The many faces of Bordeaux
Have a marvellous stay and discover the many faces of Bordeaux, from the historic old town to the new districts !
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The rich past of Bordeaux
With a rich past going back 2,000 years, Bordeaux is internationally well-known as a global wine capital. It is also along with its 18th century Port de la Lune (harbour), the largest architectural ensemble classed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
But that’s not all ! City of culture ‘par excellence’, this sleeping beauty has definitely woken up and today has innovative tourist infrastructures like the Cité du Vin, a programme of international events at the Arena concert hall and an exceptional living environment for both inhabitants and visitors alike ! Gaining all the time in attractivity, the city offers a huge range of activities - definitely something for everyone !
Visiting Bordeaux starts without a doubt in the historic centre with exceptional architectural heritage buildings like the Cathedral of Saint André, Tour Pey Berland and Grand Théâtre. Not forgetting the Place de la Bourse, reflected in the water mirror on the Port da la Lune quayside, a favourite haunt of Bordeaux. The harbour town is very attached to its river and it’s great to stroll along the quays across the Place des Quinconces, the largest square in Europe, through Les Chartrons where the wine trade began to the Quais des Marques. Lots of events take place every year on the banks of the Garonne, like the Fête du Vin/Fête du Fleuve. The highlight of the quayside district has to be the Cité du Vin, a cultural centre unique in the world with amazing architecture which takes you on a sensory adventure to discover the cultures and civilisations of wine.
The city has plenty of other museums and exhibition sites including the Musée d’Aquitaine, Musée des Beaux-Arts, the new Musée de la Mer at Bacalan and alternative venues like the Caserne Darwin and the Submarine Base.
What to see and do in Bordeaux
Nature lovers are not forgotten with lots of parks and gardens within the city. Shopaholics can enjoy Rue Sainte Catherine, the longest shopping street in Europe. Round off a busy day of sight-seeing by tasting Bordeaux wine in one of the city’s many wine bars, followed by a good meal at one of our finest restaurants ! And whatever you do, you can’t leave without trying a famous ‘cannelé de Bordeaux’ !
There are so many things to see and do in Bordeaux, you need to come for a long weekend, or even a week to explore the surrounding area ! The Office de Tourisme in Bordeaux has City Passes for 1, 2 or 3 days, which enable you to use all public transport and have free or reduced price entry to numerous attractions in Bordeaux !
An idea for an outing, suggested by a member of the Gîtes de France, Gironde team : « To admire the Quays of Bordeaux in all their glory, walk, cycle or roller skate along the quays on the left bank. But to see them from a different angle, I suggest you walk across the Pont de Pierre footbridge to the right bank. Go a short time before sunset so you can see the splendid colours reflected on the buildings facades and the river. An amazing sight ! Then at nightfall, the quays are lit up and Bordeaux twinkles with thousands of lights ! Whatever you do, don’t miss it !»
How to get to Bordeaux : by car, via A10, A89, A63 or A62 autoroutes. By air to Mérignac airport. By train to Bordeaux. And even by sea, on a cruise ship !"
