3D

Terroir · Bordeaux in 3D

Saint-Estèphe in 3D

Saint-Estèphe, from Vertheuil to the estuary. A block of 16 by 13 km: the relief measured by IGN, with the rock, the soil and the old maps laid over it, to turn, cut and read.

In 3D

Saint-Estèphe, from Vertheuil to the estuary, seen from the southwest, heights exaggerated 4 times.
Saint-Estèphe, from Vertheuil to the estuary, seen from the southwest, heights exaggerated 4 times.

How IGN measured this relief: 100% airborne laser (LiDAR), error under 30 cm. Plain pale blue: the open water of the estuary, which the geological map leaves blank (21.3% of the block).

The formations of the geological map, from the largest area of the block to the smallest (20)
  • FMy3-z Schorre actuel et fossile de l'Estuaire de la GirondeRiver and estuary deposits of today; 27.9% of the block
  • Fvb(G) Hautes terrasses (RG Garonne) - Terrasse de Martillac (type 2) indifférenciée et terrasse d'ArsacIce age river terraces: sand, gravel, pebbles; 9.8% of the block
  • Fva(G) Très hautes terrasses (RG Garonne) - Terrasse de Léognan (type 1) indifférenciée et terrasse de ListracIce age river terraces: sand, gravel, pebbles; 9.1% of the block
  • Mz Slikke actuel de l'estuaire de la GirondeRiver and estuary deposits of today; 8.7% of the block
  • CFp Formations superficiellesSlope wash and cover; 7.3% of the block
  • g1-Ar Calcaire à ArchiacinaStarfish limestone and marine marls; 3.3% of the block
  • e7b-C Groupe de Plassac - CalcareniteOlder sea limestones and marls; 3.1% of the block
  • e7b-G Groupe de Plassac - Grès à AnomiesOlder sea limestones and marls; 2.5% of the block
  • g1-As Calcaire à AstériesStarfish limestone and marine marls; 1.8% of the block
  • e7a-Ce Groupe de Plassac - Calcaires de St EstepheOlder sea limestones and marls; 1.6% of the block
  • SLk Sables des LandesLandes sand and the oldest river deposits; 1.3% of the block
  • g1-Ac Formation de Castillon - Argiles Vertes de Castillon (et formation de la Bessède)Lake limestones and clays; 0.5% of the block
  • FMz Schorre actuel de l'estuaire de la GirondeRiver and estuary deposits of today; 0.5% of the block
  • e7b-A Groupe de Plassac - Faciès régréssif d'Artigues, faciès à AnomiesOlder sea limestones and marls; 0.4% of the block
  • g1-Mb Marnes de bel AirStarfish limestone and marine marls; 0.3% of the block
  • e7b-Ms Groupe de Plassac - Marnes à sismondia occitana et ostrea bernonensis (supérieures)Older sea limestones and marls; 0.2% of the block
  • Xr AnthropiqueSlope wash and cover; 0.1% of the block
  • g1-Ml Marnes à LongirostrisStarfish limestone and marine marls; 0.1% of the block
  • e6b-Ac Groupe de Plassac - Argiles à ostrea cucullarisOlder sea limestones and marls; under 0.1% of the block
  • e7-g1 Molasses du Fronsadais indifférenciéesMolasses: sands and clays of old rivers and lakes; under 0.1% of the block

The layers under the surface, in The Descent: Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, Haut-Médoc.

Sources: IGN, RGE ALTI 5 m, Gironde, edition of April 19, 2021, Licence Ouverte 2.0; BRGM, BD Charm-50, Gironde (GEO050K_HARM_033), Licence Ouverte 2.0; INRAE, Référentiel Régional Pédologique de la Gironde à 1/250 000 (Richer de Forges 2020, doi 10.15454/6BX5D7), Licence Ouverte Etalab 2.0; unit outlines from IGN’s Géoplateforme; INAO, délimitation parcellaire des AOC viticoles, file of October 12, 2026, Licence Ouverte; BRGM, Banque du sous-sol (BSS), Gironde export; logs as printed in the BRGM notices at 1/50,000; API Géo (geo.api.gouv.fr): town halls and commune names; IGN Géoplateforme (data.geopf.fr): SCAN EM 40K, BD ORTHO Historique, BD ORTHO; Licence Ouverte.

The height of each formation

The height above sea level of the land where each formation of BRGM’s geological map comes to the surface in this block, from IGN’s RGE ALTI heights read every 10 m.

