Blaye and Bourg wine country lies on the right bank of the Gironde estuary, north of Bordeaux. The Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux and Côtes de Bourg appellations share its slopes, and the town of Blaye has a Vauban citadel on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The Blaye Bourg tourist office lists 85 wine estates that receive visitors. A car ferry links Blaye with Lamarque in the Médoc, on the far bank of the estuary.
This page covers the appellations, the citadel, the ferry, getting there from Paris and Bordeaux, when to go, how estate visits work and what they cost.
The appellations
Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux covers 6,000 hectares in 41 communes. Its 450 wine estates average 17 hectares, and three cooperative wineries work here: Tutiac, Châteaux Solidaires and Alliance Bourg.
The appellation makes 90% red and 10% dry white, about 280,000 hectoliters a year. The Blaye appellation, which overlaps it, covers reds from fifteen châteaux on 37 hectares.
The Côtes de Bourg has been an AOC since 1936. It spreads across about 15 communes on the right bank of the Gironde and Dordogne, 35 km north of Bordeaux, with about 3,000 hectares of red grapes and 42 hectares of white.
Its slopes and small valleys get a sunnier, drier climate than the rest of Bordeaux. More than 220 winegrowers farm here: about 160 independents and 60 cooperative members.
Côtes de Bourg reds blend merlot, malbec, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc, and malbec is the appellation's historic grape. The whites use sémillon, sauvignon blanc and gris, colombard and muscadelle.
Across both areas, merlot is the main grape, on sandy or clay-limestone soils.
The Blaye citadel
The citadel of Blaye overlooks the Gironde estuary. Engineer François Ferry built it between 1685 and 1689 under Vauban's supervision, and it covers about 38 hectares of walls, bastions, half-moons and moats.
Inside are barracks around a parade ground, a former Minimes convent, a powder magazine and the museum of archaeology and history, with tickets from €5.50 ($6).
The citadel has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2008 as part of the Verrou Vauban, a set of three forts that guarded the estuary: the Blaye citadel on the right bank, Fort Pâté on an island and Fort Médoc on the left bank. Fort Médoc charges admission, and Fort Pâté is closed to visitors.
The citadel itself is always open and free to walk. The Blaye tourist office, at 1 place de la Citadelle, runs a 75-minute guided tour through its underground passages, in French, for €7.50 ($8) per adult and €5.50 ($6) per child.
The tour meets at the Place d'Armes 5 minutes before the start. It covers about a hundred steps and runs half outdoors. Wear comfortable, waterproof shoes.
From June 22 to September 20, 2026, tours leave daily at 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. From September 21 to November 15, they leave daily at 2:30 p.m., with an extra 4 p.m. tour on weekends and public holidays.
From November 16 to December 31 it runs on Saturdays at 2:30 p.m., and Monday to Saturday at 2:30 p.m. during the Christmas holidays. Book the tour online.
Bourg and the Corniche road
Bourg is a medieval town classed as a Petite Cité de Caractère, on a rocky spur above the Dordogne. The upper town holds the covered market, the Musée de la Citadelle and the Château de la Citadelle, and the lower town holds the port.
The Dordogne and Garonne meet at the Bec d'Ambès, 4 km north of Bourg, to form the Gironde.
The Corniche road, the D669 from Blaye toward Bourg-sur-Gironde, runs for nearly 10 km between limestone cliffs and the estuary. It passes the troglodyte villages of Plassac and Mombrier.
The Pair-non-Pair cave at Prignac-et-Marcamps, a few minutes from Blaye, holds rock engravings over 30,000 years old and runs small-group tours.
Getting there
The fastest way from Paris is the high-speed train from Paris Montparnasse to Bordeaux Saint-Jean, which takes 2 hours 4 minutes, with 33 round trips a day. OUIGO low-cost trains take from 2 hours 7 minutes, with adult fares from €19 ($21). See Paris to Bordeaux by train.
