Carte blanche Carteblanche Saint-Émilion The pearl of Aquitaine Perchedonahillockatopancient Mother of pearl and starfish dust Placesofworshipsub- limestoneandclaysoil,Saint-Émilionoffersupitsgleaming sequentlysprangupthroughoutthecity,nearlyallbuilt stone.Withalabyrinthofcavesintheheartofthemedieval fromlimestone.Thespongy,rain-soakedrockcanbeseen city,andbeyond,aswellofvineyards,philosophyandsong. atvirtuallyeverycornerofthecitynowadays,studdedwith billionsoffossils,theirstarrydustemblazoningthecity.As Thirtymillionyearsago,theamphitheaterofSaint-Émilion therockwassoftandmalleable,thebuilderscouldn’tget wasanythingbutagreenvalley,onlytheabyssofanocean. enoughofit.Theydugquarrieseverywheretoextractthe Allthatremainsofthispastmarkedbystormsandseaspray blocksandbuiltpatricianhousesforthelocalnobility,cha- areamyriadofpearlyoystersencrustedtooneanother,lying pelsandcloistersforthevariousspiritualorders,taxwalls sun-bleachedinlayersofvestigesandmemories,loomingup andbridges.Eachcubeextractedfromtheearthandbrought hereandthereinbarepatchesofland.Theshellshavecom- abovegroundwastransformedintorampartsandwalls. pactedoverthecenturies,turningtolimestone,transforming Thecity’sreputationsoonexpandedbeyonditsborders. intoachalkyhumusthatenhancesthisheavenlysoil.This Theincreaseddemandrequiredadditionalmining,andmuch mineralmanna,whichactsasaspongesoakedinrainand ofthecityofBordeaux,includingitsfamoustheater,wasbuilt dew,inturnnourishesthegnarledvinesofthesurrounding usingstonesfromSaint-Émilion.Somuchdiggingwasgoing châteaux.HereinliestheparadoxofSaint-Émilion,erst- onthatthecitysoonbegantowobbleonitsfoundations,to whileacityofwater,nowhometovintagewines. suchanextentthatinthe19th century,allexcavationcame toahalt.Andwiththis,wineproduction,analternativeactiv- The memory of water Saint-Émilionisstillacityof itywithabrightfuture,began.Today,winecellarssometimes water—itisubiquitous,flowing,caressing,meandering.The extendfourlevelsunderground,andnearly200 kmoftun- sheerstrengthofthewaterformedthevalleywherethefirst nelswindbeneathSaint-Émilionanditsoutskirts. inhabitantssettled.Fromthetopoftheramparts,andeven Theextraordinarylabyrinthinspirestheimagination, moresoatthefootofthebelltoweroftheMonolithic andforthosewithapenchantforserializednovels,the Church(itsheritagemasterpiece),theeyenaturallygravi- slightestshadowwiththefaintestwhiffofmoldexcites tatestotheEntre-deux-Mersvalley,avastplaincinchedby FantômasandArsèneLupinbuffs.Inaddition,thelocal theGaronneandtheDordogne.Thejuxtapositionofwater- historyisrichinanecdotesandbattles:it’shere,forexam- ple,thattheGirondins,ledbyGaudet,with RobespierreandDanton’sMontagnardshotin “Eachbuildinghasitsvoice,itsuniqueand pursuit,hidoutduringthefiercestdaysofthe secularwayofechoingtimbre.Tessiturasare FrenchRevolution. Themazeofundergroundtunnels,whichused discoveredhere,emotionflowsnaturally.” tohousenecropolisesandcatacombs,nowcon- cealsoneofthecity’smoststunningsites:the Nadine Vasseur, artistic director of Vino Voce partlysubterraneanSaint-ÉmilionMonolithic Church,carvedoutoftherock.Theweightof itsbelltower,risinghighintheskylikeanurban waysformedaport,leadingtothecity’sfirstwaveofexpan- lighthouse,shiftedovertimeandislopsided,leaningonthe sion.Itreignedsupremeuntiltheneighboringcityof pillars.Thedeepgulliedstonefromrainwaterandspring Libournedevelopedinthe14th century,afterwhichitsport waterandinadequateprotectionofitsslopinggroundhad declinedandtheinhabitantsmovedaway. thewholestructurewobblingandtremblingonitsfounda- Priortothisdecline,winehadbeenshippedtoEngland tions.In 2000,thechurch’sfoundationswerereinforcedby forcenturiesviabargesandflat-bottomedboats.Onthe insertingtensilebandsintothepillars,furtheraddingtothe returntriphome,theshipstransportedblocksofgranitein structure’ssomewhatCyclops-lookingappearance. theirholdstoballastthemselvesinthewaves(theywere usedtopavethemedievalalleys).Ifsomeoneslipsonthe From Bacchus to Montaigne Itisinthismagicalplace streets,it’sduetoPerfidiousAlbionthatruledAquitainefor thatNadineVasseur,artisticdirectoroftheVinoVoceFes- quitesometime. tival,whichismarkingitsseventhyear,organizesbrilliant Pilgrimssoonflockedtotheregion,drawntoitswealth. eventswithmarvelousacousticsthatamplifyalltypesof Saint-Émilion,whichstillboretheLatinnameofAscumbas, voices.Singers,instrumentalists,writers,lecturerscomeand becameastopontheroadtoSantiagodeCompostela. go.“TheacousticsoftheMonolithicChurch,”shesays,“are Tradeandfaithwenthandinhand,andreligiousorders astoundingandthecoolnessofthesiteinsummer,trulya soonsettledthere.Dominicans,Franciscans,Benedictines, blessing.”Ifyouwanttoreallydiscoverthecity,thismusic AugustinesandUrsulinessettledthereoneafterthenext.In loverisoneofthebestguidestobefound.Goingfromplace the8th century,amonkfromVannesarrivedandneverleft. toplaceinhercompanyislikehearingviolists,tenorsand HisnamewasÉmilionandhebecametheprotectorofthe citybeforebeingsanctified.Hewasahermitandmeditated, onlyemergingfromhisdeeperstatesofconsciousnessto DavidDurand,propriétaireduCabestan,pêchantlalamproieaufilet. performmiracles.Ablindwomanrecoveredhersight,for TractionéquineauclosTroplongMondot. LaTinyHousedeGéraldineBoyerdanslevignobledeChâteauChampion. one,andinthecavethatservedashiscell,coinsarethrown PâtissièreàlaTabledePavie,dirigéeparYannickAlléno. intothecoolwaterrisingfromthegroundtoday.Women whowishtohavechildrenarestilladvisedtositonaseat DavidDurand,owneroftheCabestan,fishingforlamprey. thefrugalmonkcarvedfromlimestoneandusedfor Horse-drawnplowingattheTroplongMondotestate. GéraldineBoyer’sTinyHouseintheChâteauChampionvineyard. 17 years.Peoplesayitworks. PastryattheTabledePavie,runbyYannickAlléno. 119 .htlaeh ruoy ot lufmrah si esuba lohoclA .noitaredom ni knirD .noitarédom ceva zemmosnoc ,étnas al ruop xueregnad tse loocla’d suba’L