Whether you are into cycling or not, it is plain to see from the sheer number of cycling citizens that Bordeaux is a bike friendly city. Well actually, it’s a fact!Bordeaux is ranked the 6th most bicycle friendly city in the world byCopehagenize. So, whether you are already a cyclist or keen to give it a go Bordeaux is the place to be.
Bordeaux offers so many bicycle related activities, tours and places: dedicated bike paths that go through vineyards to the beach, English speaking bike tour companies and theMusette bicycle café where you can get your bike repaired or just have a delicious coffee, there’s something for everyone.
Today, our guest author Christopher, the owner of Musette bicycle café and a cycling addict, gives us his take on the cycling scene in Bordeaux.
Bicycles and Coffee
Musette is a coffee shop and bicycle shop rolled into one, combining the best bits of both. Opened in 2017 by two Anglophone expats, it is the first bicycle café in Bordeaux. You can simply stop in to have some great coffee and home-made cake even if you don’t have a bike. They also do light lunches, beer and wine and they even have a cute little garden terrace. If you have a bike and need to get a quick repair, they do almost everything for you, from flat tire repairs to full revisions. If you don’t already have a bike and are looking to buy a gravel bike in Bordeaux then you should stop in and check out their stylish Genesis bikes that they display on the walls.
photo by: Christopher GJ Cooley
You’ll find Musette bicycle & coffee at 72 Cours de la Somme 33800 Bordeaux. 200 meters from the Victoire with the nearest tram-stop being Saint-Nicolas on the B line.
If you are new in town and looking to discover the city one of the best ways to do it is by bike. Rustic Vines is an English speaking guided bike tour operator. Their Bordeaux by bike tour combines some of the best sights in Bordeaux brought to life with the stories behind them and of course a little drop of wine. If you would like to take it one-step further they also operate electric bike tours in Saint-Emilion, where they take you through the vineyards to explore different wine châteaux and provide a picnic lunch.
photo by rustic vines
They can be found in person at 26 Rue de la Devise 33000 Bordeaux in the historic center or you can book directly on their website.
Cycle Paths
If you have your own bicycle and want to enjoy a day in the open air, there are a few great options heading out of town. First, there is a dedicated cycle path that runs all the way to the beach at Lacanau. The path is all flat and mostly straight running through the pine forests. It will take you about 60km to get to the lake and Lacanau town and then another 10km to get to the actual beach but it makes for a great little adventure. To make a round trip there and back in one day requires a fairly high level of fitness, so it’s recommended to go back by bus ( if there’s a space for your bike in the boot of the bus of course).
Another bike path that is definitely worth riding is theRoger Lapebie Voie Verte. It runs from Bordeaux all the way to Sauveterre-de-Guyenne but a recommended day trip would be to the little Medieval village of Creon and back. You’ll see vineyards, forests and little lakes all the while being almost completely out of the way of motor traffic.
photo by: Christopher GJ Cooley
So now you can hop on your ‘bicyclette’ and ride, fix and drink in the biking scene in Bordeaux!
The author, Christopher GJ Cooley, is one of the owners of Mussette bycicle café in Bordeaux.
If you are living in France or just passing by and you wish to discover one of its most important regions, now is an excellent time to be heading to Médoc, one of the most famous wine growing regions in the world, located in the Gironde department, north of Bordeaux. To celebrate the beginning of the spring the Maison du Tourisme et du Vin de Pauillac will hold an open doors weekend on April 7-8,where you will be able to visit all the chateaux of the Médoc region and do a lot of wine tasting.
Le Week-end Portes Ouvertes (open doors weekend) in Médoc is an annual event that officially starts the tourist season in the wine region of South west France. The first time that vineyards have collectively decided to open their doors to the public was in 1991 and it was an immediate success. Starting its third edition, the Week-end Portes Ouvertes has seen tens of thousands of visitors and the tradition of the open house was copied to other chateaux in France. This tradition has grown so much that it became a challenge to pickthe best chateaux to visit during that weekend.
Sixty three châteaux (Château Clarke will eventually not be participating in the open house weekend) from eight different AOC (appellation d’origine contrôlée) will participate in the Portes Ouvertes weekend: MEDOC, HAUT MEDOC NORD, PAUILLAC, SAINT ESTEPHE, SAINT JULIEN, LISTRAC, MOULIS, MARGAUX. The AOC is the French certification for geographical indications for agricultural products such as wine and cheeses. To see what châteaux are participating in the event, see the full list and the map below.
