Baurech: Historic Buildings and Wine Culture

Baurech combines historic estates, a Gothic church and wine culture with a connection to the Garonne. If you are looking for a hotel for your stay, these themes can help you get to know the town. Its buildings and art span several centuries; a wine cellar and a walk past notable houses offer further ways to explore the municipality.

Historic Estates and Building Phases

Bellevue is said to date from the 15th century and was expanded in the 17th century. Its openings and interior fittings are said to date from the mid-18th century. These dates point to an estate built in several phases. Castel de Laborde, also known as Castel de Bordes, is said to have been built in 1610.

The Château de Lacaussade has surviving remains from the 13th, 14th and 17th centuries. The building includes a residential wing flanked by round and square towers, as well as a square keep with three storeys.

At the Nénine estate, setting and history come together: it lies in Baurech on a south-facing slope above the right bank of the Garonne. Roman remains have been found on the grounds.

The listed chapel of the Château de Lyde retains the appearance of a feudal chapel. Above the altar is a painting by Larreydi, dated 1709.

Church, Restoration and Art

The church in Baurech dates from the 16th century and has been protected as a historic monument since 2003. It is one of the rare Gothic buildings in Aquitaine with a nave and two aisles. Its floor plan and protected status offer two different points of reference for understanding its architecture.

Major restoration work has been carried out on the church’s stained-glass windows, altarpiece, side altar, entrance portal and buttresses. An altarpiece is the decorative structure behind an altar; buttresses are structural supports attached to the outside of a building.

The church houses a damaged 14th-century Christ, a Madonna and Child in the troubadour style, and a distinctive 19th-century harmonium with imitation organ pipes. The artworks add a range of periods and styles to the experience of the building.

Wine Culture, Nature and Getting Around

At Château Melin, wine takes centre stage. Its underground wine cellar, with more than 120 barrels, is considered worth seeing. On open-house days, the programme combines tours and wine tastings with a market featuring local producers. Check the open-house dates before your trip.

Baurech lies within the type 2 ZNIEFF “Coteaux calcaires des bords de Garonne de Quinsac à Paillet”. A map for a walk past the municipality’s notable houses offers another way to find your bearings. Nature and architectural history thus provide distinct themes to consider when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Genès-De-Lombaud, Tabanac, Béguey, Les Lèves-Et-Thoumeyragues, Saint-Ciers-Sur-Gironde, Saint-Martin-Du-Bois, Villenave-de-Rions, Sadirac.

See the wider travel guide: Gironde.