SPotligHt on BLAYE
The Aquitaine region straddles a prominent position in southwest France. It stretches long and lean against the French Atlantic coastline, reaching up to the Pyrénées mountain range and transcending to the Spanish border. Here in the Gironde department, intrepid travellers can scamper to the summit of storybook castles, cycle through vineyard-laced countryside, walk through ancient villages and sip world-renowned wines. And it’s here that curious visitors will discover the douceur de vivre in a tiny one-kilometer long settlement, once named Blaye-et-Sainte-Luce…
Let me introduce you to Blaye, a petite but mighty hamlet, sitting at the southern tip of the Gironde estuary formed by the confluences of the nearby Dordogne and Garonne rivers. Blaye is an ancient and powerful settlement from medieval times, where the Citadel of Blaye and its military fortifications sit majestically over the waters of western Europe’s largest estuary.
La Citadelle De Blaye, a medieval fortress, along with Fort Médoc and Fort Paté, formed a military defence system during the 18th and 19th centuries to protect the downstream port of Bordeaux from sea invasions and wars. It is a legendary example of engineering genius and Romanesque architecture designed and built by Vauban, the engineer of Louis XIV who left his mark throughout France. It’s a picture postcard town, with scarred ramparts that bear witness to battles and conflict through this historic maritime route.
Nowadays, we find the citadel is a living monument, where inside the bastion, a maze of cobblestone streets, stone houses, artisan shops, cafes and wine shops, still thrive.
J Christina visits the historic town of Blaye, it might be small but it packs a mighty historic punch
spotlight on blaye
Aquitaine