Bordeaux, France: A Travel Guide (+ map!)
Hello and welcome to my Bordeaux, France travel guide, carefully crafted by yours truly with the best restaurants, bars, activities, and sightseeing I did during my recent trip to this beautiful city! Planning a trip to Bordeaux this year and looking for things to do, information on when to visit or where to stay? Maybe you’ll be in Paris for the 2024 Olympics and are thinking about adding Bordeaux to your itinerary? Or maybe you want to go on a city break in France but don’t know where? Well then you’ve come to the right place!
Let me start off by saying: I CANNOT believe it’s taken me so long to visit Bordeaux. But during my recent visit it was truly love at first sight. I was blown away by what the city has to offer – there is sooo much to see and do in Bordeaux. Oh, AND it is absolutely beautiful!!! If you’re looking for immaculate, quintessential French vibes or a smaller, cleaner, quainter, safer, and less crowded alternative to Paris (I said what I said) that is just as beautiful and with just as much delicious food and wine, then Bordeaux is IT. J’adore!!! J’obsessed!!
During my visit I managed to pack in a LOT of restaurants, bars, activities, and sightseeing, which were all so perfect that I just had to make this Bordeaux travel guide to share all my recommendations! Like seriously, not one single establishment I went to was anything less than a 10/10. I’ve also included logistics like the best way to get around, where to stay, and some more travel tips! Plus, at the bottom of this post you’ll find a map with all of my recommendations mapped out and labeled!
So here it is, your travel and city guide with everything you need to know about Bordeaux, France!
How to Get There
By Plane
Bordeaux is super easy to get to by plane, with the Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport located only 9km away from the city centre. We flew there directly from Dublin and the flight was only 2 hours! And once you get to the airport, it’s super easy to get to the centre of Bordeaux by bus, train, or tram.
By Car
We rented a car in Bordeaux airport and it was a really great experience overall! Driving in this area of France was pretty easy and not super stressful! Although you don’t need a car in Bordeaux city itself, it was great to have one to easily explore the rest of the region! We flew into Bordeaux, spent a few days there, then went back to the airport to collect our rental car before heading out to other areas of the region.
If you’re going to rent a car in Bordeaux, I could not recommend Loca Malin Car Rental enough!! Seriously, I think this was by far the best car rental experience I’ve ever had. Picking up and dropping off the car was super easy and straightforward. There was absolutely no issue with using a US driver’s license to rent the car. Bruno, who works at the front desk, was SUPER friendly during collection and also over email before we arrived in Bordeaux, changing our booking times and dates with no issue.
I was a little nervous to book with them because they’re a local business and I had never heard of them, but they had great reviews. Here’s a review that I didn’t write, but that basically sums up my experience with them!
By Train
France has an amazing train system. Bordeaux is one of the many places in France that’s easy to get to via the SNCF train network. What’s even better is that Bordeaux is connected to Paris, Lourdes, Biarritz, and more via the high speed train!
Soooo if you happen to be going to Paris for the 2024 Olympics or for vacation and are considering visiting somewhere else in France, Bordeaux should really be top of your list! You can get from Paris to Bordeaux (or vice versa) on the TGV high speed train in about 2 hours! Easy peasy!
And because of Europe’s amazing train system linking most of continental Europe, you could easily get to Bordeaux from other European cities in Spain, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, in a day! You could even get to Bordeaux from London in one (long) day!
Where to Stay
The city centre of Bordeaux isn’t too big and is suuuuper walkable. Staying in old town, west of the Garonne river and between the Jardin Public and the Grosse Cloche would be ideal because of the sheer amounts of cute restaurants, bars, and beautiful architecture right at your doorstep.
I went to Bordeaux in a group of 3 people and we stayed in this Airbnb right around the corner from the Cathedral (shown on the map below). And we thought the location was PERFECT! We were able to easily get from the airport to our apartment. The airport bus dropped off right around the corner from Airbnb. And because we were so central, we could walk everywhere and didn’t need to take any public transportation.