Although visiting the cellars and wine tastings are still at the heart of the event, today the various chateaux try to attract visitors with additional attractions such as the restaurant of the chateau, music, games, art expos and activities for kids. If you don’t have a specific chateaux in mind you can choose one according to the proposed activities . What follows is a listing of chateaux according to their proposed activities:
Fine dining
Wines are not the only product the Médoc region does well, it is also famous for some of its gastronomic specialties, such as: l’agneau de Pauillac (Pauillac lamb), l’entrecôte cuite aux sarments (entrecote cooked with vine shoots), les chocolats de Mademoiselle de Margaux and more. In addition to in house restaurants, some of the chateaux offer gourmet markets, food trucks and bars. So, besides tasting great wine you are guaranteed to have a great culinary experience.
Some of the châteaux will host exhibitions of paintings, sculptures and photography of both local and international artists.
in Châteaux Saint Hilaire, for example, two Medoc artists will present their aquarelle paintings and photographs. Châteaux Lanessan will give visitors the opportunity to see the family’s carriage collection, dated to the 19th century. And in Châteaux Castera, one of the most ancient chateaux of the region, you could see the permanent sculpture exposition “Les bouteilles de vincent libecq”. Follow the list of the participating chateaux to see the kind of art on display.
Many people take the chance to make the chateaux visit a family trip, and rightly so as kids can appreciate the charming chateaux and their gardens. Nonetheless, having to look after your little kids while wine tasting can definitely undermine the experience. That is why some of the chateaux propose activities to entertain your kids while you are tasting wine.
For example: Château Lamothe Bergeron will hold creative workshops as well as grape juice tasting for kids, Château Hourtin-Ducasse will entertain your kids with activities like coloring, ping pong and comics; and Château Ségur will hold an egg hunt and a mask coloring workshop.
The world of wine is a huge body of knowledge and many of the châteaux would like to see you experience more than just wine tasting. Some of them organize workshops and activities revolving around the production of wine. Those can come in the form of a demonstration of the different tractors they use (Château Maucamps), discovering your sensors in blind wine tasting (Château Ségur), a vines workshop (Château Chantelys) and more.
A Map of all the Châteaux participation in the Portes ouvertes weekend:
Most of the Chateaux require prior reservation to the wine tasting and cellar tours, so if you found a chateaux you would like to discover this weekend, hurry up and make a reservation by email or phone. All the details, including the address, the activities proposed, the hours and the contact details appear in the link of the participating chateaux above. For more info, go to the site of the event.
Enjoy your glass of wine and the official beginning of Spring in the region!
UPDATE: If you want to know what’s happening in Bordeaux in April 2019 – click here.
Don’t let the rain get you down, spring is almost here and the Bordeaux area will soon start flourishing with interesting things to do. Now all we need is the sun to come out so we can get our spring party started. Meanwhile, take a look at all the great events Bordeaux has to offer this month.
This is my list of things to do in April 2018 in Bordeaux and the surroundings. I didn’t want this list to be too long so I focused on the big events, however I do plan to publish updates so stay tuned.
Treasure Hunt on Pâques Weekend
The first weekend of April is the long weekend of Easter in France and the area of Bordeaux offers a great deal of activities to entertain you and your kids. Egg hunting, visits in beautiful chateaux and chocolate workshops are only some of the activities you could do this weekend. To discover all Pâques events in and around Bordeaux read my article about “What to do in Bordeaux in Easter 2018“.
Festival Musical Écran is a very unique film festival all dedicated to documentaries about music. This year theprogram of the festival includes 20 films from four different countries. The festival will be held April 1-8 in different places in Bordeaux: Cinéma Utopia, Cour Malby, Bibliothéque Mériadeck, Institut Cervantes, Université de Bordeaux Campus Victoire.
Queercore: How to Punk a Revolution
When: April 1-8
Where: see locations.
How much: 39 € for the whole festival
Bicycle spring sale
Are you looking to buy or sell a bicycle, the big spring bicycle sale is just around the corner. Bordeaux bicycle stock exchange will take place April 1 at Quai Louis XVIII. Those who wish to sell their bike can do it between 9:30 and 11am and the buyers will be able to start buying after 10am.
For more details.
When: April 1 (9:30 to 17:30)
Where: Quai Louis XVIII
Esclave du livre (literature festival)
Esclave du livre is a literature association whose goal is to promote reading and to support the creation of new literature. April 6-8they will hold a literature festival that will bring together authors and illustrators for debates, public readings, performances and uncovering of pieces that haven’t been published yet.
When: April 6-8
Where: Place Renaudel – Quartier Ste Croix
Convention Tattoo Bordeaux
The international tattoo convention of Bordeaux will take place on the weekend of April 14-15 in Hangar 14, which is located at Quai des Chartrons. The program includes: tattoo contest, expositions, live concerts and different activities such as jungling and brakedancing.
