Château les Grandes Murailles
The seeds for the town of St Emilion were sown in the 8th century, when a hermit settled in the woods. Named Emilion (sometimes this is written Emilian, or Aemilio), this hermit monk soon developed a bit of a reputation for miracles. His acts attracted disciples, and before long his cave was surrounded by a pious monastic settlement. He eventually died in 767, and after his death the monks who had followed him here commemorated his life by carving out the monolithic church around which grew the town of St Emilion.
By the 12th century, St Emilion – as it was now named – was the second largest town in the region after Bordeaux. With its monastic origins it was a magnet to various religious groups, which accounts for the numerous churches, monasteries, priories and convents dotted around the town. These include the Collegiate church and cloisters, the Cordeliers cloisters, the remains of the Ursuline convent and there was also a great Dominican monastery situated near the top of the town.
This once grand monastery served as a temporary place of refuge to French troops during the early stages of the Hundred Years’ War, and sadly this ultimately secured its fate, which was near-total destruction. Today only one ruined wall (pictured) still stands, towering above the surrounding vineyards and the nearby town. The tiny plot of vines that sits in the shadow of this great wall – or grande muraille – have unsurprisingly been named for this monument, and have been known as Les Grandes Murailles since at least the 19th century.
