Château Marquis de Vauban and the Citadel of Blaye

Mileage: 159563

On the way to Bordeaux, the vegetation along the route changed noticeably. While the farmers along our previous routes had cultivated corn, grains, or sunflowers, here most of the fields were planted with vines. A few sunflower fields provided some variety, but otherwise, it was vineyards for hectares as far as the eye could see. We had expected something like this, as we had searched for our next stop at a vineyard.

The 'Château Marquis de Vauban' was located 30 kilometers from Bordeaux and had enough space to accommodate 35 motorhomes. Upon arrival, we were welcomed with a bottle of the house wine, a light Merlot that almost resembled rosé, packaged in a colorless bottle.

At 5:30 PM, we were invited for an aperitif. We sat in a circle with Italians, Spaniards, and of course, French people; half of the attendees were couples sharing very similar stories. Many were now retired, had purchased a motorhome, and were traveling around. Some had just given up their apartments, while others had been traveling for two years and were on their way back home; we felt we were in good company. Three wines were tasted: the previously mentioned house wine, which was once an export hit to Britain, a Bordeaux from 2022, and the newly composed Apéro Bordelais, an aperitif with spices and a bit of sweetness. When we left the gathering, the atmosphere was excellent.

In the late afternoon, we decided to take a stroll and visit the Citadel of Blaye. The vast area was a UNESCO World Heritage site because it was part of the fortifications designed and built by Vauban. Sébastien Le Prestre, Seigneur de Vauban (later Marquis de Vauban), was the architect for Louis XIV in the 17th century and built countless fortifications, like this one here at the lake access of Bordeaux.

In the evening, we prepared one of our delicious salads, sat by the motorhome, and drank wine. We were then visited by the Marquise of the estate, who initially showed great interest in our salad, but then dismissed the purely vegetarian ingredients and instead demanded some petting.