Cadillac, the Dukes of Epernon’s history and its bastide to discover near Bordeaux!

This small town has kept vestiges from past centuries that you never tire of admiring while walking around the ramparts and in the heart of the fortified town.

If you are from Gironde and you do not know it yet, now is the time to discover it.

A magnificent medieval city!

The city of Cadillac was built in 1280, its ramparts and its gates were built in the 14th century.

Arriving at Cadillac from Bordeaux, you absolutely cannot miss the Dukes of Epernon’s castle, dominating the city. It’s a castle whose imposing stature recalls the prestigious history of its owners. The powerful and very wealthy first Duke of Epernon, Jean-Louis de Nogaret de la Vallette, was Henry III's favourite.

The history of this 17th century residence has been rather eventful, but that is also what makes it unique. To know more about it, you can visit the castle all year long.

And why not combine a visit to the castle with that of the bastide? We advise you to pause our Un Village en Gironde audioguide to visit the castle of Cadillac and then resume the course of the audioguided visit at your own pace.

During this visit you will stroll around the ramparts and inside the bastide, you will saunter under the hall, and enter the Saint-Blaise Saint-Martin church in which is erected a funeral chapel that the 1st Duke of Epernon had it built out of love for his late wife Marguerite de Foix Candale. At the entrance to this building, another chapel, the Saint-Blaise Chapel, houses the bones-relics of Blessed Jean-Joseph Lataste who was the chaplain of the prison for women at the Château de Cadillac and who contributed to the evolution of the public opinion towards women leaving prison. Cadillac's private college and school bear his name in his memory.

It's good to live in Cadillac! It is so pleasant to walk in the pretty flowered alleys like the Rue Sarrazine, Rue de la Chapelle and Rue de la Tour. We like to take advantage of the terraces of the city's bars and restaurants, look at the pretty shop windows and of course come to the famous market which has been held every Saturday morning in the market hall since the Middle Ages! With the French accent of the South-West as a bonus to complete your change of scenery!

Cadillac is also: a good glass of wine and a beautiful vintage car!!!

Leaving Cadillac without having tasted a wine from this appellation is not possible!!! La Maison des Vins in La Closière, at the exit of the town on the road to Langon, is an essential place when you are passing through Cadillac. A visit is essential for a tasting and to understand the specificities of this appellation. Go check it out, they are very friendly!

Even though Cadillac-sur-Garonne has nothing to do with the legendary car, yet more than twenty years ago, during the village festivals, an association of the time called "Balades en Cadillac" brought for the occasion some luxurious models and offered the public rides around the city.

What an honor to have been able to take a Cadillac ride in Cadillac! It is so classy, isn’t it?

Finally we can tell you that Cadillac is an amazing little town steeped in history but also an essential stopover during your stay in Gironde. Thanks to our audioguided tour, Cadillac will have no more secrets for you! You will leave won over by this pretty bastide!