Travel Guide: 4 Days in Bordeaux, France

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by EDP contributor Marissa Volpicelli

Bordeaux wasn’t even on my radar when I began this trip abroad. I was simply happy to be back in France, most notably Paris. The opportunity presented itself and there weren’t a lot of reasons to say no. As I sit on the plane back to Lisbon, I can wholeheartedly say I’m so glad I said yes. Like a typical American tourist, every new place we explore becomes the ‘city we’re moving to,’ but there was something about the air in Bordeaux (and I’m not talking that 90 degree, 80% humidity, sweat in places you didn’t know existed kind of air). 

If you like Paris, wine or the outdoor patio/terrace culture of Europe, Bordeaux should be on your list of places to travel to. I was there for five days and every single day was packed with as much as we could fit in. From walking around the city center, day trips to jaw dropping places, Rugby games and wine going down like water, I’d love nothing more than to tell you all about it. Keep reading for all the details including detailed itineraries for day trips to Saint-Émilion and  Dune du Pilat in ​​La Teste-de-Buch.

(you can also find a condensed, travel-friendly version of this guide on the Out of Office App) 

TO STAY

*Disclaimer: I stayed with a friend in a town outside of Bordeaux called Bégles. It was right on top of a tram station and we had access to a car and a bike so it was perfect but if you’re going to visit Bordeaux as a tourist, I would recommend staying a bit closer to the city center. The below hotels are either ones that I saw or whose brand I trust. I suggest you do a bit more research into them before booking, but these are popular within the city. 

• InterContinental Bordeaux - Le Grand Hotel: this hotel sits in the middle of the Place de la Comédie and is known as one of the best hotels in the city. I never got a chance to go inside, but it lends itself to a great photo opportunity right across from the Opera. It also puts you right in the middle of all the action. 

• Mama Shelter: Ash and I stayed at Mama Shelter in Lisbon and it was so cool and chic. We’re familiar with the brand in Los Angeles and the Lisbon location did not disappoint. I can’t speak to the Bordeaux location, but Mama Shelter is pretty consistent across the board, so I’d be willing to bet it’s worth a look.

• Renaissance Bordeaux Hotel: My friend took me to the rooftop bar after our tour of the Cite du Vin. Unfortunately, it was closed but from what I gathered, the vibe was so cute. They have a downstairs coffee bar, a chic lobby, great location (it sits right on top of the Cite du Vin) and you can never go wrong with a rooftop bar. Again, I only walked through the premises, but my friend had stayed there before and only had good things to share. 

TO DO

Take the most epic wine tour of your life: Cite Du Vin

Wow. Wow. Wow. I am not a museum girl. I’d rather be outdoors, exploring old architecture with a glass of wine in my hand, but being in the wine capital of the world, I figured it would be respectful to go to the biggest wine museum in the world. My goodness, it did not disappoint. The amount of care that went into the different exhibits was evident with each new room we explored. It’s roughly $20 a ticket for a regular visit with no add ons. They give you a headset upon entry that is attached to this iphone sized device and it allows you to ‘tap’ it on each installment so that you can listen to the presentation in your language. There’s little boxes that have screens and projectors in them and they play out videos of history past. There was a giant room with a table in the middle of it, place settings and characters that matched the era were projected onto the scene with chairs pulled out so that you ‘had a seat at the table.’ Over the speakers, conversations from centuries ago along with the history behind them were being played. I mean, it’s truly hard to describe in words, but I cannot recommend this experience enough. It includes a glass of wine on the roof that overlooks the entirety of Bordeaux, inclusive of little placards that describe what you’re looking at and the history of it. 

When I first finished the tour, I thought that this would be a great last stop as I was able to pinpoint all the different places I’d been in Bordeaux during the previous days and it gave me a little more context in terms of learning the history of each site. HOWEVER, at the bottom of the Cite Du Vin, there is an insane wine store that has bottles from all over the world at prices that simply don’t exist in the US. My thought process is… if you’re staying somewhere that you’ll be cooking your own meals and you want to buy your own bottles of wine - come here first. If you want to hit as many spots as possible within the city and not even bother with buying bottles of wine until you get to Duty Free and realize you need gifts for the friends and fam - save this beauty for last and savor every last drop of goodness this city has to offer. 

Go to a rugby game:

If you happen to be in Bordeaux during the rugby season, you absolutely have to go to a game. The people of Bordeaux are as passionate about their team as us Americans are about our sports teams and it was so fun to be in that energy. I had zero clue what went on the entire game, annoying my friend with questions for the entire first half until I just gave up, drank beer and watched hot men smash each other on the hottest day of the year. The Union Bordeaux Bègles made an exciting comeback and everyone left with clothes clinging to their backs from 2 hours of straight dripping sweat. I left tipsy, sweaty, confused and so happy to be in France.

