Saint-Émilion, France: Travel Guide + 2-Day Itinerary
I recently shared (what I think is) the best guide to Bordeaux, France based on my recent trip there. After having spent the most amazing week in Bordeaux and the surrounding region, I can say confidently that it is absolutely NOT to be missed. If you’re looking for immaculate, quintessential French vibes, Bordeaux is IT. And just outside of Bordeaux lies the most magical and medieval French village that looks like it was plucked straight out of Beauty and the Beast – Saint-Émilion. Easily accessible by bus, train, or rental car, Saint-Émilion is a MUST for anyone visiting Bordeaux or the general area. Most people visit Saint-Émilion as a day trip from Bordeaux. But I think there’s plenty to see, eat, drink, and do to easily fill up a 2-day itinerary.
So here’s a travel guide of everything you need to know about visiting Saint-Émilion, France, and a handy 2-day itinerary for this charming town from someone who’s been there!
Saint-Émilion
Saint-Émilion is only about 30-40 minutes from Bordeaux and it’s TINY. It’s one of the best options for a day trip from Bordeaux that is super easy to do on your own. But if you have more time and want to explore the wine region even more, an overnight or weekend stay in Saint-Émilion is ESSENTIAL!
Even though it’s a super popular day trip destination from Bordeaux, I personally recommend a 2-day trip with an overnight stay. That way you can enjoy dinner and some relaxed nightlife there and stay at one of the many cute hotels. Plus, you can go at a slower pace and have time to really take it all in. That’s what I opted to do, and it was FAB. Spending 2 days there also gives you plenty of time to rent bikes and bike to some of the many wineries that are scattered just outside the town. This was one of the highlights of my trip!
So, here’s everything you need to know about the charming village of Saint-Émilion, France!
HOW TO GET TO SAINT-ÉMILION
Saint-Émilion is conveniently located right outside of Bordeaux, so there are several easy and convenient ways to get there!
By Car – Recommended
I highly, highly recommend renting a car for your trip to Southwest France. It gives you so much freedom and flexibility to visit different vineyards. Plus, driving through some of the picturesque villages in this region is an activity in and of itself. It’s so beautiful!
Plus, I found driving in France, or at least in this part of France, SUPER easy.
If you do decide to rent a car in France, I highly recommend Loca Malin Car Rental at Bordeaux airport! I’ve mentioned them already in my Bordeaux travel guide post. It was honestly the best car rental experience I’ve ever had! Pick up and drop off was seamless. Bruno, who works at the front desk, was an absolute GENT. He was so helpful with our booking before we arrived and also with check in. I had no issue renting a car with my US drivers license and an automatic car was pretty affordable #AmericanProblems
If you do end up getting a car, there are plenty of parking lots in Saint-Émilion on the outskirts of the town. Plus, some hotels also offer parking for guests. Here is some useful information about parking in Saint-Émilion.
By Public Transportation
If you’re not exploring the region and only going to Saint-Émilion for a day as a day trip from Bordeaux, or if you just don’t want to rent a car for whatever reason, fear not! You can also get to Saint-Émilion with public transportation.
Getting the L33 train from Bordeaux’s Saint-Jean station to Saint-Émilion is the quickest option. It only takes about 35-40 minutes and leaves several times throughout the day. Once at the Saint-Émilion station, it’s a 20ish minute walk to the town centre.
If you’re planning on taking the train to Saint-Émilion just for the day, just be aware that the last train of the day leaves Saint-Émilion to head back to Bordeaux at 8:48PM on weekdays and 8:51PM on weekends.
Tickets are around €10 each way and can be purchased at the station or online.
You could also take a bus to Saint-Émilion with TransGirode. Line 304 goes from central Bordeaux to Saint-Émilion. Lines 315, 316, and 317 pass through Saint-Émilion coming and going from other parts of the region. It’s a much cheaper way to get to Saint-Émilion from Bordeaux than the train (only €2.60 each way) but it takes about an hour.
WHERE TO STAY IN SAINT-ÉMILION
If you do take my advice and decide to stay a night in Saint-Émilion, might I suggest the CUTEST hotel/B&B?
We ended up staying a night in Logis des Jurats, a cute little hotel right in the heart of Saint-Émilion. It was an amazing location, pretty affordable, and offered guest parking for €7/day. Be warned though – the road that you have to drive on to get to the hotel is VERY tight. I was SWEATIN’ getting the rental car through that narrow street but we made it.
It only has a few rooms and only takes cash, but it has a homey, welcoming feel to it. The couple who own it are sooo nice. And the location is perfect – it’s steps away from the main church of the town and there’s a great view of the town from the rooms. There’s also an area outside to have a picnic. It wast just……the cutest!
WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN SAINT-ÉMILION
For how tiny it is, I was pleasantly surprised at how much there is to see and do in Saint-Émilion! That’s why I recommend staying a night and really soaking it all in!
