The “Jurisdiction of St-Emilion” is in effect what is called a “cultural landscape” in other WHS inscriptions. It is a historic landscape which has been developed over many centuries for the production of wine.

We found this an interesting concept and one which is important enough within French history and culture to justify its inscription. Though how “unique” the “Jurisdiction” is among French wine growing areas I don’t know – but they did get in first! This mediaeval status, granted in the 12th century and still pursued with accompanying traditional rites, has been used as a significant reason under criterion iv for choosing St-Emelion – as long as France doesn’t start inscribing wine regions as frequently as it inscribes religious buildings! You think I joke? In fact France already has 2 more wine growing areas as sites on its Tentative List – Vignoble Champenois and Cotes de Nuits de Beaune. Other countries have their claims too - Hungary has already had its Tokaji Wine Region Cultural Landscape inscribed and Spain has a “Cultural Route of the Vine" in its tentative list!

St-Emilion itself is very pleasant and very “French” medieval town with ramparts, narrow streets, Chateau and Market Place . The “shopping opportunities” are exploited to the full and at times you feel that you are walking through an enormous outdoor “wine hypermarket”! The little Museum of Viticulture supports this selling effort but is interesting enough – I particularly remember an enormous wall sized map showing every field in the “Jurisdiction” and the type/quality of wine it delivers! But you can easily escape to the countryside and the views across the vineyards.