Visiting wineries in Bordeaux is definitely one of the highlights of traveling in the Southwest of France. More than 6000 wine châteaux are spread over the 120,000 hectares covering the Bordeaux wine region. Many of these offer tours and tastings but due to their rural location, they are quite hard to reach by public transport.
I highly recommend visiting the Bordeaux vineyards by car just because it gives you more flexibility and because the view on the way to the vineyards is magical (here’s a link to find a car rental in Bordeaux). But if you don’t want to drive, don’t give up the dream to visit a Bordeaux winery just yet! Several amazing châteaux are reachable by train or bus, and I’m here to help you discover them!
*Before you decide what wineries you’re going to visit I recommend reading my article about the Bordeaux wine region where I explain what to expect in every wine sub-region.
To make it easier for you to understand the region, I divided the article into subregions, with a list of wineries you can visit without a car. So whether you want to learn how Saint Emilion wine is produced or visit an ancient winery without actually leaving Bordeaux, I have you covered.
If you’re looking for more organized options such as private or semi-private tours to the vineyards, scroll to the end of the article. There are many options there.
See other wine-related articles here:
Best wineries to visit in Saint Emilion
The Medoc wine route
Best family-friendly wineries in Bordeaux
Bordeaux wine region – the full guide
All the Open door events in the wineries of Bordeaux
Here are the best wineries in Bordeaux you can visit without a car!
Visit wineries in Bordeaux by bus or tram
You’d be surprised to learn that a few of Bordeaux’s wineries are sitting within the city limits and are reachable by tram/bus. These are naturally the easiest ones to get to and that’s why they are the first on my list.
Château Pape Clément in Pessac
A simple bus ride from the center of Bordeaux will bring you to one of the most gorgeous châteaux in Bordeaux. Château Pape Clément is a Grand Cru Classé wine labeled under the Pessac Leognan appellation. The vineyards of Château Pape Clément were planted at the request of the Archbishop of Bordeaux, the future Pope Clement V. The castle itself was built much later and has beautiful Neo-Gothic embellishments. Today apart from producing wine, it’s also one of the most beautiful luxury hotels in Bordeaux.
The château offers daily visits in both French and English as well as winemaking workshops where you can assemble your own wine.
You can book the tour online – just click here.
The château is located in Pessac, one of Bordeaux, most interesting suburbs. You can spend the whole day, discovering Pessac with the help of my article – check it out here.
Instructions:
Address: 216 Av. Dr. Nancel Penard, 33600 Pessac
How to get there: You can take a direct bus (line 4) from Place de Tourny in the center of Bordeaux. The second option is to take Tram B to the Pessac Centre station and then continue by foot for about 20 minutes until you reach the château. See more info here.
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 19:00 and Sundays 10:00 to 18:00
Château du Taillan in Le Taillan-Médoc
Château du Taillan is a beautiful Bordeaux wine estate dating back to the 19th century. Today it’s owned by five sisters who all contribute in some form to their wine-making business. The winery produces red, white, and rosé wines and is labeled as “Médoc Cru bourgeois”.
Château du Taillan is labeled under the Medoc wine appellation, but I’ve put it in this segment just because it’s located in the Bordeaux metropole region and is easily reachable by bus from the center of Bordeaux.
The winery offers several visits. The classic one allows you to taste two wines of Château du Taillan. While their most expensive tour takes you on a more intimate journey to discover the house where the sisters grew up. This one ends with tastings of four different wines accompanies by cheese and chocolate. You can read about all their tours and book your visit here.
During the high season, you can also order a picnic basket from the château and have a fabulous lunch in their garden. You can see more info about that here.
Instructions:
Address: 56 Av. de la Croix, 33320 Le Taillan-Médoc
How to get there from Bordeaux: You can take a direct bus (line 2) from Place des Quinconces in the direction of le Taillan la Boetie, get down at La Pargaud station and walk for 5 minutes until you reach the chateau. See the schedule of line 2 here.
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 18:00 and Sundays 10:00 to 16:00
Château Les Carmes Haut Brion
Château Les Carmes Haut Brion is one the most interesting visits for both wine and art lovers. Its history goes back to the 16th century when the Lord of Haut Brion, Jean de Pontac, donated a windmill surrounded by vines to the Carmelite Order. In the 17th century, the Carmelite order purchased more land with vines and continued to develop the estate for more than two centuries.
