In Bordeaux by Neighborhood

The best areas to stay in Bordeaux – the districts guide

Last updated on January 31, 2023 No Comments

Bordeaux is a very lively city with plenty of restaurants, boutiques, and interesting places to visit. So if you want to fully enjoy all this city has to offer, choosing the right hotel or apartment location is crucial. The most vibrant and central neighborhood in Bordeaux is Saint Pierre and if you don’t have a tight budget or other constraints (kids, noise, vicinity to the train station, etc.) it’s a great area to stay in. But you shouldn’t limit yourself to Saint Pierre, there are lots of good neighborhoods in Bordeaux.

In this guide, I’ll help you discover the best areas to stay in Bordeaux: lively neighborhoods, hipster districts, and the best areas for families visiting the city. I also added a few recommended hotels to some of my district descriptions in case you’re not an Airb&b kind of person 🙂 If you need more recommendations for hotels in the city center, check out my post about the best hotels in Bordeaux for every budget.

If you’re planning to do a weekend in Saint Emilion, here are my recommendations for the best places to stay in the Saint Emilion region. In case your next destination is Toulouse, here’s my guide to the best areas of Toulouse.

Let’s dive into the best districts of Bordeaux!

Central Areas in Bordeaux

Saint Pierre and Saint Paul – The historic center of Bordeaux

Saint Pierre and Saint Paul districts represent the historic heart of the city. These are the most vibrant and lively areas in Bordeaux, where you stroll by paved narrow streets, charming squares, and several famous monuments (the Miroir d’eau, place de la Bourse, and others). it’s also the heart of the gastronomic scene in Bordeaux, with plenty of amazing restaurants, cocktail bars, and hip cafés. Many are concentrated around the Place Fernand Lafargue, especially on rue Saint James. In Saint Pierre, almost every street has a good restaurant, but the best bars are on rue Parlement Saint Pierre and rue Parlement Sainte Catherine.

The neighborhoods are bounded by the Opera of Bordeaux from the north and rue Victor Hugo from the South. Going east you can enjoy a pleasant stroll on the gorgeous promenade of the Garonne River. The western border of the historic center is marked by rue Sainte Catherine, the longest pedestrian shopping street in Europe hosting all the main retail stores as well as several smaller boutiques.

You can find plenty of Airbnb apartments in this area but they will usually be more expensive. Also, you should know that some of the streets can be a bit noisy at night.
There are lots of little hotels in this touristy area. If you’re looking for something very simple but with good value for money I recommend staying at Hôtel Acanthe. Another good option is the Quality hotel, which is a very nice 3- star hotel.
You can see more recommendations for hotels in the Saint Pierre district in my post about the best places to stay in Bordeaux.

Pey Berland and Meriadeck – the administrative district of Bordeaux

Bordering the historic center is the Pey Berland neighborhood, home to the main Cathedral of Bordeaux, Saint André and the city hall (Hotel du Ville). This is one of Bordeaux’s central neighborhoods located within a walking distance from all the main monuments in Bordeaux. Pey Berland is also known as the museum district of Bordeaux with several good museums worth visiting: Musée des Beaux-Arts, Musée des Arts décoratifs et du Design and the Musée d’Aquitaine (a regional history museum).

This district is also a hub for the new wave of hip quality cafés emerging around Bordeaux such as SIP, The Blacklist, l’Alchimiste and Gusco. If Sainte Catherine left you hungry for more shopping, this district will not disappoint you. Plenty of clothing boutiques and art galleries are located between the town hall, place Gambetta and Cours de l’independance. On rainy days, you can also visit the Mériadeck, the only shopping mall in the center of Bordeaux. If you’re looking for accommodation in this area but still want to feel the historic vibe of Bordeaux, try choosing a place to the east side of Cours d’Albret.

In this district, you can find the coolest hotel in town – the Mama Shelter. Stylish rooms, a good restaurant and a super chic rooftop bar with the best view of Bordeaux. What more do you need? If you’re traveling with kids, Novotel can be a good option for you. It’s located within 10 minutes walk from the center of Bordeaux and they offer big rooms that will fit your whole family.

Quinconces and Triangle d’Or – The fancy area of Bordeaux

To the north of the historic center, we find the Triangle d’Or district, where the architecture mostly dates back to the 18th century. You’ll immediately notice the contrast in scenery coming from the narrow paved streets of old Bordeaux to the wide boulevards and elegant facades of the Triangle d’Or. This is the fancy part of Bordeaux, abundant with luxury boutiques and some of the best chocolatiers in Bordeaux.

The neighborhood also borders Jardin Public, the biggest park in the center of Bordeaux, making it a very kid-friendly area. Triangle d’Or is also the home of the Opera of Bordeaux as well as the Esplanade des Quinconces, one of the biggest squares in France. Several times a year, different fairs take place at the square or on the Allée de Tourney. Among them are the Christmas market, the big brocante (flea and antique market) of Bordeaux and an amusement park. In my blog I cover all the main events taking place in the city during the year, so for more updates follow my monthly and weekly lists.

This district is home to the more fancy and prestigious hotels. Hôtel de Sèze is a beautiful 4-star hotel that also has a Spa. Another option would be the very popular Le Boutique Hotel. They have a few very chic rooms and a great bar where they offer wine tastings (you can read more about it here).

Chartrons – the posh area of Bordeaux

Chartrons in Bordeaux — The Chartrons district in Bordeaux

The Chartrons district, neighboring esplanade des Quinconces, starts the northern part of Bordeaux. It’s quite a big district but the more interesting part of it lies next to the riverfront and around the long rue Notre Dame, one of the poshest streets in Bordeaux. This central street and the little ones surrounding it are full of excellent restaurants, trendy boutiques and antique shops.

The Chartrons riverfront is characterized by warehouses once used by foreign merchants to age and store wine. It gives the neighborhood a vibe different than the rest of the city. Also, every Sunday a big market takes place on Quai des Chartrons, gathering many tourists and locals from all parts of the city. So even if you don’t stay there, don’t miss this charming neighborhood.

In the Chartrons district, you can stay at Casa Blanca, a very cozy and stylish B&B with a yummy breakfast. It’s located just a few minutes walk from the main square of this chic neighborhood and is also super close to the main park of Bordeaux, Jardin Public.

Saint Michel, Saint Croix and Victoire – the Cosmopolitan areas of Bordeaux

If you’re looking to lower your budget or change the scenery from classic Bordeaux, the southern districts of the city are a great option. Saint Michel, Saint Croix and Victoire are the cosmopolitan districts of the city. A very mixed population lives in these neighborhoods, you could find international students, artists and immigrant merchant families. The area has a lively culinary scene, from the main market of Bordeaux to local bars and cute little restaurants. If you’re a foodie, check out my food tours in the main market of Bordeaux.
Although it’s only a few minutes walk from the city center, apartments in this area are considerably cheaper than the neighboring Saint Paul district.

The best known hotel in this district is Maison Fredon, a little boutique hotel located in a beautifully renovated 18th-century house. There are only five rooms in this hotel, all uniquely designed to combine modern decor with the classic style of a bourgeois bordelaise house.

Click here to read more about things to do in Saint Michel.

Jardin Public and Saint Seurin – the quiet and green area of Bordeaux

Jardin Public and Saint Seurin are two residential neighborhoods, located quite close to the city center. If you’re planning a trip to Bordeaux with kids, these neighborhoods are perfect as they are calm and close to the main park of Bordeaux, Jardin Public. They are within a short walking distance from the Opera of Bordeaux and some of the best restaurants in the city so you won’t feel isolated.

If you decide to stay in this area, Villa Victor Louis is your place. A charming boutique hotel with beautiful decor and a nice little garden which is just perfect to spend your summer days.

The more distant neighborhoods in Bordeaux

Bordeaux is not a big city and you can easily reach the center from several other more distant districts. So if the center of Bordeaux is a bit out of your budget, consider some of the following areas. Another option would be to look for something on one of the tramlines as those are very regular, as opposed to buses in Bordeaux. Here is the map of the tramline in Bordeaux, to make it easier for you to do your search.

Bastide – the other side of the river

LES CHANTIERS DE LA GARONNE — The hip area of Bordeaux

While most of the historic monuments are located on the west side (rive gauche) of the Garonne, rive droite has its own charm and can be a good place to stay in Bordeaux. By crossing the central bridge of Bordeaux (Pont Pierre) you arrive at the Bastide neighborhood. Until quite recently it was a sleepy residential neighborhood but in the last decade, it transformed into a hip area where many locals love to spend their weekends.

This district is especially charming from May to October when you can enjoy all its green areas and all the summer bars and restaurants on the riverfront which are then open for the summer season. Bastide is still much cheaper then the center of Bordeaux and can be a great option if you’re on a budget. However, to still feel like you’re close to the city center, search for a hotel or apartment close to Tram A. This line will take you through Pont Pierre to Hotel du Ville in just a few minutes ride.

There is a new cool eco-friendly hotel in this neighborhood, named Eklo. It has a very young design and it’s located just next to Darwin. However, I would mainly recommend it to young travelers or families with kids who want to sleep in the same eco-friendly room 🙂

Bacalan – The grungy area of Bordeaux

bassins a flot — The grungy part of Bordeaux

Neighboring Chartrons from the north is the Bacalan district, located about 30 minutes walk from the center of Bordeaux. They are a far not only in their geographical distance but also in their landscape. The Bacalan neighborhood is built around the port of Bordeaux and has a very grungy look to it as opposed to the classic city center. In recent years, the city of Bordeaux has been transforming this neighborhood into one of the most interesting areas in the city. Apart from the magnificent Cité du Vin, it also houses some of the best music venues and has a thriving street art scene. If you chose to stay in this area, be sure to stay in the Southern part (close to the Chartrons district) and as close as possible to the tramline (Tram B) that will take you to the city center in a few minutes.

The best option in Bacalan, in my opinion, is the Seeko’o Hotel which has a very urban and cool design to it. It’s located just next to the riverfront and within a few minutes walk from the big wine museum of Bordeaux. Another great option is the Radisson Blu hotel which is located on the Bassin a Flot and has one of the best rooftop bars in town.

If you want to learn more about things to do in the Bacalan neighborhood, click here.

Gare Saint Jean – next to the train station

Saint-Jean isn’t one of the best neighborhoods to stay in Bordeaux and in some parts can be a bit shady. However, if you need to catch a train early in the morning staying there can be quite practical. And it’s also much more affordable than the center of Bordeaux, which you can easily reach with the Tram Line C. There are some nice hotels on the way from the train station to the riverfront (the quai) and, generally speaking, this is the nicer part around Gare Saint-Jean. Also, Quai des Paludate is home to some of Bordeaux’s night clubs and to the new Boca food market. Gradually and with a lot of investment from the city of Bordeaux, this area is becoming more popular and the stay can indeed be quite nice.

Hôtel Mercure is a good option if you want to stay next to the train station. It’s not very new but the rooms are comfortable and clean. If you’re looking for something fancier, the Hilton Garden Inn hotel is also within a few minutes walk from the station. It is however located a bit further from the city center so take that into consideration.

Saint Agustin

One of the most family friendly neighborhoods in Bordeaux is Saint Augustin. It’s a small quiet neighborhood, located about 20 min (by tram) from the city center and a walking distance from two beautiful parks in Bordeaux, Parc bourran and Parc Bordelais. The neighborhood has a little center with a few restaurants and a weekly market.

Saint Genes and Nansouty

South to the center, you can find Saint Genes and Nansouty. These are two quiet neighborhoods bordering Place de la Victoire from the South. There isn’t much to do here but it’s only about a 15 minutes walk from the center and it’s conveniently placed on the tram line B that takes you to all the main spots in Bordeaux.

