Exploring Paulliac and the Medoc wine areas
February 22, 2013 59 Comments
The little girl among the wild flowers
The wines of Paulliac came highly recommended from the marquis of the chateau where we stayed in Alencon. Since it was our first time to be in the area, we had no clue as to what can be expected. We were pleasantly surprised during the drive to Paulliac as we passed through scenic vineyards, lovely wine chateaus and fields of wild blooms.
Paulliac lies on the banks of the Gironde estuary and it could this crucial geographical location and geological phenomenon that account for the special quality of red wines from this area.
We took our time savoring a lovely lunch of seafoods in one of the many nice restaurants along the harbor. On the way back, we stop by a lovely wine chateau along the way and just took our time to savor the blissful atmosphere under the blue skies. We also made a short stop at a field of wild blooms and really had a great time savoring nature’s incredible ability to create beauty that pleases the senses.
One of the many vineyards and wine chateaus
Paulliac
Seafood paella
Seafood lunch
The harbor of Paulliac
The Gironde Estuary – it’s mineral-rich waters could be the reason why the wine in this area is special.
Our family
She’s one little comic
Also a good tattoo artist
And an acrobat
Father and daughter
Father and daughter
Paulliac
Wine chateau
Me and my little girl
Prized grapes
Vineyards
Father and daughter
Father and daughter
Wine chateau
A little girl in the vineyard
A cross structure in the middle of the vineyard
Field of wild blooms
Can’t resist to do flower-picking
My little girl among wild blooms
Flower girl
Father and daughter
Our family
Flower girl
Of course, she loves lady bugs
Fort Medoc
Entrance of Fort Medoc
Display of period costumes inside the main building of Fort Medoc
A bit of history on Fort Medoc
About Malou
Gorgeous photos! It’s hard to pic a favorite, but if I had to it would be the ladybug one. I love ladybugs and your daughter is so adorable…
Oops…that would be “pick”.
Thank you, Micha.
Looks like you are having a lovely time.
Indeed we had a lovely time out there.
Perfect antidote to bitter winter weather and grey skies!
Those flower meadows look wonderful, too.
The memories of warm summer keep me going at this time of the year, Michael.
Your posts are so wonderful! The photos are excellent and your little girl is so adorable! How wonderful these trips are for all of you – excellent family memories.
Thank you, John.
Wonderful pictures…Your daughter is certainly gaining a heart full of lovely memories…the pink flowers–cosmos? a kind of poppy?–are glorious against the blue sky, especially as I’m looking at another snowfall outside my window.
Thank you!
When reminded of glorious summer days, then the freezing temp outside becomes bearable.
Not sure what’s the name of these flowers but they are lovely in such a surrounding.
Beautiful photos as always, Malou.
Thank you, Jennifer.
WOW, the fields of flowers are beautiful!
Your little girl is going to have so many wonderful memories of your vacations! I hope you’re creating an album for her. My parents gave me an album of family photographs when I was about thirty and it’s one of my most treasured possessions. I suspect many albums will be electronic in the future, but old-fashioned print photos will never become obsolete! These photos made me want to be a little girl again.
I’m still to make that album for her. With so many pictures, I always have difficulties at making selections. A colleague showed me a nicely printed photo book which looks like a coffee table book and it is something that I’m thinking of doing when I have a bit of time and can organize my pictures.
Thank you for the suggestion. Indeed old-fashioned print photos will never lose their charm.
The coffee table book sounds great!
Your photos are always so beautiful and it looks like you captured the essence of a wonderful day! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Audrey.
Such beautiful colors… and your beautiful daughter is getting so tall!
Thank you. She’s indeed getting so tall that in a few years, I’ll be the shortest in the family.
Malou! What beautiful sunny pictures! Your little girl is a flower. So lovely to see you all doing so well. My warmest wishes for a Happy New Year! Hugs, Sharon
Thank you, Sharon. These pictures were from last summer but I’m now looking forward to the coming summer (although it is still freezing here). You too, all the best wishes in this new year.
The seafood paella looks delicious! Wonderful photos of you and the family plus great sights to see. I’d love to visit this part of France someday. Thanks for the preview!
Thank you. I can definitely recommend to you this part of France.
Those fields of wild flowers are spectacular!
Thank you, Lance.
All beautiful photos but my favorites are of your daughter in the flower fields. They look like poppies.
Thank you. I love those pictures in the flower fields too.
Great post. and what lovely family you have… many blessings!
Thank you, Cynthia Ann.
Sehr schöner Beitrag
Gruß aus Berlin Michael
Vielen dank, Michael.
You have so many beautiful pictures I was trying to keep the ones I wanted to mention in mind but then I kept seeing more! HAHA! I love the acrobat shot of your daughter in front of that beautiful building, really adorable. I love the red roses in front of the building, really great angle, and then all the shots of your daughter in the field of flowers! Always great surprises when I see your pictures
Thank you. For one who’s keen on photography like you, France is a great place. Lots of wonderful subjects to choose from. My daughter provides the unexpected in my pictures like that acrobat shot.
HAHA Always a ready model to photograph huh? My husband isn’t so keen on letting me photograph him as often as I’d like HAHA! I’ll have to try and visit there someday
Your pictures are always a delight, and the writing is equally a pleasure. This time though, I couldn’t really get enthusiastic about your darling sticking her tongue out at the camera… but I suppose it is a sign of the times…
Thank you, Shimon. My little girl is just a little comic, a bit naughty but she is really sweet in many ways.
Everything is so very spectacular, Malou! The fields, the buildings, the countryside, the food–all so very lush and inviting! Thank you so much for sharing these images…she is growing so quickly, and more beautiful each time you post her images! I’m so pleased to see a ‘happy family’ truly enjoying themselves AND each other! You are one lucky (and blessed) gal!
Thank you. We are such big fans of France because there is just so much to see and do out there. The countryside is full of surprises and that’s simply perfect for a simple family like ours who love nature and a bit of history.
I have only been in the south, and that was over thirty years ago, Malou…I’m certain much has changed. But you seek beauty for your images (as do I), so I thank you profusely for not only these tours, but to see little Francesca (I think?) growing to be more beautiful than the Nature which surrounds her!
Beautiful pictures as always. Thank you for sharing your trips with us.
Thank you.
I always look forward to your photo collections. These are very beautiful, and make me want to visit Paulliac.
Thank you. Paulliac and its surrounding areas come highly recommended as a must-see.
Beautiful photos Malou!! Your daughter is adorable
Thank you, Anne.
I just can’t get over how beautiful that field of flowers is. You always find the best places, Malou
Those flower fields are just so charming. Can hardly get enough of them.
Love, love, love the pix of the wil blooms & your daughter. Beautiful all the way around!
Thank you, Rosy.
Is it just me or did your daughter just suddenly grow up? gorgeous pictures as always
Yes, she’s growing up so fast.
This place is now on my list of places to see and enjoy!
Yes, highly recommended.
Pretty photos!!! You have one cute little lady who caught a lady bug. =)
Photos of her on the flower field are amazing!!!
Thank you.
Lovely photos. My partner cycled through that area last year. I’m not sure about you but he didn’t partake in much wine in that wonderful area. He was afraid he’ll get too tipsy since he really did have to cycle hundreds of km… I think he did well over 1,000 km. As a cyclist one has to keep on moving to see lots.
Thank you, Jean. Too bad that your partner didn’t have the time to linger, savor the wine and smell the flowers.