This weekend, Pomerol, one of Bordeaux’s most prestigious wine areas, opens its doors to the public making it a great opportunity to discover the area. Staying in this sophisticated mood you can also attend the Bordeaux Piano festival or the Cauderan Jazz festival. Also, a few days ago I updated my article about things to do in Bordeaux when it’s raining, so there are plenty of places for you to discover if it turns out to be a rainy weekend. In case you missed it a few days ago I published an article about the best things to do in Bordeaux in December. If you want to plan your weekends ahead check out my November list as well. Here’s the list of things to do this weekend in Bordeaux (November 15-17).
Portes Ouvertes in Pomerol
Pomerol, the prestigious wine appellation is hosting the annual open doors event this Sunday (November 17). 14 wine chateaux will be open that day, among them Château Beauregard, Château Bel-Air and Château Bellegrave. See the list of participating wineries here.
When: November 17 / Where: Pomerol
Piano Festival
Festival L’esprit du Piano will take place at the Auditorium of the Opera of Bordeaux on November 13 – December 7. This magnificent festival hosts some important pianists (Grigory Sokolov, Jacky Terrasson and others), some of which will collaborate with the National Orchestra of Bordeaux and the choir of the Opera of Bordeaux. See the program of the festival here and info about the tickets here.
When: November 13 – December 7 / Where: Grand Théâtre, Place de la Comédie – 33000 Bordeaux
Jazz Festival in Caudéran
The annual Jazz festival of Caudéran is taking place on November 14-16. For three nights, the Pergola Theater will host six international Jazz players. For more info about prices and the full program click here.
When: November 14-16 / Where: La Pergola Theater, Rue Fernand Cazères, 33200 Bordeaux
Margaux Saveurs
The annual festival, Margaux Saveurs will take place on November 15-17. The idea of the festival is to make you discover the great wines of the Margaux appellation and present to you all the winemakers, merchants and restaurants of this gourmet area. During the weekend, you can enjoy special workshops in the different wine domains and enjoy fun activities and special menus made only for this weekend. For more details click here. If you’re attending this event be sure to read about other places to visit in the area in my article about the Medoc region.
When: November 15-17 / Where: different locations in Margaux
Salon Ob’Art
Le salon Ob’Art (Objets de créateur) is a creator fair with a rich pedagogic program of activities, workshops, and demonstrations. The motivation for the event is to create a dialog between artists, craftsmen and the wide public in order to transfer their know-how and to make the young generation discover a variety of professional vocations. Le Salon Ob’Art will take place in Hangar 14 (Quai des Chartrons) on November 15-17. Entry is free for kids under 18 and 6.5€ for adults (free on the first day). For more info check out the website of the event.
When: November 15-17 / Where: 173 Quai des Chartrons, 33300 Bordeaux
Lettres du monde
The literature festival, Lettres du monde, will take place on November 13-24 with lectures and debates in different venues across Bordeaux Metropole. Events will take place in libraries, schools, book stores, cinemas and more. You can enjoy this festival even if you don’t speak French as most of the writers participating in the lectures are coming from all over the world. For more details go here.
When: November 13-24 /Where: Different places in Bordeaux – check the program
Marché des Capucins Friday party
Every Friday you can enjoy the best market in Bordeaux, Marché des Capucins, as it stays open until 21:00. If you don’t know the market well check out my post about what to eat at Marché des Capucins for my favorites.
Chez Jean Mi
When: every Friday / Where: Marché des Capucins – Place des Capucins – 33800 Bordeaux
Le Brunch Raclette de Garg’Antoine
This Sunday (November 17) Halles de Bacalan opens the official raclette season! A raclette brunch will take place from 12:00 to 15:00. For more details click here.
When: November 17 / Where: 10 esplanade de pontac, 33300 Bordeaux, France
Marché des Producteurs
On Saturday (November 16) Darwin will host its big organic market with many local producers from all over the southwest of France. Among others, you will find stands of oysters, wine, cheese, flowers and more. For more info click here.
When: November 16 / Where: Darwin Caserne Niel / 87 quai des queyries, Bordeaux
Flamenco by La Caramelita
“La Caramelita” our local phenomenal Flamenco dancer will take the stage on the Grande Poste this Saturday (December 16). She will be accompanied by Manuel Vazquez on the guitar, Anthony Dunoguier on the cajón and by Alejandro Mendía singing. For tickets and more details click here.
When: December 16 / Where: 7 rue du palais gallien, 33000 Bordeaux, France
Mama Bordeaux / Super Sunday & Live
Mama shelter invites you to its new line of Sunday lives. Every Sunday evening the restaurant will host a dinner with a live concert. This week the performing artist is Quince. For more info click here.
When: November 17 at 19:00 / Where: 19 Rue Poquelin Molière, 33000 Bordeaux
Dîner Made in France
Domaine de Raba in Talence invites you for a “made in France” evening with a classic dinner accompanied by French chansons. If you want to discover fun places outside of Bordeaux’s center, Domaine de Raba is worth a visit. For more details about the French dinner click here.
When: November 16 / Where: 35 rue rémi belleau, 33400 Talence
Argentina, Terres de contrastes – exhibition
Several times a year the Cite du Vin puts one country under the spotlight and dedicates an exhibition to honor its wine and gastronomic heritage. This time the chosen country is Argentina, to which Cite du Vin dedicated its current temporary exhibition, Argentina, Terres de Contrastes. The exhibition takes you through a journey in six wine regions in Argentina, exploring their history, gastronomy and culture in an interactive way. The exhibition will be presented until November 17. For more info click here.
When: Until November 17 / Where: Esplanade de Pontac, 134 Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux
If you want to join one of my food tours there are some free spots for this Friday, so don’t hesitate to contact me – ira@lostinbordeuax.com or through the facebook/Instagram pages.
For more updates on things to do and see join my newsletter where I share a lot of exclusive info about Bordeaux and the region – sign up here.
With the highest number of restaurants per person in France, Bordeaux is heaven for foodies. If you find youreself hungry in this city, finding a place to eat will be an easy task 🙂 However, food specialty boutiques selling cheese, chocolate or products from the southwest of France are not as easy to find as one might think. I receive many messages from both tourists and locals asking me about the best streets for foodies, and hidden places where they could find specialty products that aren’t available at the supermarket.
Luckily that is exactly the research I had to do when I was building my food tours. I spend several days simply strolling the streets of Bordeaux, looking for those special places I can take my tourists to. Today I want to share some of these foodie secrets with you! In this article, I gathered a list of my favorite foodie streets in Bordeaux. Here you will find the best patisseries, specialty chocolate places, quality coffee, cute little cheese shops and more. So if you’re in a discovery mode, join me for a foodie ride in the streets of Bordeaux!
Foodie streets at the historic center of Bordeaux
rue des Remparts
Stop for cheese and wine – Rue des Remparts
Let’s start with one of my favorite foodie streets in Bordeaux center- rue des Remparts, located just next to the city hall of Bordeaux. At first glance, it looks like many other streets in this district full of fashionable boutiques and art galleries, but it’s actually one of the richest gastronomical streets in Bordeaux. As you climb the street heading north you’ll pass by plenty of specialty shops, many of which are focused on a specific local product. There are two great chocolate shops on this street. The first one is Mademoiselle de Margaux which sells specialty chocolates from Margaux located in the Medoc wine region and the other is a famous chocolate shop from Bayonne – l’Atelier de Bayonne. You’ll also find a fancy cheese shop (Chez Delphine) where you can stop for some wine and cheese (the best thing to do when in Bordeaux). Besides that, there are quite a few interesting shops you should keep an eye on, among them Pierre Oteiza with their Basque charcuterie and Noisettines du Médoc with their nut products from Medoc as well as Oliviers & Co, an olive oil shop.
Rue de la Vieille Tour
Once you finish rue des Remparts you’ll see the beautiful Porte Dijeaux on your left. Continue straight into another magical street that you might have missed when strolling the city – rue de la Vieille Tour. Until a few years ago rue de la Vieille Tour was just a quiet back street in the Hotel de Ville neighborhood. Today many people know it thanks to the presence of one of the best coffee shops in Bordeaux – l’Alchimiste. Just in front of the coffee place sits the second star of this street, the dunes blanches. This pastry was born a few years ago in Cap Ferret and was since embraced by the locals as a proper Bordelais pastry. I often stop there on my food tours and peoples’ reaction to the yummy cream-filled pastries never disappoints :). On the same little street, you can find two of the best chocolate shops in Bordeaux, Hasnaa Chocolat grand cru and La Maison Darricau. If you’re in the mood for a good homemade cake and tea don’t miss the cozy Mona cafe.
The next street on my list is still in the Hotel de Ville neighborhood but this time we’re heading towards the river on Rue des Trois Conils. I find this street a bit less charming than rue des Remparts but it’s no less interesting when it comes to food. In just two minutes’ walk, you’ll find two great chocolate shops (Yves Thuriès and Jeff de Bruges), a delicious Spanish ham place (Viandas de Salamanca), a chic canned products shop (Conserverie la belle-iloise) and more. It’s even more attractive if you love cooking or baking as there are two big cooking shops in the middle of the street, my favorite is Alice Delice. One of the most interesting boutiques on this street is La Trinitaine Biscuiterie. Here you can find plenty of traditional local sweet specialties like cookies and chocolate that are not easy to find in the center of Bordeaux. One such example is the Bouchon de Bordeaux, you can read more about this and other local desserts in my article about the sweets of Bordeaux.
a chocolate shop on rue trois conils
Le marché des Grands Hommes
The triangle d’Or district in the center of Bordeaux is probably one of the most attractive areas in the city when it comes to foodie boutiques. Here you can find some of the best wine shops and a number of lucrative chocolate boutiques. For example, just next to the Opera, on allee de Tourny, you will find l’Intendant, a shop that earned the name “the wine library of Bordeaux” due to its wide selection of local wine. Just a few steps from there, don’t miss the oldest chocolate shop in Bordeaux, Cadiot Badie.
In my opinion, however, the best foodie places are located on one of the narrow streets surrounding the marché des Grands Hommes, notably, rue Michel Montaigne. If you’re a patisserie snob, you’re likely to find one of the best patissiers on this street. David Capy is one of the best chocolatiers- patissiers in Bordeaux, and a visit there should not be missed. That is also the street I take people who join my food tours for cheese tastings. The shop is called Beillevaire and I especially like it as it’s both a shop and a cheese producer.
More foodie spots around Bordeaux
Rue Fondaudège
Rue Fondaudège by lost in Bordeaux
I bet that most of you visiting Bordeaux for a short period of time have never heard of rue Fondaudège but it’s actually one of the rising stars in Bordeaux. After several years of tram works this street finally got the spotlight it deserves. It’s a long busy street, very different from the cozy streets of the center of Bordeaux, and it’s quite easy to miss all the interesting food shops on it. But if food is your thing, it’s worth taking a few minutes to walk from the city center just to discover this street. Here’s just a short list of some of the specialty shops on this street: Chocolaterie Lalère, if you want a hot chocolate; Aux dix vin, a great little cheese shop; Perrin, a very good bakery and Original US, a shop of American products (a lot of candies 🙂 ). One of my favorite secret spots on this street is a little coffee place named Eriu. Apparently, other expats love it as well as you can often spot some English speakers ordering their scones there.
If you’ve been to Bordeaux for more than two days, most chances are that you have visited this street. Rue Notre Dame in the Chartron district is a stylish street full of boutiques, antique shops and restaurants but it’s especially attractive for foodies. La P’tite Boulangerie Notre-Dame, one of Bordeaux’s best bakeries is located just in front of the church, you will easily spot it by the long queue. A little pastry shop I especially love is Micheline et Paulette – they have a very small selection of cakes but they are all excellent and the place is super cute. If you want to stop for a cup of coffee don’t miss la Pelle cafe. Check also la Conserverie which will introduce you to a variety of local products and wines. The atmosphere in this place is great and they’re not closing after lunch which is unusual for Bordeaux.