When to Visit
I went to Bordeaux in early April, and the weather was amazing. It was a high of 18-24°C / 64-77°F every day. The evenings weren’t too cold either, with lows around 7-11°C / 45-41°F everyday.
Apparently it rains close to half of the year in the Bordeaux region. That’s great for growing grapes but not ideal for a vacation. However, there was not ONE cloud in the sky and it didn’t rain ONCE while we were there. #blessed
If you want to check out nearby vineyards during your trip to Bordeaux (which you definitely should!), you should take the harvesting season into consideration. Grapes are harvested in autumn, between August and October. When we went in April, the grape growth cycle was just about starting. The vineyards had been cleaned up – broken wires and posts had been replaced, and the vines had been attached to the lowest wires so that the grapes could start going. The buds were juuuuuust about starting to swell and some of the first leaves showing. But NO grapes.
So even though the vineyards were gorgeous and we had a blast riding bikes around multiple wineries, there were no grapes in April. If you want to see fully grown vineyards packed to the brim with grapes, go in autumn, right before the picking!
How Long to Stay
The great thing about Bordeaux, France is that not only is there lots to see and do in the city itself if you just wanted to do a short city break, but there’s also so much to do in the surrounding area to make a longer trip out of it! Want to do a little bit of the city and then explore outside of the hustle and bustle? There are so many options of day trips or overnight trips in the region that are fantastic!
You could take a bus or train to the medieval town of Saint-Émilion and its famous vineyards. Or you could take a train to the coastal Arcachon for some beach vibes. Or you could even rent a cheap car at the Bordeaux airport and drive to the Médoc region to drive along the Médoc Wine Route (Route des Châteaux) to ogle at the elegant châteaux and endless vineyards. I discuss all of this in the section below!
There’s enough to see and do (and enough to eat and drink) in Bordeaux city to easily stay for 2-3 nights, in my opinion. I stayed for 2 nights, but I was so in love with it I wish I could’ve stayed longer!
If you’re looking to explore the region, I would give yourself at least 5 days to squeeze in the best bits. You could do 2 days in the city, 2 days visiting vineyards, and 1 day on the coast. But be prepared to leave wanting more!
What to Do in Bordeaux
Oh boy, where do I even begin?! Like I said above, there’s so much to see not only in the city but also in the surrounding areas of the region. Here are some suggestions of things to do in Bordeaux and beyond, based on my visit there! And like I said, we absolutely loved everywhere we visited and everything we saw!
1. Sightseeing in Old Town & Saint-Pierre District
Old Town Bordeaux is seriously soooo beautiful and picturesque. Picture a web of old cobblestone streets all enclosed from the river by an medieval wall. The old city is divided into several districts/neighborhoods, each with gorgeous architecture, restaurants, museums, and other things to do.
Saint-Pierre
The most central is Saint-Pierre, the heart of old town. It’s full of historical monuments and architecture, and great local restaurants and bars. Place Saint-Pierre is the main square of the neighborhood and it’s surprisingly quiet for its central location and bordered by the beautiful Saint Pierre Church (which you can visit!)
Also located in Saint-Pierre is the Place du Parlement, another beautiful square with a fountain in the middle and lined with restaurant terrasses.
The entire area is so, so picturesque (I know I keep using this word, but it’s true!). So many adorable shops, restaurants, bars, and storefronts line the old streets. Just wander around, get lost, and take in all of the cuteness!
Also make sure to visit the Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux, the main Cathedral in Bordeaux. It’s located right in the heart of old town and is truly a sight to see, whether you’re religious or not. France just REALLY knows how to do churches – and this French Gothic Cathedral is no exception. You can visit the cathedral Wednesday and Saturday from 2.30pm to 5.30pm for only €2.
2. Visit the city’s medieval gates
One of my favorite things in Saint-Pierre is Porte Calihau, one of the 6 medieval gates of the old city walls. You can pay €5 to go into the gate and see a small exhibition and also a great view of the Pont de Pierre bridge, but honestly, seeing it from the square inside the city walls is one of the prettiest, most instagrammable views I saw during my visit to Bordeaux.