Do a walking tour of the city center of Bordeaux:

• Bordeaux Cathedral - An 11th century Catholic Cathedral with stunning architecture in the middle of the city. 

• Pey Berland Tower - The tallest structure in Bordeaux and separate bell tower of the Bordeaux Cathedral. I mean, you have to see the tallest structure in any city you go to, no?

• Jardin Public - Another stunning European garden that has ducks and swans everywhere the eye can see. We got there on the later side of the day, but there’s a spot to have drinks out on a terrace of a gorgeous building that I highly recommend building into your day if you have the time. The restaurant is called L'Orangerie. Not so great reviews, but sitting outside for a refreshment is hard to screw up. 

• Rue Sainte-Catherine - The longest shopping street in Europe. I found this hard to believe at the time, but it really did go on forever. If you’re in the mood to shop until you drop, this would be a great daytime activity for you. If you’re into libraries and plants, Librairie La NUIT DES ROIS is cute for a photo opp or if you’re looking to buy some books for your people as gifts. Bonus points for supporting a small business.

  Place des Quinconces - Monument aux Girondins - We walked by this at night and it was stunning. It’s in the middle of a small park, great for a picnic during the day or to grab a bottle of wine and dessert and sit on the steps at night. Fun fact: it’s the largest city square in all of France. 

• Grosse Cloche - If you’re doing most of your sightseeing during the day, I highly recommend revisiting this spot at night as well, as it gives off this gorgeous blue and yellow hue that can only be explained when you see it. If you’re coming from the inner streets of the city, it kind of comes out of nowhere and is absolutely stunning. It’s a bit more expected when you’re coming at it from the bridge side because you’re already seeing a lot of grand architecture. Both views are recommended. 

• Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux - This is located right across the way of the InterContinental Bordeaux - Le Grand Hotel and the plaza is jaw droppingly gorgeous. In the middle of the day with the sun shining over the buildings or at night as the street lights illuminate the area, you cannot go wrong with a stroll right past it. 

  Place de la Bourse - This is the city’s most recognizable attraction. If you googled Bordeaux (which I did) and scrolled through pictures, you would see many different versions of this square. We traveled to the city center by the tram and getting off at this stop for the first time as the sun was setting was a magical moment. 

• The Miroir d'eau (Water Mirror) - It was a magical moment at Place de la Bourse not only because of the gorgeous architecture of the surrounding buildings or the fountain that reflects sunlight so beautifully, but because it is home to Europe’s largest reflecting pool that will give you a glimpse into the people and tourists of the city. This water mirror has fountains that shoot water from the ground up throughout the day. When they are off (and no one is standing in it), the water reflects back to you the sky overhead, the buildings across the street or a different perspective of the city overall, depending on where you are standing. It is so stunning in that it is the simplest thing, yet adds such a dimensional look at things that are already too stunning for words. We stopped by a few different times, but I highly recommend getting there during the golden hour as the sun sets behind the buildings. It is a Lizzy McGuire moment, no doubt. (Side note: I have no idea why Bordeaux holds so many of the biggest and longest and largest things in Europe, but I thought my tour guide was lying about all these facts when it turns out.. He wasn’t.)

  Porte Cailhau - After a magical day in the city center of Bordeaux, I was finding it difficult to believe that the city could get any better than what I had already seen. Low and behold, turning the corner gave way to this stunning monument. Dating back to 1494, it was built to commemorate Charles VIII's victory at Fornovo (Italy). Now, it is a tourist stop that offers a panoramic view of the city. We didn’t go up, however being down below during a night where the sky was a glowing dark blue and the lights were a golden hue, it took my breath away nonetheless. 

  Basilique Saint-Michel - Another beautiful gothic church that was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.

  Pont de Pierre - As the oldest bridge in Bordeaux, this spot is another recognizable sight of the city. It was the last stop of the day and the bridge itself is quite long, so we walked halfway over it for *the experience* and then went to find the car. It’s a special spot at night, with the glowing black iron lamp posts helping give way to your most romantic French daydreams (or platonic, depending on who you’re with.)

TO EAT

• Marché des Capucins - The largest market in Bordeaux. An indoor, outdoor market with all different kinds of cuisines available. We ended up going to a tapas bar called La Maison du Pata Negra where you can order some food off the menu, but the draw is grabbing a plate and piling it high with the different tapas they put out on display. You save the little toothpicks that are priced by color and the kind waiters add up your bill at the end. We had two glasses of wine and a bunch of little bites (including a cheese, walnut, jam type crostini that I still dream about) and it was only $40. God, I miss Europe so much. 