From Bordeaux, Blaye is 50 minutes by car.
| Option | From | To | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-speed train | Paris Montparnasse | Bordeaux Saint-Jean | 2h04 |
| OUIGO train | Paris Montparnasse | Bordeaux Saint-Jean | From 2h07 |
| Car | Bordeaux | Blaye | 50 min |
| Coach 430 (Monday to Friday) | Bordeaux Cité du Vin | Blaye Embarcadère | 1h23 |
| Coach 431 | Lormont La Buttinière | Bourg Maison du Vin | 55 min |
| Coach 431 | Lormont La Buttinière | Blaye Embarcadère | 1h20 |
| Coach 431 | Saint-André-de-Cubzac station | Blaye Embarcadère | 42 min |
| Ferry | Lamarque (Médoc) | Blaye | About 20 min |
By regional coach
Coach line 430 (Car Express) runs Monday to Friday from Bordeaux to Blaye; from the Cité du Vin stop it reaches Blaye Embarcadère in 1 hour 23 minutes.
Line 431 runs from Lormont La Buttinière to Blaye by way of Bourg, stopping at Bourg's Maison du Vin, Plassac and Saint-André-de-Cubzac station. The 6:25 a.m. departure reaches Bourg Maison du Vin at 7:20 a.m. and Blaye Embarcadère at 7:45 a.m.
On Sundays and public holidays, line 431 leaves La Buttinière at 9:40 a.m., 12:40 p.m., 4:40 p.m. and 6:40 p.m. The 9:40 a.m. reaches Bourg at 10:30 a.m. and Blaye at 10:55 a.m. Sunday and holiday return runs leave Blaye at 9:10 a.m., 11:10 a.m., 1:10 p.m., 4:10 p.m. and 6:10 p.m.
By train and coach
The tourist office sends rail travelers to Saint-André-de-Cubzac or Saint-Yzan-de-Soudiac. At Saint-André-de-Cubzac station, line 431 connects with TER trains from Bordeaux and takes 17 minutes to Bourg and 42 minutes to Blaye.
For other car-free routes across the region, see Bordeaux vineyards without a car.
The ferry to the Médoc
The Gironde department runs the Blaye–Lamarque ferry on the Sébastien Vauban. The 4.5 km crossing takes about 20 minutes, or 15 to 35 minutes depending on the tide, and saves a 2-hour detour by road.
Boats leave from the allées Marines in Blaye and the port in Lamarque.
From November 2, 2026 to March 31, 2027, boats leave Blaye Monday to Friday at 7:15 a.m., 10 a.m., 3 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. On weekends and public holidays they leave at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Over the same period, boats leave Lamarque Monday to Friday at 7:45 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., and on weekends and public holidays at 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
In summer 2026, from July 6 to August 23, boats left Blaye every day from 7:15 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Lamarque from 7:45 a.m. to 8 p.m.
No return tickets are sold; buy a ticket for each crossing. Cards, cash and paper chèques vacances are accepted.
For the Médoc side, see Bordeaux to the Médoc, Margaux and Pauillac.
When to go
The two wine houses and several estates receive visitors all year. The Maison du Vin de Blaye opens Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., except public holidays.
The Maison des Vins des Côtes de Bourg opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., from September 1 to June 30. In July and August it opens every day, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Some estates keep seasons. Château Pinet La Roquette opens January to September, Château Marquis de Vauban runs its wine-tourism activities from March 14 to November 15 in 2026, and La Vinoguette wine bar at Château de La Grave opens April to October.
The 31st Printemps des Vins de Blaye takes place in the citadel on April 10 and 11, 2027, with 100 winegrowers. The Côtes de Bourg open-cellar weekend took place on May 9 and 10, 2026.
Visiting the estates
Each appellation has a wine house. At the Maison du Vin de Blaye, 12 cours Vauban, a tasting of the featured château's Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux is free all year, and staff help plan estate visits. In summer, winegrowers come in on Fridays and Saturdays.
The Maison des Vins des Côtes de Bourg, at 1 place de l'Éperon, has free entry and a vaulted stone cellar. Winegrowers pour tastings there on weekends, public holidays and in summer.