Photo by Timothy Paul Smith on Unsplash
When: April 14-15
Where: hangar 14, 115 Quai des Chartrons, 33000 Bordeaux
How much: 15 € /day
Brocante des Quinconces
The big brocante of Bordeaux is hosted twice a year at place des Quinconces with 200 antique dealers, horticulturists, restaurants and craftsmen. This spring is the 100th edition of the brocante and it will take place from April 20 to May 8.
photo by: Ira Szmuk
When: April 20 – May 8
Where: Place des Quinconces
Art
Digital Abysses at Base Sous-Marine
If you still didn’t have a chance to visit the incredible Base sous- Marine, it’s time to do it. The first exhibition, Digital Abysses, ( 9 March to 20 May 2018) is by the digital artist Miguel Chevalier, which explores nature through underwater plants and wildlife. The characteristics of this unique place with the combination of fixed works and interactive digital installations makes it a special experience.
photo by: Ira Szmuk
Address: Boulevard Alfred Daney, 33300 Bordeaux
Street Color at Institut Bernard Margez
An extensive street are exhibition will be presented from April 5 to June 24 at theInstitut Bernard Magrez. The expo will include some well known street artists (mostly French ones), such as MAD C (GER), Seth (FRA), d’Alexöne (FRA) and more. This institute is a historic monument dated to the 18th century, so the combination of an ancient chateau with street art will most certainly add to the atmosphere of the exposition.
The Luminopolis exposition of Cap Sciences has been running from June 2017 and if you haven’t had the chance to go there yet, it’s time to do it now before the museum gets crowded with a lot of tourists. Luminopolis is a light exposition that have been structured as an Escape game where you need to answer questions about light in order to get out.
The expositions runs from June 2017 to September 2017 ,the ticket price is 8 euros and the minimum age is 6.
Address: 48-50 Avenue Jean Alfonséa, 33270 Floirac
Portes Ouvertes
Open doors in Médoc
To celebrate the beginning of the spring the Maison du Tourisme et du Vin de Pauillac will hold an open doors weekend where you’ll be able to visit all chateaux of the Medoc region and do a lot of wine tasting. The event will take place April 7-8.
When: April 7-8
Where: different locations (see the site)
Open doors in Saint-Emilion
An open door weekend will take place on April 29 to May 1 at Saint Emilion where 84 chateaux will hold open door events and will propose different activities to the visitors. Some châteaux (such as Château Fleur Cardinale) will start the open door weekend April 28.
On the event website you can see the participating châteaux , the activities and the wine tasting proposed for that weekend – seemore info.
When: April 28 – May 1
Where: 7 Thibaud, 33330 Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse
Meetings
If you’re craving for some activity with other English speakers, like going to Utopia cinema or just having a coffee together , check out the monthly planning of the ICB (International Club of Bordeaux)- see agenda.
Do you have any interesting events you know about? Please share with us in the comments below.
Easter is always a great time to spend with friends and family as it’s full of activities that always involve some chocolate. The long weekend of Pâques offers a great way to discover the region, entertain your kids and eat delicious chocolate. So I decided to make a list of some of the things you can do with or without kids this weekend. To give everyone a chance to enjoy this fun holiday, the list includes activities both within and around Bordeaux such as parks, chateaux and more..
In the city
le Musée des Arts décoratifs et du Design
The museum of decorative arts and design of Bordeaux will hold its Paques activities on April 1-2 which will include a graffiti workshop (ages 8-12) and a chocolate treasure hunt (ages 6-12). The number of places is limited so if you are interested contact the museum by phone 05 56 10 14 05 or by mail artdeco.publics@mairie-bordeaux.fr .
Where: 39 Rue Bouffard, 33000 Bordeaux
When: April 1-2
How much: 10 €
Egg Hunt in Bacalan
le K’fé des familles association will hold a big egg hunt at place Buscaillet in the Bacalan neighborhood March 31. The participants will be divided into different age groups and will then go on a hunt for chocolate eggs, bunnies and hens that are hidden in different spots in the neighborhood.
Where: 46 rue de New York, 33300 Bordeaux
When: March 31
How much: 2 €
Les Vivres de l’Art en chocolat
Les Vivres de l’Art will hold a free Easter event at place Victor Raulin (next to the cité du vin) on April 1. The program will include plenty of activities for every age: mask painting workshop, barbecue, card games and more.
Where: 4 rue Achard, 33300 Bordeaux, France
When: April 1
How much: free
PIMP YOUR EGG with Hasnaâ
Hasnaâ Ferreira, renowned Bordeaux chocolatier, will hold several 15 minutes workshops for kids in Halles de Bacalan on April 1. During the ‘Pimp your egg’ event, the kids will make a personal chocolate egg from her chocolate.