• Darwin Eco-systéme - This area reminded me a little of what I imagine Burning Man to feel like, except more civilized (and less dusty). It’s a giant warehouse with shops, art exhibits, coworking spots and even a skate park with video games galore. I had a phenomenal Chocolatine (the Bordeaux version of Pain au chocolat - I was told to never call it that though) at the boulangerie inside the Le Magasin General and then we walked across the street to another part of the ‘ecosystem’ and had drinks at an old boat shed turned restaurant/club house called Les Chantiers De La Garonne. It has a sandy, shaded area overlooking the water with plenty of seating and some swings. Highly recommend going during sunset. 

• Les Halles Bacalan - We only walked through here but it’s right across the street from Cite du Vin. If you do feel like doing a wine tour in the morning (no shame, that’s what we did), my suggestion would be to finish up with that and then walk over here for lunch. One thing I do distinctly remember on this 95 degree day was that there was no air conditioning inside. I noticed a big difference between French air conditioning standards and American - the former, a light breeze to keep you from potentially suffering heat stroke and the latter, an ice box that makes you wish you packed a sweater with you everywhere you go. Come prepared. 

  La Pointe - You’ll quickly come to find that there is no shortage of little plazas with outdoor dining and chic little hole in the walls in Bordeaux. This restaurant is in a large opening with a ton of outdoor seating all mixed together for the spots in the square. We ordered a cheap bottle of wine (that was to die for, of course), fried calamari, a french hot dog (I don’t remember why) and a white fish crudo. All that mixed with a basket of bread and it was the perfect meal to finish off yet another perfect day. 

• La Maison du Glacier - We passed this spot a few times, always with a line curving around the building, and when I received a DM from someone saying that we needed to try it, it was like a sign from above that confirmed its spot on the itinerary. The wait was ~20ish minutes and worth it. So many flavors and they let you try samples. Gelato, to me, is a lifestyle and needs to be a part of every day. 

  Le Carreau - We stumbled upon this restaurant in the early evening and decided to sit to eat because they had duck on the menu (apparently a signature dish). Unfortunately, they were all out of duck, but did have burrata on the menu which meant we were staying. To this day, it is the best burrata I’ve ever tasted. Cover in olive oil, paprika salt and pepper served alongside beefsteak tomatoes and arugula and topped with the freshest homemade pesto… please. Please stop here, just for an appetizer. We also had their version of toy soldiers (grilled cheese with ham in the middle) served over an over-easy egg and a crisp glass of wine (because duh). I think I blew my friend's mind a bit when I said I’d like to try another spot for dinner and leave after the appetizer in order to get more stops in one day. The thought had never occurred to him, or the waitress it has seemed, but ended up being a great idea. 

• Cappadoce - The second stop of the dinner tour was apparently the ‘best doner kebabs in France.’ Can confirm they were, indeed, not the best doner kebabs in France (that title is saved for L'As du Fallafel in Paris) however, eaten by the river at sunset made them all the more appetizing. Highly recommend a two-stop dinner, especially when you’re in a new city for a limited amount of time. 

DAY TRIPS BY CAR

Arcachon Bay Area 

The biggest sand dune in Europe, pristine beaches and a boat trip ala public transportation, this day trip is perfect for solo travelers, couples, groups and families. 

Test your quad strength at Dune du Pilat in ​​La Teste-de-Buch - The tallest sand dune in Europe. I had no idea something like this even existed, but I highly recommend seeing it in person for yourself. Many people were in regular tourist clothes as if they were in the city center, but I went with workout clothes because I start sweating at the sight of aerobic activity. Let me tell you… the leg burn on this incline was a trip. I opted to go up by sand rather than stairs and it is straight up for a solid 3 minutes. Once you’re up to the top, enjoy the view and take a walk to the other side and back. Makes for a great workout and the view of trees on one side and water on the other is an interesting and calming view. 

Drinks at Restaurant Cafe de la Plage - After climbing to the top of Dune du Pilat, I suggest arriving at the boat dock in time for a drink before the boat leaves to Cap Ferret. Nothing special to report except that you have a view of the water and you can never go wrong with a glass of rosé.

Order the seafood platter and profiteroles at L’Escale in Lège-Cap-Ferret - The traditional French dish called ‘Plateau de fruits de mer’ is popular here. The name translates to a ‘plate of fruits of the sea’ and has every seafood you’ve ever tried and all the ones you haven’t. This was not the dish for me, however it did look impressive albeit uneasy to watch being enjoyed. If you’re a big seafood fan, it’s likely a must. If you’re a big dessert fan, I can confidently recommend the profiteroles. 

Rent bikes from Locabeach in Cap Ferret - The deposit is steep for a bike shop, but ride safely and you get it back obviously. We rode them to the tip of the peninsula through a cute little center with shops and then through a residential area. It was a stunningly beautiful sunny day with barely anyone in sight, so this was an instant core memory. 

