Bordeaux

Bordeaux is a city in the Gironde region of southwest France, standing on the River Garonne. It's the country's fifth largest city, with a population of 259,809 in 2020, and another million living in its associated towns. Bordeaux is famous for its wines and deserves to be equally famous for its magnificent neo-classical waterfront and old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Understand
Bordeaux and the whole province of Aquitaine came under English rule for 300 years from 1154, when Eleanor of Aquitaine married the future King Henry II. The English rulers enjoyed drinking the wines of Bordeaux, but they enjoyed the profits even more – trade with Bordeaux was their largest source of income. Most wine came from the Graves region just upriver from the city, and this was a clear, deep rosé called clairet, still produced today. The English came to call any Bordeaux red wine “claret”.

In 1453 France took control of Aquitaine and cut off the supply to England, who ceased to drink wine for the next 500 years, turning to beer and gin. This caused a slump in Bordeaux, which only revived from the 16th century through trans-Atlantic trade. The city then prospered through the 18th century, when most of its fine buildings were erected, and it provided the model for Baron Haussmann's 19th-century remodelling of Paris. Bordeaux also came to eclipse other French Atlantic ports such as Bayonne and La Rochelle. Much of the wealth was based on the triangular slave trade: sugar, rum and other plantation products were shipped to France from the Americas and Caribbean, France shipped industrial wares to Africa, whence the slaves were sent west to work those plantations.

Bordeaux suffered a human cost in later turmoils: the French Revolution, Napoleonic wars, and First and Second World Wars. But the damage to buildings was small enough to be repaired, rather than needing whole-scale rebuilding. The 18th-century grandeur was thus preserved. It helped that the limestone and gravel subsoil wouldn't take the weight of high-rise buildings. Credit is also due to the Mayor of Bordeaux (and former French prime minister) Alain Juppé, for keeping out modern intrusions while revitalising the inner city, with pedestrian precincts and a revamped transport system.

Office de Tourisme is the TIC, at 12 Cours du 30 Juillet, southwest corner of Place des Quinconces, tel +33 5 5600 6600. It's open M–Sa 09:00–18:30, Su 09:30–17:00.

By plane
It has many connections from other cities in west Europe, UK and Ireland, and North Africa (Tunis, Algers, Agadir, Casablanca, Marrakesh, Oujda and Fez). Other destinations include Istanbul and Tel Aviv. Air Transat have seasonal transatlantic flights. For the time being there are domestic flights from Paris Orly and CDG, but these will fall foul of the law banning flights between cities reached overland in under 2½ hours. Other domestic routes are from Ajaccio, Lyon, Lille, Marseille, Montpellier, Nice and Strasbourg.

Getting to the centre:
 * Tram A runs to city centre daily 05:00–00:00 every 10 min, taking 35 minutes. Change at Porte de Bourgogne for the railway station and other tram and bus lines. You pay the standard city bus fare of €1.70, see below for other ticket options. Outbound, alternate trams branch north to Mérignac and Le Haillan Rostand and don't go to the airport.
 * Bus 30’ Direct runs to the railway station non-stop, daily 07:00-20:00 every 30 min M–Sa and hourly on Sunday. The single fare is €8 (concessions €7) and you can pay on the bus by card or cash.
 * Bus 39 skirts the west edge of the city from Pessac in the south to the airport, Le Haillan Rostand and Les Pins in Mérignac. It goes nowhere near downtown.

By train
TGV trains speed hourly from Paris Montparnasse, taking just over two hours non-stop. A couple of trains per day run direct from Paris CDG airport, though the travel time of almost four hours is slower than changing at Montparnasse between RER and TGV. Alternate TGVs from Paris continue south along the coast to Bayonne, Biarritz, and the Spanish border at Hendaye. Cheaper regional TER trains also run this route, as well as north to La Rochelle and inland to Périgueux and Limoges. Fast Intercité trains run from Toulouse, Montpellier and Marseille.

is the railway station, 4 km south-east of the city centre. The main entrance faces west down Cours de la Marne; buses, trams and taxis leave from the forecourt here. Take Tram C to get to the centre if you are going to the more northern part, or a bus for the central area around Place de la Victoire.