Bordeaux Lac

The Bordeaux Lac district is located in the north, quite far from the center of Bordeaux. Apart from cheaper rates, its main advantage is being close to the parc des expositions, where many of Bordeaux’s fairs and salons take place. So if you come to Bordeaux for a conference this will be a good option for you. Also, if the shopping in the city center was not enough, Bordeaux Lac has one of the biggest shopping centers in the region.

As its name suggests, the neighborhood has a big lake with a popular beach that is open to the public during the summer. You can reach the exhibition park, the shopping center and the beach by line C from the center of Bordeaux.

I hope this article covers everything you need to know about the different neighborhoods you can stay in when visiting Bordeaux. If you need more specific recommendations, check out my post about the best hotels in the city center.

If it’s your first time visiting Bordeaux, here are a few other articles you’ll find useful:
Things to do in Bordeaux, France – the ultimate guide
10 day trips from Bordeaux by train
30 things to do in Bordeaux with kids

If you’re moving to Bordeaux, be sure to check out the Bordeaux Expats website which is full of valuable knowledge for newcomers.

Need more ideas for things to do in and around Bordeaux? you should definitely join my newsletter where I share a lot of info about the area – sign up here.

*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 🙂

In Biking, hiking and nature in Bordeaux

Cycling in Bordeaux – the Bridge to Bridge trail

Last updated on October 12, 2020 No Comments

I truly believe that the best way to discover the center of Bordeaux is by foot, simply because every building in this city is an architectural work of art worthy of your full attention. One exception is the waterfront of Bordeaux, which is the perfect place for cycling in the city. Surely if you’ve been living here for a while you would think that there are many other interesting trails around the city, but for a newcomer, this cycling route is the best way to discover some of Bordeaux’s most interesting and entertaining spots. In this article, I’m going to introduce you to the “Bridge to Bridge” cycling route in Bordeaux. This trail starts from “la rive gauche”, the western side of Pont Pierre (the central bridge of Bordeaux). It then continues north all along the waterfront until you get to the most modern bridge of Bordeaux, Pont Chaban Delmas. From there you will cross to the Bastide neighborhood, the local’s favorite weekend getaway.

In this article, I’m going to mention all the beautiful monuments and interesting places you should pay attention to as well as recommend places that require a longer stop. I do want to want to warn you that there are quite a lot of stops here, I wrote them all just for you have all the options, but if you really want to feel like you’re cycling you might want to skip some of them 🙂
I am only referring to places located along the waterfront so If you want a deeper introduction to Bordeaux go to my ultimate guide to a weekend in Bordeaux.
There is so much to see on the way and I don’t want you to miss any of it, so tune in and let’s start cycling.
*For information on bike rentals go to the bottom of the article.

What not to miss while cycling in Bordeaux

The “rive gauche” – the 18th-century charm of Bordeaux

Start your tour next to the central and oldest bridge of Bordeaux, Pont de Pierre. The first bridge of Bordeaux was commissioned by Napoleon I at the beginning of the 19th century. Prior to the building of this bridge, the only way to get to the other side was by boat. If you’re using the city bikes, there is a station just a minute walk north of Port de Bourgogne, otherwise, look on the map of available bikes here.

Now that you have your bike, you can start cycling north, all along the Garonne river. Look at the shape of the river, does that remind you of anything? The Garonne river is shaped like a moon and that’s where Bordeaux got its’ nickname “la Port de la Lune” – the moon port.

It’s time for some sightseeing! It will be very hard to miss the first monument on our route, the spectacular Porte Cailhau, one of the two original gates to the old city of Bordeaux. It was built in 1495 to commemorate the glory of king Charles VIII and you can find the statue of the king right in the center of it.

Stop 1 – the most popular monument of Bordeaux

We are in front of the Miroir d’eau, which is by far the most popular location in Bordeaux during the summer. And although you’ve been cycling for only a couple of minutes this place demands a stop. 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. 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 and a fog at the end of the cycle when the water is coming down.

I would highly recommend crossing the road to Place de la Bourse and take a look at this masterpiece of classic French architecture from the 18th century. Don’t miss the famous mascarons of Bordeaux, these are the little faces looking on you from the arches of the buildings. There are more than 3000 mascarons decorating the buildings and monuments of Bordeaux, taking inspiration from Greek mythology, wild animals, religion and the economical development of Bordeaux. To learn a bit more about the architecture of Bordeaux go to the Bordeaux Patrimoine Mondial, an architectural and heritage interpretation center. The center hosts a modern exhibition presenting various stages in the development of Bordeaux and the factors that have influenced its construction.

You can now pop on your bikes and continue to our next stop, but before we get there, here are a few places I don’t want you to miss.

Place des Quinconces
Place des Quinconces is the largest city square in France! On one of the sides of this enormous square, you will 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. I tend to write a lot about the events that take place on Place des Quinconces so be sure to check out my monthly and weekly updates about things to do in Bordeaux for up to date recommendations.

Remembring the slave trade in Bordeaux
In the last few years, Bordeaux has become more engaged in trying to acknowledge its dark past of slave trade that took place from the 17th to the 19th century. A decade ago you could barely find any remanence of Bordeaux’s role as the second biggest slave trade port in France. Today, however, several statues of slaves can be found in the city and Bordeaux’s triangular slave trade voyages carrying more than 150,000 slaves are documented in the Musee d’Aquitaine.

One of the most beautiful statues was created by a Haitian sculptor named Filipo and is located right here on the waterfront, just in front of the Bourse Maritime. The statue depicts a young slave named Modeste Testas who was bought when she was only 15 years old by two Bordelaise brothers. She worked on their plantation in Saint-Domingue and was set free after the death of her owner. You can read about her story on the panel explaining the statue.

You can read more about the acknowledgment of the slave trade by Bordeaux in this very interesting article by Invisible Bordeaux.

Stop 2 – CAPC

If you’re in an artistic mood our second stop is for you! CAPC is the contemporary art museum of Bordeaux located between the Quinconces and Chartrons districts. The museum is housed in an impressive former warehouse from the 19th century where commodities, traded down the river, used to be stored. In the permanent collection, there are almost 300 works of art and it regularly hosts temporary exhibitions that are dedicated to the history of art. I have visited the place several times and while the exhibitions are not always the best, the building itself is very impressive. On top of the building you can find a very chic restaurant, a nice place to stop for lunch or a drink.

If you want to see what other museums Bordeaux has to offer, check out my article about the Museums of Bordeaux.

Stop 3 – lunch on the Quai des Chartrons

If you’re feeling peckish, Quai des Chartrons is the perfect location for a good lunch. You have many good restaurants along the waterfront to choose from, two of my favorite ones are Symbiose and Pastel.

If you’re doing the cycling tour on Sunday, don’t miss one of the best markets taking place every Sunday morning on Quai des Chartrons. This market hosts dozens of food stalls selling everything from fresh fruits, cheese, pastries and oysters. Besides the fresh local products you can buy at the market it’s simply a very nice spot to have an early lunch or a plate of oysters with white wine if you want to feel like a local.

If you are not time constrained take an hour or two to discover the super chic Chartrons district. You can simply follow my article about the best things to do in Chartrons.

Stop 4 – Cap Sciences

If you’re doing this bike tour with kids here’s another cool place to keep in mind. Cap Science is a nice science museum that proposes interactive exhibitions and activities all dedicated to different aspects of science. The museum is located at Hangar 20, Quai de Bacalan. For other activities for kids check out my list of 30 things to do with kids in Bordeaux.

Hermoine in Bordeaux — See the ship parade in Bordeaux

Just next to it don’t miss Pont Chaban Delmas, a modern bridge that was inaugurated in 2013 and named after one of the mayors of the city. It’s the longest vertical-lift bridge in Europe and seeing it elevating to let the tall ships pass is a very impressive sight.

Before you cross the bridge to the other side let’s discover another hip neighborhood in Bordeaux

The Bacalan neighborhood – the cool kid on the block

You can spend a few hours discovering this cool place, using my guide to the Bacalan district. But as we’re in the midst of our “Bridge to Bridge” cycling trail, I’ll point out two of the places close to the river that I think you should visit.

Stop 5 – La cité du Vin

La Cité du Vin is Bordeaux’s famous wine museum. This impressive piece of modern architecture is one of a kind cultural center, all dedicated to discovering the wine world. Through its interactive exhibition, It offers a journey to both French and global wine history. You will learn about winemaking, see movies and interviews with wine producers and then pass on to smell and taste wine. The Cité du Vin allows you to discover a selection of wines from all over the world and offers one of the best panoramic views of Bordeaux. You can think of it as a kind of wine amusement park that can be very enjoyable to both wine lovers and people who don’t drink at all.

cite du vin — Learn everything about wine making

Read more about visiting the world’s best wine museum in my article about the Cité du Vin.

Stop 6 – the Bacalan Market

It’s time for a little break from sightseeing to go for a drink in one of Bordeaux’s chic markets – les Halles de Bacalan, located just in front of the wine museum. This impressive 950m2 hangar hosts more than 20 artisans that were chosen for the quality of their products (85% of which are produced in the South-West region of France).

Marché de Bacalan – a new covered market

The “rive droite” – the hipster hub

You can now go back to the modern bridge and cross it to the eastern side – la rive droite. The Bastide neighborhood represents another side of Bordeaux’s charm. Instead of the classic monuments, it has a much more tranquil and funky spirit that attracts many local families and young hipsters of Bordeaux on weekends. This district is especially charming from May to October when you can enjoy all its green areas and all the summer bars and restaurants on the riverfront.

Let me walk you over some of the best places to stop by at the Bastide neighborhood.

Stop 7 – Fabrique Pola

Our next stop is definitely not a must, but it can be a nice place to discover for art lovers. La Fabrique Pola is an artistic hub that brings together associations related to the visual arts. They always have different (usually free) exhibitions running and sometimes on weekends, they have live music on the banks of the Garonne. For the program take a look at their site.

Stop 8 – Darwin

Darwin is probably the main reason to cross the river to the east part of the city. It’s an old military base turned into an urban space with a huge chic restaurant and a cafe/organic food shop, a skate park for all ages, a second-hand shop and many other surprises, all with an agenda of ecological awareness. Whether alone or with kids you can spend hours in Darwin. It is also one of the most extraordinary places for street art and includes some amazing works by a lot of talented artists on every one of its buildings.

Darwin in Bordeaux — Darwin by Lost in Bordeaux

If you’re interested in plants or just love beautiful gardens, don’t miss the neighboring Jardin Botanique. This little park was created to allow the wide public to discover the world of plants, biodiversity and sustainability.

Stop 9 – finish your day with a fabulous picnic

Your cycling route along Quai des Queyries (the waterfront of “rive droite”) goes through one of the best green corners of Bordeaux. That part of the Bastide district is called Parc aux Angéliques, a wide green space with a stunning view on some of the most stunning monuments in the center of Bordeaux. Closer to Darwin, the vibe gets more hipstery.. further away and it’s more of an extended family kind of atmosphere 😉

The Bastide district by Lost in Bordeaux

On summer days it’s one of the best places for a picnic in the city. If you don’t have any food with you, just go over to Magasin Général in Darwin and buy some cheese and wine (the perfect set for a French picnic). For a larger selection go to the Carrefour supermarket on Allée Serr. For other beautiful green spots in the city, check out my article about the best places for picnics in Bordeaux.

Before you go back to the center of Bordeaux through Pont Pierre, stop by one of the most famous statues of “rive droite”, Le Lion. The blue lion on Place Stalingrad is created by a famous French artist Xavier Veilhan as a tribute to the victory of the Soviet army during the Second World War.

That’s it, our cycling route in Bordeaux has come to its end. But that doesn’t mean you have to stop! Bordeaux is a super friendly city for cycling and you can continue discovering other neighborhoods and parks. You might get some ideas from the article about the Five alternative ways to discover Bordeaux.