Notre dame street and the central square next to it are full of specialty boutiques and good restaurants so one paragraph will not be enough to cover all of them. You have two choices, go and discover it for yourself or wait for my article about the Chartrons district coming up soon 🙂
Cours Portal
Cours Portal is not a very charming street but it definitely deserves a visit if you’re interested in food. It’s a long street but most of the good boutiques are located close to Place du Marché des Chartrons. Remember Beillevaire, the cheese shop I’ve mentioned before? Here you can find their second boutique in Bordeaux. Another good cheese shop is La Fromagerie de Pierre, visit both for the variety. If you like to make quality coffee at home, check out Café refuge, a coffee specialty shop. The coffee roaster machinery there is really impressive! Like every foodie street, Cours Portal has its own little patissier, named Taupy. One of the more interesting places on rue Portal is Gastronomie Des Pyrénées, a specialty shop offering products from the southwest of France.
Café refuge on Cours Portal
Marché des Capucins
Although my list includes only streets and not markets in Bordeaux, I had to add the place all foodies in Bordeaux fall for. Marché des Capucins is the ultimate place to go to if you want to explore the food of the Southwest of France. At the market, you have three-cheese shops where you can buy a variety of French cheeses. If you’re looking for a place to taste oysters while in Bordeaux, Chez Jean Me is definitely the place to go to. While on weekdays the atmosphere at the Capucins market is very chill, on weekends many more merchands are coming to sell their produce at the market. The central part gets completely covered with little stands of basque cheese, locally grown fruits and vegetables and plenty of local pastries such as the famous canelés and basque cakes in many flavors. There’s one local pastry in the market you shouldn’t miss called Puits d’amour by Maison Seguin. This little ‘well of love’ will keep you happy all morning 🙂 If you want to read more about sweet local specialties I invite you to read this article about my favorite sweets in Bordeaux. If you want to learn more about the market, check out my article about the best places to eat at Marché des Capucins.
Marche des Capucins by Lost in Bordeaux
I’m sure that many of you are familiar with other boutiques in Bordeaux where you can find fine cheese and delicious pastries. In this article, I focused on streets with a high concentration of shops selling products that will allow you to discover the gastronomic side of Bordeaux. If you know other streets and interesting specialty shops in Bordeaux, please share them with us in the comments below.
Lost in Bordeaux helps you enjoy the city and region in many ways so be sure to follow us on facebook/Instagram for more daily updates on things to do and see. Or better yet, join my newsletter where I share a lot of exclusive info about Bordeaux and the region – sign up here.
The tradiotional Bordeaux fair starts this weekend so it’s a really fun weekend for kids which will also enjoy the huge game hall in Villenave d’Ornon and the science village and libraries nights all over the metropole. For adults there’s a big book festival, a second wine fair, the Asian pop culture festival and plenty of other surprises. If you missed my latest article, I wrote in detail about my experience in the amazing Cité du Vin. Also, if you want to see what else in on this months check out my article about things to do in October in Bordeaux. Here’s the list of things to do this weekend in Bordeaux (October 11-13).
Nuit des Bibliothèques
La Nuit des Bibliothèques will take place on October 12, and it’s the best opportunity to discover the libraries across the city. 24 libraries in 20 different towns in Bordeaux Metropole will participate in this event and will offer such activities as concerts, theater shows, science workshops, games for kids and more. See the full programs here.
When: October 12 in the evening / Where: Bordeaux, Merignac, Pessac and more – check out the full program
Planet Jeux
Every October Espace d’Ornon is transformed into a huge game hall with games for every age. Logic games, sports, strategic games and plenty of other genres coming from all over the world. Besides a huge game area, part of the space will be dedicated to babies and toddlers and will help parents entertain their little ones (kids under 5 years old). The event will take place this weekend (October 12-13), entry is 3 euros. For more info check out the website and the facebook page of the event.
When: October 12-13 / Where: 147, route de Léognan 33140 Villenave d’ornon
Festival Animasia
Animasia is a festival of Asian pop culture bringing together many elements like J-POP music, Yosakoi dance, karaoke and Cosplay performances. The place will also include thematic areas with martial arts, video games, board games and more. The festival will take place on the weekend of October 12-13at the Parc des Expositions. For more info and tickets check out the website of the festival or the facebook page of the event.
When: October 12-13 / Where: Parc des Expositions, 33000 Bordeaux
Village des Sciences
As part of the Fête de la Science events this month, Cap Sciences invites you this weekend (October 12-13) to the Science village. This year the village will be all about robots and the place they take in our day to day life. The program includes two exhibitions, several competitions, demonstrations of different robots, workshops, conferences and more. See the full program here and for more details look here. The event is free.
When: September 12-13, 14:00 to 19:00 / Where: Hangar 20, Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux
Foire aux Seconds Vins
More than 50 important Bordeaux wine producers will present their second wines at the Foire aux Seconds Vins this Saturday (October 12). Many wine producers in the region produce the second label wines from the grapes that were not used for their Grand Vin. This is a great opportunity to taste and buy wine from the best chateaux in the region at the best prices. The event will take place in Hangar 14. For more details click here.
When: October 12 / Where: 173 Quai des Chartrons, 33300 Bordeaux
Lire en Poche – books festival
Lire en Poche is a pocketbooks festival that will take place in Gradignan on October 11-13. Besides a huge book sale, a wide range of activities are offered to the participants, among them: reading sessions, theater shows, music, games, workshops for kids and more. The entrance to the festival is free, however, some activities are paid and/or require a prior reservation – click here to register. For more info click here.
When: October 11-13 / Where: Théâtre des Quatre Saisons et à La Médiathèque Jean Vautrin, 32 route de Léognan – 33170 Gradignan
Eufonia, festival international chant chorale
Eufonia is an international choir festival taking place in Bordeaux on October 4-13. The festival will host choirs from all over the world taking the stage on some of Bordeaux’s most iconic places. For the full program click here.
When: October 4-13 / Where: Check out the different locations in the program.
Très Toucher – an exhibition for kids
If you have little kids and you still haven’t been to the museum of natural history, it’s time to check it out. While the whole museum is beautifully designed and very interesting, the temporary exhibition is the most fun part for kids. The Très Toucher exhibition is dedicated to kids 3-6 old (although all ages will love it) and is focused on the sense of touch. Every section is an experience where kids get to touch different materials and discover textures with or without seeing them. It is very interactive and I highly recommend it. The exhibition will be presented until November 3rd so hurry up! The exhibition is on level (-1) of the museum so go straight down when you arrive. For more info click here.
by lost in Bordeaux
When: Until November 3 / Where: 5 place Bardineau – 33000 Bordeaux
Foire aux Plaisirs
This is the fall edition of the traditional Bordelais Fair that is taking place at Place des Quinconces from October 11 to November 3. 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: a big wheel, roller coasters, ghost trains, bumper cars, donuts, crèpes, candyfloss and more. The fair is open daily from 14:00, you are not required to pay any entry fee, only for some of the attractions. See more info about the fair here.
When: October 11 – November 3 / Where: Place des Quinconces, 33000 Bordeaux
FAB – International art festival
FAB is the annual International art festival of Bordeaux Metropole taking place this year on October 4-20. As one of Europe’s biggest art festivals, it attracts some known names from the international contemporary art scene. During the three weeks of the festival, more than 30 shows will take place in more than 20 different locations in Bordeaux, from the TnBA theater to the Opera of Bordeaux and the CAPC. Among the shows this weekend you can find:
Le Grand Débarras – October 11-12 at Plaine des sports, Saint-Michel, 33000 Bordeaux Cria (dance show) – October 11-12 at Carré, Place de la République 33160 Saint-Médard-en-Jalles Blue Tired Heroes – October 11-12 at QG Quai de la grave 33000 Bordeaux
Click here to see the full program of the festival.
When: October 4-20 / Where: Different locations in Bordeaux – check out the program
Vide dressing d’automne
This weekend (October 12-13) Darwin invites you to a huge clothes sale with more than 90 stands of merchants and creators. The event will also include a kids’ corner, a workshop of DIY clothes, food trucks and a place where you can donate your old clothes. For more details click here.
When: October 12-13 / Where: 87 quai des Queyries, 33100 Bordeaux, France
Pop n’Break Digital Battle
A hip hop dance battle will take place this Saturday (October 12) at the Pôle Culturel Ev@sion in Ambarès-Et-La Grave. More than 40 dancers will take part in this cool event. For more details click here.
When: October 12, at 14:00 / Where: Place de la république, 33440 Ambarès-Et-La Grave
Les Rendez-vous des Polichineuses – a vintage sale
“Les Rendez-vous des Polichineuses” is coming back for yet another edition of second-hand chic. The big vintage sale will take place in Chartrons on October 1-26 hosting many vintage merchants with furniture, toys, art and plenty of accessories. For more details click here.
When: October 1-26 / Where: 8 rue Cornac 33000 Bordeaux
Marché des Producteurs
On Saturday (October 12) Darwin will host its big organic market with many local producers from all over the southwest of France. Among others, you will find stands of oysters, wine, cheese, flowers and more. For more info click here.
When: October 12 / Where: Darwin Caserne Niel / 87 quai des queyries, Bordeaux
Le Salon d’Automne
Saint Emilion will host a big art exhibition with works by 24 artists from photographers to graffiti artists, sculptors and many painters. The exhibition will be presented in Salle des Dominicains and Salle Gothique from October 4 to October 20. For more details click here.
When: October 4-20 / Where: rue Guadet, 33330 Saint-Émilion
Mama’s Party
Enjoy the last party nights at Mama Shelter, the coolest rooftop in Bordeaux. This weekend (October 11-13) Mama Shelter invites you to three DJ nights starting from 21:30. For more info click here.
When: October 11-13 / Where: 19 Rue Poquelin Molière, 33000 Bordeaux
If it’s raining and you don’t find anything on this list that you want to do just check out my articles about things to do in Bordeaux when it’s raining or about free things to do in Bordeaux. I’m sure you can find plenty of activities there 🙂 And if you just want a laid back weekend go to the Capucins market for some oysters and white wine. If you want more suggestions about what to eat at the market, you can read it here.
Finally, if you are looking for a fun and delicious activity in Bordeaux, check out my food tours in which I’ll take you through a three hours journey in the culinary scene of the Southwest of France.
Lost in Bordeaux helps you enjoy the city and region in many ways so be sure to follow us on facebook/Instagram for more daily updates on things to do and see. Or better yet, join my newsletter where I share a lot of exclusive info about Bordeaux and the region – sign up here.
The Croissant, Saint Honoré and Éclair are familiar names when it comes to French patisserie and desserts. But did you ever hear of canelé or puits d’amour? It’s time for you to meet the local sweet specialties of Bordeaux. Bordeaux harbors a unique pastry scene with delicacies that can’t be found anywhere else in France. So if you’re a foodie like me you wouldn’t want to miss it when visiting the region. In this article, I’m going to tell you about the best local desserts, pastries and chocolates you can find in Bordeaux and where to buy them. If you want me to personally take you to my favorite places in Bordeaux (sweets and others) you should check out my food tours :). Now let’s go and discover the sweet world of Bordeaux :).
Canelé
Canelé
We cannot talk about Bordeaux’s specialties without mentioning the most famous local dessert, the Canelé. The little brown striated pastry became one of Bordeaux’s symbols and can be found in many sizes all over the city. Like many other things in Bordeaux, the story of Canelé is related to the wine world. Legend has it that the first canelés were made by nuns at the Couvert de L’Annociade de Bordeaux at the end of the 17th century. The original canelé didn’t have the sweet flavor it has today and was made out of flours and egg yolks that were given to nuns by winemakers who used egg whites to purify the wine. It wasn’t until the 20th century that Canelés reappeared as a dessert when an unknown pastry chef decided to upgrade the recipe with rhum and vanilla. Traditionally the canelé’s mold was waxed with bee’s wax to make the pastry crispy from the outside and soft from the inside. Today, however, many use butter instead. You can usually find them in three different sizes and in some places they are even filled with different sweet or savory flavors. In Bordeaux, you have many places specialized in Canelé and almost every bakery will offer them. While the biggest and most famous canelé producer is Baillardan, I think the best one is offered by La toque cuivrée. You can find two of their boutiques on rue Sainte Catherine and many others in different districts of Bordeaux.
