Stage of the Camino
Stage Saint-Aubin-de-Blaye - Blaye
From Saint-Aubin-de-Blaye To Blaye
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Stage Description
A short stage that ends in Blaye, a town fortified by Vauban (17th century) on the shores of the Gironde estuary, the largest in Western Europe. The roughly 18 km run through the vineyards of the Côtes-de-Blaye. The Citadelle de Blaye, UNESCO World Heritage as part of the Fortifications of Vauban, offers spectacular views over the estuary.
A short, simple stage that leads the pilgrim to the shore of the Gironde estuary. Between Saint-Aubin-de-Blaye and Blaye the Way crosses the vineyards of the Blayais over gently rolling ground, with the horizon opening ever wider towards the water.
The route passes through Étauliers, the main intermediate village, with shops and cafés, and continues among wine estates of the Blaye-Côtes de Bordeaux appellation. Vines occupy the best-exposed slopes and alternate with meadows and small patches of woodland; to the west the marshes reclaimed from the estuary can be made out.
The brevity of the day allows an early arrival in Blaye and an afternoon devoted to the visit, which is the real substance of the stage. The town was a notable landmark on the pilgrim road: the Codex Calixtinus places here the tomb of Roland, in the vanished basilica of Saint-Romain, whose remains survive at the foot of the walls.
The citadel of Blaye, built by Vauban at the end of the seventeenth century, is an enclosure of more than thirty hectares, with barracks, monumental gateways and a former convent. Within it stand the ruins of the castle of the Rudel family, cradle of the troubadour Jaufré Rudel. Together with Fort Pâté, on an island in the river, and Fort Médoc, on the opposite bank, it formed the lock that protected Bordeaux; the ensemble is inscribed on the World Heritage List.
From the bastions there is a commanding view of the estuary, several kilometres wide, with its turbid waters and elongated islands. Blaye has all services and the landing stage from which, the following day, the crossing is made to the Médoc shore.
The route passes through Étauliers, the main intermediate village, with shops and cafés, and continues among wine estates of the Blaye-Côtes de Bordeaux appellation. Vines occupy the best-exposed slopes and alternate with meadows and small patches of woodland; to the west the marshes reclaimed from the estuary can be made out.
The brevity of the day allows an early arrival in Blaye and an afternoon devoted to the visit, which is the real substance of the stage. The town was a notable landmark on the pilgrim road: the Codex Calixtinus places here the tomb of Roland, in the vanished basilica of Saint-Romain, whose remains survive at the foot of the walls.
The citadel of Blaye, built by Vauban at the end of the seventeenth century, is an enclosure of more than thirty hectares, with barracks, monumental gateways and a former convent. Within it stand the ruins of the castle of the Rudel family, cradle of the troubadour Jaufré Rudel. Together with Fort Pâté, on an island in the river, and Fort Médoc, on the opposite bank, it formed the lock that protected Bordeaux; the ensemble is inscribed on the World Heritage List.
From the bastions there is a commanding view of the estuary, several kilometres wide, with its turbid waters and elongated islands. Blaye has all services and the landing stage from which, the following day, the crossing is made to the Médoc shore.
Last updated: 03/10/2026
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