Today the château is owned by Patrice Pichet, who turned it into a modern winery. The 35 hectares château produces red wines under the appellation of Pessac Leognan. It’s actually the only winery to be located in the limits of Bordeaux city. What makes the tour more exceptional is the stunning modern reception area designed by Philip Starck in 2016.
This is a prestigious château and the prices of the tours are higher than most wineries on this list (ranging from 45€ to 70€ per person). See all the details of the tours they offer here.
Instructions:
Address: 20 Rue des Carmes, 33000 Bordeaux
How to get there from Bordeaux: Take line A of the tram at Hôtel de Ville (in the direction of Pin Galant), get down at the Saint Augustin station and walk about 10 minutes until you get to the château. You can also take the bus and get directly to the chateau in about 15 minutes. Take the bus (line 24) from Republic station (next to Place de la Republique). See the schedule here.
Opening hours: Mon-Sat from 9:30 to 12:30 and from 14:00 to 18:00 (by appointment only).
Château Olivier
Another gem in the Pessac Leognan appellation is Château Olivier. Just a few km from Bordeaux, you’ll find a beautiful château, surrounded by a forest and vines. Château Olivier is a Grand Cru Classé producing red and white wines. Since 2014, the winery produces only organic wines from its 60 hectares.
The château offers several visiting experiences where you could learn about their wine-making process, and taste wine straight from the barrel.
Book your visit here.
Instructions:
Address: 173 Av. de Bordeaux, 33850 Léognan
How to get there from Bordeaux: Take bus number 5 from Palais de Justice (a few minutes walk from Place Pey Berland). Get off the bus at the Piscine Chambéry station in Leognan, just a few minutes walk from Chateau Olivier. See more info here.
Opening hours: from Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 18:00 by appointment only – book here.
Château Saint Ahon In Blanquefort
If you’re traveling with kids, I highly recommend vising Château Saint Ahon in Blanquefort. The Chateau is a family-owned winery located at the very beginning of the Medoc wine route.
My kids particularly enjoyed the gardens, called Les Jardins de Mirabel. The gardens offer a fun discovery trail that teaches kids about winemaking and nature in the region in a playful way. For more info about the visit and the gardens click here.
Instructions:
Address: 57 Rue de St Ahon, 33290 Blanquefort
How to get there from Bordeaux: Take line C to the Blanquefort train station and then continue 20 minutes by foot or take bus 38 from the Blanquefort train station to the Caychac station. See the timetable here.
Opening hours: The winery is open all year long apart from August and you don’t have to book the visit in advance, just check out the opening hours before going.
Discover more family-friendly chateaux in the Bordeaux wine region in my article.
Visiting wineries in Saint Emilion by public transport
The best way to get to Saint Emilion without a car is by taking the train from Gare Saint Jean in Bordeaux. The train doesn’t stop in the center of Saint Emilion, but a 20 minutes walk will get you into this medieval treasure. Most châteaux are located quite far from the town itself but a few are within a walking distance from the city center. Leave some time to discover Saint Emilion itself, it’s one of the most beautiful villages around Bordeaux. For more wineries to visit in Saint Emilion check out my article.
If you’re planning to do a weekend in Saint Emilion, here are my recommendations for the best places to stay in the Saint Emilion region.
Château Villemaurine
Château Villemaurine is one of the most popular visits to tourists visiting Saint Emilion. The Château combines tradition, modernity, centuries of history, and the refined production of great wines.
Château Villemaurine offers two group guided tours. A discovery tour where you get to visit the vineyards and the monolithic cellars which are located underneath the vines of the estate. A Heritage tour where you will discover the stunning network of quarries owned by the Château. Click here to book the tour online.
Instructions:
Address: 23 Villemaurine-Sud, Saint-Émilion
How to get there from Bordeaux: Take the train from Gare Saint Jean to the Saint Emilion train station and walk for about 20 minutes in the direction of the center of Saint Emilion.
Opening hours: Château Villemaurine is open daily all year long (closed from mid-Dec to mid-Jan). Book a tour in English here.
