| Meilhan and the Bordeaux region |
Our luxury accommodation in Bordeaux is near Aquitaine and Garonne |
The southwest is farming France, famous for its sunflowers, foie gras and Bordeaux wines. The major sights of this favored region include some of France’s most celebrated Romanesque buildings, Aquitaine’s re-known bastide towns and some of Frances finest chateaux. In the heart of the Bordeaux wine region and only 70 km from Bordeaux city, Chateau de Sauvin is near the 13th century village of Meilhan. Located between the well known cities of La Reole and Marmande; to the west and south within 20 km we have the Buzet and Medoc wine growing regions, and 40 km to the north the infamous St Emillion region. From wine tasting to Chateaux visiting, river and canal tourism to sporting there is an enourmous variety of holiday experience available in a 30 minute radius of “Chez Kelly”. |
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| Places to see |
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NORTH WEST Saint Emilion (this is a must do!) In St Emillion a vineyard visit and tasting (with an expectation that you will buy) will generally take about an hour. We have bought wines from the following vineyards that will take visits, but it is best to phone ahead to ensure reception:
NORTH Duras
On the way to or from Duras you can combine a visit to Monsegur or Eymet bastides, and even St Bazeille (6km from Chateau Sauvin) to visit the 2 sites for the resistance where the monuments talk of the “cold blooded, murdering Nazis”, and where poor Guy Chavet is reported as 17 and 18 years old when he died.
NORTH EAST Pujols, Clairac and the Lot river At about 60 kilometers distance, Pujols just south of Villeneuve-sur-Lot, is listed as one of France’s “prettiest” villages and worth a visit. Follow the canal east to Mas d’Agenais, cross the bridge and follow signs to Tonniens, then onto Clairac (home of a 7th century Bendictine abbey worth a visit, as is the gallery ...). Crossing the Lot river turn left onto and follow the direction of Villeneuve-sur-Lot. Before Villneuve-sur-Lot take a right turn in direction to Pujols and find this spectacular village.
SOUTH WEST Bazas – Chateaux Roquetaillade and Cazeneuve
SOUTH EAST Nerac For the drive home, Vianne (a super little bastide), Xantrailles (a magnificent private castle), and Casteljaloux make a pretty 60 minute return journey. Another stop for the route home is to look at the canal bridge over the Baise river at Buzet, and the lock (ecluse) entry to the Baise from the Canal du Laterale.
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| Activities |
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Montgolfieres/Hot Air Ballooning: Tel 05 53 89 02 23 There is an annual hot air balloon festival at Duras in the 2nd weekend of August, actually it’s a wine festival with Balloons. The famous French aviateur, Michel Fonvielhe, at the Domain de Durand in Duras does hot-air balloon trips (flights can depart morning and evening at times depending on the season). We have a provider who will depart or land from Chateau Sauvin (photo above) if arranged in advance for enough people; cost varies depending on the number of people, indicatively a 4-some is 190 euro per head and a 2-some 230 euro per head with Fonvielhe, while with Michel Chateau a 2-some is 350 euro (175/head). Massage and Beauty Success (BS) For those who enjoy esthetics we have two great resources: An excellent masseuse will come to Chateau Sauvin with her equipment by appointment or you can go to the studio in Gaujac (6km). In addition, we have an excellent boutique in Marmande “Beauty Success”, on the one way road into the main square (on the right after passing the railway station on the ring road), which has great selection of beauty products and perfumes, excellent service and loads of “freebie” testers. Horseriding Two equestrian centers are close-by, St Sauveur de Meilhan 5 km, and Montpoullian approx 8km east along the canal, between 40-50 Euros for a half day.
Go-Karting, Kart’Ind tel: 05.53.76.04.30 Exhilarating fun for about 15 euros for 10 fast furious minutes. On the main road between St Bazeille and Marmande. Open Sat –Sun 14.00-Midnight, Thus-Fri 17.00-midnight, reserve ahead. Golf Each of the courses below are interesting in their own way, and most are pretty friendly. Green fees indicate the weekend rate for 18 holes with low and high season fees where applicable. Keld and I are members at Graves et Sauternes.
Scenic Flights: ULM tel: 06.03.49.82.31 Base ULM de Fourques is about 10 Km east over the canal. They do fixed wing instruction, micro- lights and scenic flights; 30 minutes for 60 euros or 1 hour for 110 euros for magnificent aerial views and shots of the Lot and Garonne valleys, canal, chateaux (ours included!). Unfortunately they don’t have very large aircraft so 1-2 passengers is all they cam manage at one time. Market Days (Mornings!)
The Beach: Arcachon, about 1 hour 45 mins drive Gay Nightclub: L’Adaggio, Faugeroles (20km) An alternative nightclub for any orientation, doesn’t really get started until after midnight.