Puits d’Amour
Le Puit d’amour, or “well of love” in English, is a local little pastry that you can’t find anywhere outside the Bordeaux region. The pastry was created in 1952 by Maison Seguin in a little town South of Bordeaux called Captieux. It is made out of pâte à choux (light pastry dough) topped with crème Chiboust (a mix of crème pâtissière and an Italian meringue). You can enjoy the perfect bite-size pastry at the Capucins market or in Maison Seguin in the Cauderan district (address: 160 Avenue Charles de Gaulle, 33200 Bordeaux).
les Puits d’amour
discover more places to eat at the market check out my article about the Marche des Capucins.
Les dunes blanches
Les dunes blanches
One of Bordeaux’s most popular pastries actually comes from Cap Ferret. The delicious dunes blanches were created in 2008 by the pastry chef Pascal Lucas, or should I say by his son. One night, 12 years ago the young man came back home from a party very early in the morning and was really hungry. Knowing that by that time his dad would already be at the bakery he headed there to find something sweet to satisfy his appetite. At the bakery, he found a chouquette (Choux pastry sprinkled with pearl sugar) and a cream his father had prepared for another dessert and simply mixed the two. The result became an immediate success and Pascal opened dedicated shops for the dunes blanches in Arcachon, Bordeaux and now even Paris. In the center of Bordeaux, you can find them at 7 Rue de la Vieille Tour, 33000 Bordeaux
The macarons of Saint Emilion
If you ever visited Paris you probably tasted the famous macaroons of Ladauree or the fancy ones of Pierre Herme. But did you know that the original macaron actually comes from Saint Emilion? The macaroons of Saint Emilion are produced since 1620 when the Ursulines sisters established their convent in Saint Emilion. The recipe is being passed from generation to generation and hasn’t been changed ever since. As opposed to the colorful two-cookies macarons you can find in the rest of France these have only one cookie that is made from almonds, egg whites and sugar. After wine, it’s the second most famous produce of Saint Emilion. You can find them at the little “Fabruque de macarons” shop in the center of Saint Emilion. Address: 9 rue Guadet, 33330 Saint-Emilion, France
Le Jésuite
Le Jésuite
This yummy triangle pastry is rare to find anywhere outside of the Bordeaux region. It’s a puff pastry (just like mille-feuille) stuffed with frangipane cream and shaved almonds on top. Some chefs add a bit of creme patissiere to it, in order to lighten the heavy frangipane texture. The strange name comes from its shape. Originally the jésuites were covered with pralines or chocolate icing which created a look of a hat with raised edges, just like those of the Jésuites. The original Jésuites are a catholic order of the Catholic Church founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola from the Spanish Pyrenees. When in Bordeaux, don’t waste your calories on a simple croissant, instead try the local Jesuit in one of the bakeries in the city. I buy my Jesuits at the bakery in Saint Michel. Address: 51 Rue des Faures, 33000 Bordeaux
Les Guinettes de Chocolats
When you stroll the streets of Triangle d’Or, the fancy district of Bordeaux you will come across a handful of chocolate shops. However, there’s only one chocolate that’s truly identified with Bordeaux and it’s called les guinettes. The guinette is a cherry macerated in alcohol and then encased in dark chocolate. In Bordeaux you can find them in two tastes, Kirsh which is a cherry liqueur or in Armagnac which is an excellent local Brandy from the South West of France.
Les Guinettes de Chocolats
Bouchon du Bordeaux
Bouchon du Bordeaux
Bouchon de Bordeaux is a traditional dessert, much less known than others on this list. It was created in 1965 by the patissier- chocolatier Jacque Ponquet who wanted to create a pastry that would highlight the wine specialty of the region. In 1976, a discovery of almond trees in Saint Emilion inspired him to use almonds with raisins to create an alcoholic dessert. The dessert is created in his factory in Bruges and sold in several shops in Bordeaux specializing in products of the Southwest.
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This weekend summer officially comes to an end. The big events that entertained us during the summer are now on their last days, among them the Bordeaux Open air festival and the Bordeaux food truck festival. But fear not! for October brings new fun weekly events like Friday at the Capucins market and the Darwin bio market. If you want to step out of town don’t miss my latest article about things to do and eat in Espelette in the Basque country. You can also plan your weekends ahead with my October list.
Here’s the list of things to do this weekend in Bordeaux (September 27-29):
Bordeaux Food-truck Festival
After an amazing summer at the most beautiful châteaux in the region, the food truck festival is coming to an end. The last event of the festival for this summer is taking place this weekend (September 28-29) at the Hippodrome du Bouscat. The events are free but require a reservation – you can do it here. For more details click here.
When: September 28-29 / Where: 8 Avenue de l’Hippodrome, 33110 Le Bouscat
Open Air Festival
Bordeaux Open Air continues into September with more cool electronic music parties at different locations in the city center. The next event of the Open Air Festival will take place on September 29 at Parc Palmer in Cenon This is the last Open Air festival for this summer so don’t miss it. For more info click here.
When: September 29 / Where: Parc Palmer – Cenon
Marché des Capucins Friday party
Here’s a new great tradition! Staring this Friday le Marché des Capucins is going to be open the whole day until 21:00. This weekend celebration is going to take place every Friday from now on. It’s quite a recent decision and they’ll test it for a few months, so come and support the best market in Bordeaux!. If you don’t know the market well check out my post about what to eat at Marché des Capucins for my favorites. For more info click here.
Chez Jean Mi
When: September 27 / Where: Marché des Capucins – Place des Capucins – 33800 Bordeaux
Marché des Producteurs
While many summer events are coming to an end this weekend new weekly events are starting to take place to keep us entertained. Starting this Saturday (September 28) Darwin will host every week a big organic market with many local producers from all over the southwest of France. Among others, you will find stands of oysters, wines, cheese, flowers and more. For more info click here.
When: September 28/ Where: Darwin Caserne Niel / 87 quai des queyries
Utopia fête ses 20 ans
Utopia is an independent cinema theater located in what was once an ancient church. This Friday (September 27) Utopia celebrates its 20th anniversary and invites everyone for an evening of concerts and other activities on Place Camille Jullian. For more info click here.
When: September 27 / Where: Place Camille Jullian, 33000 Bordeaux, France
Marché du Bon Goût d’Aquitaine
Marché du Bon Goût d’Aquitaine is a big event that will host 150 different farmers, local producers, chefs and other professionals related to the food industry. The program includes a big market with local products as well as activities related to biodiversity, animals and more. The event will take place on September 27-29 in the Bastide district. For more details click here.
When: September 28 / Where: 4 Place de Stalingrad, 33100 Bordeaux, France
Les Campulsations
Les Campulsations is a students festival, celebrating the beginning of the new academic year in different locations in the Aquitaine region: Bordeaux, Talence, Pessac, Gradignan, Bayonne, Périgueux, Agen and Pau. In Bordeaux Metropole, the events will take place in many different locations from university campuses to museums and theaters. The program is varied and includes such events as a brocante party, music concerts, theater shows, exhibitions and more. Check out the full program and find an event near you. The festival will take place from September 26 to October 5.
When: September 26 to October 5 / Where: Different locations, consult the program.
Salon ABC Kidz
A big event dedicated to future parents and young families will take place on September 28 – 29 in Hangar 14. Salon ABC kids is the annual gathering of all the important companies and organizations related to babies and little kids from clothing to room decoration, toys and different services like childcare companies and health providers. The event allows young parents to meet all the relevant products and services in one place. Many activities will take place at the Salon to make it more entertaining, among them a massage space, workshops for kids, soft play for toddlers and more. For tickets and more info click here.
When: September 28-29 / Where: 115 Quai des Chartrons, 33000 Bordeaux
IBOAT Birthday – Mini club des Marins
For its 8th birthday anniversary, IBOAT is hosting a fun party for kids that will take place this Saturday (September 28) afternoon, starting 15:30. The program includes workshops for kids, makeup, snacks and more. For more info click here.
When: September 28 / Where: Bassin à Flot n°1, Cours Henri Brunet, 33300 Bordeaux
Dance at la Guingette chez Alriq
This is the last weekend of La Guinguette chez Alriq before it closes down for winter. If the weather is good you don’t need much more than a concert at the tavern with a cool rosé. The concerts take place from Friday to Sunday (September 27-29). For more info click here.
When: September 27-29 / Where: ZA Quai des Queyries, Port Bastide, 33100 Bordeaux
Mama’s Party
Enjoy the last party nights at Mama Shelter, the coolest rooftop in Bordeaux. This weekend (September 27-29) Mama Shelter invites you to three DJ nights starting 21:30. For more info click here.
When: September 27-29 / Where: 19 Rue Poquelin Molière, 33000 Bordeaux
Festival d’Ici Danse
Festival d’Ici Danse is an annual dance festival taking place this week (until September 29) in Saint-Germain-du-Puch. Some of the concerts and the events are free and some require a reservation, check the full program here.
When: until September 29 / Where: different locations in Saint-Germain-du-Puch
Salon La Ferme en ville
La Ferme en Ville is a fair dedicated to local agriculture and better ways of consuming it. The event takes place this weekend (September 28-29) in Hangar 14. For more details click here.
When: September 28-29 / Where: 173 Quai des Chartrons, 33300 Bordeaux, France
Salon Bio and Local
Another fair dedicated to local and organic food will take place this Saturday (September 28) at the Bacalam Market. For more details click here.
When: September 28 / Where: 10 esplanade de pontac, 33300 Bordeaux,
The Big Plants Sale
A big plants sale will take place this weekend (September 28-29) in Hangar 14. The prices are guaranteed to be quite low (from 2€ to 10€) so it’s a good opportunity to fill your house with summer plants. For more details follow the facebook page of the event.
When: September 28-29 / Where: 173 Quai des Chartrons, 33300 Bordeaux, France
Graines de Sauvage
A fun evening with music and drinks will take place this Friday (September 27) at the cool terrace of Graines de Sauvages. For more details click here.
When: September 27, at 19:30 / Where: 2 Rue de Saintonge, Bordeaux
Finally, if you are looking for a fun and delicious activity in Bordeaux, check out my food tours in which I’ll take you through a three hours journey in the culinary scene of the Southwest of France.
Lost in Bordeaux helps you enjoy the city and region in many ways so be sure to follow us on facebook/Instagram for more daily updates on things to do and see. Or better yet, join my newsletter where I share a lot of exclusive info about Bordeaux and the region – sign up here.
If you love wine, food, and beautiful architecture you simply cannot miss a day trip to Bordeaux when visiting the region. One day in this vibrant city may not be enough to discover all the attractions and gastronomic experiences it has to offer but with the right plan, you can have a perfect day exploring the highlights of Bordeaux.
So if you’ve been wondering how to spend your one day in Bordeaux, this article will help you taste the best this city has to offer. It includes stunning architecture, a visit to the main market, cycling on the riverfront, tasting wine, and more. By the end of this day, you’ll be exhausted and totally in love with Bordeaux!
The beautiful streets in Bordeaux – Lost in Bordeaux
Now let’s start discovering the beautiful capital of the Southwest of France.
Marché des Capucins – Visit the main market of Bordeaux
If you’re a foodie or just like discovering new markets, I highly recommend starting your one day in Bordeaux in Marché des Capucins. This is the biggest daily market in Bordeaux and has everything from stands of fruits, vegetables, sweets, and spices to a bunch of lively cafés and restaurants.
Marché des Capucins – Lost in Bordeaux
It’s a covered market so you can enjoy it on the city’s numerous rainy days. Most cafes and restaurants also have tables outside where you can have a coffee or an early lunch. The market gets very busy on the weekend so be sure to be there early.
