Page 188 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - France

186 BACK ROADS FRANCE

Wine and Water Fouras

Port-des- ROCHEFORT
Bordeaux could claim to be the wine capital of France, Barques
if not the world. The first part of this route explores a Soubise
prime part of its hinterland, the Médoc peninsula. Le Château- BROUAGE Moëze
d’Oléron
An isosceles triangle, the peninsula is bordered by the
St-Agnant
Atlantic and the Gironde estuary where world-famous Hiers-Brouage
Île d’ CHÂTEAU Champagne
claret-producing châteaux preside over immaculate Oléron DE ST-JEAN-
Pont-
vineyards. The route then crosses the Gironde by means Marennes D’ANGLE l’Abbé-
of a short ferry ride and meanders up the picturesque St-Just- d’Arnoult
Luzac
la Tremblade
right bank through the Saintonge, an area best known Nancras
for its Romanesque churches. The end point of the Arvert Sablonceux
route is the historic seafaring town of Rochefort. la Palmyre La Gua
Pointe de
la Coubre
Saujon
St-Palais-sur-Mer
Royan
St-Georges-de-Didonne
Pointe de Grave
Le Verdon-sur-Mer
TALMONT-SUR-
Soulac-
sur-Mer GIRONDE
St-Seurin
d’Uzet
Talais
Grayan-et- G i r o n d e
l’Hôpital St-Vivien
de-Médoc
Valeyrac
Vendays-
Montalivet
Lesparre
Médoc
Artguillon
Hourtin-
Plage
Hourtin
Lac St-Laurent-
d’Hourtin et Médoc
de Carcans
Carcans-
Plage
Above Vineyard alongside the Château Margaux, see p189 Carcans
Maubuisson
GIRONDE
0 kilometres 10 le Moutchic
Lacanau-
0 miles 10 Océan Lacanau
Lac de
Lacanau
ACTIVITIES Ste-Hélène
See how wines are made, taste them and buy on
KEY
the spot in the wine towns of Margaux and Pauillac le Temple
Drive route le Porge
Take a boat trip along the Gironde estuary
Go birdwatching in the marshes of the Lège-Cap-
Ferret Blagon
Gironde estuary
Visit the Romanesque churches of the Saintonge