Château Soutard
Château Soutard is an impressive 18th-century winery, located a few minutes walk from the center of Saint Emilion. It’s about 30 minutes walk from the train station but it’s worth a visit if you’re going to visit the village anyway. The Château offers plenty of fun activities such as a wine blending workshop, biking in the vineyards, a gourmet picnic, and of course, wine tours.
Their basic wine tour (20€ / person) starts at 15h every day from April to October. The tour includes a visit to their vineyards and cellars and a tasting of their renowned Grand Cru Classé wines. To book any of their activities click here.
Instructions:
Address: Soutard, 33330 Saint-Émilion
How to get there from Bordeaux: Take the train from Gare Saint Jean to the Saint Emilion train station and walk for about 30 minutes in the direction of the center of Saint Emilion.
Opening hours: The schedule is changing during the less touristy season. When in Bordeaux, be sure to contact them for information about tours in English.
Château La Gaffelière
Closer to the train station you can find Château La Gaffelièr. The winery is classified as Premier Grand Cru Classé under the Saint Emilion wine classification, making it one of the more prestigious estates on this list.
The château belongs to the Malet-Roquefort family who is very passionate about sharing their wine-making craft. Their group tours, lasting for about an hour, take you through their colorful vats and the underground barrel cellar. The visit includes a tasting of three of their wines. Book your tour here.
Instructions:
Address: Château La Gaffelière, BP 65 / 33330 Saint-Emilion
How to get there from Bordeaux: Take the train from Gare Saint Jean to the Saint Emilion train station and walk a few minutes to get to the chateau.
Opening hours: Château La Gaffelière is open daily from April to November 12 and on a few specific dates during other months of the year. Check out their availability here.
Visiting Medoc without a car
There are a few wineries in Medoc you can easily reach by train but yet again, if you have the option to do it by car, I highly recommend it. Driving the Medoc wine route is one of the most remarkable experiences Bordeaux has to offer. If you want to follow that advice, here’s a link to find a car from a few locations in Bordeaux.
One of the easiest parts of Medoc to reach by public transport is the town of Margaux. A direct train from Gare Saint Jean (train 42) will take you to the famous wine town with several options for chateaux to visit. Check out the schedule here.
Château Marquis de Terme
If you choose Medoc for your wine trip, I highly recommend visiting Château Marquis de Terme. It’s a fantastic place to visit during summer times as they have an open bar in the garden where you can get wine, cheese, and charcuterie. A perfect way to end your tour.
If you’ve already visited a few wineries in your life and don’t necessarily want to go through yet another explanation about winemaking, this place also offers wine tasting without a tour. Château Marquis de Terme also has a great restaurant which is yet another reason to go there.
You can book your visit here.
Instructions:
Address: 3 Rte de Rauzan, 33460 Margaux
How to get there from Bordeaux: take a train from Gare Saint Jean to Margaux (in the direction of le Verdon) and walk a few minutes to the winery. If you’re staying closer to the city center, take tram C, to get to the Blanquefort station instead of Gare Saint-Jean.
Opening hours: Château Marquis de Terme offers visits daily from April to mid-November and only on weekdays during the winter season.
Château Ferrière
Another great winery to visit in Margaux is Château Ferrière, founded in the 18th century by a shipbroker named Gabriel Ferriere. In 1988 the château was sold to Jacques Merlaut, the owner of Château Chasse-Spleen, La Gurgue, and Haut-Bages Liberal. The Merlaut family revived the winery and produced its first vintage in 1992. Today, the château is run by the granddaughter, Claire Villars, who took over the family business after the tragic death of her parents in a car accident.
A variety of tours are available to you at Château Ferrière, all of which include wine tasting, of course. One of their popular tours takes you through the history of the chateau while another is more focused on the agricultural aspect of wine production.
Book your tour at the Château here.
Instructions:
Address: 33 bis Rue de la Tremoille, 33460 Margaux-Cantenac
How to get there from Bordeaux: take a train from Gare Saint Jean to Margaux (in the direction of le Verdon) and walk a few minutes to the winery. If you’re staying closer to the city center, take tram C, to get to the Blanquefort station instead of Gare Saint-Jean. The winery is located about 1km from the train station.