If you like oysters there’s one restaurant in the market you simply cannot miss! Chez Jean-Mi has become an institution in Bordeaux, attracting many locals for a plate of oysters with white dry wine. Before you go, be sure to check out my article about the best places to eat at the Marché des Capucins.
The market is open from Tuesday to Sunday, however, be aware that not all the restaurants and stands are open on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Chez Jean Me – taste oysters at the market – Lost in Bordeaux
If you don’t have a lot of time, the best way to discover this huge market is by taking a food tour. You can join the great group food tour of the No Diet club or join a more in-depth private tour with Anne, who’s a chef, and an amazing food tour in Bordeaux. Check Anne’s website for details.
Stroll the narrow streets of old Bordeaux
I have yet met one person who was not stunned by the beauty of “Vieux Bordeaux”, the historic part of the city. You can spend hours getting lost in the narrow paved streets with beautiful 17th and 18th-century houses.
The Southwest capital has 362 preserved buildings labeled as historic monuments, second only to Paris. The historic part of the city (and several streets around it) is recognized by UNESCO as an “outstanding urban and architectural ensemble” of 18th-century architecture.
The center of Bordeaux – Lost in Bordeaux
Give yourself at least a few hours to wander the picturesque streets of Bordeaux. The city is rich with history and different architectural styles so if you have time, take a historic tour in the center of Bordeaux. Here’s a tour that’s offered by the Tourists office in several languages. If you don’t like big groups you can always take a private tour.
Here’s a shortlist of the sites you should not miss on your visit:
Main sites in the city center
Grosse Cloche – the 15th-century gate to the old city. This stunning bell tower is part of a whole structure that was previously a part of the city hall of Bordeaux and at some point served as a prison for misbehaved juveniles (!).
Saint James Street – by Lost in Bordeaux
It’s one of Bordeaux’s most emblematic monuments and appears on the coat of arms of Bordeaux. The Gross Cloche is located on one end of rue Saint James, one of the liveliest streets of Bordeaux, with stylish boutiques and wine bars.
Porte Cailhau – another magnificent 15th-century gate to the historic center of Bordeaux. This glamourous monument was built to commemorate the glory of King Charles VIII and opens up to one of Bordeaux’s nicest squares, Place du Palais.
Two other important monuments are located on the border between the historic part and the fancy Triangle d’Or neighborhood.
The Grand Theatre -The beautiful 18th-century building on Place de la Comedie will be hard to miss. This is one of the most impressive buildings in the city and is home to the National Opera and the National Ballet of Bordeaux. If you have the chance, try to book tickets to one of the concerts the Opera or the national ballet.
Continue from there toPlace des Quinconces, the largest city square in France and one of the biggest in Europe. There you’ll also find the beautiful monument dedicated to the Girondins (members of a political faction) who were killed during the French Revolution.
Throughout the year the square hosts many different events, festivals, and fairs such as the Brocante de Quinconces. Check out my monthly lists to see if there’s anything happening at the square of Quinconces.
Discover the monuments of Bordeaux
Have a drink on the lively squares of Bordeaux
There’s a very special atmosphere in Bordeaux. It’s a very touristy and lively city that somehow succeeds to maintain its tranquility (except on the shopping street, Sainte Catherine).
What contributes to that are the lively squares in the city center, linked by pleasant pedestrian streets. Almost every square in Bordeaux is adorned with terrasse restaurants with someone sipping a glass of Bordeaux wine any time of the day.
Some of the liveliest squares in the city center include the Place du Palais with a magnificent view of Porte Cailhau, Place Pierre with the Saint Pierre church right in the middle, and Place Camille Julian with the Utopia bistrot (an old church converted into an independent cinema and restaurant).
Place du Parlement – Lost in Bordeaux
The biggest square in the old center is Place du Parlement, which was built in the 18th century in an Italian style. Its facades are very richly decorated and resemble the facades of the buildings on the riverfront of Bordeaux and the magnificent Place de la Bourse.
Lift your eyes to see the mascarons
Mascaron in Place de la Bourse
If you’re following my advice and on your way to Place du Parlement don’t miss the beautiful little sculptures that decorate the buildings.
The sculpted faces between the ground and first floor are called mascarons, a variation on the word masks in Italian. There are more than 3000 mascarons decorating the buildings and the monuments of Bordeaux, taking inspiration from Greek mythology, wild animals, religion, and the economic development of Bordeaux.
Some examples are Neptune who represents the importance of the river and African faces, a memory of the slave trade Bordeaux was part of. Most of the mascarons can be found on the buildings on the riverfront of, Place de la Bourse and Place du Parlement.
After the long walk, a proper lunch is in order! In recent years Bordeaux is gaining popularity as a gastronomic city and even holds the record for the number of restaurants per person in France. If you have only one day in the city, trying one of Bordeaux’s restaurants should be on your list.
There are a lot of excellent restaurants in the city center and choosing one won’t be easy, but let me suggest just a few: Bo Tanique, Lauza, Symbiose, Cent 33, Frida, Au Bistro and the list goes on and on.
It’s important to notice that restaurants in Bordeaux tend to be closed on Sundays or Mondays (or both) so check out their websites when planning your trip. Also, it’s always recommended to book a table ahead of time, even if you do it on the same day.
Have a picnic in Jardin Public, Bordeaux’s main park
If you prefer leaving the dining experience for the evening you can replace a fancy lunch with a picnic in the beautiful park of Bordeaux, Jardin Public.
Jardin Public in Bordeaux – by Lost in Bordeaux
Make yourself a basket of regional products and join the other Bordelais on the vast green planes. Don’t forget to add a bottle of Bordeaux wine you can get in most supermarkets or in dedicated wine shops.
Sainte Catherine is the longest pedestrian street in France, full of clothing boutiques, and one of the only places in the center where you can find all the main fashion retail stores. If you prefer smaller boutiques, you won’t find them on the main streets but rather on the small narrow streets of Saint Paul and Saint Pier districts, as well as on rue Notre Dame in Chartrons.
The big Cathedral on the main square of Pey Berland is a Roman Catholic church and the seat of the Archbishop of Bordeaux. This cathedral has an important part in the history of Bordeaux. Here, the 13 years old Eleanor d’Aquitaine, married the future king of France Louis VII, therefore making her the queen of France (for a very short period of time).
Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux – Lost in Bordeaux
Like many other churches and basilicas in Bordeaux, Saint-André is classified as a national monument of France. In the evening the Cathedral often hosts concerts of classical music, choirs and an organ festival during the summer. You can check out more info about the concertshere.
Eat chocolate in the fancy district of Bordeaux
It’s time for a little dessert and there’s no better place for it than the Triangle d’Or neighborhood, the fancy district of Bordeaux.
You’ll notice that the architecture and landscape of this district are different from the narrow streets of the historic center of Bordeaux. The wide boulevards and decorated 18th-century houses reflect the economic boom that the city was undergoing at the time. Today it’s considered as a gourmet district with plenty of wine and cheese boutiques.
Like every French city, Bordeaux too has its chocolatiers and many of them are located in and around Triangle d’Or. On rue Michel Montaigne you will discover the most famous local patissier and chocolatier, David Capy. On Allée de Tourny you will visit the oldest chocolatier in Bordeaux, Cadiot Badie. It’s a very prestigious place that feels more like a jewelry shop than a chocolate boutique. Other amazing chocolate shops are la Maison Darricau and Hasnaa Chocolat grand cru.
If you also want to take the opportunity to stop for a coffee. Bordeaux has some amazing coffee shops. You can read about my favorite ones in my article about the five coffee places in Bordeaux you don’t want to miss.
Chill at the Miroir d’eau
Now it’s time to visit Bordeaux’s most famous attraction and one you have probably seen in any guide or video about Bordeaux – Le Miroir d’eau.
This modern monument, built in 2006, is the world’s largest reflecting pool. The surface is made from blue granite covered in water, reflecting the 18th-century Place de la Bourse. It’s a perfect place to chill on a hot sunny day in Bordeaux.
If you’re coming with kids you can easily spend more than an hour here as it’s going to be quite hard to get them out of it. Kids seem to really love it! (don’t forget to bring change clothes for the kids, they tend to get soaked!)
Take a bike ride on the banks of the Garonne
The promenade on the left bank of the Garonne River is one of Bordeaux’s highlights. Since the massive overhaul project in the early 2000s, the quais (docks) of Bordeaux have become one of Bordeaux’s most popular spots, hosting many events and festivals during the summer.
The 4.5 km promenade is also perfect for a walk or a bicycle tour. The most interesting part of it is between the two bridges of Bordeaux – Pont Saint Pierre in the center and Pont Chaban Delmas in the north of the city, which includes the Miroir d’eau as well as playgrounds for kids and restaurants with a view on the river.
Cycling in Bordeaux – Lost in Bordeaux
The most popular cycling path in the city center is the bridge-to-bridge route. In my article, you’ll find all the details about it and some information about bike renting in Bordeaux, including the city bikes, which are almost free.
Discover the hipster side of Bordeaux
After spending several hours on the classic left side of the river, it’s time to discover the more hipster right bank of the Garonne. Crossing the river to the other side you’ll get to the Bastide neighborhood.
Here, the main attraction is Darwin, an old military base turned into an urban space with plenty of cool stuff to do. Among these, you’ll find a restaurant, a bakery, a winery, a huge skate park, and many hipster shops.
Darwin by Lost in Bordeaux
Darwin is one of the most extraordinary places for street art and includes some amazing works by a lot of talented regional artists on every one of its buildings.
If you visit the Bastide district on the weekend (during the summer) don’t miss one of Bordeaux’s hidden gems, La Guinguette chez Alriq. The Guinguette is a tavern on the banks of the river hosting plenty of open-air concerts. The performing bands and artists are coming from all over the world and create an atmosphere of a laid-back world music party.
Other than that, there’s a love park on the banks of the river, where you can run, cycle and make a picnic. And plenty of nice restaurants with a beautiful view of the old part of Bordeaux.
How to get there?
If you followed my advice about doing the bridge-to-bridge circuit, you’re going to pass through everything I mentioned on your way. Otherwise, you can do a nice walk, crossing Pont de Pierre or taking tram A to the other side. Another fun way to get there is by taking the river shuttle.
Have a drink in one of Bordeaux’s wine bars
Wine bars are springing up like mushrooms in the center of Bordeaux. It’s not a big surprise considering it’s the capital of the biggest wine area in France. A great way to finish your one day in Bordeaux is by tasting wine in one of Bordeaux’s wine bars.
There are plenty of bars to choose from in the city center, here are some of my favorite ones: le Bar a Vin for the beautiful decor and professional waiters, Wine more time for its huge selection, and Les doux secrets d’Hélène for the design and the tasty tapas. Other great bars with knowledgeable staff include Vins Urbains, L’ampélo, Julo, and Tchin Tchin.
Wine more time – Lost in Bordeaux
Some bars offer wine-tasting experiences that allow you to better understand the wines of the region. To discover the best places for wine tasting check out my article about wine tasting in Bordeaux.
Some bars offer wine-tasting experiences that allow you to better understand the wines of the region. To discover the best places for wine tasting check out my article about wine tasting in Bordeaux.
Not less interesting and beautiful is the Medoc wine area where you can see some of the most impressive chateaux in the region. Follow my post about the Medoc wine route when planning your trip there.
I hope you enjoyed this beautiful city and if you have a few more days in the area don’t forget to check out my article about the best day trips from Bordeaux.
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Bordeaux isn’t one of France’s cheapest cities but there are quite a lot of things you can enjoy here for free (or at a very low price). In this article, I gathered plenty of ideas for you to enjoy the city and the area around Bordeaux without spending a dime. Following my list, you will learn how to dance, discover amazing art, visit beautiful beaches and do most of it completely free. If you’re coming with kids, this post will give you some nice ideas for entertaining them without breaking the bank. Many of the offered attractions in this article are available during the summer season but some things you can do during winter as well. So let’s start with the list of free things to do in Bordeaux!