Where: Halles de Bacalan, 10 esplanade de pontac, 33300 Bordeaux, France
When: Avril 1
How much: 10€
Around Bordeaux
Château de Vayres
The biggest egg hunt in Bordeaux is at Château de Vayres . The chateau hosts parents and kids for a big egg hunt event which includes a visit in the chateau and different activities for kids in the park. The event will take place April 1-2.
Where: 63 Avenue de Libourne, 33870 Vayres
When: April 1-2
How much: free under 5/ 5-14 year old : 10 €/ older than 15 : 12.50 €
Find the treasure at Pessac zoo
Like every year, the zoo of Pessac proposes different activities during Easter. This weekend (April 1-2) the participants will have to find the hints hidden at the alleys of the park in order to discover the treasure. Also, at 10 AM a team of makeup artists will transform the kids into little zebras, tigers and giraffes.
Where: 3, rue du Transvaal – 33600 Pessac
When: April 1-2
How much: 16,50 € for adults / 12 € for kids
Pâques with the Woompa family
Come participate in a family riddle game at Château Pape Clément on March 31 and April 1. In Addition to the game the activity will include a visit to a mini museum of the family, chocolate tastings and even an aperitif for the parents.
for more info.
Where: 216 Avenue Dr Nancel Penard, 33600 Pessac
When: March 31 and April 1
How much: free under 4 and 10 €/ 11 € with/without reservantion
Egg Hunt at Larrivet Haut-Brion
Château Larrivet Haut-Brion in Léognan invites families to their Paques celebration on March 31. The program for the day includes: Egg hunt, wine and chocolate workshops, cellar visits and the Design and wine 2018 award ceremony.
Where: 84, avenue de Cadaujac, 33850 Léognan
When: March 31 (14:30-17:00)
How much: 10€
Pâques en Musiques à l’Ecomusée de Marquèze
l’Ecomusée de Marquèze invites families to an egg hunt and music on April 1-2. After the traditional egg hunt in the neighborhood the museum will hold a little party with music and snacks.
Where: Route de la Gare, 40630 Sabres
When: April 1-2
Egg hunt at Château de La Brède
To open the 2018 season, Château de La Brède will hold an egg hunt event on April 2. The event will also include a chocolate workshop and the participants can take an advantage of a free visit to the chateaux and the gardens.
Where: Château de La Brède, Avenue du Château, 33650 La Brède
When: April 2 (14:00-18:00)
How much: free
Easter in Jardins d’Eyrignac
Jardins d’Eyrignac organises Easter activities on April 1-2, which will include: treasure hunting for kids and riddle games for the adults. This is quite a ride to get there from Bordeaux but it can be a good opportunity to discover these beautiful gardens.
Where: les jardins du manoir d’eyrignac 24590 salignac
When: April 1-2
How much: Normal ticket: 12,50€ – Students : 10,50€ – 11-18 ans : 8,50€; kids (5-10 ans) : 6,50€
As you see, this weekend is full of great and yummy Paques activities in and around Bordeaux, now let’s just hope that the wet weather won’t ruin the egg hunts.
If you know of any other interesting activities for Easter comment below and if you like the article share it with your friends on facebook so they won’t miss these fun events.
The main event in Bordeaux this weekend is definitely the Marathon of Bordeaux. For those who look for smaller events there are nice festivals and expos and even a big vinyl records salon, and for some of them you don’t even have to get into Bordeaux center.
These are the things to do in Bordeaux in the weekend of March 23-25:
Special events
Bordeaux Marathon
The Marathon(24 March) takes place in the historic city center, allowing the runners to cross all the historic sites and some of Bordeaux’s biggest wineries. The Marathon will start at 20:00 which makes it even more special as runners can see the city by night with special decorations just for the event. Most of us are probably not in shape for the 42km run, but that should not prevent us from enjoying the atmosphere in the city as well as seeing others run 🙂
Culture
“Le vin & La musique, accords et désaccords” à La Cité du Vin
The art exposition at la Cité du Vin, named “Le vin & La musique, accords et désaccords“, reveals the relationship between wine and music through a visual journey that alternates between paintings, music and stage art. Around 150 pieces of art will be put in place from French and European collections: ceramics, paintings, music books , instruments and more. The exposition will take place March 23-24for the price of 8€.
Address: 134 – 150 Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux
Festivals and Salons
Salon International du Disque de Bordeaux
The international salon of vinyl and cd records of Bordeaux will take place March 24-25in the Parc des expositions. It’s the 57th edition of this festival that brings together 80 exhibitors from France and abroad and proposes all genres of music: rock, pop, soul, jazz, punk, reggae and more.
