Half day guided tour : Citadel of Blaye and the Gironde cornice

Walking guided tour of the XVIIth Citadel of Blaye

Visit the citadel of Blaye: rebuilt in the XVIIth century under the reign of Louis XIV to control the passage over the Gironde estuary after the Vauban's plans. It covers33 hectares and dominates the estuary. Since July 2008, it has been listed by UNESCO because it is part of a unique concept: a tryptic composed of 3 forts that grows along the width of the river. The defence system of the Blaye citadel, articulated on 3 staggered lines of defence, is perfectly preserved. It illustrates very well the techniques of fortification used by Vauban which will then be repeated many times in different places of the French kingdom but also in different parts of the world.

During our guided tour of the Blaye Citadel, it is also a true historical multi-layers spot that you will discover here because the site also preserves the ruins of the medieval castle of the Rudels and the cannon batteries added in the 19th century.

The guided visit of the citadel of Blaye will also offer you beautiful panoramas on the largest estuary of Europe: the Gironde estuary and its archipelago of islands in constant evolution...

A picturesque and scenic drive along the Gironde cornice

From Blaye to Bourg sur Gironde, let's then leave for a panoramic tour onboard your coach or carsharing motorcade along the picturesque road that runs along the Gironde estuary: the "Flowering cornice" route. Immerse yourself in the history of the former quarries that exploited the "Pierre de Bourg", largely used to build the city of Bordeaux. then let's discover together the birth of what will become Europe's largest estuary a few kilometres later...

The route offers superb views of the Gironde estuary and its islands, with the Médoc peninsula as a background. Discover again charming semi-troglodytic houses nestled in the heart of the cliff, and even a wreck of the WW II...

A short walk through the charming old village Bourg en Gironde: its disappeared citadel, which marked its history, its halls, its wash-house and its medieval remains...