Free things you can do all year long in Bordeaux
Stroll the historic city
The Girondins monument
You don’t need much to enjoy this amazing city. The exceptional architecture is present on almost every street. The old gates to the city, the romantic streets leading to lively squares, the wide beautiful promenade on the river banks will all leave a great impression on you. After Paris, Bordeaux has the highest number of preserved historical buildings in France. No wonder that its historic part was declared as an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble by UNESCO. If it’s your first time in Bordeaux you can read about the most important monuments in my guide to a weekend in Bordeaux.
Darwin – hipster paradise
Darwin Bordeaux
If you want to take the off-beaten track go to where the locals love to hang out. Darwin is an old military base on the right bank of the river converted into an urban space with a very cool vibe to it. It has a very chic restaurant and several shops but you don’t really need to spend money to enjoy it. You can stroll around the hangars, check out the charity shop, see plenty of street art and just embrace the hipster vibes :). Darwin and the associations it hosts are very active and offer plenty of free events. You can also have a picnic at the Parc aux Angéliques located just in front of Darwin.
Address: 87 Quai des Queyries, 33100 Bordeaux
Free museums Sunday
Musee des beaux arts
in Bordeaux
Like in most cities in France, the first Sunday of the month is a free museums day (apart from July and August). You have free entrance to all the public museums and to most exhibitions. Check out the full list of museums in Bordeaux that you can visit for free. If you want to discover some of Bordeaux’s best museums check out my article about the museums of Bordeaux.
Free galleries in Bordeaux
Discover the local art in the many galleries spread in the city, many of which you can visit without a reservation. Here are some of the best galleries in Bordeaux: Galerie D.X., Bouillon d’art, Cox gallery (street art) and BAG (which is also a coffee shop and a gluten-free bakery). For contemporary art, head to FRAC which is located at the new MECA, an interesting architectural attraction by itself.
Take a city bike
One of the best ways to discover the city is by bike and you don’t even have to pay much to do that in Bordeaux. There are city bikes (V³) stations spread all over the city and they cost only 1.7 euros for 24 hours. You have to return it to the station every 30 minutes and you can immediately take another one to continue your journey. You can also pay 2 euros per hour and return it later if you want to make a longer ride to areas without city bike stations. See the location of the stations here.
See Bordeaux’s most ancient monument
Palais Galien
Strolling the city center you’ve probably noticed a lot of impressive monuments dating back to the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries such as the Grosse Cloche or the Saint Michel Basilica. But Bordeaux’s oldest monument is actually located outside of the old city walls. Palais Galien is the ruins of a Gallo Roman amphitheater dating back to the second century when Bordeaux was called Burdigala. The site is located a few minutes’ walk from Jardin public and you can see all of it from the street. There are guided tours to Palais Galien during the summer season. You can book them by calling this number +33 5 56 00 66 00.
Bordeaux churches
Bordeaux Metropole is rich with many basilicas and churches, decorating almost every big square in the city. Its history is blended with religion and the churches are a testament to the development of the city. One of the best things about them is that they are always free and open every day. Bordeaux is an old city so you get to explore religious temples from various periods in time, carrying very different styles. Some examples are the amazing Saint Andres on Place Pey Berland which is built in a Gothic Style or the church of Notre Dame with its Baroque style. Other impressive and interesting churches and Basilicas include Saint Croix, Saint Michel, and Saint Bruno.
Free events
The Carnival of Bordeaux
There are free events taking place every weekend, from concerts on the street to huge brocantes, street art events, dance lessons and more. Every month I publish a list of the best events taking place in Bordeaux, so check out the monthly lists here. Also, every weekend I send an email list with plenty of ideas and events to attend on weekends in Bordeaux, so subscribe to my newsletter if you want to be updated on these too.
Drink at the Capucins Market
One of the main attractions in Bordeaux is Marché des Capucins, Bordeaux’s main market. Eating at the market definitely isn’t free (although very affordable) but you don’t have to eat there to feel the vibe. You can just sip a glass of cold white wine at Chez Jean Me (only 2 euros a glass) and absorb the sounds and smells of the market. If you need more recommendations check out my post about the best restaurants at the Capucins market.
Discover the street art
Like many other cities, Bordeaux too has the street art fever, with numerous talented local artists. One of the best things about street art is that it’s usually free, you just need to put some effort to find it. Darwin is one of the places that have the largest concentration of street art by local artists in Bordeaux. Other spots in the city include the Bassin a Flot district, rue du Loup with a beautiful work by Nasty, rue Bourrard, quai des platitudes, the Mur in Chartrons, rue Bergeret. One of the most beautiful works, in my opinion, is located just next to Pessac’s train station. The street art scene is always evolving so again you’ll have to get back here for updates 😉
Brocante in Saint Michel
Antiques and flea markets are a popular attraction in many cities. Some people go there to hunt for special bargains to take home and others see it as a way to discover more about the place through the pieces on display. Bordeaux is quite rich with Brocantes and Vide Greniers (a local version of a garage sale) and you can find many of them both in the center and the villages around it. The most famous one is located in Passage Saint Michel, a hangar that gathers about twenty brocanteurs (second-hand goods dealers) together. Just in front of it, on the main square in Saint Michel, you will find the Sunday Brocante with much cheaper items for sale. Another neighborhood to visit is Chartrons, with plenty of more expensive Antique boutiques. If you want to experience a local and cheaper “flea market” you should attend a Vide Grenier in one of the suburbs or the villages next to Bordeaux. To discover when are the next vide greniers taking place check out this site. If you decide to go to the Saint Michel district, check out my article about the things to do in Saint Michel.
Discover the heritage and nature of Bordeaux by foot
If you love walking and nature, this is the perfect place for you. There are plenty of beautiful hiking trails to discover in Bordeaux metropole and the towns around it. On the way, you will see lakes, rivers, forests, and historical monuments and guess what, it’s all free. Take a look at the best hiking trails in and around Bordeaux in my article.
What to do for free in Bordeaux during the summer
Go to a free music concert
Bordeaux open air festival by Lost in Bordeaux
The summer in Bordeaux is one big music festival with plenty of free concerts and parties scattered all over the city. There are several associations that organize free concerts from June to the end of September in many different styles and locations. Bordeaux Open Air offers amazing electronic festivals in the parks of Bordeaux almost every summer. Relache will make you rock with free rock concerts on different squares of Bordeaux. Banzai lab has amazing parties on the weekend of July and the Pavillon d’été welcomes you to enjoy free music concerts on the right bank of the river. For more information follow my post about things to do in July August list will be out soon.
Learn how to dance
learn how to dance with Dansons sur les quais
If dance classes are too expensive for you, in Bordeaux you can learn it for free! The main dance festival in the summer is Dansons sur les quais, with free dancing lessons on the promenade. The lessons are taught by professional teachers and it’s quite an amazing experience for both kids and adults.
Have a picnic at the Park
chateau peixotto in Talence
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to enjoy a proper French meal or snack. Just buy some cheese and wine, add to it a crispy baguette from the boulangerie, and head to one of Bordeaux’s magical picnic spots. Many of you probably heard about the beautiful Jardin Public, but this is far from being the only park in Bordeaux. Check out my list of the best picnic places in Bordeaux where I also included information about playgrounds for kids and the closest supermarkets. You’ll probably also like my article about the most beautiful parks in Bordeaux.
Listen to music and dance at la Guingette chez Alriq
La Guinguette chez Alriq is one of the best summer places in Bordeaux with plenty of concerts in the open air. During the summer they host amazing bands from Thursday to Sunday. While on most evenings the concerts cost 6 euros on Sunday afternoon the concerts are free!
Adress: ZA Quai des Queyries, Port Bastide, 33100 Bordeaux
Go to one of the beaches in the city
One of the best free attractions to do during the Bordelaise summer is going to a beach. There are many lakes in the area and two of them happen to be in the city and you can even reach them by public transport. Bordeaux Lac is a fantastic little beach in the north of the city. Unfortunately, the direct line to the beach (line c) from the city center is going through some work until September so going to the beach will take more time than usual. The second city beach is located in the southern suburb of Bordeaux, Bègles. Bègles plage can be reached by line c within 25 minutes from the train station. See the list of the most beautiful beaches around Bordeaux in my article.
Fun stuff to do (almost) for free with kids in Bordeaux
Chill at the Miroir d’eau
The best free attraction for kids (and adults) in Bordeaux is definitely Mirroir d’eau. Kids absolutely love splashing in the water, especially on hot summer days. When tired you can have a picnic in the little garden right next to it.
Go to the pool
Going to the pool is not really free in Bordeaux but it’s very affordable and you can spend the whole day there. There are several kids-friendly pools in the Bordeaux metropole, two of which are not very far from the city center. Next to the Meriadeck, you’ll find the piscine Judaique located in a beautiful art deco building. A bit farther from the center is Piscine du Grand Parc. Both are very kids friendly with facilities like a baby pool, water slides, floats, and more.
Skateboarding on the Quai
If your kids love skating be sure to bring the skateboard with you when coming to Bordeaux. One of the best skateparks in the city is located on Quai des Chartrons and it’s free. For those heading to the Sunday market on the quai, that would be a great break for the kids.
UPDATE – This park is going through a renovation project until November 2022, but if your kids really love skating go to the skatepark of Bourgailh park in Pessac.
There are plenty of amazing day trips you can go on when visiting the Bordeaux area. It’s not entirely free of course as you have to rent a car but it gives you the chance to discover plenty of amazing places around Bordeaux without paying a dime. Also, If you make sure to rent it a few months before your arrival rental prices are fairly low. If you prefer to go by train, check out my list of the 10 day trips you can do by train from Bordeaux.
Discover the beautiful châteaux of the Medoc region
Château d’Arsac by Lost in Bordeaux
Even if you don’t want to spend money on a wine tour I highly recommend doing the route du Vin, just for the beautiful châteaux all along the way. If you don’t want to rent a car you can do most of the trip by bike. While in many wineries you’d have to pay for a guided tour, some will offer you to taste their wine for free. For more information check out my article about the wine road in Medoc. The other option is visiting a chateau in Saint Emilion, many of which offer very affordable tours, check out my list of recommended wineries to visit in Saint Emilion.
Go to one of Bordeaux’s beautiful beaches
Plage de la Hume on the Bassin d’Arcachon
Above I’ve mentioned two beaches that are located within the city but with a car, Gironde is a paradise for beach lovers. Plenty of beautiful sandy beaches surround the Bordeaux Metropole. The more kids friendly ones are located on the lakes, such as lac Lacanau or lac Cazaux and on the Bassin d’Arcachon. Surfers will definitely fall in love with the beaches on the Atlantic coast. If you need help in choosing the best beaches, I just recently released a post about the best beaches near Bordeaux.
Visit medieval villages
Rions
To its south and east, Bordeaux is surrounded by amazing medieval villages that you can reach within less than an hour drive. One of the most famous villages in our area is Saint Emilion, but it’s not the only charming village in the area, others include, Bazas, Saint Macaire, La Reole, Rions and more. For more information about some of these destinations check out my article about day trips from Bordeaux. Don’t miss my article about the most beautiful villages in Gironde.
I hope I convinced you that a trip to Bordeaux can be quite cheap when you have so many incredible free things to do. Hope you enjoyed the list!
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Another long weekend is ahead of us with plenty of amazing events all over Gironde. I really hope it’ll be sunny this weekend as the list of outdoor events is super long! We have music festivals in Talence and Canejac, open parks event, plenty of Jazz and more. If you want to plan ahead for the rest of the month, check out my list of things to do in Bordeaux in June. If big events are not your thing, you can enjoy the weekend in Marche des Capucins. I just wrote an article about my favorite places there, so check it out. Here’s the list of things to do this weekend in Bordeaux (June 7-10).
Rendez-vous aux Jardins
Nature lovers will love this weekend! On June 7-9 plenty of parks and gardens in Nouvelle Aquitaine will welcome you and your family for three days of fun activities. The events include guided visits, exhibitions, gardening workshops for kids and more. This is an amazing opportunity to visit one of the 366 parks (out of those 255 are private) that will be open for the public this weekend. For the full list of parks and gardens click here.