Price: Normal 3€50 / Student 2€ / free for kids.
Address: Parc des expositions de Bordeaux – Vélodrome
Cordes Sensibles 2018- Guitar Festival
The annual guitar festival, Cordes Sensibles will take place on March 23-25 in Saint-Médard-en-Jalles and this year will be mostly dedicated to duos. Besides the concerts the festival will include master classes, art expos and concerts of the music school of Saint-Médard-en-Jalles.
Address: Carré des Jalles, place de la République33160 Saint-Médard-en-Jalles
Les Fous Rires de Bordeaux
If you still haven’t attended, les Fous Rires de Bordeaux is still on until March 24. It’s a very unique humor festival with more than 80 artists participating and different activities taking place all over the city. The festival provides the opportunity to experience humor in different forms, such as on stage, in pictures and even through cooking!!
There are two parts to the festival: Festival IN, with well known artists on stage. Festival OUF– that proposes free activities during the whole week of the festival such as workshops, happenings, entertaining children in hospitals and more.
Piano voyageur, a concert performed by the pianist Jérôme Médeville will take place at Château de Cadillac on March 25, at 15:00. Médeville will play classical music from the 18th and 19th centuries, such as Chopin, Beethoven, Debussy, Mozart, and Liszt. Ticket Price is 9€.
Address: 4 Place de la Libération, 33410 Cadillac
Reggae concert and fundraising in Cenon
On March 24, le Rocher de Palmer will hold an evening in support of the SOS Mediterranee association denouncing the deplorable conditions in which refugees cross the Mediterranean, often risking their lives. The event will include a reggae concert of two and a half hours with the following artists: Yannis Odua, Natty Jean, Papa Style, Brahim.
The concert will start at 20:30, ticket price is 20€ (18€ online). For tickets andmore details.
Address: 1 Rue Aristide Briand, 33152 Cenon
With Kids
Early Easter egg hunt in Talence
The Taillade neighborhood in Talence organizes an early Easter egg hunt March 24, between 14:00 and 19:00. Once the baskets of chocolate are full, kids and their parent will be able to taste it together.
Address: salle les Mallerettes, 170-172 cours Galliéni – 33400 TALENCE
Festival Entre 2 Rêves
The Entre 2 Rêves Festival, organized by the Collectif Entre 2 Rêves, takes place between 21-31 March on the right side of the Garonne river ( Cénac, Langoiran, Cambes and other towns in the area). Those 10 days will be full of shows of different genres: theater, music, circus and more. For thefull program and tickets.
Prices: daily show 2.50€, evening show 5€.
Drinking and Fooding
Original Cocktail Tour 2018
TheOriginal Cocktail Tour takes place March 20-26 in five bars in Bordeaux: Madame Pang, Au Symbiose, Le Gabriel, Le Taquin, Au CanCan “Coquetels & Flonflons” . During these 7 days these five bars will propose a menu of special cocktails at reduced prices.
Hope this list will help you find some nice things to do during this rainy weekend in Bordeaux. And for all the Marathon runners, you are very brave and good luck to you 🙂
This Saturday is going to be a very busy day in Bordeaux with Saint Patrick’s celebrations, several workshops for kids and a carnival. Besides that the weekend is full of great events such as swing and jazz festivals, a Swan Lake ballet and more. So here is the full list of the most interesting events for the weekend of 16-18 March.
CULTURE
Photography exhibition – Valérie Belin
Anexpo of Valérie Belin, one of France’s greatest photographers is presented in Institute Culturel Bernard Magrez , which is a beautiful chateau in the middle of Bordeaux. If you want to go with kids, better do it on Saturday (17 March) at 15:00, as the place will hold a creative workshop for kids and adults by the name of“Rêves animaliers”. The expo is open until March 25, so hurry up.
Address: 16 rue de Tivoli, Bordeaux
Remigio ROSANI – Exhibition
An Exhibition of the Italian artist Remogio Rosani will take place at the Musée de la Création Franche in Begles (16 March- 28 May 2018). His brightly colored drawings are executed in oil pastel and the dominant theme in his work is hedonism and carnal relationships.
Address: 58 avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny ,33130 Bègles
CONCERTS/ SHOWS:
Lac des Cygnes
I already mentioned the famous Swan Lake ballet that was performed by the Saint-Petersburg Ballet on March 4 in my“What to do in March” post. For those who missed this beautiful ballet you now have a second chance to see it in Bordeaux. The Russian National Opera will perform theSwan Lake ballet on March 16 at the Bordeaux Métropole Arena.
Address: 48-50 Avenue Jean Alfonséa, 33270 Floirac
Pleymo – metal concert in Cenon
Pleymo is a French metal group that raised to fame some two decades ago . For their 20th anniversary they will perform on March 16at the Rocher de Palmer in Cenon.