Where to rent bikes in Bordeaux

There are plenty of places to rent bikes in Bordeaux, one of them is located just next to our starting point, next to Pont Pierre. The shop is called Bordeaux Velo and the address is 46 Quai Richelieu.

However, if you’re on a budget or just don’t want to commit to a bike for several hours you can use city bikes that are spread all over the city. The price is only 1.7 euros for 24 hours if you return them to the station every 30 minutes (you can take another bike right away). If you rather not spend your time looking for a station in the middle of your trip you can return them after you finish your ride and pay 2 euros for every additional hour.

If you live in Bordeaux you also have the possibility to rent a free bike for several months. The organization is called la Maison métropolitaine des mobilités alternatives (MAMMA) and it’s located at 69 cours Pasteur – 33000 Bordeaux. You can check out all the details here.

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. If you want more tips on restaurants, concerts and exhibitions follow me on facebook/Instagram. Or better yet, join my newsletter where I share a lot of exclusive info about Bordeaux and the region – sign up here.

In Discover Bordeaux

Five Alternative Ways of Visiting Bordeaux

Last updated on May 15, 2020 No Comments

When Ira suggested I write a guest post for her fantastic Lost In Bordeaux blog, I wondered what might be the best approach. Over the years my Invisible Bordeaux blog has sought to uncover the city’s more obscure and lesser-known sights and stories. This has resulted in many interesting encounters and numerous fascinating discoveries, writing about subjects as varied as Cacolac (a local beverage that is most definitely not wine), Mort Shuman (the renowned Brooklyn-born singer-songwriter who is buried in Caudéran), the innovative silent movie star Max Linder, the events of May 1968… and what can be found at the point of convergence between the 45^th parallel and the Greenwich meridian (the answer is: not much).

But one of the things I’ve realized is that one of the best ways to visit the city is by finding an unusual angle, transforming it into an itinerary, and just seeing what happens. I thought it might be interesting to share a few of those tips, which you may or may not want to replicate, or which might trigger concepts of your own! So here are five alternative ways of visiting Bordeaux:

Using a Monopoly board as a roadmap to discovering Bordeaux

There are many regional variants of the legendary board game Monopoly, including one that is set in Bordeaux. Of course, the basic premise of the game is that the various squares represent streets or districts of diverse real estate values… and therefore different moods and atmospheres. So, by plotting a route across all those squares in real life, you are bound to get a feel of the city as a whole! This is something Invisible Bordeaux tested, by conceiving an itinerary that involved “collecting” all the Monopoly properties over the course of the journey, which is probably best enjoyed on a bike. The trip was made using what is now an older edition of the game and that remained within the city itself, whereas the current edition includes stops that are further afield… but the potential for an unusual take on Bordeaux remains intact! You can discover the full route in this article.

You can also read Lost in Bordeaux’s articles about things to do in the chic Chartrons neighborhood and the hip Bacalan district as this fun route goes through both of these districts.

Plaque-spotting on the waterfront

The Garonne waterfront is now synonymous with its pleasant walkways, shops and café terraces, but by hunting out some of the plaques that have been positioned here and there, it is possible to travel back in time and imagine how it once was. One of the city’s big taboo subjects is its Second World War period, but plaques commemorating the British Royal Marines’ ambitious “Operation Frankton” (between Hangar 14 and the skatepark), the altruistic actions of Portuguese consul Aristides de Sousa Mendes (Quai Louis XVIII) and the manner in which Spanish guerilla Pablo Sanchez saved the Pont de Pierre from imminent destruction (Quai Richelieu) serve as testaments of some of the city’s more inspiring wartime events.

By the “Bourse Maritime” building, a statue by Haitian sculptor Filipo that depicts the slave Modeste Testas is a poignant recently-installed memorial to the city’s slave trade past (get closer to the riverfront to see her). It is located, along with its accompanying plaque, towards the area from which ships set sail between 1672 and 1837, on the first legs of 508 triangular slave trade voyages that resulted in 150,000 Africans being deported to the Americas. Finally, on Quai des Chartrons, a plaque commemorates the legacy of Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States and a veritable “symbol of Franco-American friendship”. It is positioned here in honor of the five fruitful fact-finding days this renowned wine connoisseur spent in the city in 1787!

The Wallace fountain hunt

Wallace fountains are distinctive, elegant green cast-iron drinking fountains that are more naturally associated with Paris, but there are seven to be spotted around Bordeaux, in locations ranging from the Jardin Public to Place Stalingrad, via pleasant lesser-known squares such as Place Mitchell and Place de Porto-Riche. Some are original 19^th-century models that were financed at the time by local philanthropist Daniel Osiris, while others are more recent replicas. Invisible Bordeaux has a very detailed article explaining where the Wallace fountains can be found in Bordeaux.

The 1950s Formula 1 circuit

In the early 1950s, the city center of Bordeaux hosted four Formula 1 Grand Prix races, attracting driving aces including Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss and Maurice Trintignant. The drivers competed on a 2.5-kilometer circuit which looped around the Esplanade des Quinconces and along the waterfront. In order to be recognized as a Formula 1 race, the total distance had to be of at least 300 kilometers; drivers would, therefore, have to go around the track no less than 123 times, amounting to a little over three hours of racing. It is easy to find maps of the circuit in order to revisit it on foot or by bike, although going around once is probably enough! Read the full article about how Bordeaux city centre became a Formula 1 racing track.

Greenery in the suburbs of Bordeaux

Finally, it can be refreshing to head out to the suburbs and enjoy some of the nice greenery and wide-open spaces to be found within a relatively small radius. You can, for instance, start out to the north of the city at the surprising Parc Floral (now part of the recently rebranded “Réserve écologique des Barails”) with its curious twin city gardens, stunning rose garden and artificial Pyrenean stream.

impressive wooden structures of Pessac’s Écosite du Bourgailh

Looping your way anti-clockwise around the city’s periphery, make sure you take in the massive vegetable growing patches in Eysines, the linear Parc du Ruisseau in Le Haillan, the slightly arty Bois du Bouscat in Le Bouscat, followed by the tall and impressive wooden structures of Pessac’s Écosite du Bourgailh. Then the leafy stroll along the Eau Bourde stream in Gradignan and Canéjan is other-worldly, the Garonne riverside path between Floirac and Latresne is an absolute delight, and Lormont’s Parc de l’Ermitage Sainte-Catherine is a scenic reminder that the right bank is a hilly beast! The hustle and bustle of the city center soon feels a long way away!

A little bit about Tim, the founder and writer of Invisible Bordeaux

Tim Pike is an Englishman who has spent most of his adult life in France. On his website Invisible Bordeaux, he has been documenting the city’s lesser-known sights, stories and landmarks since 2011, also using the project as a great excuse to do a lot of cycling! During office hours Tim handles digital communications and content for the aerospace company Thales. He can also occasionally be spotted out and about singing and playing guitar.

These and many more subjects have been covered over the years on Invisible Bordeaux, which you’ll find here: http://invisiblebordeaux.blogspot.com

You can also follow Invisible Bordeaux on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

In Bordeaux by Neighborhood

Bacalan – best things to do in the north of Bordeaux

Last updated on September 25, 2018 No Comments

Bacalan is a northern district of Bordeaux, an area that, until recently, has largely been avoided by tourists and locals. The grungy landscapes of the port and its distance from the city center aren’t as appealing as the beautiful architecture and lovely squares of the historic center of Bordeaux. In the last few years, however, the Bacalan district has been changing its face, emerging to be one of the most interesting places in Bordeaux, with plenty of new neighborhoods and places to explore.

Smart planning transformed the otherwise unsavory port characteristics of the neighborhood into pleasant features. The gigantic hangars, the boats and the unusual infrastructure turned into places of emerging arts, music, food and leisure, transforming the neighborhood into one of the most intriguing places in Bordeaux. So if you haven’t yet had the chance to visit this amazing neighborhood or you feel there’s not much there for you to do, let me prove you wrong. From street art, to wine, whiskey and live music, here is the list of the best things you can do and see in Bacalan:

La Cité du Vin

La cité du vin is a “must” place for any wine lover but can be very interesting and enjoyable for people who don’t drink at all. This impressive piece of modern architecture is a one of a kind cultural center, all dedicated to discovering the wine world. Through its interactive exhibition, It offers a journey to both French and global wine history. You will learn about wine making, see movies and interviews with wine producers and then pass on to smell and taste wine. The cite du vin allows you to discover a selection of wines from all over the world and offers one of the best panoramic views of Bordeaux.

Address: 134 – 150 Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux
Opening hours: weekdays from 10am to 6pm, weekends and holidays 10am to 7pm
For more info check out the website of cite du Vin

Have a drink or a snack at les Halles des Bacalan

This fancy food market opened its gates on November 2017 and has been visited by more than 60,000 people in the first month. It’s no surprise, as Bordeaux is well known for its gourmand population. This impressive 950m2 hangar is located just in front of the famous Cité du vin and hosts 23 different artisans and traders that were chosen for the quality of their products (85% of which are produced in the South-West region of France). Now, when all of this food is accompanied by several bars, you are guaranteed to have a good time.

Opening hours: from Tuesday to Friday 8:00 – 14:30 and 16:30-20:30, Saturday 8:00- 22:00 and Sunday 8:00-17:00
Address: 149 Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux

Les Vivre de l’art – emerging arts and impressive sculptures

Les vivres de l’art is one of the most fascinating arts projects in Bordeaux. Located just a few steps from the cité du vin, in an architectural historic monument called les Vivres de la Marine. Iron sculptures made by the artist Jean-François Buisson (which works there since 2003) adorn the place and give it its creative characteristic. Since 2008 it has become an artistic association, holding cultural events, workshops, vintage sales, music festivals, exhibitions, and more. This is one place in the neighborhood you don’t want to miss, even just for a sneak peak of the beautiful and creative sculptures which can be seen from the road.

Opening hours: open daily from Monday to Friday 10:00 to 12:30 and from 14:00 to 18:00, and usually hosts different events during the weekend (consult the program on their site).
Address: Les Vivres de l’Art – Place Victor Raulin – 1 rue Achard – 33300 Bordeaux
For more info check out the website of Les Vivres de l’art

Le Garage moderne – a social garage

Le Garage Moderne is a social garage, a brilliant gem of a place where you can come to fix your own car and bicycle while experiencing art and culture, workshops and social meetings. If you’re fed up with being clueless about your car or bike every time they break, then it’s time to join a social garage and acquire some skills. The mechanics in the garage moderne can accompany the reparation process with explanations adapted to your level of mechanical ability. This incredible space is far more than just a garage. There’s a restaurant where you can eat lunch, an outdoor café and a cultural space where weekly expos and concerts take place.

Address: 1 rue des Etrangers, 33000 BORDEAUX
Opening hours: The garage itself is open Monday to Friday (9:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 18:00, closed Tuesday morning), the restaurant is open from Tuesday to Saturday 11:00- 18:00
For more info check out the website of le garage moderne

Street art all over

As seen in many dynamic cities around the world, the street art scene has a tendency to bloom in emerging neighborhoods. It brings both new and established artists to portray their art on the walls of their neighborhood and in some cases it’s the city who invites these artists the use the urban space and get creative. This is exactly the case of Bacalan and the results are nothing but astounding. No matter where you go, you’ll cross by some of the most impressive paintings on building walls, warehouses, and different urban structures. Even if you don’t enter any of the places I mentioned in this list, Bacalan is worth a visit only for the art.

