You will be welcomed by your hosts Sylvaine and Jacques. We lived a fairly international life before settling in Saint-Estèphe in the Médoc region. We spent 23 years on the East Coast of the United States, where we initially moved for work. After more than two decades in America, we lived near Zurich in Switzerland for three years, then spent six years in Spain near Madrid. When it was time to return to France in 2021, we chose the Bordeaux region because it offers easy connections to Paris and London, where Jacques still has to travel from time to time for work. We love being so close to the Atlantic beaches. Although neither of us is originally from this region, we quickly fell in love with the Médoc and its vineyards.

Welcome to Château Papounan, a charming 19th-century guest house nestled in the heart of the Saint-Estèphe vineyards in the Médoc region. Our property is surrounded by renowned wine châteaux, just 25 minutes from the Atlantic beaches and an hour from Bordeaux. While we are fortunate to have beautiful views of the Garonne estuary, what our guests seem to appreciate most is the warm welcome. They often tell us that they feel like they are staying with old friends. We love sharing our passion for the region by helping guests discover local wineries, recommending good restaurants, and sometimes even sharing a glass of wine in our garden. We cultivate our own plot of vines adjacent to the château. After winter pruning, trellising, lifting, and harvesting in September, the grapes are sent to the local cooperative to produce the “Marquis de Saint-Estèphe.”

Château Papounan is nestled in the heart of Saint-Estèphe, a village with 60 châteaux, including 5 classified growths and 36 bourgeois growths. It is located close to the church, which is listed as a historic monument, and a stone's throw from the prestigious châteaux of Calon Segur and Phélan Segur. The sandy beaches are 25 minutes away and Bordeaux is 1 hour away.