Address: Rocher de Palmer, 1 rue Aristide Briand, 33150 CENON
FESTIVALS:
Swing Festival
Every March in the last 11 years Bordeaux has been hosting the Swing Art Festival(16-18 March) when swing dancers come from all around the globe to teach the dancers of Bordeaux their art of Swinging. However this festival is much more than just swing dancing, it’s three days of live music, art, vintage markets, workshop and a get together of many people from all around the world to celebrate this sweeping dance. It will take place in and around Halle des Chartrons and it’s Free!
This year the concept of the festival is “Drink & Draw” with the aim to create an interaction between the dancers, the artists and the public and will feature a big vintage sale, different exhibitions of photography and design, plastic art workshops and more.
1,2,3 Musique! Festival
The 10th edition of this Classical music and Jazz festival takes place in Talence on 13 – 24 March. This year theprogram of the festival includes acts like Irish Spirit, “Nougaro Revival” by Garanou and a Beethoven evening with the Talence music school.
Les Fous Rires de Bordeaux
Les Fous Rires de Bordeaux (17-24 March) is a very unique humor festival with more than 80 artists participating and different activities taking place all over the city. The festival is an opportunity to experience humor in different forms, such as live on stage, in pictures and even through cooking!!
There are two parts to the festival: Festival IN, with well known artists on stage. Festival OUF– that proposes free activities during the whole week of the festival such as workshops, happenings, entertaining children in hospitals and more.
Planète Céramique in Le Bouscat offers a great way to entertain the kids right before Paques. In a ceramic workshop, that will take place on March 17, kids will color their own ceramic plate for Paques. The price is 16 euros, open to kids from 7 years old up.
Address: 172 avenue de la Libération 33110 Le Bouscat
Superheros Carnival in Langon
The annual carnival of Langon will take place on March 17 at 13:30 at Place des Carmes and continue with a parade, accompanied by the Brazilian band Ozabumba. This fun day will also feature dance, costumes and musical shows.
Le Petit Grain in quartier Saint-Croix are welcoming the spring on March 17 with special workshops , DIY events, concerts , shows and a lot of food and drinks. You can learn cooking, planting, fixing your bike, see a cabaret show and finish this busy day with a free meal.
Kweezine (a platform for culinary discoveries) is hosting aworkshop of Scandinavian cuisine (18 March), which will combine a chef class and a Scandinavian themed brunch.
Address: 9 Rue André Darbon, 33000 Bordeaux, France
Saint Patrick’s day
Saint Patrick’s day is always a good opportunity to get drunk from an Irish beer or whisky while listening to good music. But since we are in Bordeaux and not in Dublin, you should know where to go in order to enjoy the day.
Irish and English Pubs in Bordeaux
There are plenty of Irish and English Pubs in Bordeaux that have already announced they will hold Saint Patrick’s events. For that occasion, I’ve made a detailed post of all the places where you can celebrate that in Bordeaux. See the full list of Pubs.
in Mérignac – will celebrate St. Patrick with the Booze Brother on 17 March.
Let us know in the comments if there are other interesting events in Bordeaux and its surrounding that we’ve missed! Or if you have suggestions for nice spots people can visit on the weekends, please share it with us 🙂
A beer Festival, art expositions , an orchestra concert and champagne tasting are only a part of the fun activities in Bordeaux this weekend. So here is the full list of the most interesting events for the weekend of 9-11 March.
CULTURE
Re-opening of the Base Sous-Marine
After 4 months of renovation the incredible Base sous- Marine reopens its doors to the public on March 9, with a launch of a new exhibition and a new space of 480m2. The first exhibition ( 9 March to 20 May 2018 ) is by the digital artist Miguel Chevalier (see video below), which explores nature through underwater plants and wildlife. The characteristics of this unique place with the combination of fixed works and interactive digital installations makes it a special experience.
A new art expo of Alexandre Bois includes 60 works of art. In his works he plays with shadows, lights and deep colors through a contemplation of skies and seas. The expo will be displayed in Cour Malby from 3 – 13 March.
Address: Salle Capitulaire, 3 rue Mably, 33000 Bordeaux
CONCERTS/ SHOWS:
Quelques lignes de cirque
A circus show of dancers and acrobats for kids and teenagers in Espace Médoquine in Talence will take place on 10 March.
Address: Espace Médoquine , 224 Cours Maréchal Gallieni, 33400 Talence
Concert de l’Orchestre d’Harmonie de Bordeaux
l’Orchestre d’Harmonie is one of Bordeaux’s emblematic cultural heritage institutions. This Saturday (10 Mars) at 17:15 you have the chance to see them preform at the Femina Theater.
