Wine festival at Blaye 2-3 April 2022

SmithsInFrance

SmithsInFrance

Joined
Sep 2, 2016
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Since 2015
Anyone pootling down through France in early April, this is always a great fun weekend. Lots of things to do even if you don’t drink! Buy the pass in advance if possible to save time and be organised to sign up for the activities as they get booked up quickly.

No campsites nearby but two aire options: for a few euros a night in the car park at the bottom of the citadel bordering the estuary. Lovely sunsets by the water if the weather is good. Otherwise there is a chateau (Vauban?) right nearby where you can park for free amidst the vines for max two nights. All facilities including EHU

Enjoy!
 
We usually get there in the Friday afternoon. It is much quieter in the Saturday than the Sunday so try to book as many activities for the Saturday as you can.
You can sometimes buy the pass the day before from the tourist office if you don’t get it online.
The arrangements for booking the activities seem to change every year, so if you can find out the day before you will be set up to get in early for the Saturday.
Any questions don’t hesitate to ask 😊
 
chateau-marquis-de-vauban Is the Aire in the vineyard. We've stayed there a couple of times and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it!!

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I thought that there was also a larger Aire across the road at the Rugby club or between the Rugby club and possibly the field at the road leading to the chateau..A Funster reported it sometime last year.
 
Jimbohorlicks said:
I thought that there was also a larger Aire across the road at the Rugby club or between the Rugby club and possibly the field at the road leading to the chateau..A Funster reported it sometime last year.
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Don’t know, we usually stay at the car park because we like to have an apero early evening by the water. Have stayed at the chateau on other occasions and definitely recommend that too 😁
 
Jimbohorlicks said:
I thought that there was also a larger Aire across the road at the Rugby club or between the Rugby club and possibly the field at the road leading to the chateau..A Funster reported it sometime last year.
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Yes there is. Brand new. Very well equipped. €6.60 per night. Capacity 60ish I would estimate. We stayed there in November. Easy stroll into town. Chateau Marquis de Vauban was waterlogged but we had a meal from them.
 
SmithsInFrance said:
We usually get there in the Friday afternoon. It is much quieter in the Saturday than the Sunday so try to book as many activities for the Saturday as you can.
You can sometimes buy the pass the day before from the tourist office if you don’t get it online.
The arrangements for booking the activities seem to change every year, so if you can find out the day before you will be set up to get in early for the Saturday.
Any questions don’t hesitate to ask 😊
Click to expand...
Questions, questions, questions.

What is the cost ? How does it work? Can you recommend a good itinerary?

Really interested - perhaps any Funsters could meet up? We are touring around that time so it could quite easily be added to our planning.

Thanks for highlighting this event, best wishes
 
The new aire is directly opposite Chateau Vauban. We stayed at the Chateau for 2 nights last October and a few years ago. I’m not sure if you can overnight anymore by the citadel as we didn’t see anyone staying there this time. I did see the police patrolling around the new aire a couple of times. The new aire was about 30% full and only 5 vans on the Chateau during mid week in October.

Previously we went for Bastile Day and the Chateau was full.

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SmithsInFrance said:
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What was the meal like? Always intended to try it but never have yet
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We have done the discovery day twice which includes the meal.

The first day we did was Bastille day and the petit train ride couldn't go in the Citadel. The meal was outside in the grounds under the trees with the tables well decorated. We were sat as a table of 3 (us plus our child). The meal was lovely (not outstanding) paired with their wines. menu is on their website - the starter on this occasion was a meat terrine, eggs, bread etc. Last October the train ride went in the citadel, we were seated inside, again on separate tables to others (although it was covid times). The starter was I think 3 mixed things, so weeks and small shelled prawns, a tomato and citrus style compote with a small meat terrine. The main course was similar to last time I had the duck, husband had the lamb. We had a sparkling wine to start followed by 3 red wines paired with each course- options were to buy an extra higher end wine and/or coffee. Our son had a children's meal of pasta carbonara with mashed potato slightly odd!!!

Edit not sure what I have done with the photos but tried to add them :oops::oops:
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Thanks Stacetop that looks great. Will definitely have the meal one of these days. The aire looks really smart too 👍.

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frwjd said:
Some great value wines in the Blaye and Bourg areas too
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Couldn’t possibly comment hic 🤣👍❤️

We got to the stage that I told MrS we should just go to taste only and not buy anything. That way we only took home about a dozen bottles …

One year they had a workshop painting with wine, another we made fridge magnets from corks etc (still adorn the MH) and the wine blending workshop is definitely not to be missed if they are running it. You taste till you are happy with your blend then bottle, personalise a label, cork, cap and handed over in a gift bag 😁.
Experience taught us that this workshop was best done as the last activity of the day… 😉
 
SmithsInFrance said:
Couldn’t possibly comment hic 🤣👍❤️

We got to the stage that I told MrS we should just go to taste only and not buy anything. That way we only took home about a dozen bottles …

One year they had a workshop painting with wine, another we made fridge magnets from corks etc (still adorn the MH) and the wine blending workshop is definitely not to be missed if they are running it. You taste till you are happy with your blend then bottle, personalise a label, cork, cap and handed over in a gift bag 😁.
Experience taught us that this workshop was best done as the last activity of the day… 😉
Click to expand...