1. Biking through the vineyards of Saint-Émilion
This was by far the highlight of our time in Saint-Émilion, and of our trip in general! We rented e-bikes from Les Bicyclettes de Saint-Emilion. It costs €28 for a morning or afternoon rental or €38 for a full-day rental. We obviously opted for the full day rental. Even though the area is pretty flat, it’s nice to have the electric bikes to help you cover more ground with a little less sweat.
We cycled through endless scenic vineyards and passed some absolutely stunning chateaus. You can even book in for a tour of one of them! But more on that later.
2. Book a tour of one (or more!) of the menu vineyards around Saint-Émilion
On our biking day, we also decided to book a tour of a winery. We chose Château Bernateau, a small estate which has been family-run for over 8 generations! The tour lasted an hour and a half and only cost €10. We got to tour the property, the cellar, and the vineyards and learn about their wine-making process. At the end of the tour we got to try 3 of their delicious Grands Crus wines in the sun on the gorgeous grounds of the estate. It was a great way to take a little break from cycling.
Most tours/tastings at the wineries around Saint-Émilion have to be booked in advance. You can book it on the day of, but availability may be low or unavailable, so I suggest booking a tour the night before. This website is great for booking winery tours because you can search for available tours based on location, date, an group size!
3. Browse one of the MANY wine shops in Saint-Émilion town
For how small Saint-Émilion is, I could NOT get over how many wine shops there are. Like honestly, there were probably over 10 all within a 2-minute walk from one another.
Saint-Émilion is home to some GORGEOUS wines. So if you’re a wine lover, it’s definitely worth browsing some of these wine shops and picking up some bottles of local wines. A lot of them even provide international shipping, in case you can’t fit them in your suitcase.
4. Do a guided tour of the town and/or surrounding wineries
While Saint-Émilion is really easy/small to “do” on your own, a great way to learn more about the medieval history of Saint-Émilion and get a more in-depth look into winemaking is by doing some sort of guided tour. There are a few options of walking tours/guided tours around the town through companies like GetYourGuide. Some of them even combine a biking and walking tour.
There are several day tour options on GetYourGuide that include transportation from Bordeaux and back, but there are also a few great tour options starting and ending right in Saint-Émilion town. Some last less than 2 hours and some last the whole day.
- This 1.5 hour small group walking tour is €40/person and goes in-depth into the history of Saint-Émilion, including the monolithic church, the winemaking process of Saint-Émilion Grand Cru wines and the town’s winemaking heritage and historical connection to viticulture. You also see the Collegiate Church of Saint-Émilion (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and the medieval city walls.
- This sunset walking tour also lasts 1.5 hours and is €20/person. Learn about the town’s origins, history, and local stories. Visit the Collegiate church, the city ramparts, and the Grand Wall. Allll this while seeing Saint-Émilion look GORGEOUS during golden hour.
- This full day tour combines a historical walking tour with an e-bike tour around local wineries. Plus, it includes a French cuisine picnic lunch in the chateau Garden and the chance to taste at least 8 different wines throughout the day.
5. Visit the inside of the Monolithic Church of Saint-Émilion
One particular tour not to miss is a tour of the 12-century Monolithic Church of Saint-Émilion, which also happens to be the largest monolithic church in Europe. Yep, you read that correctly – the biggest church in Europe made out of one single piece of stone #mindblown
Since the church is a preserved site, visiting the inside of this amazing church is ONLY possible through the “Underground Saint-Émilion” tour that’s operated by the Saint-Émilion tourism office. All other walking/guided tours (like the ones mentioned above) will take you around the outside of the church and tell you about its history and construction, but will not take you inside. Doing this tour allows you to see the impressive inside of the church, including Émilion’s hermitage, the Trinity Chapel, the catacombs and the underground church.
The tour runs daily in French, English, and Spanish. The English tours are at 11AM and 2PM in high season and 2PM in low season. Adult tickets are €15. Check out their website for more information on the tour, and to buy tickets.
You can also climb up 196 steps to the top of the bell tower of the monolithic church, but that requires a separate ticket. It only costs €2 and you can buy it from the tourism office which is only a 3-minute walk from the Monolithic Church! Definitely worth it!!!!
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK IN SAINT-ÉMILION
Even though Saint-Émilion is super small, there are still a few great restaurants and bars serving delicious local/French cuisine and of course, WINE!
1. Cloître des Cordeliers
A local recommended this place to us while we were doing our bike tour. Our lunch there ended up being one of the highlights of our time in Saint-Émilion! It’s an old monastic cloister where you can buy snacks and drinks to make your own “picnic basket” to enjoy sitting amongst the ruins. They also have their own sparkling rosé that they make on site which is DELISH. This is an amazing place for a sunny lunch picnic!
Or, you can pre-order or pick up a picnic basket and take it with you on your bike ride!
Check out their website here. Isn’t it gorgeous?!
