Left bank
The Médoc, the left bank
The Lamarque ramp opens straight onto the D2, the Route des Châteaux. It is the most direct link between the right bank and the classed growths, without going through Bordeaux.
The port at Lamarque opens directly onto the D2, known as the Route des Châteaux. It runs from Bordeaux to Soulac over roughly 100 km and crosses five appellations: Haut-Médoc, Margaux, Saint-Julien, Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe. You do not drive to it, you are on it the moment you leave the ramp.
From the right bank, reaching Margaux by road means going up to Bordeaux and back down the Médoc. By ferry it is 20 minutes of estuary and you are in the vineyard.
What lies either side of Lamarque
| Direction | Appellation | From the ramp | What sets it apart |
|---|---|---|---|
| South | Margaux | 11 km, 15 min | With Pauillac, the appellation holding the most 1855 classified châteaux |
| Around you | Haut-Médoc | On the spot | The appellation surrounding Lamarque, with estates far easier to visit |
| North | Saint-Julien | 11 km, 15 min | The most compact of the great appellations, almost entirely classed growths |
| North | Pauillac | 15 km, 20 min | Three of the five 1855 first growths: Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild and Latour |
| Further north | Saint-Estèphe | 25 km, 30 min | The last of the classified appellations, before the vineyard gives way to pine forest |
Fort Médoc, beside the ramp
At Cussac-Fort-Médoc, next to Lamarque, stands the third piece of Vauban's estuary lock: Fort Médoc. With the citadel at Blaye opposite and Fort Pâté on its island mid-river, it closed the approach to Bordeaux by crossfire.
The ferry crosses the same stretch of the estuary, which makes it the most direct way to see all three points of the system in a single day. The citadel on the other bank.
Visiting the châteaux
The rule is simple: the better known the name, the earlier you must book. First growths receive visitors by appointment, often several days ahead and sometimes only on weekdays. Estates in Haut-Médoc, Listrac and Moulis, around Lamarque, are far more accessible and cost less.
For a day trip, plan two visits at most. Decide who is driving before you start: every estate puts spittoons on the table, and a taxi is simpler than a roadside test. Between the driving, the tasting and the ferry time on the way back, a third turns the day into a race. The full loop from Bordeaux.
Check the last sailing before you open a bottle
In summer there are sailings into the evening. Out of season the last one goes considerably earlier, and missing it means 84 km around Bordeaux. Check the timetable for your date.
Staying near the Lamarque ramp
The village itself and its immediate surroundings, for anyone who wants to be on the ramp for the first sailing.
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Getting back
The ramp is at Le Port, 33460 Lamarque. As on the way out, allow the recommended 30 min before departure with a vehicle. Sunday evenings are the busiest.
Questions about the Médoc
Where does the Route des Châteaux start from the ferry?
At the exit of the Lamarque ramp. The D2, known as the Route des Châteaux, runs through the village: south towards Margaux, north towards Saint-Julien and Pauillac. You are on it as soon as you drive off.
Can you visit châteaux without an appointment?
Rarely. Most classed growths receive visitors by appointment only, often several days ahead. Smaller estates in the Haut-Médoc, Listrac and Moulis appellations are far more open to visitors who simply turn up.
Which appellations does the road cross?
Five, south to north: Haut-Médoc, Margaux, Saint-Julien, Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe. The 1855 classification lists 60 Médoc châteaux, and Pauillac alone holds three of the five first growths.
Is the ferry practical for a day in the Médoc?
Yes, provided you watch the time for the return. In summer there are up to 10 sailings, but out of season the last one leaves in the early evening. A tasting that overruns can cost you the detour through Bordeaux.
Sources
Updated: September 2026