Take in the view at Pointe du Cap Ferret - We didn’t have time to walk the edge of the beach around to the entrance to the beach, but the view was spectacular nonetheless. The kind of beach that belongs on postcards (and is on postcards, magnets, posters and tote bags all over the city) that would likely be the perfect spot for a beach day as long as it doesn’t have the current we witnessed the day we were there.

Taste the profiterole's hotter cousin at Dunes Blanches from Chez Pascal - Inspired by the above beach, the Dune Blanche (white dune) is a delicious dessert closely related to a profiterole, but crispier, airier and all around better. They are available back in Arcachon, a quick walk from where the boat drops you off. There’s another shop in Bordeaux if you don’t get around to it (but it does feel kind of special to get it where they originated). 

Get over your fear of heights (or develop one) at Observatoire Sainte-Cécile - I came to know the term belvédère (​​a word that derives from two Italian words, bel, which means "beautiful," and vedere, which means "view") quite well throughout my travels in Bordeaux. This one is a steep water tower looking metal structure that has a tiny spiral staircase to the top. Worth it if you have the time, certainly not if you have any qualms with heights and/or stairs being held up by wires that move. 

Take an architecture tour in Le Quartier de la Ville d'Hiver - Last stop on the tour is a drive through this neighborhood that houses a group of late 19th and early 20th century villas that were built with a variety of global architectural styles. I wouldn’t classify this as a can’t miss attraction, but for anyone who loves architecture, it is pretty cool.

Saint-Émilion 

If you love wine, I have nothing more to say than you must go to Saint-Émilion. This quaint little medieval village is located in the heart of wine country in France. World famous wineries, architecture, history and a charming experience for anyone involved. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so you can cross this one off your list as well. 

Take pictures in the Eglise Collegiale de Saint-Emilion - There’s a little outdoor courtyard that you can look out on while people watching. It’s a great warm up to the architecture that you’ll see all over the village.

Order canelés & macarons at Matthieu Mouliérac - Is this the best canelé I’ve ever had? Hardly (That one was at the airport admittedly). However, it is part of the experience and as this sugar coated and sugar filled pastry is native to Bordeaux, I had to try it. Saint-Émilion has their own pastry as well called macarons that look exactly like a cookie… because it is a cookie. The recipe dates back to the 1600s and consists of almond meal, granulated sugar and egg whites. Surprisingly, not terrible. 

Drinks at Amélia Canta in La place de l'église monolithe - A crisp glass of rosé and a pastry sampling will put anyone in a good mood.

Thai food at Café Saigon - Don’t ask me why we went to a Thai food restaurant in the wine capital of the world. My friend had heard great things about it and I’m not one to turn down the opportunity to have egg rolls or a delicious noodle dish. Turns out, it was a great choice and 10/10 would recommend. 

Champagne tour at Les Cordeliers - Technically you can’t call it champagne if it wasn’t made within that region, so it’s Bordeaux sparkling wine made by the champagne method and it’s not bad. I am not a fan of anything bubbly, but for a few sips after an hour-long history tour (all in French, mind you) it was worth it. It was a particularly balmy day in France so going 17m underground to tour part of the 3km worth of tunnels where this 120-year-old winery began was, quite literally, exactly what I wanted to do. There are plenty of wine tours to choose from so I suggest taking a look at what kind of wine you’d like to try from Saint-Émilion and booking accordingly. I can say that this one was informative and enlightening.

GETTING AROUND

• TRAM: The tram in Bordeaux is above ground and takes you right to the city center, depending on where you’re hopping on. It was pointed out multiple times to me that when you use your tram ticket, it is valid for the next hour of travel. So if you hop off to take a bus or to switch to a different tram, it comes at no cost to you. This is a stark difference to Paris, where every ride costs something. How generous you are, Bordeaux.

• UBER: From the airport to the city center, an uber will cost somewhere between €30-40. Taxis are also available. However, meet a cute Frenchman that lives there and it’ll cost you nothing, he’ll *park* at the airport and meet you in baggage claim holding an adorable handwritten sign with your name on it. 

• BIKES: There are bikes everywhere in the city center with open walkways that make it quite easy to bike to and from. With an extensive list of stations throughout the popular tourist spots, you’ll have no issue starting at one point in the city and returning your bike at another. I’ve heard great things about the Bridge to Bridge biking route, which runs along the Garonne River, being a great way to see the city.

• CAR: If you’re in Bordeaux for only a few days and making day trips along the way, then I highly recommend renting a car.

If you’re planning to visit other parts of Europe on your trip, don’t forget to check out the EDP Travel Section. Ash and I have put together some amazing travel guides and tips! xx - Marissa

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