In Bordeaux by Neighborhood

What to do in Chartrons – the posh district of Bordeaux

Last updated on December 17, 2019 No Comments

Chartrons is a super chic neighborhood, located in the north part of the city right after Place des Quinconces. It developed in the 17th century when Flemish, Irish and German wine traders (négociants) have settled beyond the walls of old Bordeaux to export wines to their home countries. So it was basically the “expats” neighborhood of the time. They have built beautiful houses along the riverfront with long warehouses on the first floor where they would store the barrels and bottles of wine before sending them by ship to other countries in Europe.
By the time Chartrons became officially part of Bordeaux in the 19th century, it had already become a flourishing and lively neighborhood. It was a hip bourgeois neighborhood attracting many artists, craftsmen and sailors, the “place to be” of the 19th century if you want 🙂 And while it has lost some of its glory during the 20th century, in the last two decades it was revived into a chic neighborhood with plenty of boutiques, coffee shops, restaurants and museums giving new life to the old warehouses. Today it’s one of the more posh and cool neighborhoods of Bordeaux and you can easily spend a day here when visiting the city. To help you discover it like a local I wrote a list of all the places you should visit and things you can do in the Chartrons district.

If you want to learn about other neighborhoods in Bordeaux you can also check my guide to the Saint Michel district and my article about things to do in the Bacalan neighborhood. Now let’s discover the chic district of Bordeaux, Chartrons!

Stroll rue des Notre dame – the main street of Chartrons

Chartrons is one of the biggest districts of Bordeaux, but there’s only one street that’s really the heart and soul of this neighborhood, a street that is one of the “musts” when visiting Bordeaux. Rue Notre Dame is a posh street with plenty of coffee places, trendy boutiques, antique shops and more. You can spend several hours here admiring the beautiful architecture, shopping and trying great pastries. It’s one of the most beautiful streets in Bordeaux with a lot of tiny balconies decorated with planters full of colorful flowers. The perfect street for Instagram addicts 🙂 If you want to discover the foodie side of this street check out my article about the foodie streets of Bordeaux.

Discover some of the best pastries in Chartrons

Chartrons is home to some of the best boulangeries and patisseries in the city. On rue Notre dame you can find P’tite Boulangerie (Notre-Dame62 Rue Notre Dame), one of the best bakeries in Bordeaux. Continue South on the main street and you’ll find the cutest pastry shop of Chartrons, Micheline et Paulette (21 Rue Notre Dame). If you’re lucky, you may catch their one and only table available so you can stop for a coffee and one of their brilliant cakes or pastries. In other parts of Chartrons, you can find Maison Boileau (11 Rue Camille Godard), which has won the Meilleure boulangerie de France award (best bakery in France) in 2019 in a very popular TV show. Chartron even has the oldest bakery in the city (but more about that later).

Stop for a good cup of coffee

If you’re a coffee lover, another place you’d want to discover is la Pelle Café (29 Rue Notre Dame). The place is owned by Carlos who roasts his coffee on the spot and is a real advocate for quality coffee. It’s a very chic and popular place where both locals and tourists like to stop for a cup of coffee and homemade cakes. Before you enter, take a moment to look at the beautiful building, which used to be an oriental bath in the 19th century. Another good coffee shop that’s worth a visit is the 4e Vague Café (92 Rue Notre Dame) that makes Hawaiian coffee. You can also stop for a cup of tea (or coffee) at Juliena, a cozy Salon de thé with a nice selection of cakes (15 Rue Notre Dame).

If you want to discover other good coffee places in Bordeaux check out my article about the five coffee places in Bordeaux you don’t want to miss.

One of the best spots for shopping in Bordeaux

Bordeaux can be a fun place for shopping but If you’re looking for something more than big retail stores like Zara or H&M, I highly recommend going to the Chartrons district. Here you can find plenty of chic clothing boutiques, beautiful babywear and the coolest accessories. Most of the stores are located on rue Notre dame, here are just a few examples: Do you speak français? (a chic clothing store with a funky name), Nos Minis (the cutest baby wear ever), Coutume store (for anything stylish for your home).

Look for antiques

Remember that I’ve told you that many of the houses on the east side of Chartron (the ones that are close to the river ) were originally warehouses where wine was stored? Well, today many of those warehouses are used as big antique shops. More than ten antique and vintage shops can be found on rue Notre dame alone and if you take some time to stroll the little streets around it you’ll find plenty of others. The biggest antique shop is Village Notre Dame (61 rue de Notre dame) which is settled in an old printing bureau. It’s the first antique shop of Aquitaine and it gathers several professional dealers in one huge store. Most of the antique shops on the main street are quite pricey but there are a few places in Chartrons where you can find some bargains. One example is the big hangar named Broc Alain (58 cours de la martinique).

