The terroir, the vineyards and the Garonne are inseparable from the city of Bordeaux. If the visits that can be made during a trip to Bordeaux are thus marked by its heritage, both historical and oenological ... the city is also a modern metropolis, where there is no shortage of shops, activities and charming hotels. Here are 12 things to do and see in Bordeaux and its surroundings!
Discover exceptional vineyards
Bordeaux, which gave its name to the wines of its region, is considered the world capital of viticulture. An activity elevated to the rank of art, which in itself deserves a weekend. The wine house and the many restaurants allow you to discover the different vineyards of the region and to taste some of them. While remaining reasonable of course!
Saint-Emilion vineyard
Stroll on Place des Quinconces, the largest in Europe
The banks of the Garonne are an excellent place to go out, eat and discover the historic districts of Bordeaux. It all starts with the Saint Pierre district and its adjacent districts, with their many historic squares: Place des Quinconces, completed in 1828, is today the largest square in Europe. It hosts famous monuments such as the Girondins monument or the Rostral columns. Further is the place de la Bourse, restored and considered, both by visitors and Bordeaux residents, as the most beautiful in the city. This reason alone should answer the question “what to see in Bordeaux”!
Place des Quinconces
Shopping on Sainte-Catherine Street
Bordeaux city center is also the ideal place for a relaxing and shopping trip. You can choose from: purchase of luxury products in the district nicknamed "the Golden Triangle" by the people of Bordeaux, defined by the Cours de l'Intendance, the Cours Georges Clémenceau and the alleys of Tourny, or even a walk in the very commercial rue Sainte -Catherine. The latter is a very large pedestrian route, where there are consequently many shops. Visitors can buy souvenirs from Bordeaux here. Leaving this street to go up to the Garonne, visitors will come to the Pont de Pierre, the first bridge that was built in Bordeaux between 1810 and 1822 by order of Napoleon.
Sainte-Catherine Street
Sleep in the heart of downtown
Bordeaux, in its capacity as the sixth largest French metropolis, is an attractive destination for both leisure and business tourism. Finding a hotel room during busy periods can therefore be difficult, especially if you decide to go to the Gironde city at the last minute. There are, however, many accommodation offers in Bordeaux city center., among which are inexpensive rooms.
The Pierre Bridge, in the evening
See the UNESCO-listed sites of Bordeaux
Still don't know what to see in Bordeaux? The city of Gironde has several buildings or districts listed as World Heritage by UNESCO! Classified in 1998, three religious buildings are known to be places of reception for pilgrims to Saint Jacques de Compostela: the Saint-Seurin basilica, the Saint-Michel basilica and the Saint-André cathedral. In 2007, the Port of the Moon, the old port of the city which underwent a complete redevelopment, was also classified by UNESCO.
Saint-André cathedral
Taste a cannelé
It's impossible to visit Bordeaux without tasting one of its most famous specialties: cannelé! Emblematic of the capital of New Aquitaine, this sweet bite flavored with rum and vanilla is a real delight. The recipe for cannelé dates back to the XNUMXth century. It would have been developed by nuns in the Annonciades convent, located in Saint Eulalie.
Cannelé
Stroll along the quays
Remarkably refurbished over the years, the quays of Bordeaux invite you to stroll, at all hours of the day. Besides the incredible panorama and the very special atmosphere which reigns there, the quays of Bordeaux allow to see some essential places of Bordeaux. Along the way, you will be able to discover the Place de la Bourse, the Pierre Bridge, the Cité du Vin or even the Saint Michel park.
Place de la Bourse
Climb to the top of the Pey Berland tower
Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the Pey Berland tower is a campanile built in the XNUMXth century, to accommodate the many bells of Bordeaux cathedral. It is named after Archbishop Pey-Berland, an important clergyman of the time. It is possible to climb there to discover a very spectacular panorama. A must see in Bordeaux absolutely!
The Pey Berland tour
Discover the City of Wine
Centerpiece of wine tourism in Bordeaux, the Cité du Vin and its futuristic architecture, imagined by Anouk Legendre and Nicolas Desmazières, is now an emblematic monument of the city. Opened in 2016, the Cité du Vin promotes Bordeaux and French viticulture throughout the world. National Geographic magazine ranked it in 7th position on the list of the best museums in the world!
The City of Wine
Stroll through the Saint Michel market
If you are fond of gastronomy and good local products, you should not miss the Saint-Michel market. It is held every Saturday morning on the very pretty place Canteloup and Meynard, near the basilica of Saint Michel. You will discover more than 150 stalls that give pride of place to local specialties and artisanal products of all kinds.
The Basilica of St. Michael
Visit the Aquitaine museum
The Aquitaine museum traces the entire history of the city of Bordeaux, from Prehistory to the present day. In addition to its impressive permanent collections, the largest history museum in France offers a fine program of temporary exhibitions. Bordeaux architecture, the Age of Enlightenment or viticulture, all art and history lovers will find what they are looking for!
The Aquitaine museum
Explore the Cité Frugès
Listed by UNESCO in 2016, the Cité Frugès - Le Corbusier is an astonishing set of industrial housing, built in complete break with Bordeaux tradition. You will be amazed by this very raw architecture, with its geometric concrete shapes, its very bright colors and its large terraces. Here is a place to see in Bordeaux for architecture lovers!
The city of Frugès in Pessac
Useful information
Want to go to Bordeaux? To make your stay a success, we are sharing our practical information and tips with you:
- Visitor Center : 3 branches of the tourist office welcome the public all year round. You will find them in the city center, at the SNCF St Jean train station and at Bordeaux-Mérignac airport.
- Getting to Bordeaux: Bordeaux-Mérignac airport is located on the outskirts of the city, about 30 minutes from the city center. It receives flights from all major French cities and many international flights. Shuttles or taxis take you to the city center from the airport.
- Getting around Bordeaux: a bus and tram network allows you to get around Bordeaux. It serves all the main centers of interest.
The essentials of Bordeaux… and after?
After spending a few days discovering the must-sees of Bordeaux, you will probably want to set off to explore all the beauties of the region. You are less than an hour from the Arcachon basin and the dune of Pilat. So why not go on a trip to the ocean, just to taste some oysters or to learn to surf?
