Saint-Emilion

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Saint Emilion is a town 35km north east of Bordeaux, in the Gironde department.

Saint Emilion is best known (indeed renowned the world over) for the vineyards which surround the town, Saint Emilion being one of the four Bordeaux red wine regions.

The Romans planted vineyards in what was to become Saint-Émilion as early as the 2nd century AD, and the town dates from the 8th century, when Emilian, a Breton Monk, came to settle in a hermitage carved into the rock.

Saint Emilion itself is a very attractive small town, not to be missed if you are in the region. Built from, or rather hacked out of, the local yellow limestone, Saint Emilion centres around a large square, with a church on one side - a remarkable church, because it too is more or less hewn from the rock.

Saint Emilion is entered by way of one of the seven gates - part of the original fortifications - and contains steep narrow streets with beautiful buildings, along with several more open plazas.

Particular places of interest also include the collegiate church and its splendid cloister; the Cordeliers monastery and cloister; the Chateau du Roy; the 13th century bell tower in the monolithic church; and the underground pottery museum, built in a 12th century quarry and containing pottery from 2000 years ago up to the present day.

To really appreciate Saint Emilion you also need to descend underground, on a guided tour of the catacombs, the church and the extensive underground labyrinth.

There are plenty of cafes, restaurants, artisan shops and boutiques to keep you entertained if the historical interest starts to wane.

The town have managed to prevent the development that might have spoiled it, and now Saint Emilion and region is all a listed and protected UNESCO 'World Heritage Site', so future development is more or less impossible.

I noticed in the Saint Emilion tourist brochure that right at the beginning, they give some 'Helpful Hints', and the very first of these is "Ladies, try to avoid high-heeled shoes as some of the streets are steep and paved with cobblestones". Good advice I'm sure, although I don't remember so many holidaymakers teetering around in high-heeled shoes!.

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Saint-Emilion Hotels

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