The main ticket hall is at the north end of the station building, under the big network map and vast vaulting ceiling. Most of the self-service ticket machines are also here, plus (usefully) a piano. There's a selection of fast food places around the hall. The lower floor is a shopping mall and subway access to platforms.

By bus
Flixbus runs from Paris Bercy Seine (7–8 hours, 4 per day), Toulouse (3 hours, 6 per day), Bayonne (2–3 hours, 3 per day), Lyon (7–8 hours, 2 per day), Nice (one per day, 12 hours) and Nantes (4-5 hours, 4 per day). They also run direct but not daily from Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon and Algeciras (for Morocco ferries). Change in Paris or Lyon for other international routes.

By road
From the north (Paris, Tours, Poitier) follow the A10. From Toulouse to the SW take A62, from Bayonne take A63.

A beltway A630/N230 encircles the city. It's usually congested and slow-moving in the rush hours.

Orientation
Bordeaux's centrepiece is the elegant riverfront and former port, where fine 18th-century buildings stretch for 3 km (2 mi) along the west bank of the Garonne, from Quinconces in the north to St Croix in the south. The old central districts of St Pierre and St Michel extend inland for about 1 km. Most city sights are in this area. The railway station is south, at the foot of Cours de la Marne. To the north, Quai des Chartrons has been redeveloped as the “City of Wine”, and has the wine museum. The main university campus is in the suburb of Talence, 10 km southwest. The districts east of the river are modern: the main reasons to cross are for the view back west in morning sunshine, and to visit the Botanic Gardens.

On foot
Although Bordeaux is a big city, the sights of interest are fairly close together in the old centre, and much of it is pedestrianised. A car here would be a handicap.

By bus
TBM re-organised the city network in Sep 2023. Beware outdated information in tourist guides, even on this page.

All public transport information is posted on the TBM website. Maps and times can also be easily accessed with Google Maps, just select route "By public transport" when getting directions.

The city bus routes fan out from four hubs:


 * The main railway station, Gare Saint-Jean, has buses to city centre, university, and north side.
 * Place de la Victoire has buses to the centre, railway station, University, and north and south-west sides of the city.
 * Place Gambetta has buses to la Victoire, the railway station, and west, north-west, and north sides.
 * Quinconces is a main interchange between trams and buses.

A small electric bus la navette du centre-ville potters around the pedestrian areas. It has no bus stops, just wave your hand to be let on, and tell the driver when you want to get off.

Single tickets can be purchased from the bus driver, for €1.80 in 2023; a return is €3.20. If you're likely to make eight or more journeys, buy a package of ten tickets for €14.50 or a daily / weekly pass for €5 / €14.20. All tickets are good for one hour of unlimited transfers on bus and tram, but you must re-validate your ticket each time you change. Single, return and ten tickets can be bought from the tram stop machines, which accept cards or coins. For passes you need to present photo ID, and can do this online or at the kiosks at Gare Saint-Jean, Place Gambetta and Quinconces.

By tram
There are four tram routes (A, B, C & D) crossing the city. Tickets and fares are the same as for the bus, with unlimited transfers within one hour. A distinctive feature of the tramway is that within the inner city, it has no overhead wires as it uses a ground-level power supply.

By ferry
The river-bus BAT³ or Batcub runs from Stalingrad/Quai de Queyries on the east bank, northward along the west bank to Quinconces, Les Hangars and Cite du Vins, finally to Lormont (east bank, beneath Pont Aquitaine.) Ferries run every 45 min, 7 days a week, with the complete run taking 40 min. They're part of the TBM city transport system so tickets and tariffs are the same as for bus and tram. Bicycles are carried.

By bicycle
V3 run the bike-share scheme in Bordeaux. You need to register online and pay a deposit, €140 for a standard bike and €200 for an e-bike. The minimum registration is one year, €33 as of Nov 2023. Each bike usage is free up to 30 minutes, thereafter it's €1 per hour. There are almost 200 docking stations around the city, and V3's interactive map shows real-time availability.

