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Our Vineyard Gîte in The Bordeaux Countryside
Welcome to the Farmhouse
Welcome to the Farmhouse at Château Méaume, where you can stay on our working vineyard in the heart of Right Bank Bordeaux. This isn't a hotel - it's our 18th-century family farmhouse, restored for guests who want to experience wine country the way locals do.
The gîte sleeps eight across four bedrooms. You'll have the whole place to yourselves: a proper kitchen with dining table, for cooking with market finds and long lunches, a living room with a wood burner, and windows looking out over our pastures and vines. We're 25 minutes from Saint-Émilion's cobbled streets and 40 minutes from Bordeaux city, but you might find the vineyard walks and evening tastings keep you closer to home than you'd planned.
This is where we'd stay if we were visiting Bordeaux wine country. So that's exactly what we've created.
The Farmhouse
Our gîte sits in the middle of the estate, next to the chateau, surrounded by pastures and vines that we've worked for two generations. The building dates to the 1700s - thick stone walls, original beams, that wonderful coolness on hot summer days. But we've updated everything that matters: real beds, modern bathrooms, a kitchen that actually works.
There are four double bedrooms. We've kept the rooms traditional - good mattresses, quality linens, enough space to unpack properly. Each room is unique (one has the old fireplace, another catches the morning sun), but they're all quiet. The kind of quiet where you hear birds instead of cars.
Sleeps eight comfortably. Families book the whole house. Groups of friends do too. We've had two couples who wanted more space than a hotel room.
Three full bathrooms with showers, which means less negotiating in the mornings. We provide towels and basics. There's a washing machine if you're staying longer.
The kitchen is the heart of things. Full-size everything - fridge, range, dishwasher. We've cooked plenty of meals here ourselves (testing, obviously), so we know what you'll need. There's a proper dining table that seats eight, and the living room has enough seating that no one gets stuck on the bench.
The wood-burner in the fireplace works. We light it October through April. There's something about a real fire after a day visiting cold stone cellars.
WHERE WE ARE - THE ESTATE GROUNDS
The Farmhouse sits on our working vineyard, which means grape vines out the front windows. During harvest (late September, usually), you'll see tractors moving between rows and picking teams working the parcels. The rest of the year it's quieter - just us and whoever's visiting.
There are walking trails through the property. We've marked a loop that takes about 45 minutes if you don't stop, longer if you do. The trails connect to local footpaths, so you can walk for hours if that's your thing. We also have a small lake. Peaceful spot. Good for reading or pretending to read. There is also access to our swimming pool, tennis court and gym.
The gardens around the house have outdoor seating scattered about. Breakfast on the terrace works. So does afternoon wine. We're not formal about any of it.
Getting Here and Getting Around
We're in the Right Bank countryside, which means:
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25 minutes to Saint-Émilion village (the medieval one that's all over Instagram)
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15 minutes to Pomerol (if you know, you know)
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40 minutes to Bordeaux city
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45 minutes from Bordeaux airport
You'll want a car. We have parking for several vehicles. The nearest village with a good market and bakery is 10 minutes away. Saint-Émilion has everything else – restaurants and wine shops.
Day Trip Distance:
Most Right Bank appellations are within 30 minutes. Left Bank estates (Médoc, Margaux) are 45-60 minutes if you want to compare styles. We're also close enough to Périgord for truffle markets in winter and close enough to Arcachon for oysters if you need a beach day.
Wine & Food
Tastings at the Estate
This is a working winery, which means you can taste what we make. Each stay includes a session in our cellar - usually our current vintage plus something older if we have it open. We'll talk through what you're tasting (grape varieties, our soils, why this vintage is different from last year), but we won't lecture. Some guests want the technical details. Others just want to know if it's ready to drink.
Our blend is mostly Merlot with Cabernet Franc and some Cabernet Sauvignon, typical for Right Bank. Clay-limestone soils, which Merlot loves.
You're welcome to buy wine at estate prices. Most guests do. Some buy enough that we have to help them figure out shipping, which we do.
Vineyard Tours
We can walk you through the vines if you're interested - show you the different parcels, explain what we're doing and why. It's more interesting during growing season (April through October), but winter has its own appeal if you want to understand pruning or see the vines sleeping.
Harvest season (September-October) is special if you time it right. Active picking, tractors everywhere, the whole operation visible. We can't always predict exactly when it'll start (weather-dependent), but late September is a good bet.
Dining Options
The gîte is self-catering, which gives you flexibility. There's a Carrefour 15 minutes away for basics, but the real treasure is local markets - we'll give you the schedule. Saint-Émilion market is Saturday mornings. Libourne is Sunday. You'll find better cheese, better bread, better everything than the supermarket.
Private Dining
We can arrange for a chef to come to the gîte and cook dinner for your group. Local specialists, seasonal menus, wine pairings with estate bottles and neighbors' wines. It's not cheap, but it's memorable. Good for special occasions or if you just don't want to cook.