Address: 10 Rue de Grassi, 33000 Bordeaux
Shaka Ponk
The French rock band, Shaka Ponk will preform at the Bordeaux Métropole Arena on 8 March. They create a mix of rock and electronic music with different types of world music and most of their songs are in English.
Address: 48-50 Avenue Jean Alfonséa, 33270 Floirac
FESTIVALS:
Bordeaux Beer Festival
This is the first beer festival in Bordeaux (8-10 March) , organized by the Beer Family, which is a group of partners (bars, restaurants, clubs and local French shops) such as Le Sherlock , La Casa, Le Théâtro and the Bordeaux Beer Factory. The festivals is full of fun activities such as workshops of beer makers, concerts in the partner bars and sale of special beers that you wouldn’t normally find in your local bar.
You can find all the prices and the places where tickets can be purchases on the facebook page of the event.
Fête de l’Orange
Podensac, a little commune (about 30 minutes south of Bordeaux) have been producing Lillet, a famous Bordeaux aperitif since 1872, which is orange based. Thus orange has always been a very important fruit for this region, to the extent that it requires a special celebration. And this little orange festival , that will take place at cours du Maréchal Foch in Podensac on 10-11 March does it in all forms: an orange market with tastings of different types of oranges and orange specialties, Bistrot de l’Orange, orange pancakes and more. Looks like a perfect activity with kids.
Address: 8 cours du Maréchal Foch 33720 PODENSAC
WITH KIDS
An expo of Valérie Belin, one of France’s greatest photographers is presented in Institute Culturel Bernard Magrez until 25 March. This Saturday (10 March) at 15:00 the place will hold a creative workshop for kids and adults by the name of “Devenez un super héros- une super girl”.
Address: Institut culturel Bernard Magrez- 16 rue de Tivoli33000 Bordeaux
Drinking and Fooding:
Champagne vs. Prosecco & Oyster Tasting
Join the Champagne vs. Prosecco event of the Le Jeune Wine Club, that will take place at on 11 March. There you will learn everything about Bubble Wine, Find the difference between Champagne & Prosecco in a Tasting and discover Oysters with it.
And you even get to connect with other people at the international Hangouts afterwards.
Address: Restaurant Koh-i-noor 3, rue du puits descujols, 33000 Bordeaux, France
Let us know in the comments if there are other interesting events in Bordeaux and its surrounding that we’ve missed! Or if you have suggestions for nice spots people can visit on weekends, please share it with us 🙂
Finally the spring is getting near and we can start planning the early spring weekends of March. As usual, Bordeaux gives us plenty of options to eat, drink, dance, expositions and kids activities. While I plan to update you weekly with detailed activities in Bordeaux , this list summarizes the main events in March 2018 so that you can plan your weekends ahead of time.
Carnaval des 2 rives 2018
Le Carnaval des 2 rives(4 March) takes place on both sides of the Garonne river. This is a modern festival (created in 1996) that has all the best features of a traditional carnival such as costumes, shows and a big parade. This year the artistic side will be in the hands of a famous French graphic artist and designer named Guillaumit, who has released an app for the festival that will allow the public to participate in the design of the costumes of the dancers, masks, posters and more. You can download the app here.
The parade will start at 14:00 at the Allée Serr, on the right side of the river and will pass to the other side through Pont de Pierre ending at the Village Carnival at Place Pey-Berland at 15:30. The Village Carnaval will be open until 18:00 with a big scene with dancers and demonstrations of augmented reality. This a perfect event for kids!
La Foire aux Plaisirs de Bordeaux
This is the spring edition of the traditional Bordelais Fair that is taking place at Place des Quinconces from 23 February to 25 March. It’s a perfect activity for kids and for those who are young in spirit as La Foire aux Plaisirs de Bordeaux has it all: big wheel, roller coasters, ghost trains, bumper cars, donuts, crèpes, barbes à papa and more.
The entry to the fair is Free and it’s open daily from the 14pm.
Les Puces Bordelaises
Les Puces Bordelaise(3-4 March) is the spring brocante of Bordeaux which will take place in the first weekend of March in Parc des expositions. Experts and antique lovers gather around in a happening of French antiques, second hand trade, vintage decoration and furniture.
Salon des vins des Vignerons Indépendants de Bordeaux
The Salon des vins of the Bordeaux independent wine makers (2-4 March) will take place on the first weekend of March in the Congrés et Expositions de Bordeaux in the Bordeaux Lac area. Wine producers from the region will present their wine and will invite you to a free taste . This event is not focused on professionals but rather on all wine lovers! Come prepared to drink a lot.