It all sounds brilliant!
In another life I imported French wine and my first 6 were from that area :D
 
MisterB said:
Questions, questions, questions.

What is the cost ? How does it work? Can you recommend a good itinerary?

Really interested - perhaps any Funsters could meet up? We are touring around that time so it could quite easily be added to our planning.

Thanks for highlighting this event, best wishes
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Ok, will try to answer, just bear in mind that the responses are based on when we went pre-Covid and each year they seem to fine-tune things, so can't guarantee it will be exactly the same this year.

Cost - last time we went, pre-covid, the Pass was 8 euros and included a glass and pouch to put the glass and activity card in. You don't need a Pass to get into the citadel, to walk around and see the stalls, taste wines, have something to eat etc but there are some activities for which you need the pass and it is fantastic value at 8 euros. For example, a ride on the petit train or the boat trip up the estuary alone would probably be more than that each. Even if you don't speak french activities like the tour of the citadel and the wine blending (see above) are still great fun.

How does it work? I see the link to buy a Pass online isn't working yet and they are still finalising the programme. Keep an eye and if you get the chance to do it online before and print it out it saves time when you arrive. Signing up for things seems to vary every year, so if you can get there on the Friday afternoon and pop up to the citadel and find out what the system is, that will help a lot. Also make sure you get there first thing - previously you have been able to get into the citadel before it officially opens so you can get in the queue at the first opportunity, when things are quiet.

Itinerary - it will depend on what your interests are and what is available. As said previously, make sure you do the most popular (and greatest fun) workshops on the Saturday, as Sunday is much busier. Last time, we just left the Petit Train and the Boat for the Sunday. Very popular and worth doing are: wine blending (last workshop of the day is best we found, see above), cookery demo (delicious samples, nice just before lunch), craft activity (varies every year, but we've always enjoyed, see above), citadel tour.

Meet up - unfortunately I don't think we will be able to make it this year, but if things change at the last minute we are only 2 - 3 hours away so will message you. Do hope you go and that the weather is good - we've enjoyed it enormously even when it rained, but throw in some sunshine as well and it is FAB :)
PS the citadel itself is beautiful. Also you can get a ferry across the estuary to the Medoc, something else we keep meaning to do.
 
SmithsInFrance

Thanks for the info, it was because the link wasn't working that i couldn't get any 'real' info - i will keep checking back to the link to see if it gets updated. We need to be in Challans on the Monday after to meet up with our daughter at our static and will be doing a bit of touring prior to that weekend, so it could fit in nicely. Thanks again for the heads up!
 
Hello all,
We first visited Blaye eons ago in a VW Dormobile campervan, by accident, drove through the night on pro-plus, remember those...?
Suddenly found ourselves going between giant wooden doors at 2 -ish, so decided to stay and pay in the morning...
Very interesting Citadel if you read the history...Always wanted to re-visit, so, although it's a bit off the beaten track -went back, stayed at the citadel municipal site, very friendly place, within the walls.- I was a tugger then, Eriba with Xantia- now hymer B544. .
We used to eat evenings at the nearby Logis hotel de France- wonderful views across the river in the sunset.
Concerning the wine thread-..we took the ferry across to the Medoc, fascinating area, Chateaux and vinyards absolutely everywhere. Degustation et vente..We went up to the north area, Talais I think, then across to the Atlantic beaches, packed, millions of bikes, absolutely humming-Montalivet.
Back to Blaye, took a tour around and hit upon a very sweet wine producer, Chateau La Grange in a place called Cars, Paul Henri Nerbusson, fabulous reds, very relaxed tasting and purchase... I dont see his name on the list of exhibitors, but if you're around there, do give it a visit, you'll love it all.
Paul & Senta + plus 2 darling yorkie-Russels, now both 17 and 3/4..!

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MisterB and anyone else who is interested in the Blaye wine festival, just had an email to say that the tickets are on sale now at pre-festival price of 7 euros. They are also selling bus and boat tickets from Bordeaux - don’t muddle that up with the boat trip that is included in the basic ticket (which is free but is only a trip round the estuary, not all the way to Bordeaux)
 
For those going and wanting a cracking "free" stopover for Bordeaux (after Blaye) the Chateau do saint Ahon is a FP who didnt check. You get to stay in the vineyard and if you buy their award winning Merlot at 13 euros a bottle (most expensive we have ever bought) you will not be disappointed. It was a cracking wine.
The tram is about a mile away and takes you into Bordeaux.
44.927497292442844, -0.6319105771689685
 
SmithsInFrance

two tickets booked for the chief wine tester and her chauffeur/ heavy bag carrier ....

really appreciate the heads up

best wishes
 
Madcaravanner said:
We will be there too - but paying on the door 9€ but I won't be paying as I don't /can't drink alcohol but going for the food festival that runs with it
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The 9€ on the door is optional (from previous years) but just be aware that it is also the “ticket” to all the activities. MrS don’t drink either but he still really enjoys the weekend because of all the things there are to do and the atmosphere 👍

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