We can also set up picnic baskets - local pâté, cheese, bread, fruit, wine. Take it to the lake or pack it for a day in Saint-Émilion.
Where to Eat Out
We have opinions about restaurants. Saint-Émilion has tourist traps and it has the places locals actually go. We'll tell you the difference. Bordeaux city has Michelin stars if that's your style, or wine bars where vignerons eat. We keep a running list.
Things to Do
On the Property
You could spend your whole stay here and not get bored. The vineyard trails are good for morning walks or evening strolls. The lake is quiet. We have pétanque (those French lawn bowls) and other outdoor games. Some guests bring bikes and ride the local routes. Others bring books and don't leave the terrace. There is also the swimming pool or the tennis court and a gym.
If you're here during harvest, you can watch the whole operation - sometimes join in if you ask nicely and don't mind dirty hands and sticky hands.
Wine Touring
Most people use the gîte as base camp for visiting other estates. Smart move - you can taste all day and drive home in 20 minutes instead of all the way back to Bordeaux.
Saint-Émilion has the big names everyone knows plus smaller family estates that are just as interesting. Book ahead for the famous ones. The small producers are often more flexible.
Pomerol is tiny and prestigious. Pétrus is there. So is Le Pin. But so are approachable estates making beautiful wine without the crazy prices.
Lesser-Known Areas: Castillon and Fronsac - these appellations make excellent wine for less money. Good for discovering things before everyone else does.
We can make introductions to neighbors and suggest itineraries based on what you like.
Beyond Wine
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Saint-Émilion village: underground limestone cellars, wine museum, macarons, steep cobbled streets, excellent people-watching, good restaurants
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Bordeaux city: architecture, Cité du Vin museum, riverfront, good restaurants, shopping
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Medieval villages: Castillon-la-Bataille (site of the last battle of the Hundred Years' War), Sainte-Foy-la-Grande (bastide town), Monségur
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Markets: Every town has one on different days - we'll give you the schedule
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Périgord: Close enough for truffle markets (winter) or Dordogne Valley drives
Seasonal Highlights
Spring (March-May): Vines wake up, wildflowers everywhere, perfect hiking weather, fewer tourists
Summer (June-August): Warm evenings, outdoor dining weather, vines in full growth, peak tourist season
Autumn (September-November): Harvest time, fall colors, mushroom season, best weather
Rates & Booking
We rent the entire gîte, so you'll have the place to yourselves. Pricing varies by season - summer and harvest command higher rates, autumn and spring are better value.
Minimum Stay:
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3 nights most of the year
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5 nights during July-August and harvest season
What's Included:
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All utilities (electric, water, heat)
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Bed linens and towels
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Kitchen basics (oil, salt, pepper, coffee, tea)
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WiFi
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SKY TV
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Parking
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Estate grounds access
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Welcome bottles of our wine
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One wine tasting session
House Guidelines
Check-in: 3-7 PM | Check-out: 10 AM
(We are flexible with these times if the schedule allows - just ask)
Smoking: Outside only, please
Pets: Only small dogs because we have cattle and two dogs and cats of our own. Please contact us to discuss.
Noise: We're in the country, so are the neighbors. Quiet hours 11 PM-8 AM.
Maximum occupancy: 10 overnight guests
Cancellations:
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30+ days out: Full refund minus 10% admin fee
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15-29 days: 50% refund
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Under 15 days: No refund (travel insurance is smart)
Security deposit required, returned within a week of departure.
Getting Here
From Bordeaux Airport:
45-minute drive, very straightforward. Rent a car at the airport - you'll want one anyway. We can arrange a private transfer if you prefer not to drive right away.
From Bordeaux City:
40 minutes via D936, then country roads. We send detailed directions with landmarks (GPS sometimes gets creative out here).
From Paris:
TGV to Bordeaux (2 hours), then car. Or drive the whole way (6 hours) if you want to see the Loire Valley en route.
We provide exact GPS coordinates and detailed directions when you book. Private transfer service available for an extra fee.
Who Books Our Gîte
Families & Reunions
The layout works well for multiple generations - enough bedrooms that everyone has space. As the estate is a working vineyard, with tractors and large machinery in operation and cows wondering around the pastures, we recommend no children under the age of 12 years. Please call to discuss if you would like to bring young children.
Friends' Getaways
Four couples works perfectly. Bachelor and bachelorette parties too (as long as they observe quiet hours - we've learned to ask). Wine-focused friend trips are common. So are celebrations where the excuse is a birthday but really everyone just needed a break.
Wine Enthusiasts
If you're serious about Bordeaux, staying on a working estate gives you context you can't get from hotels. You'll understand terroir viscerally - seeing the soils, smelling harvest fermentation, tasting evolution in the glass. Many guests visit 3-4 estates daily then come back to discuss and compare. The dining table has hosted some very nerdy wine conversations.
Couples
Yes, it sleeps eight. But couples book the whole place for privacy and space. Romance improves with vineyard views and nobody else around. We've hosted anniversaries and honeymoons.
Questions People Ask