At estates, some tastings are walk-in and others need booking:
- Château de La Grave, Bourg: a 16th-century manor in the same family since 1900. A tasting of 6 wines needs no appointment, Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays are by appointment, and it is closed on Sundays. The guided cellar visit is by appointment, and a free walking trail, Les 4 Saisons de la Vigne, crosses the vines.
- Château Eyquem, Bayon-sur-Gironde: a 17th-century house on the first slopes of the Côtes de Bourg, above the estuary. Visits with tasting run Monday to Saturday at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., booked on the tourist office website.
- Château Marquis de Vauban, Blaye: a 17th-century house with 52 hectares of vines, open every day from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visits are bookable online, and staff speak English and Spanish.
- Château Bel-Air La Royère, Cars: 14 hectares, organic since 2019. Its visit and tasting runs Monday to Friday at 3 p.m. from November to March, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. in spring and fall, and also Saturday at 3 p.m. in July and August. Book ahead.
- Château Pinet La Roquette, Berson: 9 hectares, 7 km from Blaye, organic. It opens Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Bordeaux tourist office's Châteaux & Terroirs half-day coach tour goes to Bourg and Blaye on Mondays. It leaves the Bordeaux tourist office at 1:30 p.m., returns at 6:30 p.m. and includes two château visits with two wines at each. Children under 5 are not accepted.
What it costs
Standard visits and tastings at these estates cost €7–20 ($8–22). The Maison du Vin de Blaye tasting and the Château Pinet La Roquette visit are free.
- Château Eyquem: tasting €7 ($8), visit and tasting €10 ($11), barrel, blind or wine-and-chocolate tasting €15 ($16).
- Château de La Grave: 6-wine tasting €10 ($11), guided cellar visit with 6 wines €20 ($22).
- Château Marquis de Vauban: 1-hour visit and tasting €14 ($15) per adult and €7 ($8) per child aged 2 to 12, visit with lunch €43 ($46), discovery day with the citadel and a tourist-train ride €56 ($60).
- Château Bel-Air La Royère: visit and tasting €15 ($16) with at least 4 wines, create-your-own-blend session €45 ($49).
The Bordeaux tourist office's half-day tour costs €55 ($59) per person.
The ferry costs €6 ($6) per adult foot passenger from April 1 to October 31 and €4 ($4) from November 1 to March 31. A car costs €25 ($27) or €13 ($14), and a bike €3 ($3). Children under 4 cross free.
Before you go
- The ferry takes no bookings for cars or foot passengers. Arrive 30 minutes before departure with a vehicle, or 15 minutes on foot, and expect long waits on busy holidays.
- Ferry crossings depend on the weather and sea conditions, and vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, buses and motorhomes over 3.5 tonnes cannot use the Blaye–Lamarque line.
- The ferry's car fare does not include the driver, who pays a passenger fare on top, like everyone aboard. Only the driver stays in the car to board, and passengers walk on.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the ferry from Blaye to Lamarque?
The crossing on the Sébastien Vauban covers 4.5 km and takes about 20 minutes, or 15 to 35 minutes depending on the tide. It saves a 2-hour detour by road. An adult foot passenger pays €6 ($6) from April to October and €4 ($4) from November to March.
Is the Blaye citadel free to visit?
Yes. The citadel is always open and free to walk around. The tourist office's 75-minute underground tour costs €7.50 ($8) per adult and €5.50 ($6) per child, and the museum of archaeology and history charges from €5.50 ($6).
Can I get to Blaye without a car?
Yes. Regional coach line 430 runs Monday to Friday from Bordeaux Cité du Vin to Blaye Embarcadère in 1 hour 23 minutes. Line 431 runs every day by way of Bourg, with four departures from Lormont La Buttinière on Sundays and public holidays.
Do I need to book estate visits in Blaye and Bourg?
It depends on the estate. Château de La Grave pours a 6-wine tasting without an appointment on weekdays, and the Maison du Vin de Blaye offers a free tasting Monday to Saturday. Château Eyquem and Château Bel-Air La Royère take visits by booking.
