Walk from the Chenal du Milieu to Château Gruaud-Larose

Park near the Pont de l’Archevêque.

(S/E) Set off westwards, taking the stony path on the north side of the Chenal du Milieu. Right from the start, looking north (on the right-hand side), there is a lovely view of the wine cellars at Château Beychevelle. Further on, still on the right-hand side, there is a lovely glimpse of Château Branaire-Ducru.

(1) After nearly a kilometre, at a bridge over the Chenal du Milieu, turn right onto a track heading north towards Beychevelle. As you approach the village, at a T-junction, turn left onto a wide track sloping down towards the south. On the right, there is a lovely view of Château Gruaud-Larose and its wine cellars.

.(2) At the next junction, take the path furthest to the right, which climbs slightly north-westwards before heading west. The track runs along the southern side of the estate and follows the wine cellars in a slight S-shape. Further on, the track descends gently and passes to the north of a sewage treatment plant. Go straight on across the junction immediately afterwards and continue to the next junction.

(3) Turn left onto a wide track that slopes gently down towards the Jalle du Nord. Cross it via a bridge and walk through a marsh, heading south. Just after a second bridge, the track reaches a T-junction.

(4) Turn left onto the stony track that runs along the southern side of the Chenal du Milieu. In this part of the Marais de Beychevelle, you may come across sheep in movable enclosures, each of which is guarded by a Patou-type dog. Further on, the route reaches the bridge.

(1). Cross the Chenal du Milieu via the bridge and immediately turn right onto the stony track on the northern side of the channel to return to the starting point (S/E).

The car park is located at the Pont de l’Archevêque (hunting car park below the locks).

This walk across varied terrain requires sturdy footwear. It is suitable for families with children capable of walking up to 6 km.

This route is not signposted, but presents no real difficulty. Consequently, it is advisable to follow the directions in this description and on the map, whilst also paying attention to the surrounding landscape. Distance markers from the starting point, or even the GPS coordinates of waypoints (including the start), can also help walkers find their way.

Using a GPS device or a smartphone with the Visorando app can make the walk easier.

Hike completed by the author on 6 October 2021

Château Gruaud-Larose
The first records of the Château date back to 1725 and to Joseph Stanislas Gruaud. His descendants, including Abbé Gruaud, expanded the estate, which by 1755 was producing sixty tonneaux of a wine that was already highly regarded. In 1778, the Château passed into the hands of Chevalier Joseph Sébastien Larose, husband of Joseph’s granddaughter. It was he who, in 1781, gave the estate its current name, having by then expanded it to 80 hectares. Following his death in 1812, the Château was sold at auction to a consortium of three families. The wine was classified as a Second Growth in 1855. In 1867, disagreements amongst the owners led to the estate being split into two separate estates, which were not reunited until 1935 following purchases by the Cordier family.
After passing into the hands of institutional investors such as Alcatel Alsthom in 1993 – which enabled significant investment, particularly in the renovation of the cellars – the Château was purchased in 1997 by Bernard Taillan, a company owned by Jacques Merlaut, a wine merchant and owner of Bordeaux châteaux. His son, Jean Merlaut, is now in charge of the estate.

The vineyards cover 80 ha and are planted on Garonne gravel over a clay-limestone subsoil, with a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (61 per cent), Merlot (29 per cent), Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot (5 per cent each). The average age of the vines is 43 years.
Source: Le Figaro website / Wine