Things to do in Saint-Émilion, France - our top 9 tips

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Writer: Helena Bergström

What to see and do in Saint-Émilion, France? This small historic town, found just outside Bordeaux, is completely surrounded by vineyards. In this cosy little gem, you can both discover historical sights and enjoy great wines.

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Saint-Émilion in France

Saint-Émilion is both the name of the historic town and the famous surrounding wine region. Wine has been produced here since Roman times, and Saint-Émilion is a World Heritage Site on UNESCO's prestigious list.

Saint-Émilion is an appellation, i.e. a French guarantee of quality linked to a geographical location, for red wines. The most common grapes here are Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Saint-Émilion is located just north-east of Bordeaux in France.

What to do in Saint-Émilion?

So, what can you do in Saint-Émilion, France? This is a place for those who like historical settings, charming alleys and good wines. Here are our top tips for your visit!

1. stroll through charming alleys

First of all, Saint-Émilion is an incredibly charming town to walk around. Completely surrounded by vineyards, the small town is filled with aged stone houses and steep cobbled streets.

We strolled around here for two days - as you can see from the different clothes! One day can also be enough, because this is a small town that you walk through quite fast.

2. Hang out in cosy outdoor cafés

Cosy outdoor cafés can be found here and there in the city.

For us it was a cold German beer, as the weather was a bit too hot for red wine ... We also had a good ice cream.

3. Taste and buy wine

We've never seen so many wine shops in such a small space ever. Our estimate, based on feeling, was that 9 out of 10 shops in the city were wine shops ...

You will mainly find red wine in the shops in Saint-Émilion, as it is red wine that is produced in this appellation, but you will also find white wine, rosé wines, sparkling wine and spirits from neighbouring areas.

There are many opportunities for wine tasting around the city. For our part, we settled for a little "scent testing" inside the Maison du Vin.

4. Check out the church l'Eglise Collégiale and its monastery

The mighty church the Collegiate Church began to be built in 1110 at the request of Archbishop Arnaud Géraud de Cabanac. The church was later rebuilt between the 13th and 15th centuries.

Today you can marvel at the church and monastery, and you can also check out the modern 38.5 metre artwork The Apocalypse.

5. visit the church l'Eglise monolithe and its bell tower

The biggest attraction in Saint-Émilion is the church the Monolithic Church and its bell tower. This is something as unusual as an underground church built in the early 12th century. The church is of impressive proportions (38 metres long and 12 metres high) and is reminiscent of the city's intense religious activity during the Middle Ages.

To see the inside of the church, you need to book a guided tour, which you can do at the tourist office. However, photography is not allowed inside, so if you want to see what it looks like, you have to come here.

The clock tower is 68 metres high and stands proudly over the small town.

6. Take a guided tour of the Cordeliers Abbey

Another impressive place that offers guided tours is the monastery The Cloister of the Cordeliers. The old ruin has been supplemented with new structures, without touching or destroying the historical parts, and is today a place with restaurant, bar, shop and production of cremant, that is, French sparkling wine.

During the guided tour, we got acquainted with the historical parts of the building, as well as going down into the wine cellars and learning about the production of cremant. The tour ended with a small cremant tasting. Very nice!

7. See the beautiful launderettes

Two historic buildings that are really charming are Les Lavoirsthat is, the launderettes. Women used to come here to do their washing!

8. check out La Tour du Roy

Another historic building worth checking out is La Tour du Roy, that is, the "King's Tower". This mighty tower, which is 14.5 metres high, has a somewhat obscure history. What is clear is that anyone can climb the 118 steps to reach the panoramic roof.

There is also a nice view of the city from the platform next to the tower.

9. Take a self-guided tour with a map

In addition to the historic buildings mentioned here, there are several other historic sites to see in the city. If you stop by the tourist office, located in the centre of the city, you can get a map with all the places of interest clearly marked.

Where can you stay or park your motorhome?

Saint-Émilion is a popular place to visit for tourists, which is why you can find both hotels and other accommodation in and around the city. If you are coming by motorhome, we can recommend the car park located at Grand Pontet 12.

There are several large pitches for motorhomes and it's a very short walk into town. Note that it can fill up quickly (even smaller cars take the larger pitches), so you may want to arrive early.

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

From Saint-Émilion, it only takes about an hour to drive to Bordeaux. On the coast, you can also experience national parks and beaches. If you head east instead, we recommend visiting the beautiful and charming Chateau de Beynac.

Have you visited Saint-Émilion in France?

Curious to visit this charming little town in France? Or maybe you've already been here? If so, do you have any more tips on what to see and do in Saint-Émilion?

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