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| Festivals |
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Our region is rich with festivals for just about everything from jazz to books; tomatoes to wine. Taste a bit of French life, see and join in one of these village events. We think they are very special and have thoroughly enjoyed all the events we have attended. They are about feeling the “terroire”; that’s the way the French describe their attachment and relationship to the land, it’s seasons and it’s produce. The fetes vary from the extravaganza of Duras’ wine festival in August to the intimate Meilhan locals new years dinner of about 400 people. Marmande hosts an alternative lifestyle weekend “Garorock” where the town’s population of 24,000 swells with in excess of 40,000 visitors. Monsegurs “swing” festival has great swing and jazz bands over a 3 day period. We can and do arrange packages for particular festivals, our most preferred being the Meilhan Marches du Producteurs (Wednesday evenings in summer); the Duras “montgolfieres” (hot-air balloon) and wine festivals; the St Emillion wine tasting and annual vintage awards. Below a selection of dates, please check as these things can change. Best of all are of course the Chez Kelly Christmas party, our Christmas Dinner event and Happy New Year celebrations by invitation. We also run special “Murder Mystery” weekends, golf packages, and wine harvest tours (the “vendange” last weeks of September and first weeks of October, weather and season dependant). Ask us for more information and dates.
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| Restaurants |
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There are plenty to choose from either in Meilhan (2km), La Reole or Marmande (13 km, 10 mins) and in between. We give a brief description and our views…..: Aux Amis De la Peniche, Meilhan by the Canal tel: 05.53.64.90.40 Le Font d’Uzas, Meilhan village, opposite Proxi tel:05.53.89.62.97 **** “A Deux pas du Canal” Not really a resto, more a bar/snack. They serve sandwiches etc for lunches. L’Escale, Fourques-sur-Garonne (Pont de Sable) tel: 05.53.93.60.11 **** “Les Fontaines”, La Reole tel;05.56.61.15.25 **** La Strada, La Reole tel;05.56.61.29.08 ** Bar Lou’Cali, Café de la Gare, La Reole tel; 05 56 71 25 35 ** Restaurant “le Regula”, La Reole tel: 05 56 61 13 52 Pizzaiolo, Marmade tel: 05.53.64.68.28 **** Lion D’Or tel; 05 53 64 21 30 Brasserie de la Garonne tel; 05.53.88.14.41 Creperie L’Atlantide, rue Leopold Faye tel; 05 53 20 29 77 Auberge du Moulin d’Anne, Virazeil tel: 05 53 20 18 25 *** Les Glicines, Coussan (Marmande) tel; 05 53 93 61 10 Chinese, Indian, Thai and Turkish What French town would be without these restaurants today. Please ask us for the location of these classic genre restaurants in Marmande, most are easy to find on main roads and all are typically good value for money.
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| The Canal du Midi |
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Canal Tours and Boats Mike and Kate have the halte nautique at Meilhan and will be renting English narrow boats from 2009 season. At the Pont de Sables you can take lunch and dinner canal cruises, and rent boats of varing sizes for the hour/half day/day from 25-260 euros. Emaraude Navigation, tel 05.53.89.16.85
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On the way (or way back) you pass through La Reole (worth the 15 minute stroll round the ancient sites; check out the cloister at the Maire), Sauveterre de Guyenne (one of the many Bastide’s, fortified towns with a central square and covered terraces, in this area), or you could stray to Monsegur (a smaller and prettier Bastide) or even via Duras (see separate note).
The once ruined, 12th century castle of Duras is now open to the public and renovations are opening up more of this spectacular castle with it’s stunning views. An easy half day trip, Duras is approximately 35 km away. We recommend combining lunch in Duras, a castle visit (30mins-1 hour) and a visit to Ian and Jacky Chater’s vineyard. The Chater’s are an English couple passionate about their wine and have good reason to be; we think their award winning, organic, hand picked wines are the best in our area. If you’re here at harvest time, you can go and help out with the picking in the morning and join them for lunch! 
On the way home from Pujols head south on the D118 via Prayssas, right through Aiguillon. Just past Aiguillon you will arrive at Nicole. The view of the confluence of the Lot and Garonne rivers from the point high above the town (follow the statue of Jesus on the hill) is spectacular and one of the best in the region. From there it’s back home via Tonniens and either Mas d’Agenais or Marmande. 
Bazas is a beautiful medieval bastide town approximately 35 km to the southwest. Lunch on the west side of the square at the popular “Le Bistro Saint Jean”. A few kilometers further west are two very different chateaux; Cazeneuve, once home to Queen Margot and now beautifully restored, running as a lived in family chateau is open July and August, with the rest of May-September for Sunday viewings only. 
Roquetaillade is also a family owned and lived in castle with a massive central keep, also open for tours. Roquetaillade’s origins lie with the Catholic Cardinals (Clement V) of the 13th century linked to Augier de la Motte, the Senechal d’Argenais who owned Chateau Sauvin at that time. This area is also home to Sauternes and Graves wine varieties.
the area