Stage of the Camino
Stage Description
A stage that crosses the Gironde estuary by boat (the traditional service from Blaye to Lamarque) and heads into the Médoc, the heartland of the great Bordeaux wines. The roughly 19 km after the crossing run through legendary vineyards (Margaux, Saint-Julien, Pauillac) and wine châteaux. Blanquefort is an industrial town in the metropolitan belt of Bordeaux.
An unusual day, which begins with a boat crossing. From the port of Blaye a ferry crosses the Gironde estuary to Lamarque, on the Médoc shore; the passage takes around half an hour and allows the citadel to be seen from the water. Timetables vary with the season, so it is advisable to check them the day before and plan the departure around the first sailing.
On the left bank the landscape changes completely. The Médoc is a narrow strip of gravel between the estuary and the pine forest, given over almost entirely to the vine, where some of the most renowned red wines in the world are made. A short distance from the landing stage lies Fort Médoc, part of the defensive system devised by Vauban.
The Way heads south along local roads and tracks among vineyards, passing through villages such as Arcins, Soussans and Margaux, whose name denotes one of the most celebrated appellations. The great estates, with their nineteenth-century châteaux, tree-lined avenues and cellars, follow one another along the route. The ground is flat and the surface comfortable, though with little shade.
Further on, through Cantenac, Macau and Ludon-Médoc, the vines begin to alternate with damp meadows and marshland close to the Garonne. At Parempuyre the surroundings start to become suburban.
Blanquefort, already within the Bordeaux metropolitan area, preserves the ruins of a medieval fortress that guarded the northern approach to the city and the Parc de Majolan, a landscaped garden of the late nineteenth century. The town offers all services and leaves the pilgrim a short stage from the centre of Bordeaux.
On the left bank the landscape changes completely. The Médoc is a narrow strip of gravel between the estuary and the pine forest, given over almost entirely to the vine, where some of the most renowned red wines in the world are made. A short distance from the landing stage lies Fort Médoc, part of the defensive system devised by Vauban.
The Way heads south along local roads and tracks among vineyards, passing through villages such as Arcins, Soussans and Margaux, whose name denotes one of the most celebrated appellations. The great estates, with their nineteenth-century châteaux, tree-lined avenues and cellars, follow one another along the route. The ground is flat and the surface comfortable, though with little shade.
Further on, through Cantenac, Macau and Ludon-Médoc, the vines begin to alternate with damp meadows and marshland close to the Garonne. At Parempuyre the surroundings start to become suburban.
Blanquefort, already within the Bordeaux metropolitan area, preserves the ruins of a medieval fortress that guarded the northern approach to the city and the Parc de Majolan, a landscaped garden of the late nineteenth century. The town offers all services and leaves the pilgrim a short stage from the centre of Bordeaux.
Last updated: 03/10/2026
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