Grosse Cloche is another medieval city gate, and probably the most famous of them all. It’s one of the oldest belfries in France and features a clock dating from the 1600s. And just like Porte Calihou, its SUPER photogenic!
30-minute tours of inside the bell tower and its dungeons are usually offered but are temporarily closed. Check here to see if the tours have reopened before your visit!
3. Check out the markets in Saint-Michel
The Saint-Michel area is still super central but not quite as touristy as Saint-Pierre. Here you’ll find gorgeous monuments and architecture like the Basilica and bell tower (la flèche) of Saint Michel and TONSSSS of weekly markets!! And best of all, there is at least 1 market happening in Bordeaux on any day of the week. So even if you’re not there on Saturday or Sunday, which tend to be the normal “big” market days in a lot of cities, there’ll still be at least one market you can check out in Bordeaux. And they’re all different and great in their own way, so it’s hard to say which is the best one!
Capucins Market (Marché des Capucins)
Only a 10-minute walk away from the Saint Michel Basilica is the biggest daily market in Bordeaux and one of the oldest in France – the Capucins Market! It has everything from local cheeses and wine, fruits and vegetables, as well as restaurants and cafés. This is an absolute must-visit when in Bordeaux! Check out this guide from a Bordeaux local to some of the best stalls at the market.
The market is open from 6AM – 2PM Tuesday to Friday and 5:30AM – 2:30PM Saturday & Sunday and is located on Place des Capucins.
Royal Market (Marché Royal)
Every Saturday, over 150 food and non-food stalls pop up in the Saint-Michel area for Bordeaux’s largest open air market – The Royal Market. The market is spread out over Quai des Salinières right on the banks of the river, and Place Canteloup and Meynard, selling everything from trinkets to furniture to food to clothes and everything in between.
The market is open Saturdays from 7AM – 1PM and is located on Quai de Salinières and Place Canteloup et Meynard.
Neuf Market
Replacing the Royal Market on Quai des Salinières in front of the Saint Michel Basilica on Mondays is the Neuf Market, another large market of around 170 stalls. Here you’ll find everything from books to clothes to antiques and all sorts. What you won’t find here, though, are food stalls.
The market is open Monday from 7AM – 1PM and is located on Quai des Salinières.
Les Puces de Saint Michel flea market
This famous little flea market takes place right next to Saint Michel Basilica from 6AM – 2PM on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and the main market on Sundays. Here you’ll find knick-knacks, vintage clothing , furniture, decorations, and lots of antiques across 50 or so stalls. Bargains can definitely be found here! I absolutely LOVE flea markets, so this is my idea way to spend a morning!
The market is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday from 6AM – 4PM and is located at 17 Rue des Faures.
4. Visit Wine museums and the Garonne riverfront in Bacalan
Bacalan is a district north of the Garonne river in Bordeaux, and has only recently started to become more “touristy.” It has a totally different vibe than the old town of Bordeaux. It’s more of a grungy, port vibe and getting more trendy and cool by the second! There are 2 great wine museums there, both which are worth a visit and a great option if it’s a rainy day in Bordeaux!
Cité du Vin – the world’s biggest wine museum
An absolute must for any wine lover visiting Bordeaux! It advertises itself as the world’s biggest wine museum, and has sooo much going on!
If you’re a wine lover, then I’m sure your mouth is watering right now. Yep, this is the world’s BIGGEST wine museum! Not only is the modern facade of the building super cool, but there’s so much to see on the inside too, including permanent and temporary exhibitions, information on French and global wine history, and wine tasting experiences. Plus, there’s also an amazing aerial view of the city from the rooftop. (And boy do I LOVE aerial views)
The museum is located at 134 Quai de Bacalan. Opening hours depend on the time of yea, so check here for the opening hours during your visit
Adult tickets to the museum cost €22 on the Cite du Vin website, or you can opt for a ticket that includes a wine tasting.
