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Staying at Château de Mercuès
Perched on a hill overlooking the Lot Valley and the Cahors vineyards, Château de Mercuès is a 13th-century castle with a rich and eventful history. Once the summer residence of the Count-Bishops of Cahors, it played a role during the Hundred Years’ War and the Wars of Religion, suffering occupation, looting and fire over the centuries.
After passing through several hands and periods of neglect and restoration, the château was acquired in 1983 by Georges Vigouroux, a Cahors winemaker captivated by this exceptional place. He undertook major renovation work to restore Mercuès to its former glory and bring it back into the prestigious Relais & Châteaux collection.
Weekend around the city of Cahors
Cahors wine weekend
2 days / 1 night from €490 pp
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Restaurants and rooms of the Château
This magnificent medieval castle, which is also a vineyard estate, offers you today to stay in one of their 24 rooms, divided into several categories, and their 6 suites as luxurious as unusual, all with an impregnable view on the vineyard of The valley or on the garden of the property.
Concerning its food offerings, you must know that Château de Mercuès has two restaurants, both led by their chef Julien Poisot: "Le Bistrot du Château" which offers you the opportunity to have lunch on the terrace with a view overlooking the Vallée du Lot and the gourmet restaurant "Le Duèze" which offers a selection of exceptional products, subtle variations and marriages of bold flavors. The chef Julien Poisot finds his inspiration among local producers and his table has acquired an international reputation for the wonders he concocts with the black truffles of Lalbenque, saffron and Quercy lamb. His card is based on the great wines of Malbec and the vintage produced and raised in the château, because before becoming owner, Mr. Vigouroux is the winemaker.
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Wines and activities
Château de Mercuès is not only a remarkable place to stay, but also a wine estate dedicated to producing and ageing exceptional Cahors wines. When Georges Vigouroux acquired the château, he quickly recognised the potential of its vineyard. Set along the Lot River, with its winding slopes and natural temperature regulation, the estate benefits from favourable conditions for growing high-quality grapes. Its location between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic also brings the right balance of rainfall and humidity for the vines.
Georges Vigouroux set about restructuring the vineyard on the gravelly slopes around Caillac and Mercuès, replanting the best clay-limestone plots with Malbec, the signature grape variety of Cahors. Today, the vineyard covers 32 hectares. Beneath the château gardens, he also built an impressive underground winery for winemaking and ageing, carved directly into the rock. This spectacular cellar is one of the highlights of the estate.
During your stay at this unique “wine château hotel”, you can visit the underground winery and taste several of the estate’s finest Malbec cuvées.