Things to Do in Bordeaux, France
People arrive in Bordeaux with the vineyards on their minds and discover that the city is the better part of the trip. Built along a sweeping bend of the Garonne, it is one of the most elegant cities in France, a UNESCO listed center of honey colored stone buildings, wide squares, and a riverfront that locals reclaimed from a car highway and turned into a promenade. I have spent comfortable days here between wine tastings, and the city itself keeps delivering. Here is what I would do.
Walk the mirror square and the riverfront
Start in the Place de la Bourse, an elegant 1700s square that sits right on the river. In front of it lies the Miroir d’eau, a shallow reflecting pool that alternates between a still mirror and a sheet of fine mist, and it is one of the best free attractions in France, especially at dusk when the building lights come up. From there the wide quays stretch in both directions, lined with cafés and perfect for a slow riverside walk. On summer evenings the banks turn into a party, with people strolling, skating, and meeting friends as the bridge lights flicker on. Go back for it twice, once in the day and once after dark, because the square reads completely differently in each light.
Explore the old town on foot
Behind the river, the old town of Bordeaux is a compact network of handsome streets and one great set piece after another. The huge Place des Quinconces, one of the largest squares in Europe, anchors the north end with its column to the Girondins. Further in, the cathedral and the belfry that you can climb for a superb view sit at the historic core. The real pleasure is simply wandering, crossing courtyards, finding small squares shaded by plane trees, and letting the stone buildings and their iron balconies do the talking. It is a city made for aimless walking, and you will be richly rewarded for it. Allow yourself a couple of hours with no plan and no destination.
See the city by bike or tram
Bordeaux is flat, and the city has invested heavily in bikes, with broad dedicated lanes and self service rental schemes that make cycling painless. Renting a bike for a day is my favorite way to cover more ground. Trams are efficient if you are tired, and the little shuttle boat across the river is a fun way to reach the peninsula across the water, which holds the striking new Cité du Vin museum and a lot of riverside walking space. There are many things to do in Bordeaux that need no planning at all, and the bike is the fastest way to find them. The wide boulevards and the gentle riverfront make even a long ride feel easy.
Visit the Cité du Vin and tourist attractions
Even travelers who care little about wine should see the Cité du Vin on the opposite bank. It is a curving, otherworldly building that explores the story of wine across the world, and its top floor tasting room gives a panoramic view over the whole city. Back in the center, the Musée des Beaux-Arts holds a fine collection of European paintings. If you want something different, the fine arts and the natural history museums both reward an hour without feeling like a slog. The Cité du Vin is worth setting aside a full half day for, because the exhibits are deeper and richer than the glossy exterior suggests.
Eat and shop at the markets
Bordeaux eats well. The covered market at Les Capucins, nicknamed the belly of Bordeaux, is the place to wander between stalls of cheese, oysters, and the region’s sweet canelé pastries, with a ring of small restaurants where you can eat in. For shopping, the pedestrian streets south of the Grand Theatre carry everything from high fashion to artisan food shops. I always pick up a box of canelés, the rum and vanilla pastries that are this city’s answer to a souvenir, and a bottle of wine best left to the specialists to choose. Do the market in the morning, when the oysters are still being shucked and the coffee stands are at their busiest.
Get out to the vineyards
You cannot write a list of things to do in Bordeaux without the vineyards, but choose your trip wisely. The famous chateaux of the Medoc require a car or an organized tour because the estates are spread out along the river north of the city. Closer options include Saint Emilion, an hour by train, a gorgeous hilltop town with its own wines and caves, and the Côtes de Bordeaux, which are reachable by bike. A day trip to Saint Emilion combines the countryside with one of the most beautiful villages in France, and its underground amphitheater of caves is unlike anything the city itself offers.
Plan for the right rhythm
The best way to do Bordeaux is to split your time, a day and a half for the city and a day for the vineyards. Stay central so you can walk everywhere, and book any chateau visits ahead because they fill up in summer. May, June, and September give you comfortable weather and green countryside. Slow down, let the long riverside evenings work their charm, and Bordeaux will quickly make clear why it has become one of the most loved cities in France.