Bordeaux Wine and Trade Museum (Musée du Vin et du Négoce)
If instead of a giant wine museum featuring wine from around the world, you want a smaller, more local museum focusing specifically on Bordeaux wine, then this museum is for you. The Bordeaux Wine and Trade Museum is located in an old merchant’s house, with the permanent collection located in the house’s old cellars. As cool as a giant, high tech wine museum is, this small and local museum is suchhhh a vibe and a nice way to get more of a local wine and trade history lesson.
This museum is open every day from 10AM – 6PM and is located at 41 rue Borie.
Adult tickets to the museum cost €10 for the self-guided tour and include a guided tasting of 2 wines. Find out more about the museum here.
Walk or jog along the Garonne Riverfront
All along the quayside of the Garonne river, you’ll find people walking, jogging, cycling, or even just sitting on one of the many lawns along the river chatting with friends. It’s a great way to take in the views of both sides of the city.
Bacalan Market (les Halles des Bacalan)
I just HAD to include another market! My last recommendation for the Bacalan area is the Bacalan Market, another one of the best markets in Bordeaux! This market is right in front of the Cite du Vin and is a must-visit for foodies as it features ONLY food stalls. There are over 20 stalls serving either ready-made food that you can takeaway or eat there, or fruits, vegetables, meats, and other produce. More info on the market here!
The market is open from 8AM – 2:30PM and 5:30PM – 8:30PM Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8AM – 2:30PM and 5:50PM – 10PM Thursdays and Fridays, 8AM – 10PM on Saturdays and 8AM – 3PM on Sundays. It is located at 15 Quai du Maroc.
5. Visit the Darwin Ecosysteme
Darwin is an old military barracks that’s been converted into an eco-friendly, collaborative cultural center with a restaurant, bakery, bar, chocolatier, an indoor skate park, co-working spaces, shops, and maybe some other little surprises and quirky pop ups – all with the goal and ethos of creating an urban ecosystem. There’s also some seriously amazing street art and graffiti covering almost every square inch of this place. I highly recommend! You can check out all the info about it here.
6. Take a day trip to Saint-Émilion
Absolutely no Bordeaux travel guide would be complete without mentioning the most perfect, easiest, and well, FRENCH little day trip from Bordeaux for all wine lovers out there. Saint-Émilion is picturesque town only 35 minutes by train (€10 each way) or 1 hour by bus (Line 304 in the summer – €2.60 each way) and is soooo worth a visit. It looks like something out of a movie – a quintessential French village! Surrounding the tiny medieval village are thousands and thousands of acres of vineyards. You can rent a bike to cycle around the surrounding vineyards, and even visit a chateaux (or two!) for a wine tour.
7. Take a longer overnight trip
If you have time to leave Bordeaux for a night or two by train, I would highly recommend renting a car and exploring areas outside of Bordeaux even further than Saint-Émilion.
Arcachon is a seaside resort town that’s only about an hour drive from Bordeaux airport. There you can swim in the Atlantic Ocean and enjoy the beaches, eat delicious seafood in one of the many restaurants along the water or at the Arcachon market, or stroll around the “Winter Village” and admire the gorgeous 19th-century villas.
Before heading back to Bordeaux, you should take a detour to the Dune of Pilat, the largest sand dune in Europe! This is only a 15 minute drive south of Arcachon and is seriously cool. You don’t feel like you’re in Europe at all once you’re at the top!
If beaches aren’t your thing (????), another option is driving north of Bordeaux to the Médoc Region. This magical area is RIDDLED with chateaus and there’s delicious red wine APLENTY. Here, you can visit different chateaus for meals, tours, and wine tastings, or just drive by all of them and admire how absolutely stunning they are.
After driving around some of the region and ogling at the chateaus, we did a tour and tasting at Chateau Lafon-Rochet. We also had a boujie and delicious lunch at La Maison d’Estournel, which were both FABULOUS.
Where to Eat in Bordeaux
Now, onto my personal favorite part of any travel guide, but especially of one for Bordeaux…THE FOOD! The food in Bordeaux was so so good! From cheese and charcuterie boards to french onion soup, French food is so RICH and delicious. Yummmmm.
