48 HOURS IN… SAINT-ÉMILION
Cyan Turan takes to the road
GETTING THERE
400km into our drive, a message pops up on the dashboard: ‘Would you like to take a break?’ Thanks to the comfort of our Lexus, there’s no need. When we reach Saint-émilion, despite the 12-hour drive, my back doesn’t ache. That’s not all I love about the Lexus: it switches to electric mode when going through busy towns – so smoothly that we only notice because the engine is silent. The digital display is easy to understand and controlled by a touchpad – we plough through That Peter Crouch Podcast and the sound quality is great. The button-controlled boot is handy when carrying cases (of wine and luggage).
WHERE TO STAY
Searching for solitude and relaxation, we stay in an Airbnb during our sojourn. I book a rustic loft 15 minutes away from Saint-émilion, one of four apartments in a gîte set among a sea of vines. We drink wine and devour books by the pool. We make our morning coffee with the Nespresso machine and are delighted when the owner drops off a basket of pain au chocolat, bread, jam and juice. It’s a 45-minute walk to Château Roquefort, a 240-hectare estate offering vineyard tours, and Bordeaux is only a 40-minute drive away.
MUST-VISIT
A trip to Saint-émilion must include two things: a potter around the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and wine. Hire a bike from Rustic Vines Tours and peddle to vineyards outside the town or visit those nearby on foot. We do the latter, clambering down to the caves of Clos des Menuts and visiting the vineyard of Château Villemaurine. While in Saintémilion, get lost among cobbled pathways and steep staircases, and don’t miss the 12th-century monolithic church, which looms above Place du Clocher and offers panoramic views of the town.
FOOD AND DRINK
It’d be easy to condemn Place du Clocher as a tourist trap, but the setting is hard to beat, so join those lunching there at Chez Germaine. My magret de canard was succulent and delicious washed down by a Saint-émilion Grand Cru. Stop for macarons at Mouliérac, too. You’ll do most of your drinking on vineyard tours but, if you’re celebrating, head to Château La Dominique. Its frontage conceals a red-glass-covered winery designed by Louvre Abu Dhabi architect Jean Nouvel, on top of which is a rooftop restaurant, with views of Château Pétrus. It’s the perfect spot for dinner and sundowners.