See



 * is the broad leafy square at the focus of the west riverbank. The ornate Girondins Memorial commemorates those guillotined here after that faction lost the power struggle with the Montagnards in 1793, and the Revolution descended into a "Reign of Terror". The square is nowadays a transport hub - just about every city bus and tram route passes through it.
 * Port of the Moon is the elegant waterfront crescent centred on Place des Quinconces that earned Bordeaux its UNESCO citation. You get a sublime view from the opposite riverbank at dusk.

South of Quinconces

 * , with upmarket mansions, is just outside the former walls, with Porte Dijeaux the city gate.
 * Musée des Arts décoratifs et du Design on Rue Bouffard is closed until 2025.
 * is surrounded by grand buildings. You can also admire their reflections in the Water Mirror on the other side of the boulevard: it's a thin skin of water so in warm weather children scamper through it.
 * is an elegant pedestrian plaza lined with eating places.
 * Église Saint-Pierre is from 15th century, with a flamboyant Gothic portal, and stained glass windows gloriously backlit by the afternoon sun. It's on Place Saint-Pierre 150 m south of Place de la Bourse.
 * is one of the old city gates. You can pay a few euro to enter the gatehouse but there's not much within and only a limited view.
 * was a medieval city gate, but the present Romanesque arch was built in 1757.
 * , with an archway, is at the foot of Rue St-Catherine the main shopping mall
 * is one of the old city gates. You can pay a few euro to enter the gatehouse but there's not much within and only a limited view.
 * was a medieval city gate, but the present Romanesque arch was built in 1757.
 * , with an archway, is at the foot of Rue St-Catherine the main shopping mall
 * , with an archway, is at the foot of Rue St-Catherine the main shopping mall
 * , with an archway, is at the foot of Rue St-Catherine the main shopping mall

North of Quinconces



 * Chartrons is the riverbank district, with Quartier de Grand Parc inland.


 * Église Saint-Louis des Chartrons is a stonking great 19th century church in Gothic style, on Rue Notre Dame 200 m north of the contemporary art museum.
 * is the scrappy ruin of a Roman amphitheatre from 3rd century AD.
 * is the scrappy ruin of a Roman amphitheatre from 3rd century AD.
 * is the scrappy ruin of a Roman amphitheatre from 3rd century AD.
 * is the scrappy ruin of a Roman amphitheatre from 3rd century AD.
 * is the scrappy ruin of a Roman amphitheatre from 3rd century AD.
 * is the scrappy ruin of a Roman amphitheatre from 3rd century AD.
 * is the scrappy ruin of a Roman amphitheatre from 3rd century AD.

Elsewhere

 * is the extension Botanic Garden east of the river.
 * would be a pleasant green space but for the strewn trash, and the Hermitage itself is a dismal crumbling recess.
 * is a suburb 5 km south of city centre. It's mostly modern, but Église Saint-Martin is from the 11th century. Château de Sarcignan is a mansion of 1860, now derelict. Château de Sallgourde remains closed. Château de Thouaré is a private property but you can visit the park.
 * was built from 1210 and is a stopover on the pilgrimage to Santiago, astride the Via Turonensis from Paris and Orleans. It had a priory, a hospital, and a cemetery if medieval remedies failed.
 * in the suburb of Pessac is a housing development of 1924 that was the prototype for Le Corbusier's ideas. It drew rotten tomatoes from all quarters, including from those condemned to live in it, and has been preserved as a rare surviving example of what other cities have been pleased to demolish. Buses 24 and 34 run nearby.

Do

 * National Opera is on Place de la Comédie, 100 m south of Place des Quinconces. As well as opera it hosts ballet and musicals.

Taste wine
Bewildered by the choice in your local supermarket? Prepare to be overwhelmed by what Bordeaux has to offer... but, if you're not sure of your taste, do make use of that supermarket to do your homework beforehand. The top vineyards start from around €500 a bottle and run up to €50,000 and beyond. This is money down the drain if you only have a €5 palate. But you can easily organise yourself a blind tasting - this cuts through all the marketing, peer pressure and posing. Blind, can you tell a Claret from a Burgundy? Or indeed from a white, or squid's ink? But if you find the good stuff speaks to you, calls you, leaves a memory on your palate, then Bordeaux is where it is calling you home.