Bordeaux Beer Festival
This is the first beer festival in Bordeaux (8-10 March) , organized by the Beer Family, which is a group of partners (bars, restaurants, clubs and local French shops) such as Le Sherlock , La Casa, Le Théâtro and the Bordeaux Beer Factory. The festivals is full of fun activities such as workshops of beer makers, concerts in the partner bars and sale of special beers that you wouldn’t normally find in your local bar.
You can find all the prices and the places where tickets can be purchases on the facebook page of the event.
Swing Festival
Every March in the last 11 years Bordeaux has been hosting the Swing Art Festival (16-18 March) when swing dancers come from all around the globe to teach the dancers of Bordeaux their art of Swinging. However this festival is much more than just swing dancing, it’s three days of live music, art, vintage markets, workshop and a get together of many people from all around the world to celebrate this sweeping dance. It will take place in and around Halle des Chartrons and it’s Free!
This year the concept of the festival is “Drink & Draw” with the aim to create an interaction between the dancers, the artists and the public and will feature a big vintage sale, different exhibitions of photography and design, plastic art workshops and more.
Les Fous Rires de Bordeaux
Les Fous Rires de Bordeaux (17-24 March) is a very unique humor festival with more than 80 artists participating and different activities taking place all over the city. The festival provides the opportunity to experience humor in different forms, such as on stage, in pictures and even through cooking!!
There are two parts to the festival: Festival IN, with well known artists on stage. Festival OUF– that proposes free activities during the whole week of the festival such as workshops, happenings, entertaining children in hospitals and more.
The Marathon(24 March) takes place in the historic city center, allowing the runners to cross all the historic sites and some of Bordeaux’s biggest wineries. The Marathon will start at 20:00 which makes it even more special as runners can see the city by night with special decorations just for the event. Most of us are probably not in shape for the 10km run, but that should not prevent us from enjoying the atmosphere in the city as well as seeing others run 🙂
Concerts and shows:
With the opening of the beautiful new Bordeaux Métropole Arena in Floriac this January, the cultural life in Bordeaux has been flourishing. The opening show was no other than Depeche mode and since then the list of the most popular acts has been growing from day to day. Here are some of the most popular acts scheduled for March. French people love their cultural life and the tickets are selling fast, so hurry up if you want to see one of these shows.
Lac des Cygnes
The famous Swan Lake ballet (4 March), performed by the Saint-Petersburg Ballet Theater will arrive in Bordeaux for one show at the Bordeaux Métropole Arena. Swan Lake is one the symbols of Russian ballet, making it a great cultural experience.
Jamel Debbouze
Jamel Debbouze, one of France’s most successful comedians today will give a stand-up show at the new Bordeaux Métropole Arena (7 March).
Dirty Dancing
Those of us brought up in the 80s and the 90s cannot escape the nostalgic feeling when hearing the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, so what’s better than seeing those sexy moves on stage (22 March). I admit that hearing the dialogues in French might be a bit strange, but I’m sure that the music, the costumes and the dance routines will make up for it. The musical will be performed at the Bordeaux Arena as well.
There are many other great shows, concerts and musicals in the Bordeaux Métropole Arena, so check out their program of events.
Art
Pilleur de rêves- Philippe Mohlitz
Philippe Moritz is a engraving Bordelaise artist. The exhibition (2 March – 4 June 2018)that will take place in the Musée des Beaux-Arts art in Bordeaux will include about 40 works of the artist.
Base Sous-Marine
After 4 months of renovation the incredible Base sous- Marine reopens its doors to the public on March 9, with a launch of a new exhibition and a new space of 480m2. This is one of the most unique places you can find in Bordeaux. Built by the Germans during the second World War, this old submarine has been converted into a space dedicated to contemporary arts, which allows you to enjoy the space itself no less than the art presented there. The program this year varies between digital arts, street art and visual arts.
Saint Patrick’s day
Saint Patrick’s day is always a good opportunity to get drunk from an Irish beer or whisky while listening to good music. But since we are in Bordeaux and not in Dublin, you should know where to go in order to enjoy that day. Among the many places that will probably celebrate it in some way, there are two that have already announced live music and lots of beer specially for Saint Patrick’s day:
in Mérignac – will celebrate St. Patrick with the Booze Brother on 17 March.
As we’ll approach the St. Patrick’s day more bars will probably announce some special events. In any case, closer to that date we’ll publish a full list of Irish bars in and around Bordeaux were you’ll be able to celebrate St. Patrick’s day. So keep an eye on our next posts to be updated.
These are some of the biggest and interesting events that will take place in Bordeaux in March, so as you see the schedule is quite packed. However, if you know of any other event, concert, festival or exhibition that I’ve missed please let us know in the comments bellow!
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