It was from the limestone quarries of this plateau in and around Saint-Émilion that stone blocks were excavated to build the entire village. Under most of the châteaux surrounding the village, and under the village itself, 124 miles of massive cave systems exist from cutting these very large blocks out of the ground and bringing them up to the surface for this construction.
The Monolithic Church’s Bell Tower is the highest point in Saint Émilion with views of the charming village and rolling countryside of vineyards for as far as the eyes can see. The church itself is dazzling, entirely carved out of one solid limestone formation. It’s gigantic proportions and uniqueness make it Europe’s widest monolithic church and famous worldwide.
The village is a beautiful place to explore, day or night. It is safe and peaceful. Enchanting, actually.
There are numerous great restaurants to be found. Try Logis de La Candène. Their atmosphere and creativity earned them a Michelin star. They also have beautiful accommodations in historic village buildings as well. Lard et Bouchon is a restaurant underground in the caves. Excellent cuisine, with a wine cavern and reasonable prices. Wine bars and wine shops are everywhere.
There are three châteaux in the village. I don’t mean a retail outlet for their wines. These are actual wineries making their wine in the village. They are Château Guadet (Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé), Moulin Galhaud (Saint-Émilion Grand Cru), and Les Cordeliers (sparkling wines underground). All three wineries are open to the public and have underground caves that you can visit.