La Base sous marine – a German bunker turned into a museum

Built by the Germans during the second World War, this old submarine base has been converted into a space dedicated to contemporary arts, which allows you to enjoy the space itself no less than the art presented there. The fact that the expositions are usually of the digital, street and visual arts kind, allows the artist to leverage this unusual space to its full potential. There aren’t any permanent exhibitions in La Base Sous Marine so the place is open only when an exhibition is being presented. It is located on one of the most interesting parts of the Bacalan area – the Bassins a flot, which are worth a visit even if the museum is closed. Finding the entrance can be quite tricky. So if you come from the” la cité du vin“ tram station be sure to walk on rue Lucien Faure before turning right to Boulevard Alfred Daney. Also, if you come with kids, it’s important to know that strollers are not allowed in the structure as it’s dark and has a lot of stairs (you can leave the stroller at the entrance).

Open from Tuesday to Sunday 13:30 to 19:00 (only during exhibitions). Check out the facebook page of la Base Sous Marine for more details.
Address: Boulevard Alfred Daney, 33300 Bordeaux

Go to a concert on the I.boat

The Iboat, mostly known as a concert venue, is a three level ferry spanning 687m2, anchored to one of the docks of Bassins a flot. Since its opening in 2011 the I.boat has dedicated itself to promoting emerging artists, especially in the electronic music scene. Within the years it has become a multidisciplinary place with a concert hall and a club hosting more than 250 events a year, a terrace hosting Dj sets and happy hours and a restaurant. One of the special features of the place is the Upper deck where they host events and exhibitions during the evenings and then transform it into a chill out area after midnight. During summer you could also enjoy the outdoor area on the deck, with an exceptional view of the basin. Take a look at the program of events.

The opening hours:

Concert from 7pm to 23pm | Club from 11.30pm to 6am from Tuesday to Saturday

Restaurant: Lunch from Monday to Saturday from 12am to 2pm and Dinner from Tuesday to Saturday from 7pm to 23pm

Address: bassin a flot n°1 – Quai Armand Lalande

Have a lunch or a drink at one of the restaurants next to the basins

standby coffee shop — Standby coffee shop

If you’re hungry or need a coffee break, I’ve got you covered. Although there are some bars and restaurants all over the Bacalan neighborhood, many of the cool places are concentrated on the southern side of the first basin (Bassin à Flot n°1). On the long dock (which you can approach from rue Lucien Faure), you’ll find restaurants, coffee shops and plenty of bars on the dock, on the roof and on boats.
Some places worth mentioning are:

The Wallace Bar – the rooftop bar of the Radisson Blu hotel (Bassin à flot n°1, Quai Armand Lalande).
Café Maritime – a very classical French restaurant with a beautiful decor (Bassin à flot n°1, Quai Armand Lalande)
The standby cafe– on the main street – just in front of the Bassins – a cool place to grab a cup of coffee (80 rue Lucien Faure).
Loft 33 – a wine bar and a restaurant with live music – Hangar G4, 51 rue Lucien Faure.

Visit the Bordeaux Whiskey Distillery

Did you know that there’s a whiskey distillery in Bordeaux? While many activities and tours in Bordeaux revolve around wine, it’s actually the local whisky producer who is housed in one of the most special places in Bordeaux. The Moon Harbour Whiskey, opened in 2014, is 100% Bordelaise, from the grains that are growing in Saint Jean d’Illac to the barrels used to age the Whiskey that are coming from some of the most famous wine chateaux in the region (such as Sauternes). The barrel room is located inside a bunker built by the Germans during the Second World War as part of the constructions of the Submarine Base (mentioned above). Apart from tasting the local whiskey and gin, the location of the barrel room is what makes the visit there so special. The tour (which is offered in French and English) is followed by explanations on malting and the production of whiskey as well as tastings of the three products of the distillery. The visit requires prior reservation by phone ( 05 56 29 86 60) or email (visit@moonharbour.fr). The price is 10€/pers for the visit and tasting.

Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday from 11:00 to 18:00 and Saturdays from 11:00 to 15:00 and from 16:30 to 18:00.
For more info check out the site of Moon Harbour.
Address: 492 Boulevard Adfred Daney, 33300 BORDEAUX

Find the UFO on the water

Le “soucoupe volante”, a UFO shaped sculpture, the work of the artist Suzanne Triester, made quite a buzz in Bordeaux when it appeared in the middle of the basins last May. This piece of art was purchased by the Bordeaux Metropole as part of their vast investment in contemporary art in the city. Now all you have to do is take a walk on the docks of the basin to find it. As the area is quite packed with boats, buildings and a lot of construction machinery, the sculpture is not that easy to find. So to give you a little hint, try to look for it when you are searching for a bar/ restaurant on the docks :).

Hope you enjoyed the list and that it will help you to discover new places in this surprising city.
If you liked the post, share the love on facebook, pinterest or twitter.

If it’s your first time in Bordeaux and you want to get to know the other parts of this beautiful city – check out my general guide to Bordeaux.
Thanks for reading!!

In Weekend plans

Weekend Plans in Bordeaux (December 7-9)

Last updated on December 9, 2018 No Comments

This time my weekend list includes plenty of local creator markets, so if you want to discover local talent and support young creators this is a good opportunity. For those of you who are fed up with markets I have other suggestions such as an animation festival, an opening of a new covered market, a street art festival and more.

This is the list of things to do in and around Bordeaux this weekend (December 7-9):

EVENTS AND FESTIVALS

The opening of les Halles de Talence

The new covered market in Talence is about to open its doors this Friday (December 7) with a three days inauguration party. During the weekend you’ll meet the new merchants, listen to music and vote for the last stand that remains to be occupied. You can see more details and the list of stands to chose from here.

When: Opening party on December 7
Where: Place Alcala de Henares, Talence 33400

International Animation Films Festival

Les Nuits Magiques is an annual international festival of animation movies taking place at “Le Festival” cinema in Begles from November 28 to December 9. This is the 28th edition of the festival, which over the years gained a reputation in the animation and special effects world. The rich program includes plenty of events and activities for both kids and adults: premiers of new movies, workshops, meetings with film creators and more. Check out the full program here and all other details here.

When: November 28 – December 9
Where: 151 Boulevard ALBERT 1er, 33130 Bègles

Palmer Street’Art

This is a super cool art event where you can learn to create art in different styles from the artists themselves. The street art festival will take place this Saturday (December 8) at Rocher de Palmer in Cenon. The program includes eight artists from different genres proposing workshops such as graffiti, dj, video art, design and more. The event is free and open for all, see all the details here. For the full programs click here.

When: December 8, 14:00 to 19:00
Where: 1 rue Aristide Briand, 33150 Cenon

Bordeaux en livres

For its third edition, Bordeaux en Livres invites young and old bookworms, aspiring cartoonists and writers to discover the mysterious world of literature and comics. The program includes conferences with writers, comedy shows, photography exhibition, a drawing contest and more. There will be a big space dedicated to young story lovers with storytelling sessions for the little ones and a history workshop for older kids. The event will take place this Saturday (December 8) at the Grand-Théâtre de Bordeaux. The event is free, see the full program here and all the practical info here.

When: December 8 . 14:30 – 20:00
Where: Place de la Comédie33000 Bordeaux

The International dance en film festival

The international Danse en film festival is a meeting point of two artistic expressions, cinema and dance, which together create a very magical experience. The festival is taking place this week (until December 8) at the Utopia Cinema and some other venues in the center of Bordeaux. See the full program and all the details on the site of the festival.

When: December 3-8
Where: Center of Bordeaux, see the program for a specific event.

Cirque Pardi! is Coming Back

Cirque Pardi! is a modern circus whose shows combine a lot of dance and humor and are very entertaining for both kids and adults. This year they are coming back to Bordeaux for the second time with their show BorderLand, which gained a great success on their last visit here in 2015. Cirque Pardi! will perform 15 shows from November 30 to December 22. The temporary circus will be located on Quai de queyries, just next to Darwin. For all the dates and tickets click here.

When: November 30- December 22
Where: 86 quai des Queyries, 33 100 BORDEAUX

Last chance to buy antiques at the Brocante des Quinconces

This is the last weekend of the brocante of Bordeaux taking place at place des Quinconces. The big brocante includes more than 200 antique dealers, horticulturists, restaurants and craftsmen. For more info and the list of exhibitors check out the website of the event.

When: November 23- December 9
Where: Place des Quinconces

Buy clothes at the Grande Braderie

Le Relais Gironde will hold a clearance sale this Saturday (December 8) where you can buy clothes, shoes, bags and more. This event is quite big and you can find many interesting and useful items for cheap. For more details click here.

When: December 8 from 10:00 to 17:00
Where:517 boulevard Alfred Daney, Bordeaux

FOR KIDS

Make you Christmas decorations in a FabLab

Want your kids to make their own Christmas decorations? Cap Sciences invites your family to a DIY workshop, where you can make your decoration using the equipment in their Fablab. The workshop is open to kids older than 12 years old and requires pre-registration – book your visit here. The event, taking place this Saturday (December 8) will also include a tour in Cap Sciences. Entry is 5€, for more details click here.

When: December 8, at 14:30
Where: Hangar 20, Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux

Opening of a temporary ice skating rink in Bègles

Centre Commercial Rives d’Arcins in Bègles will open this weekend a temporary ice skating rink for the Christmas season. To celebrate the opening they invite you to skate with the players of Les Boxers de Bordeaux (Bordeaux’s ice hockey team). The event will take place Saturday (December 8) at 15:00. For more details click here.

When: December 8, from 15:00 t0 18:00
Where: CCR Rives d’Arcins, 33130 Bègles

IBOAT – Le mini club de Noël

This Saturday (December 8) the Iboat will turn into a big party for kids (2 to 12 years old). The program includes skating, a dance floor for kids, candies and more. The entry is free, for more details click here.

When: December 8, at 15:00 to 18:30
Where: Quai Armand Lalande, 33300 Bordeaux

CHRISTMAS AND CREATORS MARKETS

Festival Made in Bordeaux

The idea behind Festival Made in Bordeaux is to promote local artists and creators. The event will take place this weekend (December 7-9) in Château des Tours in Le Bouscat. To see all the 43 exhibitors participating at the event click here. Entry is 2€ for 3 days and free for kids under 12 years old. For more details see here.

When: December 7-9
Where: 246 Avenue de la Libération Charles de Gaulle, 33110 Le Bouscat

Pop-up de Noël des Polichineuses

After two very successful events of “Les Rendez-vous des Polichineuses” in les Halles de Bacalan, that took place this year, they are coming back with a special Christmas pop-up market. The idea is to reduce consumption and to favor second hand and vintage items. The organizers of the event did a great job in choosing stylish accessories, furniture and home decor so you are guaranteed to find a lot of chic Christmas gifts. There’ll be also a dedicated place for kids so it’s really a family friendly event. The market will take place in Halles de Bacalan on December 6-9. For more info about the event and all the exhibitors click here.

When: December 6-9
Where: 10 Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux

Marché de Noël de Bordeaux

The traditional Christmas market of Bordeaux will open its gates between November 30 and December 30. This is one of the biggest Christmas markets in the region with 150 pavilions selling all the traditional Christmas merchandise such as clothes, decorations, jewelry, toys and local products. Even if you don’t intend to buy any gifts at the market you can still enjoy the Christmas spirit with some hot wine and roasted chestnuts. For more info click here.

When: November 30 – December 30 from 10:30 to 21:30
Where: Allées de Tourny, 33000 Bordeaux

Marché des Créateurs Récycleurs

This event is both creative an environmentally friendly. The market of recycling creators gather 22 craftsmen that make their products from used materials. You will find stands of furniture, jewelry, sculptures, accessories and more. The event will take place this weekend (December 8-9) in ATELIER d’éco SOLIDAIRE. The entry is free, for more details click here.

