Tag 67 Route des Châteaux

After yesterday's start with three wine tastings and shopping, we want to take it easy today. It is May 6th, which is a special day for us - our anniversary.

For the evening, we have reserved a table at the trendy restaurant 'La Paillote de Steph' on the recommendation of the winemakers from Moulin Rouge. It is located directly on the Gironde at the ferry terminal.

LA PAILLOTE DE STEPH, Lamarque - Restaurant Reviews, Phone Number & Photos - Tripadvisor

The terrace offers a magnificent view of the river and the food is said to be exceptionally good.

Before that, we will take our bikes and explore the area towards Pauillac. Along the way, there are several famous castles and wineries that we want to see.

Unfortunately, the Medoc region is not very bike-friendly. The road is two-lane and suitable for cars. You don't see any cyclists here because there are no bike paths. We debated for a long time whether to risk it on the road - unfortunately, there is no alternative. However, the cars are considerate enough, so we manage to get through quite well. Besides, behind every curve and every hill, there is a castle or a winery that must be captured in a picture.

The road lives up to its name - Route des Châteaux.

The castles look like something out of a fairy tale and are surrounded by vineyards. They are all very well-maintained and a showcase for the big names. Big names also come with big prices, as we learned during a quick stop at a wine shop in the village of St. Julien. Here, the bottles from the wineries in St. Julien are displayed in representative wooden crates with price tags. Chateau Pichon Baron is also represented with a price level of 175€ per bottle. And they are not even the most expensive ones.

So we prefer to visit another winery in the afternoon. Guided by our esteemed wine wholesaler from Bremen, Heiner Lobenberg (Lobenberg's GOOD WINES | Buy Wine at gute-weine.de), we create our own tasting route.

Not far from here, the Kopp family runs the Château du Retout | Crus Bourgeois Haut-Médoc (chateau-du-retout.com), which is also listed on Lobenberg's Good Wines.

We knock on the door and introduce ourselves as visitors from Bremen who would like to taste their wine. Immediately, she smiles and mentions Heiner Lobenberg as reference. He was even there last Sunday.

The family winery produces a truly excellent red wine for our taste, which we also buy and have it packed in a bike-friendly way.

Back at the camper, we freshen up for dinner. This also includes a shower in the motorhome. We have been without electricity for several days now, so blow-drying is out of the question - oh dear. And we also have to conserve the battery of our bikes - charging is only possible with electricity.

The restaurant is only 5 km away and easily accessible by bike. We are the first guests and have aperitifs on the terrace first.

The place has about 70-80 seats, and they are all occupied later. This is certainly due to the good food, attentive service, and fair prices. In any case, we felt well taken care of and enjoyed the evening.

Tomorrow we'll continue north towards Soulac, an old seaside resort on the Atlantic coast. A little further on, there is a ferry connection across the Gironde estuary, which allows us to avoid the long way back via Bordeaux.

Along the way, there is another winery that we have chosen - Chateau Carmenere in Queyrac. We have already had this good wine at home, so we want to visit the producer.