One of the best things about our stay at Château Lamothe du Prince Noir was the superb breakfast that was served on the gorgeous terrace. Breakfast was provided at every place we stayed in France and all were fantastic in their own ways, but I didn't whip out the camera for any of those mornings. Carla, our host, put a lot of thought and love into the menu. She even whipped up a couple fried eggs to order. They were really appreciated especially during our long days walking through vineyards and cobblestoned streets.
Château Lamothe du Prince Noir | Saint-Sulpice-et-Cameyrac, France | Part One
Previously, I posted about our stay at Château de Boucéel in Normandy and we were lucky enough to stay at another château in the Bordeaux region of France. While I was looking for places to stay in Bordeaux, I came across Château Lamothe du Prince Noir. I remember showing it to Markus and us both saying, it looked amazing, but maybe a little out of our league. So I kept searching for another place to stay. No matter how many acceptable and nice places I found, I kept going back to Château Lamothe du Prince Noir. So, in the end, that's where we ended up spending three magical nights during our time in France.
I'm so glad that we decided to stay at Château Lamothe du Prince Noir. It was very different from Château de Boucéel, but it was just as lovely. The property is owned and run by Carla, a lovely woman from England. When we stayed there, her daughter and her family were helping for the summer and they both had amazing recommendations for restaurants and hot spots in the area. One of my favorite things about the property was the pool. On one of our days in the city, we left a little early because we just wanted to spend a few hours by the pool. It was definitely an idyllic afternoon. Later, I'll be sharing a bit more about the château, including our room which really was fit for royalty.
Wine Tour at Château Soutard and Chateau Cote De Baleau | Saint-Émilion, France
The Bordeaux region of France is very well-known for being wine country. Since Markus and I drink wine every Wednesday for Wine Down Wednesday, we decided to add the area to our road trip. To be honest, I don't know much about the specifics of wine. Whenever I see people tasting wine and picking out certain flavor profiles, I always wonder if we're drinking from the same bottle. I can just tell if it's sweet or dry and most importantly, if I like or not. So this is why I also decided to book a half-day wine tour with Bordovino.
To be completely honest, I'm not a huge fan of guided tours. I loathe being shuffled around on someone else's schedule. I did a lot of research to make sure that I chose the perfect tour company, because there were heaps. I'm happy to report that I really enjoyed Bordovino. Our tour guide, Soline, was really knowledgeable and very friendly. She took us to the wineries of Château Soutard and Chateau Cote De Baleau. Château Soutard is run like a very tight ship and has a bit of a corporate feel, which isn't a bad thing, but it definitely felt more produced. We did a mini wine class, where I still didn't learn much, but it was informative. Chateau Cote De Baleau was a bit more rustic and down to earth. It's a smaller winery but I liked that it was a little less polished. The wines we tasted were really nice and I ended up buying both bottles. Just waiting for the right time to open them. After a few hours at a winery, I still don't know how to pick out every flavor profile that I'm tasting. It's okay though, I'll still drink it every Wednesday.
Joyeux Noël 2017 | Château de Boucéel, France
It's Christmas time again my dear friends! It's crazy how fast the years keep going. I feel like I just sent out last year's card. Everyone loved last year's photo and have to admit, I felt the pressure for this year. On a whim, I asked Markus to bring the tripod just in case we came across an amazing setting. We took a two week road trip through various French cities and only ended up using the tripod once when we stayed at Château de Boucéel. Of all the fantastic places we stayed, this château was my favorite. It's been in the same family for centuries and is still run by the count and his family. I'll be writing a more in depth post about our experience, but I wanted to share this year's Christmas card photo. Joyeux Noël dear readers and have a happy new year!