2. Sous La Robe
As if there’s not enough wine shops and chateaus with wine tastings in Saint-Émilion, you can also hit up this fabulous little wine lounge in the evening for some wine, small plates, and sometimes live music. It’s pretty much the only “late” bar in Saint-Émilion village, staying open until 2AM on weekends. The atmosphere is lovely here, plus the bartenders are so so nice and give great wine suggestions and recommendations! Check out their Instagram to get a feel for the vibe!
3. Ô 3 fontaines
A barn-style restaurant with high ceilings, open floor plan, inviting atmosphere, and friendly service serving delicious regional cuisine. All the tables are made out of old barrels, and the ceiling is made of a lot of glass to let light in. A great place to stop for some wine and oysters!!!
4. Le Clos du Roy
If you’re staying overnight in Saint-Émilion, I really recommend this restaurant for dinner! If you’re not, you could also have lunch in their nice outdoor area. Our dinner here was delicious and was made even better by the eccentric and energetic patron Philippo. He was an absolute HOOT. Here he is hanging out the restaurant window chatting to us! 😂
5. Fromagerie La Moineaudiére
OK so this technically isn’t a restaurant or bar, BUT if you load up on a lot of the free samples of cheese and cured meats they offer at this cheese shop, it can technically count as a “meal”, right!? When I stumbled upon this cheese shop on my walk around Saint-Émilion town, it was like stumbling upon a scene from provincial France. I turned a corner and there was a smiling man, singing and serving cheese to passerby out of the front window. Inside, there was as many different types of cheese and cured meats as anyone could want. And you could try samples of most of them!
Alexa, play “Heaven is a Place on Earth” by Belinda Carlisle #DROOL
THE PERFECT 2-DAY SAINT-ÉMILION ITINERARY
Here is a suggested 2-day itinerary with some of the activities/restaurants mentioned above to help you have the most perfect overnight stay in Saint-Émilion, France!
Day 1
Morning: If taking public transportation from Bordeaux, arrive either at the Saint-Émilion train station and walk 20 minutes into town, or at the Saint-Émilion bus station and walk 5 minutes. Or, if coming by rental car (smart move!), drive to Logis des Jurats and park in the small car park in front of the hotel for €7/day. Just a warning though – the road is narrow and parking is tight! But if I can do it, you can too!
Next, head to the Cloître des Cordeliers to pick up your pre-booked e-bike through Les Bicyclettes de Saint-Emilion. The full-day rental is from 10:30AM to 6PM, so try to pick up your bike as early as possible to make the most of the day!
How to spend the day: Head off on your e-bike adventure around the wineries and beautiful countryside of Saint-Émilion, passing gorgeous vineyards and chateaus. Use one of the many route suggestions provided by Les Bicyclettes de Saint-Émilion or do your own thing!
After cycling around the area and admiring the beautiful countryside, head back to the Cloître des Cordeliers for lunch. Take your bike into the garden with you and leave it against a side wall while you’re enjoying your picnic lunch in the garden of the old monastic cloister.
Next, head out on your bike to a winery tasting/tour. Lots of wine estates in the area are open to visits with wine tasting, but by reservation only. You could try to book a tour the day of, but I suggest pre-booking a wine tasting/visit using this website the night before!
Continue cycling around to your heart’s content before dropping your bike back off at the Cloître des Cordeliers. Head back to Logis des Jurats to check in and change for the evening.
Dinner/Evening: Head out for a stroll around the village before stopping at Le Clos du Roy for a dinner of local cuisine with patron Phillippo. After dinner, head to Sous La Robe for some wine and (if you’re lucky) live music to end the evening!
Day 2
Morning: Check out of Logis des Jurats, either leaving your bags at reception or, if driving, in your rental car. Next, head to one of the restaurants with outdoor seating in the main square and have coffee and pastry with view of Europe’s largest monolithic church.
How to spend the day: Head to the Saint-Émilion tourist office for your guided walking tour starting at 11AM. Spend the next 1.5 hours wandering the picturesque streets of the town while learning about Saint-Émilion’s medieval origins, historical architecture, and winemaking heritage.
After the tour ends at 12:30, head to Ô 3 fontaines for some oysters and wine.
Then, make your way back to the Monolithic Church Square for your guided underground tour of the Church starting at 2PM. On your way to the church, pass by the tourism office around the corner to purchase the €2 pass that allows you access to the church’s belltower. During the tour, the guide will lead you through 4 monuments: Émilion’s hermitage, the Trinity Chapel, the catacombs and the underground church.
After the tour, make sure to climb the 196 steps to the top of the belltower using your €2 ticket for some great views!
Evening: After you’re finished at the church, make sure to pick up some cheese and cured meats from Fromagerie La Moineaudiére before saying goodbye to the beautiful Saint-Émilion.
If you’re still (for some reason) not convinced about visiting Saint-Émilion, here are some more photos of this gorgeous medieval town!