Every October Chartrons celebrates wine and antiquities with the lively Fête du Vin nouveau & de la Brocante. If you’re in town I highly recommend going to this event.

Learn about the history of Bordeaux wine at the musée du Vin et du Négoce

The Cité du Vin is Bordeaux’s famous wine museum but in the Chartrons district, there’s another museum dedicated to the wine of Bordeaux. Musée du Vin et du Négoce is a small museum, located in what used to be a typical house of a négociant (wine trader) in the 18th century. This is the best way to learn how the Bordeaux wine area has developed over the years. It’s not as modern and interactive as the Cité du Vin but if you want to learn about the history of the Bordeaux wine region this is the place to go. It ends with a very nice wine tasting session where you get plenty of explanations about the different wine appellations in Bordeaux. The museum is located in the northern part of rue Notre dame (the entrance is from 41 Rue Borie). If you also want to continue to the Cité du Vin which is located close to Chartrons, read my article about my visit there.

Have a picnic in the central park of Bordeaux

Jardin Public, the central park of Bordeaux, is technically not a part of the Chartrons district but one of the entrances is on Course de Verdun, one of the main streets of Chartrons. It’s a beautiful park with vast green planes, a lake with ducks and geese and plenty of different facilities for kids. On a hot day, it’s a perfect spot for a picnic, just don’t forget to buy a bottle of wine before heading there 🙂

If you want to discover other perfect spots for picnics go to my article about the best picnic places in Bordeaux.

Discover one of the foodie streets of Bordeaux – Cours Portal

Cours Portal is not a very charming street but it definitely deserves a visit if you’re interested in food. It’s a long street with most of the good boutiques located close to Place du Marché des Chartrons. Here you have several good cheese shops and specialty shops for local products. If you like to make quality coffee at home, check out Café refuge, a coffee specialty shop. The coffee roaster machinery there is really impressive! Like every foodie street, Cours Portal has its own little patissier, named Taupy (19 Cours Portal). If you’re a foodie, don’t miss this street.

Have a delicious meal in one of the restaurants in Chartrons

Chartrons is one of the most gastronomic spots in the city with dozens of restaurants to try. Many of the good ones are located in the center, on rue Notre dame, place du marché des Chartrons or the little streets surrounding it. If you want an even nicer scenery go to the quai (river banks), where you can find plenty of good restaurants with tables facing the Garonne river. Two of my favorite restaurants in Chartron are located exactly there: Pastel on 2 Quai des Chartrons and Symbiose on 4 Quai des Chartrons.

Discover the oldest boulangerie in Bordeaux

Au Pétrin Moissagais the oldest bakery in Bordeaux

Au Pétrin Moissagais on 72 Cours de la Martinique is the oldest bakery in Bordeaux, established in 1765. Serge, the baker and owner of the place, is very proud of his Gascognian traditions and still makes the original Gascognian white bread in the 18th-century oven. And yes, it’s the same oven since the opening of the boulangerie (bakery), some 24 years before the French revolution!. Don’t be shy if you want to take photos of the oven, Serge will happily show you around. The bakery has a completely different look and feel compared to a standard French bakery, it really feels like you’ve gone back in time to the 18th century. Don’t miss a visit there when in the neighborhood.

Visit the local market

There are several food markets taking place in Chartrons at different days of the week. The biggest and most famous market takes place every Sunday morning on Quai des Chartrons. It’s a very popular market with dozens of food stalls selling everything from fresh fruits, cheese, pastries and oysters. The market is usually quite busy with both locals and tourists, especially if you come towards noon, but it’s still worth the visit. 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. A much smaller version of that market takes place at the same spot every Thursday morning. During the week you can also go to the covered market on Place des Chartrons, which is open every morning from Tuesday to Saturday.

Visit Church Saint Louis

Eglise Saint Louis is the main church of Chartrons, a gothic-revival church built in the 19th century on the remains of the former chapel of the Chartreux (a religious brotherhood, Chartrons is named after). This church is largely ignored by tourists in Bordeaux as it’s located outside of the city center, but it’s worth a visit especially thanks to its beautiful stained-glass windows. It’s located on rue Notre dame, so it’ll be hard to miss.

Go to the contemporary art museum

The contemporary art museum of Bordeaux (CAPC) is located right on the southern edge of the neighborhood. TheCAPC is worth visiting even if you are not a big fan of contemporary arts. The museum is housed in an old wool warehouse where commodities, traded down the river, used to be stored. What makes it special is the combination of modern art with the old architecture of the building. In the permanent collection, there are almost 300 works of art and it regularly hosts temporary exhibitions. I admit that I’m not always a fan of their exhibitions but I think the place in itself is very impressive. Open from Tuesday to Sunday 11:00-18:00.

