles. Swap them for a wetsuit and go surfing in Hourtin, Lacanau…

To make the most of your stay in Médoc and know more about our tailored experiences, please don’t hesitate to contact us.contact us.