Saint-Émilion day trip from Bordeaux
A day trip to Saint-Émilion from Bordeaux: a visit and tasting at Château Figeac among the vineyards, then the village itself, with the Grandes Murailles, the local macarons, the collegiate church and its cloister, the Cordeliers cloister, the underground Monolithic Church and the view from the King's Tower. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Saint-Émilion in 1 day
Day 1
Château Figeac
One of the leading estates of Saint-Émilion, west of the village, with a château, a modern winery and visits with tastings by booking.
Les Grandes Murailles
The tall, lone Gothic wall of a vanished Dominican convent church, standing on the edge of the village among the vines.
Nadia Fermigier – Macarons de Saint-Émilion
Shop selling Saint-Émilion's traditional macarons, soft almond biscuits baked on paper from a recipe going back to the seventeenth century.
Collegiate Church and cloister
Large church with a Romanesque nave and a Gothic choir; its quiet cloister is entered through the tourist office next door.
Cordeliers Cloister
Ruined Franciscan cloister with a garden bar, where sparkling wine is made in the cellars cut into the rock below.
Monolithic Church of Saint-Émilion
Church carved out of the limestone under the village, one of the largest underground churches in Europe, seen only on guided tours.
King's Tower (Tour du Roy)
Thirteenth-century keep on the edge of the village; climb its steep stairs for the view over the roofs and the vineyards.
Getting there
Regional trains from Bordeaux Saint-Jean reach Saint-Émilion station in about 35-40 minutes, and the village is a 20-25 minute walk uphill from it. By car it takes about 45 minutes to an hour. Château Figeac is about 3 km west of the village, so a car, taxi or bike helps.
Staying in Bordeaux? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Saint-Émilion
Spring and early autumn are the best seasons. The grape harvest runs from about mid-September into October, when estates are busy and in September the Jurade proclaims the start of the harvest from the King's Tower. Summer is hot and the village crowded, and some estates reduce visits in winter.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Saint-Émilion on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Saint-Émilion on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Saint-Émilion on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for France from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Saint-Émilion
- Château visits and tastings are by booking only, so reserve Figeac or any other estate well before the day.
- The Monolithic Church can be seen inside only on the Tourist Office's guided tour; book a slot ahead, especially in summer.
- The lanes, called tertres, are steep and cobbled; wear shoes with a good grip.
- If you drive and taste, spit or let someone else drive; trains from Bordeaux avoid the problem.
- Buy a box of Saint-Émilion macarons, a soft almond biscuit baked on paper, to take home.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Château Figeac: Ster3oPro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Collegiate Church and cloister: londonexpat, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Cordeliers Cloister: Webmasterlescordeliers, CC BY-SA 3.0
- King's Tower (Tour du Roy): Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