When: June 7-9 / Where: choose a park from the list above
ODP Music Festival in Peixotto
This is the fifth edition of the ODP Festival, whose objective is to raise funds for the orphans of firefighters that have died on duty. The festival will take place on June 7-9 at Peixotto Park in the center of Talence. That’s one of the best music festivals in Bordeaux metropole and always has a great lineup. For more details and tickets go to the festival’s website and their facebook page.
When: June 7-9 / Where: Parc du Château Peixotto, 33400 Talence
Festival ODP KIDS
The organizers of the ODP music festival didn’t forget to entertain the little ones as well. Before the concerts in the evening, park Peixotto will host plenty of activities for kids such as creative workshops, hip hop workshop, escape games and more. The activities are free and will take place on June 8-9 until 16:00, when the music festival starts. For more details click here.
When: June 8-9, 10:00 to 16:00 / Where: Parc du Château Peixotto, 33400 Talence
Take your picnic to the Vineyard
Wine related activities and picnics are two favorite French pastimes, so why not combine them? Usually, the vines, owned by the different chateaux can only be visited as part of a guided tour in the chateau. However this weekend you have an opportunity to bring your picnic basket and spend a great day with your family and friends in the vineyards. The principle is quite simple: You bring your own picnic and the chateau will provide the wine and entertainment. Around 400 different wine domains from all over France are participating in the event taking place during the long weekend (June 8-10). More than 1000 activities will be proposed to families by the participating chateaux, they will reflect the specialties of the chateaux and the area, among them: art workshops, concerts, bike tours and more. There are 18 participating Chateaux in the Bordeaux area – see the list here. To find a chateau in other areas in France click HERE. The places are limited so I recommend reserving a spot as soon as possible!
When: June 8-10 / Where: Different châteaux around Bordeaux and France
Bordeaux Geek Festival
Comics, science fiction, video games, parallel worlds, creative industries – you’ll find all of these at the next Bordeaux Geek festival (BGF), taking place June 8-10 at Parc des Expositions. The goal of this festival is to experience geek culture and share knowledge on topics that are at the heart of the Geek community. The BGF brings together different players from these industries, among them: video artists, gamers, illustrators, designers, scientists, authors, comedians and more. For more details and tickets click here.
When: June 8-10 / Where: Hall 3 and 1 – Parc des Expositions, 33000 Bordeaux
So Good Fest
The So Good Fest is an electronic music festival of the Gironde department that takes place every year at Plaine du Courneau in Canéjan. The 8th edition of the festival will take place on June 7-8 and will include a two-day lineup of French and international artists in the Electro, Dub, and Techno genres. For more details and tickets check out the site of the festival.
When: June 7-8 / Where: Plaine du Courneau in Canéjan
Open doors at the chateaux of Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux
If you didn’t make it to the Open doors in Saint Emilion last month, you can make up for it with another wine area in the Bordeaux region: Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux. An open doors weekend will take place on June 8-9, with 45 different chateaux hosting you for wine tastings and other activities. For the full list of chateaux click here.
When: June 8-9 / Where: different locations around Cadillac (see program)
Salon de l’agriculture of Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Salon de l’agriculture of Nouvelle Aquitaine is an annual ten-day event where you get to discover the agricultural richness of our area through different activities. For example, a farm area with many animals and plants will be put in place, offering interesting activities for both kids and adults. Another feature that may attract you is the Gastronomy and Wine space, which will highlight the exceptional heritage of the region. The Salon de l’agriculture is part of a larger event taking place at the same time (Foire Internationale de Bordeaux) and is taking place on June 1-10in Parc des Expositions. For more info check out the website, for tickets click here.
When: June 1-10 / Where: Parc des Expositions, Cours Jules Ladoumegue, 33300 Bordeaux
la Fête de l’Huître
La Fête de l’Huître (oysters celebration) will take place on June 7-8 at the center of the Saint Augustin neighborhood in Bordeaux. During the day, plenty of people will come to enjoy oysters and other goodies that the festival has to offer, while the ones staying for the evening will enjoy free concerts. For more info click here.
When: June 7-8 / Where: Place de l’Eglise Saint Augustin, 33000 Bordeaux
Portuguese Art and Gastronomy Market
Musicians, artists, and craftsmen, are coming to Cenon from the north of Portugal to introduce their culture during this three-day festival. The program includes tastings of Portuguese local products, stands of traditional art, concerts and more. The event will take place on June 7-9 in Domaine Du Loret and will include an area for kids. See the full program here.
When: June 7-9 / Where: Domaine Du Loret, 33150 Cenon
Bambino Party
This weekend (June 8-9) l’Île aux enfants in Hourtin (Medoc Atlantic) will hold a kids festival for children up to 12 years old. This annual kids celebration will host plenty of artistic workshop and sportive activities. For more details click here.
When: June 8-9 / Where: L’Île aux Enfants, 33990 Hourtin
Festival Le Haillan Chanté
The 10th edition of the singing festival, Le Haillan Chanté, is taking place on June 4-8 in Le Haillan. French songs lovers will adore this event which is full of performances of both current and more nostalgic songs. To see the full program of the festival click here.
When: June 4-8 / Where: 13 rue Georges clémenceau 33185 Le haillan
Jazz and Blues Festival in Leognan
The 24th edition of the Jazz and Blues Festival of Leognan will take place on June 6-15. Six concert nights will be given in four different towns in the area: Beautiran, Saucats, Martillac et Léognan. Take a look at the full program here.
When: June 6- 15 / Where: See all the locations in the program above
Festival Jazz 360
This is the 10th edition of the Jazz 360 festival that was initiated to support the creation of Jazz music. During the six days of the festival, tens of professional and young artists will take the stage in several different towns and villages in Gironde. The festival will take place on June 5 -10in six different locations: Langoiran, Saint-Caprais-de-Bx, Cénac, Camblanes-et-Meynac, Quinsac, and Latresne. For more details visit the site of the festival.
When: June 5-10 / Where: see different locations here.
Heures d’été in Caudéran
Heures d’été is a series of musical evenings taking place every Friday in different parks in the Cauderan neighborhood in Bordeaux. This week the musical evening will take place on Friday (June 7) in Parc de Lussy and will include a line up of three concerts. For the full program click here.
When: June 7 / Where: Parc de Lussy, Bordeaux
Relache Festival
Relache Festival, created by the Allez les filles association, is a series of free concerts taking place at different venues and dates during the summer. The next event will take place this Thursday (June 7) at Place Saint Michel. For the lineup and more details click here.
When: June 7, at 18:30 / Where: Place Saint Michel, 33800 Bordeaux
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Last month I’ve noticed that more and more people are scrolling through my article “Six things to do with kids in Bordeaux over spring break“ in search of new ideas for the upcoming school break. So I decided that it’s time to do some research and give you a new article to help you make the most of the upcoming fall break. So for those of you who want their kids to have new and exciting experiences or for those just trying to survive the vacances de la toussaint, this articles is for you. From circus to coding, painting and climbing, here’s the list of ideas for things to do with your kids on school break.
Circus School of Bordeaux
Let your kids become acrobats in a circus for a week! The Circus school of Bordeaux offers discovery programs for all ages during the upcoming school break. There are five programs for different ages ranging from 3 year-old to kids older than 11. In the first group (ages 4-5 yo) kids have to be accompanied by one of the parents. According to your kids’ age they can learn things like juggling, improvisation, acrobatics and more. If you missed this vacation, don’t worry, l’ecole de cirque offers many different programs on all school breaks. Click here for more information about days and prices of the different programs.
For reservations: by phone 05 56 43 17 18 or by email info@ecolecirquebordeaux.com
When: Different dates for different programs (check out the link above) Where: Centre Culturel des Arts du Cirque, 286 boulevard Alfred Daney, 33300 BORDEAUX
Paint in the Fine arts museum
If your kids are into arts or you would like them to discover their artistic side you can take them painting in one of the best museums of Bordeaux- Musee des beaux arts de Bordeaux. There are plenty of nice art workshops for kids (starting from 3 years old) for the price of only 5 euros, on both school breaks and during the school year.
Check out the full list of workshops here. To reserve your spot call 05 56 10 25 25.
When: Different dates from October 22 to October 31, depending on the workshop. Where: 20 Cours d’Albret, 33000 Bordeaux
Turn them into little coding geeks
Magic makers, the great programming school for kids is a fantastic opportunity to let your little girls and boys explore the world of coding.During the first week of the fall vacation, the school will offer several programs according to your kids age – from robots and minecraft for the little ones to creating games and star wars workshops for older kids. This is a popular place so reserve your place as soon as possible- click here and here for more info and registration. They have two centers in the Bordeaux area so if you live quite far from the center of Bordeaux, the other center is in Latresne. Also, if you missed out the registration and there’s no more space available, remember that many of the courses and workshop run during the school year as well.
When: October 22-26 Where: Centre Magic Makers, 60 cours de la Martinique 33000 Bordeaux AND AEROCAMPUS Aquitaine 1, route de Cénac 33360 Latresne
Discover the nature around Bordeaux with la Foret d’art Contemporain
You don’t really have to spend money to enjoy this fall break with your kids (except on therapy). If weather permits, this could be a good opportunity to discover the area around Bordeaux. Don’t forget that we are living just a few km from the largest maritime-pine forest in Europe in -Foret des Landes de Gascogne. One of the best ways to discover this massive forest is by following the map of la foret d’art contemporain. This is an extraordinary project that aims to promote contemporary art by placing it in different spots in the forest. Around 20 different pieces of art were placed in all parts of the forest, usually close to one of the smaller towns, to allow you to discover the more rural parts of Gironde. Follow the map of the project – here.
Dance Capoeira
When you see Capoeira circles on the street, do you ever wish you could know the moves and be part of that circle? Well maybe your kids can teach you after they participate in the Capoeira course offered by Dojo La Fleche during the first week of school break. The course that will take place on October 23-26 will include elements of movement, music, songs and acrobatics. For more info click here.
When: October 23-26 Where:21 Rue Ulysse Despaux, Bordeaux
Space month in Merignac
The city of Mérignac is currently hosting a whole month of space discovery with workshops, exhibitions, conferences, parties and more. Many of the events are scheduled to take place on weekends but an activity you can enjoy during the weekdays of les vacances de la toussaint is the “Dessine-moi l’Espace”. Médiathèque de Mérignac invites your children to a week of creativity. From Tuesday to Saturday, during the month of October, your kids can come and take inspiration from the books of the library to draw planets, rockets, aliens, stars and more. Awards will be given to the most imaginative paintings. For details about this activity and all the other events of Space month click here.
When: October 1-31, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 13:00-19:00, Wednesday 10:00-19:00 and Saturday 10:00 – 17:00 Where: Médiathèque de Mérignac, 19, place Charles-de-Gaulle, Mérignac
Foire aux Plaisirs
What kid doesn’t appreciate a big wheel or bumper cars? For a cool day out just take them to the Bordeaux fair at Place des Quinconcesstarting from October 12. Amusements rides are obviously only part of the fun, you will also find plenty of side stall games and stands with donuts, crèpes, barbes à papa and many other guilty pleasures. The fair is open daily from 14:00, you are not required to pay any entry fee, only for some of the attractions. See more info about the fair here.
When: October 12 – November 4 Where: Place des Quinconces , 33000 Bordeaux
Let them climb some walls
Climb Up, a climbing center of more than 2000m2, was opened in June 2018 in the Décathlon village in Mérignac. The center includes a huge climbing surface with walls rising to 15 meters, more than 200 different tracks and 60 lines of rope. There’s also a dedicated blocs zone for kids (over 3 years old) allowing them to climb in a secured space. On school break they offer 2 climbing courses of half days for kids – one for 6-8 year old and the other for 9-15 year old – check out more details here.
