Monolithic Church of Saint-Emilion

A very interesting tour with a great guide at a sensible price. This is not only an intriguing tour but it continues to be available out of the main season so a great activity to book in case it’s raining or indeed too hot! As it happened the weather on the day was perfect, and an allowed us an out of season uncrowded walk around a still very lively and beautiful Saint Emilion and an outside drink in the square by the church. A big success for my group of 6 friends.

196 steps to the top but the views make up for everything and more. we came here late on a Sunday afternoon and had the whole place to ourselves bar another group of 3 :) stunning! And a great place to kickstart our st emilion maiden trip

We stumbled across the tower in Saint Emilion. It’s a beautiful centerpiece of the town. We were delighted to hear we could go up to the view tower for just €2 pp.

It is accessed through a small door which can be opened with a key that you will receive from the tourist office located in the middle of the town beside the structure. They hold onto a form of ID in return for the key and you will receive it back once the key is returned.

The photos speak for themselves! If you’re visiting Saint Emilion, definitely check it out.

At the heart of the city, the monolithic church reminds the religious activity of the city in the Middle Ages and intrigues by its unusual design. If it shows itself in the eyes of the visitor by the position of a 68-meter-high bell tower - take you time, climb it till the top and take some pictures

Very interesting place when done as part of a tour to understand the history and politics of the region and era.

Lots of steps and uneven floors however so consider this if you have any mobility issues whatsoever.

No photos or videos are allowed in the monuments, so be sure to take your time and take picture in your head to take away!

AMAZING CHURCH INSIDE, GREAT VIEWS OUTSIDE Stunning centerpiece of the town of Saint Emilion, it's the landmark that you'll remember. The church inside is beautiful and on a sunny day, the sun streams in through the stained glass windows.

Beautiful to look at on the inside, it also has some amazing medieval cloisters that you can walk around. The views and pictures that you'll get from it are amazing and there's a lookout point just outside that you will be able to see the whole town from.

You can really feel what life is really like in the middle of the French countryside from here. Really amazing experience if you come here.

Beautiful church and when we were there a market was running just outside on the grounds. Plenty of people wandering and enjoying what was on offer. The cathedral itself is worth a visit, as it was quite stunning inside. The market had everything from bread and cheese to oysters and beer. The market is just down and around a hallway, so not very spacious, but a great experience.

The church and Saint Emillion in general are great tourist attractions worth visiting.

A day trip to St Emilion and a very unusual place to visit. Not just visit but learn about it too with a local guide who spoke great English. The history about the parts that you see is exceptionally interesting and actually seeing everything in the flesh (so to speak) makes for a better experience.
We booked online (which I think is cheaper) but also secures a place on the English speaking tour - which I'd recommend you do regardless of any discount, just to make sure there are spaces. Ours soon filled up and only had a few spaces left.
it takes about an hour and is definitely worth the time - even better if you miss the showers that are synonymous with the area! You can't take photos for reasons explained but that will not detract from your experience.

What a fabulous place to view Saint Émilion from. At the top of the tower you can see 365° around the city. I visited in December so there weren’t many tourists around. Directly across from the tower you can sign out the key which allows entry into the tower and climb for a spectacular view. Highly recommend.

Did a guided tour in English of the monolithic church, run by the Tourist Office. Lidie was our guide and the best guide we’ve ever had. There were four of us (about 15 in the tour) and we all thought Lidie was fantastic. Enthusiastic, knowledgeable, funny, passionate. A truly excellent guide. A great tour. Thank you!

Highlight of St Emilion for me. Get a key from the tourist office for 2 EUR. 196 steps up, with great views from the very top. Nobody else was in there at the time.

In comparison, the Bordeaux cathedral's similar bell tower is 6 EUR, but you need an allotted time slot, has more steps, was quite busy, and has more monotonous views across the city centre. But a good view of the cathedral.

Really nice guided tour. The church is incredible.

A beautiful church with a lantern on top.

An absolutely stunning place to visit. An incredible church, mostly underground, and great to walk around the shops and cafes.

Amazing place worth the effort to visit 1hr from Bordeaux by bus 304

Beautiful church, I suggest to go up to the tower, it costs 2 euro and it is really worth it!

Outstanding historic church with an excellent guided tour in excellent English by Cecile! She added little touches of humour which were very amusing! A quite astonishing feat of “construction” - just a shame no photos are allowed but we understand why. Definitely one to do again. Thank you Cecile - you are a credit to the Office du Tourisme

The guided tour of the monolithic church was very good (English tours are available and tickets can be purchased from the tourist office). Unfortunately, pictures are not allowed inside. Abandonment at various points in the past means the interior is a bit baren, but still incredible that it was all carved out of the rock. There are also a few remaining carvings that can be seen decorating the interior. Worth visiting!

Carved from the stone, some 5 meters high. But damp, no pics allowed inside. Most all ornamentation removed or destroyed during the Revolution. Very impressive to visit.

Took half day wine tasting St. Emilion tour. Learned so much about the appellations and wine in this region. Very enjoyable and relaxed tour. Beautiful medieval town!