Opening hours: During the tourist season (June to mid-October) the château is open from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 17:30 and from Monday to Friday the rest of the year.
Château Chasse Spleen
Staying in the same family, we move north to the Paulliac area. The beautiful Château Chasse-Spleen belonged to Jacques Merlaut, one of the most important figures in the Medoc wine region. For many years it was run by his daughter, Bernadette and she’s credited for its high reputation. Today it’s managed by one of her daughters Celine Villars and her husband. The 107 hectares winery is labeled under the Moulis en Medoc, the smallest appellation in the Medoc wine region.
The château, dating to the 16th century has a very long history before the Merlaut family acquired it. And you will hear all about it on the tour! You can also combine the classic visit with a light lunch (charcuterie, wine, and a small local dessert).
Choose and book your visit here.
Château Chasse-Spleen also has a wine bar and an art gallery, which are worth a visit even if you’re don’t fancy a wine tour.
They also have a fabulous hotel, just in case you’re looking for a romantic weekend 🙂
Check it out here.
Instructions:
Address: 33 bis Rue de la Tremoille, 33460 Margaux-Cantenac
As with all the other Medoc wineries on this list, you need to take the train from Bordeaux in the Direction of Le Verdon. This time you’re getting off at the Pauillac station. The chateau is located about 15 minutes walk from there.
Opening hours: From April 21st to November 6th and on public holidays, open 7/7
10 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 6 pm. From November to March, tours and tastings by appointment only from Monday to Friday (email at visites@chasse-spleen.com).
Visiting Graves by train
Château de Cerons
Château de Cerons is one of the more impressive properties on the list. It’s also one of the only wineries in the Graves region you can reach by public transport. A few other wineries in Graves are reachable by bike, but that’s for another article 🙂
The château is a historical Chartreuse (little house) dating back to the 17th century. The winery produces both red and white dry wines and offers a range of different visits that include wine tasting, picnic baskets with regional products, and more.
It’s one of the more kids-friendly chateaux in the region. You can rent bikes at the château and go on a beautiful rural path discovering the heritage of the village and the Garonne river. If you want to discover some other kids-friendly options, check out my dedicated list.
You can book their tours here.
For picnics and bike rentals, you can check their website.
Instructions:
Address: 1 Latour, 33720 Cérons
How to get there from Bordeaux: Take the TER train from Gare Saint Jean in Bordeaux to the Cerons station. Château de Cerons is located within a 15 minutes walk from the station.
Opening hours: Mon to Sat from May to October and Mon to Fri from November to April – by appointment only.
Wine tours from Bordeaux city
In case you’re too nervous to use public transport in Bordeaux there are a few other solutions.
A semi-private wine tour to Saint Emilion
There are quite a few companies offering private and semi-private tours from Bordeaux to Saint Emilion or Medoc.
St. Emilion Village Half-Day Wine Tour
With this semi-private tour, you get to visit the village and one winery in Saint Emilion. Book it here.
Saint-Émilion Food and Wine Tour
If you want a full-day trip to Saint Emilion I recommend taking the one offered by Olala Bordeaux. Their tour lasts about six hours and includes a visit to three châteaux in Saint Emilion as well as a fun picnic. Book it here.
Afternoon Wine Tasting in the Medoc Region
This is a great option if you rather go to the Medoc wine region without a car. An afternoon trip taking you from Bordeaux to discover two very different wineries on the Chateaux route. One is a small family-owned winery and the other is one of Bordeaux’s more prestigious Great Classified Growth wine estates. Book the tour here.
Rustic vines
This company takes you from Bordeaux to Saint Emilion where you hop on an electric bike. That’s another really fun way to discover the religion. See more details here.
Just to conclude, visiting wineries in the Bordeaux region is a marvelous experience that you should not miss even if you don’t have a car. In this list, you have so many amazing options for chateaux reachable by public transport! Now it’s time to choose the one you like most! Enjoy!
You can also get plenty of tips on things to do in the Southwest of France via lost in Bordeaux’s social media accounts and email list, check them out here:
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*Note – Some of the links in this article include affiliate links for which I earn a small commission. It adds absolutely nothing to your cost and helps me continue writing about this amazing region. Don’t worry, I’m not getting rich here, I’ll never recommend anything I don’t believe in 🙂
