FRANCE - A little drop of Claret

There is no doubt about it St Emilion is a bit touristy, but unlike a lot of places it doesn't really need its tourist industry because it is surrounded by some of the most valuable wine producing land in the world. When you get off the train at St Emilion's little unstaffed station there are vineyards as far as the eye can see and of course at the moment it is harvest time.

The station is a little way out of the village but it's a pleasant walk along a road lined with vines and up the hill. There you will be confronted with a picturesque place with all the buildings built from the honey coloured limestone that is the local rock round here. In fact, take away the wine and St Emilion would fit very nicely in the Cotswolds.

I have been here before and I have done the tour to a winery, so today I passed on that and just wandered around soaking up the sun and the atmosphere.

Today they were also celebrating the Jurade - the usual thing of people in funny clothes! - which seems to date back to the days of (English) King John. If you know your English history you will know that King John was one of the sons of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine (this part of France). Therefore when he came to the throne this area of France was part of his realm and he created the brotherhood giving them power over wine production and trade. Today was the day when Jurade were going to issue "The Harvest Proclamation". It involved a parade through the town, what appeared to be a fancy lunch and then another parade. I'm not too sure how the bagpipes fit in but they were there!!

The main non wine related sight here is "l'eglise monolithe" a huge underground church that was carved out of the limestone rock. The town was founded by a Benedictine hermit monk called Emilion and eventually became a stop on the pilgrimage route to Santiago. The tour shows you not only the underground church but also the cave where Emilion supposedly lived, a chapel and some catacombs.

That's it for today - time now for a glass of Claret!