Paris1972-Versailles2003

Well for lack of a better title we have been all over the wine country of Bordeaux, our favorite. However, there are some towns that even if not the favorite wine is worth the detour me think. One of these is Barsac; let me tell you a bit about it ok. For disclosure, the text is new ,the picture is old. See my many posts on the wine country of Bordeaux!

Barsac is a town in the department of the Gironde no 33 in the region of Nouvelle Aquitaine. It is only 27 km from Bordeaux, 8,5 km from Langon, and 6 km from Podensac, all in wine country!  The roads here you will see vineyards on both sides such as the D1113 that takes you further into Cérons and Podensac and up to Bordeaux city. Also , to Preignac out of Langon. The main highways here are the A62 (Bordeaux-Toulouse which we love), you get off at exit 2 for Podensac and exit 1 for Bazas to connect with the highway A65 (Langon-Pau, taken a lot). It has a train station on the line of  Bordeaux-Séte of the TER of Nouvelle Aquitaine (never taken).

We were struck by the Church Saint Vincent built in the 18C on the spot of an older church destroyed in the 16C. This church is dedicated to Saint Vincent, patron saint of the winemakers. It has a simple facade with a belltower with tiles. The church house furniture from the 18C such as an altar and retables of different work of arts in wood such as the Choir of Simon, marbre of Quéva, a organ tribune of Mollié, a Sacristy with wood from Combes and a nice retable. In one of the walls of the church you will read about a meter from the floor a sign telling the level of flooding of the Garonne river with the mention April 7 1770 flooding!

Other things to see here worth the stop next time me think are

The Château de Bastard 17C, Château de Rolland medieval ruins. The castles of the wine country of Barsac area of Sauternes, appellation Barsac. The Barsac is a sweet white wine from the Sauternes line part of the wines of Bordeaux. The appellation includes the town of Barsac with most vineyards on the left bank of the Ciron river. One of the best we have tried here is the Château Coutet excellent. You can also visit the Maison des vins de Sauternes-Barsac. There are many wooden houses from the 18C . Also, the chemin de Croix and the Halle or market facing the city/town hall.

Some webpages to help you plan your trip are:

The Valley of Ciron on the Church Saint Vincent of Barsac: http://www.vallee-du-ciron.com/Barsac/BarsEglise/BarsEglise.htm

The town of Barsac on the Church Saint Vincent: https://www.barsac.fr/eglise-saint-vincent/

The Syndicate (union) of the wines of Sauternes-Barsac: https://www.sauternes-barsac.com/en/the-history/

There you go folks, a nice town of Barsac. I like to put it up in my blog for memories’ sake of our road warrior trips with the family is this part of my belle France. Hope you enjoy it as I.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!

And now I bring you back down to my dear late wife Martine’s family region where we still have family. Of course, we have been by here several times over the years and have plenty of posts in my blog, but as usual by quick road warrior me I have left out more on the some and especially the lovely market of Lavaur in the Tarn dept 81 of the region of Occitanie.

We came straight to Lavaur from where my dear late wife Martine’s  father was from. Of course, we have visited the place several time and written before in my blog on the town. The idea of the post is the two weekly markets in Lavaur which take place on Wednesdays and Saturdays by Allées Jean-Jaurès.

The small Wednesday market is reserved for local producers, from 8h 12h. The bigger Saturday market is open to everyone from 7h to 13h: here you will find the works such as cold meats, butchers, bakers, fishmongers, cheeses, poultry, fruit and vegetables and other producers of seasonal fruits and vegetables, but also headgear, clothing and accessories, shoes, hardware, thrift stores, second hand booksellers and various peddlers.

It is the essential meeting of Wednesday and Saturday morning, on the boulevards which surround the old town. Hundreds of stalls offer you the opportunity to discover all the producers of the surrounding farms. However, it is also and above all an incomparable place of exchange not to be missed . Indeed not just the purchase of wonderful mother earth best products but the talk and ambiance of any town and here they talk, you are in Cathar country!!

The covered market is been used as an exhibition hall for events so there are special days where the market is held indoors in the Halle aux Grains. Nevertheless, it is magical!

The city of Lavaur on its markets: https://www.ville-lavaur.fr/marches-foires/

The City of Lavaur on its heritage: https://www.ville-lavaur.fr/votre-ville/visiter-lavaur/

A quant visit to a nice architectural and historical building , the Halle aux Grains,(see above with my Martine ) now offering various cultural events throughout the year, including shows for young audiences and live shows, concerts. The Halle aux Grains was built from 1879 to 1881. On the ground of the cooler ,a former underground ice warehouse. It was intended for the market for silkworm cocoons, which lacked space at the Old Market. It is hexadecagonal and offers a lot of space because it has no pillars. The fall of the silk trade in Vaurais, at the end of the 19C, confined it only to the sale of grains. The central lightning rod vane represents a winged dragon: was it to dissuade the granivores? Ha good question. It is located at Place Stalingrad.

There you go folks, a wonderful region of my belle France very dear to me, memories forever. Hoping you too will see the enchantment and visit Lavaur in the Tarn department 81 of region of Occitanie (this is the old Midi-Pyrénées region).

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!