The appellation system (AOC) of the Bordeaux area is bewildering, with 50 AOCs in eight main regions. Wines mostly use the more specific AOCs where those are applicable, so don't just look for "AOC Bordeaux". A good start is the Musée du Vin et du Négoce, see above. A variety of tours and tastings are organised by Bordeaux Tourist Agency. These include châteaux and vineyards, city routes, and wine & cookery classes.

You can tour the vineyards independently, but then you need a car, and there's a fraught conversation to be had about who's driving afterwards and how much of a shared holiday experience this is turning out to be. Each area has its own Maison du Vin showcasing local products. Several châteaux are open to drop-in visitors, others are by appointment, see Tourist Agency website above. The top châteaux will be snooty if they don't recognise you as a serious buyer: they're fed up with time-wasters seeking a free glug of Grand Cru Kings-Ransom 1896.

Sports

 * Football: FC Girondins de Bordeaux play football in Ligue 2 the second tier. You should have no difficulty buying tickets on the day. Girondins home ground is Nouveau Stade (or "Matmut Atlantique", capacity 42,000), 10 km north of city centre. Get there on Tram C to Parc des Expositions, or Bus 25 or 37.
 * Rugby union: Union Bordeaux Bègles play in Top 14, the top flight of French rugby. They were formed in 2006 by the merger of Stade Bordelais and Bègles. Their home ground is Stade Chaban-Delmas (capacity 34,400) west of city centre on the inner ring-road. The former Bègles (Andre Moga) stadium is now just a training ground.
 * Ice hockey: Boxers de Bordeaux play in Ligue Magnus, the French top professional league. They play at Meriadeck ice-rink, which also hosts public skating and ice-karting.

Learn
Bordeaux University, ten km southwest of the centre, offers a wide variety of courses, from science to humanities, from beginner classes to high-level research. The laboratories are among the best in France. It is possible to take French courses there in the summer, with Erasmus students.

DEFLE (Department for the study of French as a foreign language) is attached to Université Michel de Montaigne – Bordeaux III. It offers both semester and vacation courses in French for foreign students.

Buy
Bordeaux has made its wealth out of trade, and the local economic system relies heavily on shops and trading halls. The Pedestrian Centre is full of stores of all kinds, from clothes to art, craftworks, food and wine. For luxury items, head to Gambetta Square and its surroundings.

Buy some local music: Kap Bambino is an electronic music duo formed by singer Caroline Martial and beat-smith boyfriend Orion Bouvier.

Clothing is less expensive than in Paris, so wear comfortable shoes and head to Rue Sainte Catherine, the longest pedestrian precinct in Europe and the best place for shopping. For some cheap second-hand and vintage clothes, try KiloChic on 40 Cours de la Somme. There are also a few AMOS second-hand stores in the city that offer a nice selection of second-hand and vintage stuff.

If you buy wine, do it in town (duty paid) to go in checked baggage; the airport's not a good place because of tourist-trappy prices, limited selection and carry-on limits. Keep receipts handy, your own country probably has a bigger customs allowance for wine that's duty-paid.

Drink



 * Place de la Victoire is the main place for pubs and bars, while night-clubs are on the Quais near the railway station.



Mid-range

 * Ibis have four hotels just west of the railway station:



Connect
As of Sept 2021, Bordeaux has 5G from all French carriers. Wifi is widely available in public places, transport, cafes and so on.

Stay safe
Usual advice about care of valuables, traffic, and avoiding low-life. The city is not immune to pickpocketing and drink-spiking.

Consulates

 * 🇩🇿 Algeria


 * UK
 * 🇺🇸 USA

Go next

 * North: Soulac-sur-Mer at the tip of the Medoc peninsula is almost engulfed by sand dunes.
 * West is the Atlantic Ocean and long sandy beaches. Arcachon is an attractive small seaside town.
 * East is the UNESCO heritage village of Saint-Émilion, and top-rank wine châteaux.
 * South is the Graves region. The river valley is lined with chateaux and big-name vineyards.