When: December 8-9
Where: 7 rue de la Motte Picquet, 33300 Bordeaux

Etsy Made in France Bordeaux

This market is organized by the Etsy Made in France team with the goal to promote local independent creators. Come to experience a more cozy market of young passionate creators and hear their stories and inspiration for their work. The event will take place this weekend (December 8-9) in Garage Moderne. For more info click here.

When: December 8-9
Where: Garage Moderne – 1 Rue des Etrangers – 33300 Bordeaux

Le Marché de Noël Solidaire

The Solidarity Christmas market is part of the Social Economy and Solidarity month. This is a unique market, organized by the city hall and the local social development fund aiming to support young local creators who founded their company thanks to microcredits. The market will take place at Place Pey Berland on December 7-24. See more details here.

When: Until December 23
Where: Place Pey Berland

L’Arche de Noël – creators market

See more details here.

When: December 8-9
Where: 23 Rue Minvielle, 33000 Bordeaux

Marché de Noël à Sarlat

If you’re in the mood to travel a bit this weekend, why not go to one of the best Christmas markets in South of France, the Sarlat Christmas martket. Sarlat is a magical places that is worth a visit any time of the year, but this market makes it even more worthwhile. The Christmas village opened its doors on December 5 and will continue until the end of December. The village includes 70 chalets selling local products, clothes, decorations, hot wine and more. For more info click here.

When: December 5-31
Where: Place de la Grande Rigaudie , 24200 Sarlat-la-canéda,

Yeah I know, it’s quite a heavy list this time. That’s why I divided it into three sections to help you see if this group of events is something that could interest you. As always, be kind and share the post on facebook, tweeter or pinterest

If you want more tips about Bordeaux, something beyond the weekly events, you should definitely subscribe to my mailing list, there’s plenty of surprises there! Subscribe here

Have a great weekend!

In Weekend plans

Weekend Plans in Bordeaux (November 30- December 2)

Last updated on December 3, 2018 No Comments

This weekend the Christmas celebrations will officially start in Bordeaux with the inauguration of the Marché de Noël de Bordeaux and a few other alternative markets across the city. If you want to learn about the other markets taking place this month in Bordeaux, check out my top 10 Christmas markets list. But of course we’re not only about Christmas here, there are plenty of other events like the rum festival, the Well being Salon, a circus, the big Brocante of Bordeaux and more.

This is the list of things to do this weekend in and around Bordeaux (November 30 – December 2)

Rum Festival

This festival is the first big event in Bordeaux that is entirely dedicated to rum. While Bordeaux is mostly known for its wine, rum too has a long history in the city. The festival that will take place at La Grande Poste this weekend (December 1-2) celebrates the Bordelaise rum producers and merchants. Different masterclasses will take place during the festival, where you can learn to properly taste rum, match rum with food, mix rum cocktails and more. For more details and tickets click here.

If you want to learn more about the rum history of Bordeaux check out this super interesting post by Bordeaux Expat.

When: December 1-2
Where: 7 rue du palais gallien, 33000 Bordeaux

Marché de Noël de Bordeaux

When: November 30 – December 30 from 10:30 to 21:30
Where: Allées de Tourny, 33000 Bordeaux

Cabanes en fête

This is one of the most anticipated events in Bassins d’Arcachon. Cabanes en fête is the oysters and wine celebration taking place in Andernos-les-Bains on December 1-2. Come to the Bassins to discover its oysters and celebrate Christmas with concerts and plenty of activities. The program will also include cooking lessons from six big chefs, a music concert, a flash-mob dance, exhibitions, fireworks and more. For more info click here and for the full program here.

When: December 1-2
Where: Port Ostreicole, 33510 Andernos-les-Bains

The Bassins a Flot Christmas Weekend

If you look for alternatives for the traditional Christmas market head north to the Bassins a flot. This weekend (December 1-2) all the cool places in this neighborhood will host Christmas related events. Among the participating places are: The Garage Moderne, Kfe des Familles, Les Vivres de l’Art, the IBOAT (see more info below), Musée Mer Marine Bordeaux and more. For all the details check out the Facebook page of the event.

When: December 1-2
Where: Different locations in Bacalan

Iboat – Christmas market on a boat

Le Super Marché de Noël is one of the coolest Christmas markets in Bordeaux. The Iboat is an old ferry that nowadays serves as a concert venue, frequently hosting funky events such as this one. The Iboat Christmas market is hosting 50 French creators and designers of textile, jewelry, kids toys, decorations and more. The market will also include a traditional touch such as food stands, hot wine and photo sessions with Père Noël (Santa Claus). You can see the full list of stands here. The event is free and will take place on December 1-2 from 11:00 to 19:00. For more info click here.

When: December 1-2
Where: quai Armand Lalande, 33300 Bordeaux

International Animation Films Festival

When: November 28 – December 9
Where: 151 Boulevard ALBERT 1er, 33130 Bègles

Brocante des Quinconces

The big brocante of Bordeaux is hosted twice a year at place des Quinconces with 200 antique dealers, horticulturists, restaurants and craftsmen. This fall edition of the brocante will take place from November 23 to December 9. Although it’s quite upscale, you can find some fine antiques and vintage pieces at a bargain price. For more info and the list of exhibitors check out the website of the event.

When: November 23- December 9
Where: Place des Quinconces

The Salon Bien-être

The big Well-being Fair of Bordeaux will take place this weekend (November 31- December 2) at the Palais des Congrès. The event has 120 stands and 65 conferences all focused on different ways of improving the quality of life. The exhibitors are varied and come from all aspects of daily life: food, home decor, therapies and beauty. For more info click here.

When: November 31- December 2
Where: Palais des Congrès, Cours J.-G. Domergue.33300 BORDEAUX

Bonjour Sneakers

Great news for sneakers addicts! This Sunday (December 2) a huge event all dedicated to sneakers will take place in Hangar 14. If you were looking for a special pair of sneakers or some cool accessories that goes with them, this is the event for you! Tickets are 13 euros and you can purchase them here. For more info click here.

When: December 2, 11:00-19:00
Where: 173 Quai des Chartrons, 33300 Bordeaux, France

New children’s book presentation

If you’re looking for a kids friendly activity in the center of Bordeaux, this is a nice one. Oriana Villalon is a young author who just published a beautiful kids book called “Lulu under the moon”. This Saturday (December 1) the painter Jean-Pierre Beyries will host her and the translator Pamela Ortega Joa (both living in Bordeaux) for a fun afternoon where they will present the book. If you’re looking for a nice Christmas gift, a beautiful book signed by the author could be a nice idea. See more details here.

When: December 1, at 14:00
Where: 43 Rue Sainte-Colombe, 33000 Bordeaux, France

Open Doors in the Chateaux of Pessac-Léognan

I know I’ve been writing quite a lot about Open doors at different Chateaux lately, but this week it’s really close to Bordeaux and its a great wine so I thought you wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity. This weekend (December 1-2) l’Appellation Pessac-Léognan is holding an open doors weekend with 34 chateaux hosting you for wine tastings, tours, gourmet food and plenty of activities for kids. Some of the participating chateaux are Château de Léognan, Château Pape Clément and Château Haut-Lagrange , for the full list of Chateaux and more info about the open doors weekend click here.

When: December 1-2
Where: Bordeaux metropole (Check out the link above for the full list of events).

Free museums Sunday

Like in most cities in France, the first Sunday of the month is a free museums day. You have a free entrance to all the public museums and to most exhibitions. Check out the full list of the museums in Bordeaux that you can visit for free this Sunday.

L’Arche de Noël – creators market

L’Arche de Noël is a creators market taking place in the Chartrons neighborhood every weekend until Christmas (December 22-23 is the last event). Each week a group of local talented craftsmen and artists will present their original creations. This weekend (December 1-2) the stands will include jewelry, kids clothes, graphic designs, furniture and more.

See more details here.

When: December 1-2
Where: 23 Rue Minvielle, 33000 Bordeaux

Cirque Pardi! is Coming Back

When: November 30- December 22
Where: 86 quai des Queyries, 33 100 BORDEAUX

Cirque de Noël de Bordeaux

If you’re looking for a family activity, the Christmas circus of Bordeaux will take place between December 1 and January 6. This impressive spectacle for kids and adults has more than 30 artists from 15 different countries. The shows will take place at the Hippodrome de Bordeaux in Le Bouscat. For tickets and more info click here.

When: December 1-January 6
Where: 8 Avenue de l’Hippodrome, 33110 Le Bouscat

marché du carnet de voyage

A very inspiring event for travelers will take place this weekend (December 1-2) in Marché des Douves. Marché du carnet de voyage is a traveling literature event which allows you to travel through words into different places and cultures. Throughout the weekend interesting meetings with take place with writers, illustrators, cartoonists and travelers who crossed the world and came back with fascinating stories. For more details click here.

When: December 1-2
Where: Halle des Douves, 4 rue des Douves, 33000 BORDEAUX

Le Grand Bazar des Créateurs

The Garage Modere in the Bacalan district will hold a very fun and creative event this weekend (December 1-2) called the Big Creators market. Around 20 local craftsmen and creators of clothing, jewelry, leather goods, accessories, sewing and photography, will offer their original products for sale. The event is free, for more details click here.

When: December 1-2
Where: 1 rue des Etrangers, 33300 Bordeaux

Union Saint-Jean Xmas Market

Here’s one more Christmas market that didn’t make it to my list. The Union Saint-Jean organizes its own market this year, that will include stands of local creators, a vintage clothing sale, a dj set, a relaxation area (with massages), a workshop to create your own little Christmas tree, a food truck and a bar. The event will take place this Saturday (December 1), for more details click here.

When: December 1
Where: 97, rue Malbec, 33800 Bordeaux, France

That’s it for this week my friends! if I made your weekend happier with some funky and interesting events, help this site thrive and share the post on facebook, tweeter or pinterest 🙂

As I promised, this week my mailing list subscribers will receive a special email with more tips about things to do in Bordeaux. So if you’ve already subscribed there’s something to wait for and if you haven’t, what are you waiting for? Subscribe here 🙂

Have a great weekend!

In Weekend plans

This Weekend in Bordeaux (October 5-7)

Last updated on October 8, 2018 No Comments

Two big events are starting this weekend in Bordeaux: the International art festival and Space month. Besides these two, other exciting events are waiting for us this weekend, among them: a plants festival in Gradignan, a vintage sale in Bacalan, a color run and a march with sheep across the Metropole. As usual, I added some concerts and exhibitions to enrich your cultural agenda 🙂

Here is the list of things to do in Bordeaux this weekend (October 5-7):

FAB – International art festival

FAB is the annual International art festival of Bordeaux Metropole taking place this year on October 5-24. 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 Base Sous Marine. Click here to see the full program of the festival.

When: October 5-24
Where: Different locations in Bordeaux – check out the program

La Grande Transhumance Urbaine

Don’t be surprised if on the weekend of October 5-7 you’ll suddenly see plenty of sheep crossing your street, that’s the Grande Transhumance Urbaine. The idea behind this three day event is to connect city people to agriculture. Seven breeders and their sheep will lead the march that will start in Blanquefort, continue through the center of Bordeaux and finish in Villenave d’Ornon. People are welcome to participate in this 33km march or parts of it. Based on the success this event has had in the last few years, more than 1500 are expected to follow the breeders. You can still enjoy the festival even if you don’t want to make the walk, just attend the events in every town that’s on their way. See the full program of events related to this festival here.

When: October 5-7
Where: Blanquefort, Bordeaux Lac, Place de la Victoire in Bordeaux and Villenave d’Ornon (see exact location in the program)

Tauzia Fête les Jardins

Tauzia fête les Jardins is one of the most beautiful plant celebration in the south of France. The fifth edition of this fantastic event in Gradignan will take place on October 5-7. A three day event that gathers plant growers, professional gardeners, landscape architects and artists. The rich program of the festival includes plenty of workshops, conferences, activities for kids such as painting and music in the garden, creating a bamboo palisade, creating a herbarium, plastic arts in the garden for kids and more. For more info check out the facebook page of the event.

