Bordeaux to St-Émilion

April 30, 2019

It feels good to be on our bikes!

We started with a pretty good breakfast buffet (I'd say a five-jammer) at the B&B Hôtel. We walked to the Gare St-Jean so Al could buy his ticket for his return to Paris. TGV direct all the way to CDG for 77€, purchased at the easy-to-use ticket machine. We also found an easy, level route to the new east side of the Gare which will help later.

Outside the bike storage at the B&B Hôtel

Getting onto the Roger Lapébie bike path was straightforward and this was the easiest, most pleasant cycling exit of a major city I've experienced so far. The temperature was ideal, the (head)wind was light, the sun was out...

The Roger Lapébie bike path (Al's photo)

We stopped in Créon but it was too early for lunch so we bought sandwiches (before the noon closures; we aren't in the big city anymore) and ate them sitting on a bench beside the Dordogne in Branne.

Then over the bridge on the cycling/walking path, a couple hundred metres on D122 (busy here) and a right turn onto single track roads through the vines. We rejoined D122 after it crossed the D670 and rode on up into St-Émilion.

Too early to check in to our chambre d'hôte, we relaxed with refreshments (beer for Al, really good ice cream for me) until 4.

St-Émilion. We aren't going to eat at this one unless somebody else is paying!

St-Émilion--inside the "collegiate church". We didn't manage to visit the "monolithic church" because you can only go with a tour and the only English tour is at 2 p.m.

We checked in to La Maison Colline, where we were directed to wheel our bikes into the courtyard. After settling in and showering, our host gave us each a glass of wine in the courtyard, described the sights of the town, and recommended some restaurants to try for dinner.
We walked around the (sometimes steep) cobbled streets without our bikes and looked at menus, finally deciding on La Table 38, almost next door to our accommodation. This was the best meal of the trip so far: we shared a Caesar salad, each had entrecôte with shallot sauce accompanied by new potatoes and "salad" (a bit of lettuce with light dressing), and shared tarte tatin for dessert. This was enhanced by a delicious glass of wine (St-Georges is all remember of the name). We returned to our room sated and happy.

Monolithic church, facade with bell tower behind

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Today's ride: 55 km (34 miles)
Total: 56 km (35 miles)

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