When: Monday to Friday on school break Where: Décathlon Village – Domaine de Pélus, 17 avenue Pythagore – 33 700 Mérignac
Discover the Idea box workshops at the Marché des Douves
Have you ever noticed the beautiful hangar with the red bricks just in front of the Capucins Market? Marché des Douves, previously the city market, is today a house to different associations, with plenty of activities and workshops for kids. Every Wednesday and Thursday three different workshops are taking place at the old market: a music workshop, mini film creation and a coding course. You can register to one or several of the activities on the spot or by phone 05 35 38 16 06. For more info click here.
When: Wednesday and Thursday – 14:00 to 17:30 Where: 4 Rue des Douves, 33800 Bordeaux
Let them become Ninja kidz
Last but not least, don’t forget to pass by The Temple Bordeaux which hosts a variety of activities for all ages. Gym Kidz is a bilingual Gymnastics program starting at 18 months old! One of their biggest success is the Ninja Kidz course which is a mix of Gymnastics & Martial Arts. The will stay open during the vacation so check them out. All courses are 200€ per year! and drop-ins are 10€ per class. Check out their facebook page for more info.
Where: 3 Quai de Brazza Bordeaux, 33100
Now, with this list in your hands you are ready to survive the school break (les vacances de la toussaint) and even enjoy it a bit :). If you have other ideas or other places that offer special activities during the vacation, please share them in the comments.
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As someone living in this city, writing an article about things to do on a weekend in Bordeaux is not as easy as you might think. In the last few years, this amazing city has been booming with festivals, art events, amazing coffee places, and a sea of gastronomic restaurants. So choosing the best things to do over a few days is almost impossible, but I will give it a try nevertheless 🙂
I have a longer article where I talk about my 50 favorite things to do in Bordeaux and its region. However, if you have only a few days to spend here, this article will guide you step-by-step through all the must-see things Bordeaux has to offer.
For many years, Bordeaux was nicknamed the sleeping beauty. A stunning city turned into a somewhat shady town following years of neglect. However, in the last two decades, the beautify has been awakened following a massive restoration work done by its administration. The goal was to make Bordeaux an attractive town to tourists again and give it back its well-deserved glory.
The makeover included the restoration of monuments, modern tram lines, a building of a long beautiful promenade, an extensive cleaning of all the facades, and more. That plan was a great success with Bordeaux becoming one of the most interesting and popular destinations in Europe in the last decade.
Bordeaux has 362 historic monuments (second only to Paris), to visit them all will probably take weeks. So here in this article, I will cover only the most interesting/ beautiful ones. If you’re interested in a more deep understanding of the history and architecture of Bordeau you might consider the two hours guided walking tour, offered by the tourist office. Or a guided bicycle tour that will allow you to discover some of the most interesting spots in Bordeau in just a few hours.
Cycling in Bordeaux – by lost in Bordeaux
Also, despite it being the world capital of wine, I did not include wine-related activities in this article. I believe you need more than two days from that. If however, you do want to include a wine-related experience on your visit here, check out my articles about the Bordeaux wine region and wineries in Saint Emilion.
Although this guide proposes a specific route to follow, feel free to take whatever you want from the list, and adapt it to your style of travel. You can switch the order of places you’re planning to visit but pay attention to things that are taking place only on Saturdays or Sundays. This list is quite dense so if you come for more than two days, feel free to reduce the pace and take some time to visit the city more calmly, and enjoy its cafés and the general atmosphere.
One last thing before we dive in. If you’re looking for a hotel to stay in during your visit here, check out my posts about the best districts in Bordeaux and about the best places to stay in Bordeaux. I’ve included some beautiful boutique hotels and several more affordable ones.
*If you’re also planning to visit Toulouse while traveling in the region read my detailed guide to a weekend in Toulouse.
A weekend in Bordeaux -Day 1
Place de la Victoire
Start your day from Place de la Victoire, on the southern end of Bordeaux’s shopping street rue Sainte Catherine. The impressive square you can recognize by the 18th-century arc and the marble obelisk at its center.
Place de la Victoire – by Lost in Bordeaux
Its proximity to the busiest street in the city, the University campus, and the numerous cafes and bars give it a very young and happy vibe. It’s not one of my favorite squares in Bordeaux but it’s a great place to start your discovery tour of Bordeaux. If you only have one day in Bordeaux, you can skip Place de la Victoire and focus on the most beautiful monuments in the city.
Marché des Capucins – discover local gastronomy
It’s never too early to start your gastronomic discovery of Bordeaux and for that, there’s no better place than Marché des Capucins.
The Capucins, the biggest daily market in Bordeaux has everything from stands of fruits and vegetables, sweets, spices, and a bunch of lively cafés and restaurants. It’s the best place to taste some of the specialties of this region like oysters, duck products, and sheep cheese.
It’s a covered market so you can enjoy it on the city’s numerous rainy days. Most cafes and restaurants also have tables outside where you can have a coffee or an early lunch. During the weekend, the market is packed with locals, who gather to eat oysters accompanied by white wine. Be sure to come early if you want to catch a table.
Marché des Capucins – for an early lunch with the locals
Before you go, be sure to check out my article about the best places to eat at the Marché des Capucins. The market is open from Tuesday to Sunday, however, be aware that not all the restaurants and stands are open on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Now after opening the morning at the market we can start touring Bordeaux and admire its beautiful architecture.
If you followed my advice and went to the market, your next destination should be Saint Michel. From Place des Capucins continue to rue Clare which brings you to the heart of the Saint Michel neighborhood. If you don’t have two full days in Bordeaux skip Saint Michel and go to the next item.
Discover the Saint Michel neighborhood
Saint Michel is skipped by many tourists. But I think that its authentic atmosphere, chic cafes, and markets make it one of the more interesting places in Bordeaux. There are many things to do and see in this area and you have more time to discover the neighborhood, be sure to read my detailed guide to Saint Michel. If, however, you are short in time and just want the “best of”, this is what I suggest:
The Basilica of Saint Michel – classified as a world heritage by UNESCO in 1998 stands at the heart of this lively neighborhood. It is located on the main square, Place Meynard, surrounded by plenty of cafes, restaurants, and bars.
la Flèche Saint-Michel – Just next to the basilica you’ll find the Saint Michel bell tower, one of the main monuments of the city. I highly recommend climbing it to see a magnificent view of Bordeaux.
The view from la Flèche Saint-Michel
The market on Saturday – Every Saturday there’s a local market around the Basilica. Even if you don’t need to buy anything I’d still recommend going there on a Saturday morning just for the atmosphere
Antiques – if you love antique markets, whether it’s to buy or just to have a look, you’re at the right place. This neighborhood has several antique places that are open daily. Check out my guide to Saint Michel for a detailed list of addresses.
We are now going to enter the historic center of Bordeaux! If you’re short on time, I recommend starting the tour here!
The Grosse Cloche – one of the most impressive monuments in Bordeaux
From Place Meynard (in Saint Michel) take rue des Faures to get to one of the main streets in the center of Bordeaux (rue Victor Hugo). After a minute’s walk, on your right, you’ll see the spectacular bell town called the Grosse Cloche.
The 15th-century bell tower is one of the most prominent symbols of Bordeaux. The gate was built on the remains of Porte Saint-Éloy, through which the pilgrims of Saint Jacques passed on their way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
You will now be entering the historic center of Bordeaux through the Quartier de la Grosse Cloche/ Saint Paul. Let yourself be charmed by the narrow paved streets of this small neighborhood. It’s one of my favorite districts of Bordeaux, full of chic cafés and boutiques.
Rue Saint James
The first street you encounter when entering through the Grosse Cloche gate is Rue Saint James. This is one of the most charming streets in the neighborhood, with beautiful coffee shops (such as books and coffee ) chic boutiques, and specialized shops. Take some time to discover this street as well as the lovely narrow streets around it.
Quartier de la Grosse Cloche – by Lost in Bordeaux
Continue on the street until you get to Place Fernand Lafargue. A long time ago this square used to be the city’s market and today it’s one of the best spots for a nice Lunch. The square and the emerging streets are a real food hub with plenty of cafes, bars, and a variety of restaurants from hamburgers to Sushi and Ramen soup.
A few of my recommendations areApollo bar for a drink, Wine More Time for a glass of wine, Frida restaurant for a brunch on a nice terrace, Kokomo for a great hamburger, and Piha for a great coffee.
After you finish strolling around the Grosse Cloche continue on Cr d’Alsace-et-Lorraine until you get to rue Sainte Catherine.
Shop on rue Sainte-Catherine
Sainte Catherine is the longest pedestrian street in France. A long strip of shops where you can find all main clothing retail stores as well as boutiques of cosmetics, jewelry, books, and more.
The Southern part of the street (closer to Place de la Victoire) is where you’ll find most of the cheap clothing shops. The big chain clothing stores are located in the northern part of the streets. After you finish your shopping go back to Place Saint Projet, a square in the middle of rue Sainte Catherine. Now take rue des Trois-Conils and walk towards the main cathedral of Bordeaux on Place Pey Berland.
Sainte Catharine – the main shopping street in Bordeaux
Visit the main Cathedral of Bordeaux on Place Pey Berland
Place Pey Berland is one of the most central squares of Bordeaux and home to the main Cathedral of Bordeaux and its town hall. It’s also one of the liveliest neighborhoods in Bordeaux with many coffee places, chocolate shops, museums, and art galleries.
Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux
The Cathedral of Saint André is the main church of Bordeaux and the seat of the Archbishop of Bordeaux. It is a Roman Catholic church that was labeled as a national monument of France. In the evening the Cathedral often hosts concerts of classical music, choirs, and an organ festival during the summer. You can check out more info about the concerts here.
Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux
Tour Pey Berland
Just next to the Cathedral, you’ll find its 15th-century bell tower – la Tour Pey Berland. On the top of the tower, the statue of Notre Dame d’Aquitaine rises to the height of 66 m.
If you want to enjoy a beautiful view of Bordeaux climb the 231 stairs of the tower to get to the top. A ticket to the bell tower is 6 euros and free to people below 26 years old. I recommend climbing it only if the weather is good, otherwise, you won’t see much. See the hours and buy tickets here. *If you have the Bordeaux City Pass, you get free entry to the Tour Pey Berland.
Good places for a coffee break:
Although I’m not a big fan of French coffee, somehow Bordeaux has figured out the secrets of a great brew. Some of the best coffee places in the city are actually in this central neighborhood, among them: Sip, Black list, and l’alchimiste café. If you’re a coffee-lover check out my article about Five coffee places in Bordeaux you don’t want to miss.
L’alchimiste café – by Lost in Bordeaux
Other interesting streets in the Pey Berland neighborhood
From Place Pey Berland continue on rue Vital Carles, alongside the tram B line which goes through the main spots of the center of Bordeaux. On your left, don’t miss one of the city’s establishments – LibrairieMollat, the oldest independent bookstore in France since 1896.
Another place worth mentioning is Porte Dijeaux. This pretty arc is another gate to the historic center of Bordeaux and has been classified as a historic monument in 1921.
Here are three museums in the neighborhood you should know about (all three have free entry with the Bordeaux City Pass):
Musée des Beaux-Arts: is the fine-art museum of Bordeaux and one of the largest art galleries in France outside Paris. See the ongoing exhibitions on their website.
The address: 20 Cours d’Albret, 33000 Bordeaux
Museum of Decorative Arts of Bordeaux – installed in a beautiful chateau, the museum is home to collections of furniture, ceramics, and many other objects dating to the 18th and 19th centuries. The museum also has a nice outdoor coffee place in the beautiful courtyard of the building. See the ongoing exhibitions on their website.
Address: 39 Rue Bouffard, 33000 Bordeaux
Musée des arts décoratifs bordeaux
Musée d’Aquitaine – If you want to learn about the history and archaeology of Bordeaux and its region (Nouvelle-Aquitaine), this is your best source.
Address: 20 Cours Pasteur, 33000 BordeauxIf you skipped the museums continue walking on Vital Carles street and be ready for a beautiful surprise. At the end of the street, you will turn right to one of the most impressive streets of Bordeaux Cours de l’Intendance. This street conveys the feeling of Bordeaux – historic, beautiful, and very calm- just stand there and take a breath for a second.