When: October 5-7
Where: 216, cours du général de Gaulle, 33170 Gradignan

PROXIMA exhibition

The Proxima exhibitions is one of the main events of the space month in Bordeaux and will be presented at the Médiathèque de Mérignac from October 5th to October 26. Through the exhibition you will discover how astronauts prepare for their mission in space, the effects of weightlessness on their body and how their daily life look while they’re on mission. For more details check out the facebook page of the exhibition. Click here to see what other events are part of the space month in Bordeaux.

When: October 5-26
Where: 19 Place Charles de Gaulle, 33700 Mérignac

L’Espace en fête

An afternoon of space workshops for little astronaut apprentices will take place on October 6 at Côté sciences Air&Espace. The event will include workshops such as satellite design, discovery of the solar system, making and launching water rockets and more. The event is free and open to kids older than 6 years old, See more details here.

When: October 6, 14:30-18:30
Where: 74, avenue des Marronniers, 33700 Mérignac

Color obstacle rush

The color obstacle rush is a feast of music, color and sports. Live DJs, a fun cardio warm-up, a 5-km course consisting of 5 color stations, 20 music zones, and 20 new obstacles including giant slides, bouncy castles, tunnels, foam, kangaroo balloons – just to name a few! The event is a bit pricey and requires prior registration – buy your tickets here. To read more about the Color Obstacle Rush click here. The event will take place on October 6 at the Bordeaux Hippodrome.

When: October 6
Where: Hippodrome Bordeaux, 8 Avenue de l’Hippodrome, 33110 Le Bouscat

Les Campulsations

Les Campulsations is a student festival, celebrating the beginning of the new academic year in different locations in the Aquitaine region: Bordeaux, Talence, Pessac, Gradignan, Bayonne, Biarritz, 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 very 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 27 to October 6.

When: September 27 to October 6
Where: Different locations, consult the program.

Les Rendez-vous des Polichineuses- a vintage sale

After the success they had with their first event last May, “Les Rendez-vous des Polichineuses” is coming back for a second edition in Halles de Bacalan. The big vintage sale that will take place this weekend (October 5-7) will host many vintage merchants with furniture, toys, art and plenty of accessories. For more details click here or here. It’s promised to be stylish and fun 🙂

When: October 5-7
Where: Les Halles de Bacalan, 149 quai de bacalan, Bordeaux, 33300

Planet Jeux 2018

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 6-7), entry is 3 euros. For more info check out the website and the facebook page of the event.

When: October 6-7
Where: 147, route de Léognan 33140 Villenave d’ornon

Festival du Kebbé

An oriental festival will take place this Friday evening (October 5) in Salle des fêtes du Grand Parc. The festival will start with a play “Les âmes cimentées” that deals with two immigrant workers in France. And will be followed by a concert of Bab Assalam, a French – Syrian band playing world music. For more details click here.

When: October 5 at 17:00
Where: cours de Luze, 33300 Bordeaux

Jazz weekend at the Caillou

If you want to keep it simple this weekend, head to the Caillou for a Jazz concert with a pretty view of Jardin Botanique. Like every weekend in their fall program, different musicians and groups will take the stage of this beautiful bar. This weekend the program includes the Perry Gordon trio on Friday (October 5) and the Golino & Tarot quartet on Saturday (October 6).

When: October 5-6, at 20:30
Where: Le Caillou du Jardin Botanique, Esplanade Linné, 33000 BORDEAUX

Symphony at the Auditorium of Bordeaux

The National Opera of Bordeaux recently published its annual symphony concerts program and there’s a lot to wait for. This weekend (October 4-5) the Marie-nicole Lemieux, the Canadian contralto, will perform with the Orchestra of Bordeaux to the sounds of Boulanger, Elgar and Mahler. For more details and tickets click here.

When: October 4-5
Where:Auditorium de Bordeaux, 9-13 cours Georges Clemenceau, 33000 BORDEAUX

Festival Gospel En Cathedrale

A concert of gospel music will take place in Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux on October 7 at 17:30. For more details click here.

When: October 7 at 17:30
Where: place Pey-Berland, 33000 Bordeaux

Exhibitions to see this weekend:

First exhibition at the Musee de la Mer et de la Marine

La Musee de la Mer et de la Marine is finally about to present its first exhibition, just a few months after the cancellation of the Monet exhibition. Although the museum itself is not due to open soon, it has decided to open an exposition room where a new photography expo will be presented between October 1st and April 30, 2019. The “Sous les mers, au-delà de l’image” exhibition consists of more than 100 photographs by Paul Nicklen and David Doubilet, two National Géographic photographers. Check more info on the site of the museum.

When: October 1 – April 30, 2019
Where:89 rue des étrangers, 33300 BORDEAUX

Exhibition at the Institut Bernard Magrez

l’Institut Culturel Bernard Magrez is one of the cultural gems of Bordeaux, surprising us with new and inspiring exhibitions every few months. This time they host the painter Guillaume Toumanian, with an exhibition of 20 paintings called “De la lumière”. The expo will be presented at Château Labottière until October 28. For more info check out the website of the museum.

When: until October 28
Where: 16 rue de Tivoli, 33000 BORDEAUX

If you want to plan ahead check out my general list of things to in Bordeaux in October 2018.

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Have a great weekend!

In Weekend plans

What to do this weekend in Bordeaux (August 4-5)

Last updated on August 12, 2018 No Comments

The post about things to do in August in Bordeaux , that was released this week, is full of events and activities for the last month of this summer. So this weekend the list of things to do will be a bit shorter and will focus only on the biggest events of Saturday and Sunday (August 4-5). This time we have a reggae festival, a picnic in the forest, a great beach close to city center and more. Let’s get started:

Reggae Sun Ska music festival

The 22nd edition of this fun reggae festival will take place at the Domaine Equestre de Nodri in Vertheuil, which is located in the Medoc area (about an hour drive from Bordeaux) on the first weekend of August (3-5). The impressive long line up includes tens of performers from the reggae scene. You can check out the full line up here.
Although it’s a bit far from Bordeaux you don’t have to own a car to enjoy the festival, you can get there by train (Lesparre ou Pauillac stations) or a bus (line 703). For more info check out the facebook page of the festival and for tickets click here.

When: August 3-5
Where: 1 rue du Maquis, 33180 Vertheuil, Aquitaine, France

The summer pavilion on the right side of the river

A few weeks ago the Orangeade association opened its summer pavilion on le Quai Deschamps (in the Bastide neighborhood) hosting weekly events for music and gastronomy lovers. The association calls their summer village “un espace de bonheur partagé (a space of shared happiness) and invites you every Friday and Saturday until September 22 to a musical and culinary journey. Take a look at the program for this Friday (August 3) and for this Saturday (August 4). All the events are free.

When: August 3-4, from 6pm
Where: Quai Deschamps, 33100 Bordeaux

Dance on the Quai

Dansons sur les Quais is a series of dancing classes and events where people gather to dance together and learn a variety of dancing genres like Tango, Salsa, Bollywood, Forro, Hip Hop, Street Jazz, Zumba, Country and more. These activities will be guided by professional dancers from different dance schools in Bordeaux and they are completely free, so this is a great opportunity you don’t want to miss. The dancing events will take place on the quai almost daily until August 19. For more details and the full program check out the website of Dansons sur les Quai.

When: Daily until August 19
Where: Quai Louis XVIII, 33000 Bordeaux

Quai des Sports

Like every summer the Parc des sports Saint Michel hosts plenty of sportive activities for kids and teenagers. The daily programs are extremely varied and include things like climbing for kids, beach volleyball, basketball and more. The event will take place until August 12. Check the full program here.

When: Daily until August 12
Where: Parc des sports Saint Michel

Bordeaux Metropolitan Summer

Like every year Bordeaux Metropolitan invites you to discover the city and the area around it through a series of cultural events and activities. More than 100 activities of music, dance, public reading, theater, circus and gastronomy will take place between July 8 and September 25. These events are so widely spread across the metropolitan area of Bordeaux that you are guaranteed to discover places (especially parks) that you have never heard of before. Some of the activities proposed this weekend are:

Ligne Art– guided tour on the tram to Merignac to discover the art on that route– Sunday at 14:00(August 5)
Biking tour in Bacalan – Sunday at 17:00 (August 5)
En Route – L’eau Bourde- Biking tour that starts in Pessac – Sunday at 9:00 (August 5)
Tour in the observatory of Floriac – Saturday at 10:00 (August 4)

Check out the full program of events here (the full list with the dates is in the end of the PDF)

Picnic in the Forest

If you haven’t visit the beautiful park of Bourgailh in Pessac this weekend is a great opportunity is a great opportunity to do just that. This Sunday (August 5) the park will host a big picnic event, and if you don’t bring your food, don’t worry, a new super delicious Toast food truck will be there to feed you. For more details click here.

When: Sunday August 5
Where: Ecosite du Bourgailh, 179 avenue de beutre, 33600 Pessac

Music festival in Le Barp

Festival Country Rock will take place this weekend (August 3-5) in Le Barp (about 30 minutes from Bordeaux). Besides three days of concerts the program of the festival includes activities for kids, food trucks, bike tours and many stands with rock-country clothes. For more info click here and for the full program here. Ticket price is 5-7 euros.

When: August 3-5
Where: Plaine des sports, 33114 Le Barp

Bègles plage

If it’s getting too hot and you feel like making it beach day you don’t have to go far. Bègles beach is a few minutes drive from city center and you can even get there by tram (Tram C – Terres Neuves station). It’s a nice, very local little beach, with a great play ground for kids and a perfect spot to end your day when the temperatures are rising in the afternoon.

Where: Bègles plage, rue Mendès France, 33130 Bègles

Hope you enjoyed the list! Now don’t be shy, share it with your friends!

Do you have other events to add to the list? Please share them in the comments so all of us can enjoy them

If you want to plan ahead check out my general list of things to in Bordeaux in August 2018.

Have a great weekend!

In Weekend plans

Things to do this weekend in Bordeaux (July 27-29)

Last updated on July 31, 2018 No Comments

Besides the big summer events happening in the last two weeks (like dancing and sports on the quai and the Relache festival), there are a few new summer activities taking place this weekend in the area, among them the Arcachon music festival, the Castillon battle spectacle and the RullaHoop Party. Most of the events I mention here are also kids friendly so don’t hesitate to let your little ones discover the awesomeness of this city.

Here’s the list of things to do this weekend in and around Bordeaux (July 27-29):

Events in Bordeaux Metropole

The summer pavilion on the right side of the river

Every summer in the last four years the Orangeade association opens its summer pavilion on le Quai Deschamps (in the Bastide neighborhood) with great weekly events that all music and gastronomy lovers will appreciate. The association calls their summer village “un espace de bonheur partagé (a space of shared happiness) and invites you every Friday and Saturday until September 22 to a musical and culinary journey. Take a look at the program for this Friday (July 27) and for this Saturday (July 28). All the events are free.

When: July 27-28, from 6pm
Where: Quai Deschamps, 33100 Bordeaux, France

RullaHoop Party in Darwin

Last week I wrote about a very cool series of skating events taking place during the summer in Darwin. This week they took the awesomeness one step further – a RullaHoop event! If you like skating and hula-hoop then join the Hoopera, Moovens and le collectif SkateXpress for a special weekend combining both. The weekend includes events such as: rollerdance, hoopdance and roller party all taking place in Darwin this Friday and Saturday (July 27-28). The ticket price is 12 € if you buy it in advance and 15€ on the spot, you can buy tickets here and here. For more info check out the facebook page of the event.

