Saint-Émilion: Beauty in the Off-Season

Bundled up in our coats and hats, Jason and I took the tram to Gare Saint Jean and then hopped the regional train to Saint-Émilion, an easy 30-minute ride from Bordeaux for only 10 euros. From the Saint-Émilion train stop, we walked the 15 or so minutes into town along fields of dormant grape vines, past old churches and stately chateaus, and up steep cobblestone streets to the Office de Tourisme Saint-Émilion.

Saint-Émilion, a medieval village in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in Southwestern France, is renowned for its red wine (typically Cabernet Sauvignon for the tannins and complexity and Merlot for its fruit and roundness) thanks to its terroir of limestone and calcium-rich plateau. During the winter, it’s quiet, with only around 1,800 residents, but during the wine harvest and summer, Saint-Émilion attracts more than one million tourists and visitors.

Image credit: Sacha Cohen/ author

We were happy to be there during quiet December, and although many shops and restaurants were closed, there was plenty to keep us entertained and well-fed. For visitors who want to visit a nearby chateau, a stop at the Tourism office is a must. Every day, there are two to four wine estates open to the public, but reservations are required.

Since we didn’t have a car and had limited time, we decided against visiting a chateau and instead had a delightful lunch a La Table 38, a darling woman-owned bistro. We had chicken stuffed with a truffle mixture and bathed in delicate cream sauce over creamy polenta and cauliflower risotto with grilled vegetables. Both were excellent, as was our starter, salmon tartare with steamed black bread and a citrus cream sauce. Of course, we had wine, a Chateau Rozier Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2018 that I gulped down before the main course was served.

After lunch, we strolled around town and contemplated getting a Saint-Émilion macaron at this little shop. Saint-Émilion macarons are different than the pastel-colored macarons you see all over France. This type is a thin sweet almond wafer originally made by nuns in 17th century France.

Too full from lunch, we instead decided to do a quick tasting at Chateau Petit-Gravet’s wine shop on our way out of the village. The man working there enthusiastically told us that the winery had been around since the mid-1900s but had recently become biodynamic. We chatted about the difference between U.S. wines and French wines, Jason explaining that we don’t have appellations, but regions instead. We bought a bottle and headed to the station for the trip back to Bordeaux.

While we didn’t have a chance to stay overnight, if we return, I’d love to stay at the gorgeous Hôtel de Pavie, a five-star hotel in the heart of Saint-Emilion with 16 rooms and 3 suites designed by Alberto Pinto. It looks like the perfect stay for a special occasion or romantic get-away. As a guest of the hotel, you can visit Château Pavie where they make Premier Grand Cru Classé “A” of Saint-Emilion, or enjoy the the hotel’s award-winning restaurant, La Table de Pavie, helmed by Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alléno.