Cours de l’Intendance – by Lost in Bordeaux
Continue on Cours de l’Intendance until you get to Place de la Comédie.
Grand Théâtre – one of the landmarks of Bordeaux
The beautiful 18th-century building on Place de la Comédie will be hard to miss. The Grand Théâtre, the home of the National Opera of Bordeaux is one of Bordeaux’s most important landmarks.
Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux
If you have the chance, try to book tickets to one of the concerts at the Opera or the national ballet. If you speak French, I recommend taking a tour of the Grand Théâtre. The tours take place twice a week, not during school breaks or the summer period. You can book your visit here.
Have a fancy meal in one of Bordeaux’s great restaurants
If you want to have a fancy meal while in Bordeaux, Place de la Comedie and its surrounding streets are one of the main spots for fine dining in Bordeaux.
One of my favorite restaurants in Bordeaux is le Quatrième Mur, which belongs to the famous French chef Philippe Etchebest. The restaurant is located inside the Opera of Bordeaux complete with all its lavish decor.
There are of course many other amazing restaurants in Bordeaux such as Bo Tanique, Lauza, and Mably.
Place des Quinconces
Place des Quinconces
Next on our list is Place des Quinconces, the largest city square in France and one of the biggest ones in Europe. On one of the sides of this enormous square, you’ll find le Monument aux Girondins, a spectacular monument dedicated to the members of a political faction that were killed during the French Revolution.
Throughout the year, many different events, festivals, and fairs (like the Brocante de Quinconces and the Foire aux Plaisirs) take place on this square. I tend to write a lot about the events that take place in Bordeaux in my newsletter and monthly to-do lists in Bordeaux.
The tram passing Place de Quinconces
If you’ve been following my guide so far, you’ve probably walked quite a bit. This would be the perfect time to rest in one of Bordeaux’s most beautiful parks. From Place des, Quinconces continue to Cours du Marechal Foch until you get to Jardin Public.
Do a picnic in Jardin Public
Jardin Public is the largest park in the center of Bordeaux with more than 300 trees and vast green planes – a perfect place for a picnic. It has a large pond (with ducks and geese!), great facilities for kids, and even a nice coffee place. If you’re traveling with kids, it’s really worth visiting the Natural history museum which is situated in the park.
If you want to know more about parks and gardens in Bordeaux check out my article with plenty of places for picnics in Bordeaux.
Now back to the city and to the last stop on the first day of discovering Bordeaux – the Chartrons neighborhood.
Leave the park from Cours Xavier Arnozan and continue towards the Garonne river. On your right don’t miss the CAPC, the Contemporary art museum of Bordeaux. This beautiful building was previously used as a warehouse for colonial foodstuffs and today is the house of contemporary art in Bordeaux, curating many exhibitions.
Visit the northern chic district of Bordeaux – Les Chartrons
Located to the north of Bordeaux’s center, Chartrons is a very popular neighborhood with chic boutiques, antiques, and a lot of restaurants. The most interesting part of Chartrons is the main street, rue Notre Dame which is also one of the most foodie streets in Bordeaux. Don’t miss Eglise Saint-Louis des Chartrons, a 19th-century Neo-Gothic church.
rue Notre Dame – by Lost in Bordeaux
Turn left straight after the church to get to the heart of the neighborhood- Halle des Chartrons. There are plenty of restaurants around the central square, with good lunch menus. The Halle des Chartrons often hosts activities and exhibitions, so take a peek inside to see if there’s anything going on.
If you want to discover all the interesting places you can visit in the Chartrons district check out my article about the best things to do in Chartrons.
How to spend a weekend in Bordeaux – Day 2
Start the day at Place du Palais Station (Tram A) to enter the Saint Pierre Neighborhood.
Enjoy the squares of the Saint Pierre neighborhood
Saint Pierre is the most ancient district of Bordeaux and the tourist heart of the city. There aren’t any major monuments to see in this part of town but the little narrow paved streets and the beautiful lively squares are what make it one of the more pleasant places in Bordeaux.
I’ll mention some of the best things to do in this neighborhood, but I really recommend just taking a few hours to get lost in the charming narrow streets and get a feel of historic Bordeaux.
rue Parlement Saint Pierre in Saint Pierre – by Lost in Bordeaux
Porte Cailhau
From Cours d’Alsace et Lorraine turn to place du Palais. This is the first of many squares you’ll see while touring the neighborhood and probably the most beautiful one.
The magnificent Porte Cailhau, a monument that looks like it has been taken from a fairy tale cannot be missed. This gate was built in 1495 to commemorate the glory of king Charles VIII. On the square itself, you’ll find a few nice cafes and restaurants with a view of the medieval gate.
One I particularly like here is Tutiac, Le Bistro Vignerons.
Porte Cailhau on Place de Palais
There are three other squares worth mentioning in this neighborhood, all of which are beautiful and abundant with cute terrace restaurants. Each one is quite unique and worth a visit, but if you don’t have much time don’t feel obligated to visit all the squares.
Place Camille Julian
Place Camille Julianis one of the busiest squares in towns. Its main highlight is Utopia, a monastery turned into a cinema with a varied program of both blockbuster movies and small independent films.
Place Saint Pierre
The little square of Place Saint Pierre is where Bordeaux was born in the 3rd century. In the center stands the main church of the neighborhood Gothic Flamboyant styled Église Saint-Pierre. This historic monument used to be the main praying temple of the craftsmen and traders living in the area in medieval times.
Place du Parlement
Another beautiful square in this lovely neighborhood is Place du Parlement, which was classified as a historic monument in 1952. This is yet another spot with many cafés with tables outside, perfect for a sunny day in Bordeaux. The Parlement square is located just a few steps from one of the important squares of Bordeaux – Place de la Bourse.
Place du Parlement
Miroir d’eau – the most popular attraction in Bordeaux
From Place du Parlement continue to rue Fernand Philippart until you reach Place de la Bourse, a masterpiece of classic French architecture from the 18th century. Don’t miss the famous mascarons of Bordeaux, the little faces looking at you from the arches of the buildings. There are more than 3000 of them decorating the buildings and monuments of Bordeaux.
In front, on the quay of the Garonne river, you’ll find one of the most popular attractions in Bordeaux – le Miroir d’eau! This modern monument, built in 2006, is the world’s largest reflecting pool. The surface is made from blue granite covered in water, reflecting the 18th-century Place de la Bourse.
le Miroir d’eau – the world’s largest reflecting pool
During the summer months, the system of le miroir d’eau operates in cycles of 15 minutes creating a shallow pool where you can wet your feet. The sight of little kids running in the water creates one of the most beautiful and photogenic moments that you can experience in Bordeaux.
Take a walk on the quai – Bordeaux’s promenade
The promenade on the board of the Garonne is one of Bordeaux’s highlights. In recent years, since the renovation of the area, the riverfront became one of the city’s most central spots, hosting many events and festivals during the summer.
The 4.5 km promenade is also perfect for a walk or a bicycle tour. The most interesting part of it is between the two bridges of Bordeaux – Pont Saint Pierre in the center and Pont Chaban Delmas in the north of the city. This trail includes the water mirror as well as big playgrounds for kids, restaurants with a view of the river, and the Chartrons Market, which is our next stop.
One of the best markets in Bordeaux takes place every Sunday morning at Quai de Chartrons. The Chartrons market hosts dozens of food stalls, fruits, vegetables, cheese, fish, and plenty of food trucks.
Marche des Quais – by Lost in Bordeaux
The market is usually quite busy with both locals and tourists, especially if you come towards noon, but it’s still worth the visit. For many visitors, the main attraction is the few stalls with oysters and a bottle of dry white wine. This, in a way, embodies life in the region 🙂
From here (if you have more time left) will start discovering Bacalan, the northern district of Bordeaux, with is rather different from the center of Bordeaux. From the market just continue walking north on the riverfront until you reach the Chaban Delmas bridge.
Pont Chaban Delmas – by Lost in Bordeaux
Pont Chaban Delmas
Pont Chaban Delmas is a modern bridge, named after the previous mayor of the city, which was inaugurated in 2013. It’s the longest vertical-lift bridge in Europe and seeing it elevating to let the tall ships pass is a very impressive sight. On the way there you will pass by several hangars that were turned into restaurants, boutiques, and a fantastic science museum for kids (Cap Sciences).
La Cité du Vin – Bordeaux wine museum
Just next to the bridge, you’ll find one of Bordeaux’s main attractions – la cité du vin. The wine museum of Bordeaux is a one-of-a-kind cultural center, all dedicated to discovering the wine world. It’s a “must” place for wine lovers but can also be very interesting and enjoyable for people who don’t drink at all.
The museum offers an immersive exhibition to help you discover both French and global wine history. You will learn about winemaking, see movies and interviews with wine producers and then smell and taste wine.
Click here to buy tickets to the wine museum in advance to avoid the line.
Read more about visiting the world’s best wine museum in my article about the Cité du Vin.
Les Halles de Bacalan
Les Halles de Bacalan is a covered market that was inaugurated in 2017 and immediately became one of the most popular spots in Bordeaux. This impressive 950m2 hangar is located just in front of the famous Cité du vin and hosts tens of stalls with amazing food and drinks.It’s a perfect place to stop by for a snack or a drink when discovering the Bacalan district.
Les Halles de Bacalan – a new covered market
Take a boat to the other side of the Garonne
Now it’s time to discover the other side of the Garonne river – the Bastide neighborhood. It’s yet another district of Bordeaux worth exploring if you have time. There are a few ways to get to the Bastide district. You can either cross the bridge (it’s a very nice walk but will take some time), take a bus or take a boat.
Since 2013 the public transport system in Bordeaux has introduced a ferry (navette fluviale) that will cross you over to the other side. The ferry which operates from 7 am to 7 pm, stops at five stations: Stalingrad, Quinconces, les Hangars, La Cité du Vin and Lormont. If you followed my guide up to now, take the navette at La Cité du Vin and get down at Stalingrad (on the other side of the river).
You can use the boat and all other public transport in Bordeaux free of charge if you have the Bordeaux City Pass.
Jardin Botanique
Arriving from Place de Stalingrad you have a nice walk on the riverfront to get to our next stop. On the way don’t miss le Jardin Botanique de Bordeaux. This beautiful park was created to allow the wide public to discover the world of plants, biodiversity, and sustainability. It’s definitely not a must-stop, but can be a great spot for a picnic with kids.
From the part continue straight on the riverfront until you get to our next stop – Darwin.
Darwin – the hipster hub of Bordeaux
Darwin is probably one of the most surprising places in Bordeaux. An old military base turned into an urban space with a workspace/incubator for startups, a skate park for all ages, a restaurant, and many other surprises, all with an agenda of ecological awareness.
Whether alone or with kids you can spend hours in Darwin. One of the buildings hosts the restaurant and the Darwin products store with a huge selection of different organic products.
Darwin – one of the coolest places in Bordeaux
Darwin is also an extraordinary hub of street art done by many local and international street artists. The place hosts many cool events so don’t be surprised if suddenly you see an artisan market or a collection of old cars on display.
This is the end of our weekend journey in Bordeaux! Before I leave you, here are some useful links:
Useful links and info when visiting Bordeaux
The Bordeaux expats blog is a great source of info for people considering moving to Bordeaux.
The site of the tourist office in Bordeaux has loads of information about all the points of interest in the city as well as about most of the main events. They also offer a lot of tours in and around Bordeaux – so check it out here.
The official site of Bordeaux offers a lot of interesting info about the places you will see (in French)- read it here.
As I said, Bordeaux has a lot to offer! It’s hard to see everything if you only have a day or two but don’t be stressed, just take the time to enjoy the city.
Before we end I want to help out those who are looking for accommodation in Bordeaux! If you’re looking for a hotel, I have an article with recommendations about the best hotels in Bordeaux for different budgets. If you’re looking for an Airbnb or just want to understand where you should stay in Bordeaux, you should definitely read my Bordeaux districts guide.
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 🙂