When: July 27-28
Where: 87 quai des Queyries, 33100 Bordeaux, France

Banzaï Land

Banzai Land invites you to a weekend of music and fun activities right in the center of Bordeaux. From Friday to Sunday (July 27-29), dj sets and live music concerts will take place next to place Gambetta and will be accompanied by an art expositions and different games. For more info click here.

When: July 27, – 29
Where: 87 Rue Abbé-de-l’Épée, 33000 Bordeaux, France

Dance on the Quai

Dansons sur les Quais is a series of dancing classes and events where people gather to dance together and learn a variety of dancing genres like Tango, Salsa, Bollywood, Forro, Hip Hop, Street Jazz, Zumba, Country and more. These activities will be guided by professional dancers from different dance schools in Bordeaux and they are completely free, so this is a great opportunity you don’t want to miss. The dancing events will take place on the quai almost daily from July 14 to August 19. For more details and the full program check out the website of Dansons sur les Quai.

So what is waiting for you this weekend? Reggaeton, house dance, Russian Tzigan dance, Argentinian tango, salsa and a Latin night. See the full program.

When: Daily from July 14 to August 19
Where: Quai Louis XVIII, 33000 Bordeaux

Urban Legends Exhibition

Legendes Urbaines, an exhibition that hosts more than 50 street artists, will be presented from June 21 to September 16 at La Base Sous Marine, one of the most unique places in Bordeaux. The exhibition follows the evolution of street art from the 80s until today and presents different art styles from graffiti, to video art, vitrage paintings, works on wood, fabric and much more. This is a must for any street art lover.

For more details check out the facebook page of la Base Sous-marine.

base sous marine - street art exhibition

When: June 21 – September 16
Where: La Base Sous Marine, Boulevard Alfred Daney, 33300 Bordeaux

Quai des Sports

This is the 11th edition of this fun sportive event for kids and teenagers that takes place every summer (July 14 to August 12) at Parc des sports Saint Michel. The program for this month is extremely varied and includes things like climbing for kids, beach volleyball, basketball and more. The festival will be accompanied by artistic and music events.

So what’s on this weekend? An obstacle course, golf, Capoeira, athletics, archery, boxing, and more. For adults some more relaxing activities are offered, among them meditation, massage and Pilates. Check the full program here.

When: Daily from July 14 to August 12
Where: Parc des sports Saint Michel

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 this summer. The 9th edition of this festival will last about 3 months (May 30 to August 31) with performances by both local groups and international acts in many genres of music. The next evening will take place this Friday (July 27) in Sortie 13 in Pessac and Saturday (July 27) at Les vivres de l’art. Take a look at the full program of events on their website.

When and Where: July 27 in Sortie 13 in Pessac and July 28 at Les vivres de l’art

Bordeaux Metropolitan Summer

En Route – street art tour for kids in Bacalan (see next item about the tour)– Sunday at 14:30 (July 29)
Gastronomy event at the market at Jean Dupérier parking in Saint Medard en Jalles – Saturday at 11:00 (July 28)
Sound laboratory – learn how to be a dj in the Etablissement pour l’animation des jeunes in Gradignan – Sunday at 14:30 (July 28) – for more details and reservation click here.

Check out the full program of events here.

Artistic city tour for kids

Sometimes, we walk by beautiful and meaningful urban art and in many cases don’t even notice it. En Route is a guided tour for kids (ages 5 to 12) that will help them discover the works of art that are part of our public space. The tour will start at les Chartrons tram station and require reservation, you can reserve a spot for your kids by mail: assolirreguliere@gmail.com. For more info check out the facebook page of the association standing behind the tours.

When: Sunday (July 29) at 14:30
Where:Place Avisseau, Bordeaux

Open air Festival combined with a food market

This Saturday (July 28) a very cool event will take place at the Union Saint Jean association combining a food market and a lineup of electronic and disco music. Other activities will include body painting the SKINJACKIN collective and games such as Beer Pong and Pétanque. For the full program and more info check out the facebook page of the event.

When: July 28
Where: 97, rue Malbec, 33800 Bordeaux, France

Events around Bordeaux

Arcachon En Scene

Archachon en Scene is a popular music festival that brings big French and international acts to perform in this beautiful town. This year’s program includes Claudio Capeo (July 27), Martin Solveig and Ofenbach (August 1st) and IAM (August 3). For more info check out the facebook page of the event, for tickets click here.

When: July 27
Where: Stade Vélodrome d’Arcachon

Music Festival in Lacanau

Lacanau Tribute To is a music festival with a vintage touch to it, making an homage to some of the best rock bands of the 70s. The groups Back to The Police, Fire Straits and Fuzz Top will take the stage this Friday (July 27) at port de Lacanau and will play some of the greatest songs that marked this generation. For more info check out the facebook page of the event.

When: July 27, 6:30
Where:Avenue du Lac, 33680 Lacanau, France

La Bataille de Castillon

La Bataille de Castillon is a spectacle taking place on more than 10 evenings during the summer, replicating the famous fight from 1453. Castillon-la-Bataille, the town where the show takes place enriched the whole event with many activities and events revolving the big show, among them: tours of the city, exhibitions and workshops of medieval art. For more info and tickets check out here and here.

When: July 27- 28
Where: Association 1453, Mairie de Castillon, 33350 CASTILLON-LA-BATAILLE

Hope you enjoyed the list! Now don’t be shy, share it with your friends!

Do you have other events to add to the list? Please share them in the comments so all of us can enjoy them

If it’s your first time in Bordeaux and you want to discover it properly, check out my ultimate guide to the first weekend in Bordeaux.

Have a great weekend!

In Weekend plans

What to do this weekend in Bordeaux (May 25-27)

Last updated on May 31, 2018 No Comments

One of the most gourmet events in Bordeaux, les Epicuriales, is about to start this weekend with sixteen Michelin star chefs surprising you with special dinners. Also, it’s going to be a weekend full of music, with a variety of concerts and festivals taking place all over the city. Your kids will have the opportunity to learn the art of circus at the Festival Jubil’à Jongle. For that and more check out the list of things to do this weekend in and around Bordeaux (May 25-27):

Festivals, Salons and Special events

Les Epicuriales

This event has become an early summer Bordelaise tradition. For its 24th edition les Epicuriales festival transforms Allées de Tourny (next to the Opera) to a gastronomic heaven with about twenty restaurants set up especially for the event. During the 16 days of the festival, the restaurants will be open to the public for lunch and dinner. The highlight of the event is”Les Étoiles d’Épicure” , a restaurant that will host a different Michelin star chef every evening. Discover the full list of the participating chefs and their bio.

The event will take place May 25 to June 9. See more details click here.

When: May 25 – June 9
Where: Allées de Tourny 33000 Bordeaux

Motorium Art Ride Market

Motorium, a big motorbike fair will take place this weekend (May 25-27) in Darwin with a focus on the art of making motorbikes. The program of the event will include an exposition of more than 100 rare and exceptional motorbikes; meetings with professionals from this sector such as representatives of different brands and accessories dealers; night ride in the streets of Bordeaux, and other activities and concerts.

For more details check out the facebook page of the event.

When: May 25 -27
Where: 87 quai des Queyries, 33100 Bordeaux

Archibal Festival

Archibal is an annual festival taking place at the Ecole nationale supérieure d’architecture et de paysage, combining the electronic music scene with different expositions and activities. Most of the festival is organized by students and will include three music stages and two bars. The event will take place on May 26 at 2pm. For more info and tickets click here, to see the line-up click here.

When: May 26 – 2pm
Where: 740 Cours de la Libération BP 70109 33405 Talence
How much: full price is 18€/ student price is 15 €

Un jour, une nuit à la Bastide

This event is a unique way to discover the Bastide neighborhood, on the rive droite of the Garonne. The event is organized by several key players in the neighborhood which prepared a rich program of activities for adults and kids. Five of the most popular places in la Bastide will host events, each will propose a two hours program.
The participating venues are: 2pm – Guinguette Chez Alriq, 4pm – Jardin Botanique,
6pm – Archives Bordeaux Métropole, 8pm – Les Chantiers de la Garonne / Darwin, 9:30pm– Foutrack Deluxe.

See the the full program on the website and the facebook page of the event.

When: May 26 – 2pm
Where: Different locations in the Bastide neighborhood (see the program of the event)

Go to a secret event at the Festival de Caves

Festival de Caves (Cellars festival) is an underground theater festival, gathering a small number of spectators in cellars and other underground places throughout the city. In Bordeaux, the festival will take place on May 16-27 and will run the whole month of May in different cities in France. So where are those city cellars you ask? Well that’s the whole idea, these events are being kept secret and the locations will be revealed to those who reserved a spot only on the day of the show.

Check out the full program on the website of the event. For more details click here.

festival-de-caves-theatre-souterrain — photo by: Compagnie Gbouillon

When: May 16-27
Where: locations are secret for now 🙂
How much: full price is 12€/ reduced price is 10€

Let your kids discover the art of circus at the Festival Jubil’à Jongle

The 12th edition of the festival will start with an inauguration evening on May 25, which will include magic and fire shows, different activities for kids and even a rock concert. The second day (May 26) of the festival will allow you and your kids to discover the art of circus and street entertainment through shows of juggling, magic, games and introductory workshops. The festival will take place at the Parc de Fongravey in Blanquefort.

For more info click here.

When: May 25-26
Where: 4 Parc de Fongravey in Blanquefort

Veggie World

The first Vegan fair, VeggieWorld, is coming to Bordeaux with 70 exhibitors displaying 500 vegan products, including food, cosmetics, hygiene and more. The event will take place on May 26-27 in Hangar 14 (Quai des Chartrons).

For more info and tickets click here.

When: May 26 – 27
Where: Hangar 14, 115 Quai des Chartrons, 33000 Bordeaux

Latin America and the Caribbean week in France

As part of the national Latin America and the Caribbean week in France, Bordeaux will also make its homage to the Latin world. The city of Bordeaux has collaborated with some of the best cultural venues in the city to organize a variety of activities (concerts, conferences and more) , among them la Cité du Vin, l’Institut Cervantes de Bordeaux, le Musée d’Aquitaine, la Bibliothèque de Bordeaux and more.

Check out the full program of events.

When: until June 29
Where: different locations in Bordeaux (see program)

Fête de la nature

A market of gastronomic products and craftsmens will take place on May 25-26 on several streets around the Gross Cloche: Place Fernand Lafargue, Rue des Ayres, Rue Sainte Colombe, Rue Saint James, Rue Ravez et Rue Bouquières. The event will continue into the evening with concerts and a DJ.

Check out the full program on the facebook page of the event.

When: May 25-26
Where: Quartier Grosse Cloche

Rock Festival in Bacalan

A rock festival, ROCK IS BAC, will take place in the Bacalan neighborhood on May 26 (3 pm). You can see the long list of artists that will take the stage in the facebook page of the event. The event is free.

When: May 26 – 3pm
Where: Place Adolphe Buscaillet 33 000 BORDEAUX

Shake Art Festival

This is the 20th edition of the Shake Art festival, an event connecting music with different forms of art such as photography, painting and sculpture. The program includes a DJ workshop and an exposition where you can meet all the artists. The event will take place May 25-26 at the DJ Art School.

See more details.

When: May 25- 26
Where: 5 Rue Ligier, 33000 BORDEAUX

CULTURE

Trajectoires

Trajectoires is a unique cultural event where talented students of music, theater and choreography will perform their works of art to pass their diploma. Around 50 different performances of theater, comedy, dance and music will be put on stage in different locations in Bordeaux.

Take a look on the full list of performances and the details about all the events here.

