Throughout the history of winegrowing, experience has shown that producing a great Bordeaux requires an elevated site with meagre, permeable, well-drained subsoil that allows the roots to push their roots deep down.

The Figeac estate is located in the area known as "Graves de Saint-Emilion", covering) 60 of the appellation's 5,000 hectares.

Figeac alone accounts for half of this exceptional area. The terroir consists of an Günzian gravel terrace created by the Isle and Dronne rivers, which carried these pebbles down from the Massif Central in the early Quaternary period. This gravel is known as "graves de feu" (fire gravel). Gravel in the sub-soil is mixed with clay powder and sand, which play an essential role in the terroir's inherent natural balance. Below the gravel is a layer of sedimentary subsoil composed of easily penetrable molasse 5 to 7 metres deep.

Figeac's vineyards lie on three gravelly rises:

- The rise known as Les Moulins, located in the southern part of the estate is so-named because of the windmills that once stood there. It is 36 metres in altitude, and the layer of gravel is around 7 metres thick.

- The central rise, consisting of a plateau called La Terrasse , is 36 metres high, with a layer of gravel about 6 metres thick.

- The rise in the northern part of the estate bears the name L’Enfer (meaning "hell"), in reference to the heat of the summer sun there. It is 38 metres high and the layer of gravel is approximately 10 metres thick. "Some of the best gravel in the privileged Saint-Emilion-Pomerol region are to be found here", according to Professor Enjalbert.

The excellent natural drainage is complemented by a manmade drainage system installed in the lower sections, to lessen the effects of flash flooding. Figeac's gravelly rises make it an exceptional vineyard, unrivalled in its appellation. Professor Enjalbert has compared Figeac to the finest growths of Bordeaux, such as Haut-Brion, Lafite and Margaux.