Blaye Citadel and the Corniche Road
As you enter the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Blaye Citadel, your knowledgeable guide will lead you through its fortified walls, unveiling stories of its strategic significance throughout the centuries. Built by Vauban, the renowned military engineer of King Louis XIV, this imposing fortress stands as a testament to France’s architectural prowess and defensive ingenuity.
Leaving the citadel behind, your journey continues along the enchanting corniche road, where every twist and turn reveals breathtaking panoramas of the estuary below. This picturesque route winds through little hamlets with colorful shutters, flowers and exotic species, brought back by the sailors who dropped anchor here in the 17th century.
Your program
- 1pm : Departure from your hotel (Bordeaux).
- 2.15-30pm : Arrival to the Blaye Citadel, passing through the Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux and Côtes de Bourg vineyards. Enjoy a -hour guided tour beyond the high walls of the Citadel, a UNESCO world heritage site. We will go up the defensive walls, walk alongside the former barracks of soldiers, to admire the panorama of the Gironde estuary and its islands, from the high towers of the medieval castle.
- 3.30 pm : Enjoy some free time and a tasting of local specialities (30mn).
- 4.30 pm : On the way back to Bordeaux, we drive alongside the corniche road, also called the ” High sea captain road”. This picturesque route winds through little hamlets with colorful shutters, flowers and exotic species, brought back by the sailors who dropped anchor here in the 17th century. As you approach the charming village of Marmisson, you will be able to observe troglodyte houses, fishing huts perched up the Estuary of Gironde, but also pretty gardens with their bougainvillea, local plants or even more surprising… palm trees! Some stops are possible alongside the route, to enjoy the scenery, and see the Ambes Beak, where the Garonne and the Dordogne river entertwine to form the Estuary!
- 5.15-30 pm : Estimate time of arrival in Bordeaux.