When: May 22-27
Where: different locations in Bordeaux (see program)

Pilleur de rêves- Philippe Mohlitz

Philippe Moritz is a engraving Bordelaise artist. The exhibition (2 March – 4 June 2018) takes place in the Musée des Beaux-Arts art in Bordeaux and includes about 40 works of the artist. For more info check out the site of the museum.

When: 2 March – 4 June 2018
Where: 20 cours d’Albret, 33 000 Bordeaux

Speedy Graphito – Urban Fever at Institut Bernard magrez

An exhibition by the famous French street artist, Speedy Graphito, will be presented at the Institut Bernard Magrez until July 15. The artist uses many forms of art – painting, sculpture, photo, video and more to express his innovative and sometimes political ideas.

Check out the website of Speedy graphito to explore the works of the artist and the website of the museum for more information about the exhibition.

When: April 19– July 15
Where: 16 rue de Tivoli, Bordeaux

“Lueurs…” exhibition by a painter and a photographer

Lueurs is an exhibition by the artists Emmanuelle Leblanc (painter) and Yohann Gozard (photographer) that deals with light. The exhibition will be presented at the Galerie DX until June 2.

See more details.

When: Until 4 June 2018
Where: 10, place des Quinconces 33000 Bordeaux

Carrousel de Saint-Pétersbourg Exhibition

Carrousel de Saint-Pétersbourg is an exhibition that presents the works of 17 artists coming from Saint Petersbourg, painting in oil, watercolors, and engravings. The works of these artists embody the current trends in Russian figurative painting. The exhibition is presented in Espace Saint – Rémi from May 17 to May 27.

See more details.

When: May 17- 27
Where: 4 Rue Jouannet, 33000 Bordeaux

Last chance to see the Remigio ROSANI exhibition

An Exhibition of the Italian artist Remigio Rosani is taking place at the Musée de la Création Franche in Begles (16 March- 28 May 2018). His brightly colored drawings are executed in oil pastel and the dominant theme in his work is hedonism and carnal relationships. See more info.

When: March 16- May 28
Where: 58 avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny ,33130 Bègles

Do you have other events to add to the list? Please share them in the comments so all of us can enjoy them 🙂

And please share the post with your friends, thanks!

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bacalan

Central Areas in Bordeaux

Saint Pierre and Saint Paul – The historic center of Bordeaux

Pey Berland and Meriadeck – the administrative district of Bordeaux

Quinconces and Triangle d’Or – The fancy area of Bordeaux

Chartrons – the posh area of Bordeaux

Saint Michel, Saint Croix and Victoire – the Cosmopolitan areas of Bordeaux

Jardin Public and Saint Seurin – the quiet and green area of Bordeaux

The more distant neighborhoods in Bordeaux

Bastide – the other side of the river

Bacalan – The grungy area of Bordeaux

Gare Saint Jean – next to the train station

Saint Agustin

Saint Genes and Nansouty

Bordeaux Lac

What not to miss while cycling in Bordeaux

The “rive gauche” – the 18th-century charm of Bordeaux

Stop 1 – the most popular monument of Bordeaux

Stop 2 – CAPC

Stop 3 – lunch on the Quai des Chartrons

Stop 4 – Cap Sciences

The Bacalan neighborhood – the cool kid on the block

Stop 5 – La cité du Vin

Stop 6 – the Bacalan Market

The “rive droite” – the hipster hub

Stop 7 – Fabrique Pola

Stop 8 – Darwin

Stop 9 – finish your day with a fabulous picnic

Where to rent bikes in Bordeaux

Using a Monopoly board as a roadmap to discovering Bordeaux

Plaque-spotting on the waterfront

The Wallace fountain hunt

The 1950s Formula 1 circuit

Greenery in the suburbs of Bordeaux

A little bit about Tim, the founder and writer of Invisible Bordeaux

La Cité du Vin

Address: 134 – 150 Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux Opening hours: weekdays from 10am to 6pm, weekends and holidays 10am to 7pm For more info check out the website of cite du Vin

Have a drink or a snack at les Halles des Bacalan

Opening hours: from Tuesday to Friday 8:00 – 14:30 and 16:30-20:30, Saturday 8:00- 22:00 and Sunday 8:00-17:00 Address: 149 Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux

Les Vivre de l’art – emerging arts and impressive sculptures

Le Garage moderne – a social garage

Address: 1 rue des Etrangers, 33000 BORDEAUX Opening hours: The garage itself is open Monday to Friday (9:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 18:00, closed Tuesday morning), the restaurant is open from Tuesday to Saturday 11:00- 18:00 For more info check out the website of le garage moderne

Street art all over

La Base sous marine – a German bunker turned into a museum

Open from Tuesday to Sunday 13:30 to 19:00 (only during exhibitions). Check out the facebook page of la Base Sous Marine for more details. Address: Boulevard Alfred Daney, 33300 Bordeaux

Go to a concert on the I.boat

Address: bassin a flot n°1 – Quai Armand Lalande

Have a lunch or a drink at one of the restaurants next to the basins

Visit the Bordeaux Whiskey Distillery

Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday from 11:00 to 18:00 and Saturdays from 11:00 to 15:00 and from 16:30 to 18:00. For more info check out the site of Moon Harbour. Address: 492 Boulevard Adfred Daney, 33300 BORDEAUX

Find the UFO on the water

EVENTS AND FESTIVALS

The opening of les Halles de Talence

When: Opening party on December 7 Where: Place Alcala de Henares, Talence 33400

International Animation Films Festival

When: November 28 – December 9 Where: 151 Boulevard ALBERT 1er, 33130 Bègles

Palmer Street’Art

When: December 8, 14:00 to 19:00 Where: 1 rue Aristide Briand, 33150 Cenon

Bordeaux en livres

When: December 8 . 14:30 – 20:00 Where: Place de la Comédie33000 Bordeaux

The International dance en film festival

When: December 3-8 Where: Center of Bordeaux, see the program for a specific event.

Cirque Pardi! is Coming Back

When: November 30- December 22 Where: 86 quai des Queyries, 33 100 BORDEAUX

Last chance to buy antiques at the Brocante des Quinconces

When: November 23- December 9 Where: Place des Quinconces

Buy clothes at the Grande Braderie

When: December 8 from 10:00 to 17:00 Where:517 boulevard Alfred Daney, Bordeaux

FOR KIDS

Make you Christmas decorations in a FabLab

When: December 8, at 14:30 Where: Hangar 20, Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux

Opening of a temporary ice skating rink in Bègles

When: December 8, from 15:00 t0 18:00 Where: CCR Rives d’Arcins, 33130 Bègles

IBOAT – Le mini club de Noël

When: December 8, at 15:00 to 18:30 Where: Quai Armand Lalande, 33300 Bordeaux

CHRISTMAS AND CREATORS MARKETS

Festival Made in Bordeaux

When: December 7-9 Where: 246 Avenue de la Libération Charles de Gaulle, 33110 Le Bouscat

Pop-up de Noël des Polichineuses

When: December 6-9 Where: 10 Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux

Address: 134 – 150 Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux
Opening hours: weekdays from 10am to 6pm, weekends and holidays 10am to 7pm
For more info check out the website of cite du Vin

Opening hours: from Tuesday to Friday 8:00 – 14:30 and 16:30-20:30, Saturday 8:00- 22:00 and Sunday 8:00-17:00
Address: 149 Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux

Address: 1 rue des Etrangers, 33000 BORDEAUX
Opening hours: The garage itself is open Monday to Friday (9:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 18:00, closed Tuesday morning), the restaurant is open from Tuesday to Saturday 11:00- 18:00
For more info check out the website of le garage moderne

Open from Tuesday to Sunday 13:30 to 19:00 (only during exhibitions). Check out the facebook page of la Base Sous Marine for more details.
Address: Boulevard Alfred Daney, 33300 Bordeaux

Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday from 11:00 to 18:00 and Saturdays from 11:00 to 15:00 and from 16:30 to 18:00.
For more info check out the site of Moon Harbour.
Address: 492 Boulevard Adfred Daney, 33300 BORDEAUX

When: Opening party on December 7
Where: Place Alcala de Henares, Talence 33400

When: November 28 – December 9
Where: 151 Boulevard ALBERT 1er, 33130 Bègles

When: December 8, 14:00 to 19:00
Where: 1 rue Aristide Briand, 33150 Cenon

When: December 8 . 14:30 – 20:00
Where: Place de la Comédie33000 Bordeaux

When: December 3-8
Where: Center of Bordeaux, see the program for a specific event.

When: November 30- December 22
Where: 86 quai des Queyries, 33 100 BORDEAUX

When: November 23- December 9
Where: Place des Quinconces

When: December 8 from 10:00 to 17:00
Where:517 boulevard Alfred Daney, Bordeaux

When: December 8, at 14:30
Where: Hangar 20, Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux

When: December 8, from 15:00 t0 18:00
Where: CCR Rives d’Arcins, 33130 Bègles

When: December 8, at 15:00 to 18:30
Where: Quai Armand Lalande, 33300 Bordeaux

When: December 7-9
Where: 246 Avenue de la Libération Charles de Gaulle, 33110 Le Bouscat

When: December 6-9
Where: 10 Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux

When: November 30 – December 30 from 10:30 to 21:30
Where: Allées de Tourny, 33000 Bordeaux

When: December 8-9
Where: 7 rue de la Motte Picquet, 33300 Bordeaux

When: December 8-9
Where: Garage Moderne – 1 Rue des Etrangers – 33300 Bordeaux

When: Until December 23
Where: Place Pey Berland

When: December 8-9
Where: 23 Rue Minvielle, 33000 Bordeaux

When: December 5-31
Where: Place de la Grande Rigaudie , 24200 Sarlat-la-canéda,

When: December 1-2
Where: 7 rue du palais gallien, 33000 Bordeaux

When: November 30 – December 30 from 10:30 to 21:30
Where: Allées de Tourny, 33000 Bordeaux

When: December 1-2
Where: Port Ostreicole, 33510 Andernos-les-Bains

When: December 1-2
Where: Different locations in Bacalan

When: December 1-2
Where: quai Armand Lalande, 33300 Bordeaux

When: November 28 – December 9
Where: 151 Boulevard ALBERT 1er, 33130 Bègles

When: November 23- December 9
Where: Place des Quinconces

When: November 31- December 2
Where: Palais des Congrès, Cours J.-G. Domergue.33300 BORDEAUX

When: December 2, 11:00-19:00
Where: 173 Quai des Chartrons, 33300 Bordeaux, France

When: December 1, at 14:00
Where: 43 Rue Sainte-Colombe, 33000 Bordeaux, France

When: December 1-2
Where: Bordeaux metropole (Check out the link above for the full list of events).

When: December 1-2
Where: 23 Rue Minvielle, 33000 Bordeaux

When: November 30- December 22
Where: 86 quai des Queyries, 33 100 BORDEAUX

When: December 1-January 6
Where: 8 Avenue de l’Hippodrome, 33110 Le Bouscat

When: December 1-2
Where: Halle des Douves, 4 rue des Douves, 33000 BORDEAUX

When: December 1-2
Where: 1 rue des Etrangers, 33300 Bordeaux

When: December 1
Where: 97, rue Malbec, 33800 Bordeaux, France

When: October 5-24
Where: Different locations in Bordeaux – check out the program

When: October 5-7
Where: Blanquefort, Bordeaux Lac, Place de la Victoire in Bordeaux and Villenave d’Ornon (see exact location in the program)

When: October 5-7
Where: 216, cours du général de Gaulle, 33170 Gradignan

When: October 5-26
Where: 19 Place Charles de Gaulle, 33700 Mérignac

When: October 6, 14:30-18:30
Where: 74, avenue des Marronniers, 33700 Mérignac

When: October 6
Where: Hippodrome Bordeaux, 8 Avenue de l’Hippodrome, 33110 Le Bouscat