CodeFormation, as printedFamilyShare of the blockMedian height8 tenths between
FMy3-z Schorre actuel et fossile de l'Estuaire de la Gironde River and estuary deposits of today 27.9% 2 m 1 to 4 m
Fvb(G) Hautes terrasses (RG Garonne) - Terrasse de Martillac (type 2) indifférenciée et terrasse d'Arsac Ice age river terraces: sand, gravel, pebbles 9.8% 17 m 8 to 23 m
Fva(G) Très hautes terrasses (RG Garonne) - Terrasse de Léognan (type 1) indifférenciée et terrasse de Listrac Ice age river terraces: sand, gravel, pebbles 9.1% 28 m 22 to 31 m
Mz Slikke actuel de l'estuaire de la Gironde River and estuary deposits of today 8.7% -2 m -2 to 1 m
CFp Formations superficielles Slope wash and cover 7.3% 8 m 4 to 18 m
g1-Ar Calcaire à Archiacina Starfish limestone and marine marls 3.3% 26 m 21 to 29 m
e7b-C Groupe de Plassac - Calcarenite Older sea limestones and marls 3.1% 10 m 5 to 15 m
e7b-G Groupe de Plassac - Grès à Anomies Older sea limestones and marls 2.5% 9 m 4 to 14 m
g1-As Calcaire à Astéries Starfish limestone and marine marls 1.8% 27 m 19 to 30 m
e7a-Ce Groupe de Plassac - Calcaires de St Estephe Older sea limestones and marls 1.6% 8 m 4 to 17 m
SLk Sables des Landes Landes sand and the oldest river deposits 1.3% 18 m 7 to 27 m
g1-Ac Formation de Castillon - Argiles Vertes de Castillon (et formation de la Bessède) Lake limestones and clays 0.5% 18 m 11 to 23 m
FMz Schorre actuel de l'estuaire de la Gironde River and estuary deposits of today 0.5% 3 m -2 to 5 m
e7b-A Groupe de Plassac - Faciès régréssif d'Artigues, faciès à Anomies Older sea limestones and marls 0.4% 12 m 4 to 25 m
g1-Mb Marnes de bel Air Starfish limestone and marine marls 0.3% 15 m 9 to 21 m
e7b-Ms Groupe de Plassac - Marnes à sismondia occitana et ostrea bernonensis (supérieures) Older sea limestones and marls 0.2% 12 m 5 to 15 m
Xr Anthropique Slope wash and cover 0.1% 8 m 5 to 14 m
g1-Ml Marnes à Longirostris Starfish limestone and marine marls 0.1% 19 m 16 to 23 m

The appellations

The AOC delimited areas inside the block (INAO parcel delimitation of October 12, 2026).

The measured lines

The sections of the appellation pages that run through the block. In the 3D view, each one cuts the block.

Boreholes with a printed log

BRGM holds a verified log for 15 boreholes in this block.

The soils

The units of the soil map of the Gironde at 1/250,000, from the largest area of the block to the smallest. Each unit groups several soil types.

  • UCS 109 SOLS PROFONDS, SABLEUX, SUR GRAVES DU MEDOC: 9.8%
  • UCS 110 SOLS ISSUS DU RECOUVREMENT DES GRAVES DU MEDOC PAR DU SABLE DES LANDES: 9.5%
  • UCS 111 SOLS MINCES SUR CALCAIRES ET MARNE DE LISTRAC, DU MEDOC: 9.4%
  • UCS 8 MARAIS DE L'ESTUAIRE DE LA GIRONDE: 8%
  • UCS -4 COURS D'EAU: 7.4%
  • UCS 112 SOLS CALCAIRES PLUS OU MOINS MINCES SUR CALCAIRES DU MEDOC: 6.7%
  • UCS 14 PALUS DE L'ESTUAIRE DE LA GIRONDE: 6.6%
  • UCS 62 LANDE HUMIDE: 5.4%
  • UCS 16 DEPRESSIONS TOURBEUSES DE L'ESTUAIRE DE LA GIRONDE: 4.4%
  • UCS 12 MATTES DE L'ESTUAIRE DE LA GIRONDE: 3%
  • UCS 73 SURFACE PLANE SABLEUSE, ACIDE, HYDROMORPHE DES LANDES DE GASCOGNE SUR LES GRAVIERS DU MEDOC: 2.5%
  • UCS 15 PALUS HUMIDES DE L'ESTUAIRE DE LA GIRONDE: 2.2%
  • UCS -6 ZONE URBANISEE: 2.2%
  • UCS 9 SOLS DES ILES DE LA GIRONDE: 1.7%
  • UCS 10 ATTERRISSEMENTS ACTUELS PERIODIQUEMENT SUBMERGES DE L'ESTUAIRE DE LA GIRONDE (SLIKKE): 0.9%
  • UCS 72 SURFACE PLANE SABLEUSE, ACIDE, DES LANDES DE GASCOGNE SUR LES GRAVIERS DE LA REGION DES GRAVES: 0.5%

The other blocks

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