Here are a few restaurant standouts:
- Michel’s – This place is the quintessential cute french cafe with a really great outdoor seating area. They’re known for their french onion soup which is 15/10. It is INSANELY good. I would recommend booking if you want a table after 7pm, especially outside. There always seemed to be a line of people waiting for a table for dinner. Their website is finicky but we booked by just going in person the day before. Check out some pictures of their delicious food (and especially their insane french onion soup) on their Instagram page.
- Lauza – This was another recommendation from a local, and probably our fanciest dinner in Bordeaux. The food was delicious and the service was excellent. We did the 3-course set menu but there is also 4-course or 6-course set menu options, as well as a-la-carte. I would suggest reserving a table on their website, especially for dinner, because it does get busy!
- Le Jocteur Boulanger de L’Hotel de Ville – I think the picture below really says it all, don’t you? **DROOL!** This bakery also happens to be a few minutes walk from the cathedral, so I highly suggest taking your goodies to go and sitting at one of the benches in front of the cathedral to have your breakfast with a view 🙂
- Kokomo Cantine – This is a fab place for lunch, mostly because of the location. It is a PERFECT little sun trap with some outdoor tables located on a busy square, so it was great for people watching while drinking wine in the glorious sun. This place served American-style food like burgers, wings, nachos, etc which I would normally avoid like the plague when in FRANCE and surrounded by gorgeous French food. Was the food amazing? No, it was fine. But if you want sit in the sun, drink coffee and/or wine, and have a little something to munch on, this place ticks all those boxes.
Where to Drink in Bordeaux
- L’Apollo – I’m not exaggerating when I say my friends and I sat at an outdoor table here and had Aperol Spritzs in the sun for FOUR GLORIOUS HOURS. There was lots of outdoor seating, it was in a busy square which was great for people watching, and it was an absolute sun trap with uninterrupted sun pretty much alllll day. Oh, and it also happened to have a perfect view of the famous Grosse Cloche!
- La Comtesse – This cocktail bar was actually recommended to us by a local, and it did not disappoint! It is suuuuuuch a vibe! Delicious cocktails, super friendly staff, cozy atmosphere, and even a bathroom that doubled as a Princess Diana shrine. We love to see it. When you visit Bordeaux, this should definitely be on your list!
- Le Metropolitain – This place has a great selection of local beers and wines. Plus there’s super friendly & knowledgeable staff who give you suggestions of what to try based on what you like. It was a really cool bar but weirdly wasn’t that busy when we visited even though it was a Thursday night. We still had a great time! Although the buzz was lacking, we loved trying local drinks and chatting to the staff. They also had cheese & charcuterie boards you could order with your drinks, which was delicious of course!
- The Connemara Irish Pub – OK so I know this is sooooo random. And considering I travelled to Bordeaux FROM DUBLIN, why the heck would I go to an Irish pub. But hear me out. We went here one night because it was right around the corner from our Airbnb, and we just wanted one more beer before ending the night. And we ended up having A BLAST. We walked into a 12-person Irish trad music session, with everyone clapping along and dancing. At first I thought it was a group of Irish musicians, but then it turned out that all the musicians were actually FRENCH and just really loved Irish traditional music. We got talking a lot of people, listening to fun music, and having an all-around GREAT time. But who knows, maybe we just got lucky on the night we went? So I don’t know, do with that information what you will.
I hope this travel guide is helpful to anyone planning on visiting Bordeaux, France and gives some insight on when to visit, where to stay, and things to see and do to add to your itinerary! And if you weren’t planning on visiting Bordeaux…has this handy and thorough travel guide convinced you to book a trip?!
Seriously though, I really can’t say enough great things about this city. It was truly like something out of a movie. And more specifically, a fairytale. It’s the perfect spot if you’re looking for a short city break in France. It’s also the perfect base for a longer trip going out to the countryside and vineyards of the surrounding region.
On the map below, I’ve mapped out all of the recommendations I talked about above, including things to do, restaurants and bars, and day/overnight trip options. I also have a highlight on my Instagram page of my Bordeaux trip with some recommendations tagged!
