We just returned from two weeks of traveling with friends from Calgary. The first couple we spent time with was Trent and Maureen Shwaluk. They visited Portugal and Spain for about two weeks before we picked them up in San Sebastian. They wanted to visit some French wine regions, so we took them to two of our favourite places: St Emilion in the Bordeaux wine region, and Provence.
Our main focus in St Emilion was to visit wine houses, referred to as Chateaux in the Bordeaux region. We got off to a good start by staying at a working Chateau that is also a bed and breakfast, so we didn’t have to stray too far for the first wine tasting. Of all the wine regions we have visited in France, St Emilion is the most welcoming to tourists. The tourist information office has a detailed list of vineyards offering tours, and the wine-makers provide enthusiastic tours. Their pride for their product really shines through. It was a great introduction to French wine for the Shwaluks.
With a car full of wine and luggage, we left St Emilion and headed to Provence. That region is famous for it’s sunny days, and we were not disappointed. It was a nice break from the gloomy days we had in St Emilion. Gilles and I love Provence, and I hope Trent and Maureen saw some of the beauty that makes it so special for us. We visited a few vineyards, did some olive oil tastings, had a picnic with food bought at a market, and visited some of the Roman sites in the region. All in all, a great trip.
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