Explore the street art

The street art scene in Bordeaux is blooming. You can find quite a few extraordinary works of local artists on many of Bordeaux’s buildings. One of the most interesting spots for street art is actually located here in Chartrons. Le M.U.R (the wall) of Bordeaux (located on 2 Place Paul) is a 35m2 wall where local street artists can express their art. Every month or so a different artist is invited to paint on the wall and you can come and watch them do it live. This event is usually published on their Facebook page, you can check it out here. The works are always usually amazing and worth the walk.

Discover the kids Science museum of Bordeaux

If you’re looking to occupy your kids in Bordeaux, Cap Science is a great option and it’s located here in Chartrons, on the promenade at the northern part of the district. This cool kids science museum proposes interactive exhibitions and activities all dedicated to different aspects of science. The museum is located at Hangar 20, Quai de Bacalan.

For other stuff to do with kids in Bordeaux check out my list of 30 things to do with kids in Bordeaux.

Wave Surf Café

Another cool place in Bordeaux for both kids and adults is the Wave Surf Café, the first coffee shop where you can also surf! The Big artificial wave in the middle of the coffee shop imitates the ocean waves and allows you to feel like a professional surfer in the city center. If you’re in Bordeaux for just a few days and have no time to go to the ocean, this can replace your surfing experience (although real surfers will probably disagree with me here 🙂 ). For more details click here.

Sing Karaoke

For all of you wannabe singers, Chartrons has recently welcomed the biggest Karaoke bar in town, called BAM Karaoke Box. The bar offers private Karaoke rooms for 6 to 15 people for blocks of two hours. The place is designed in a central American style with every room having a different theme. If you’re a group of friends this could be a fun way to finish your day in the Chartrons neighborhood. For more details click here.

Shop in the Hangars – Quai des Marques

If you’re really craving more shopping there’s another place in Chartrons you can go to. Les Hangars on the promenade are old warehouses converted into a shopping center with plenty of shops and restaurants. It’s not my favorite spot to eat but sometimes when the weather is really good I do sit there for lunch as the view on the river is just stunning. You have a decent amount of shops to visit but it’s mainly different chains rather than small boutiques. The center is called Quai des Marques and it’s located on 15-19 Quai des Chartrons.

Check out what’s happening in Hangar 14

To the north of the shopping center, you will find Hangar 14 – a venue that frequently hosts different events like wine fairs, creators’ markets and more. I usually publish these events in my weekend posts but if you’re passing by, don’t hesitate to take a sneak peek to see if there’s anything interesting going on.

There are plenty of cool bars and boutiques in Chartrons so I could continue talking about it all day long but I think I’ve intrigued you enough to make you go and visit this chic neighborhood. Hope I helped you discover some hidden spots in Bordeaux that you didn’t know about :).

If it’s your first visit to Bordeaux don’t miss my full guide to a weekend in Bordeaux and my article about the most interesting districts in Bordeaux. And if you’re in for a foodie experience check out my foodies tours in Bordeaux 🙂

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In Bordeaux with Kids

What to do with kids when it’s raining in Bordeaux

Last updated on December 12, 2022 6 Comments

When my family and I decided to move from Paris to Bordeaux, practically everyone guaranteed that the hot weather is the real bonus of moving to the South of France. “No more rainy days being stuck at home with the kids” I thought to myself. Boy, was I wrong!
Although there are a lot of sunny and hot days in Bordeaux, not many people know that on average it’s raining here 170 days a year.
Almost every weekend I see people on social media asking: what do I do with the kids when it’s pouring rain outside and you can’t go to the park? Apparently a lot!!! You just have to know about it.
So I’ve made a list of all the fun indoor things you can do with your kids when it is raining in Bordeaux:

Cap sciences

If you want a fun activity which is also educative then Cap Sciences is the place for you. It is located on Quai de Bacalan, in a beautiful spot with a view on the Jacques Chaban-Delmas bridge. The museum proposes interactive exhibitions and activities all dedicated to different aspects of science. Another interesting feature of the museum are the workshops that are dedicated to kids of different age groups (3-6, 6-12 and 8-14 years old) among them you can find photography, molecular k kitchen, eco-citizens and more. And while your kids are busy exploring the wonders of the universe, you can enjoy the amazing view of the Garonne river from the terraces of the “Cafe des sciences”.
The museum is open Tue- Fri from 14-18 and from 14 to 19 on weekends. The prices varies according to the exhibition and a 50% is given to holders of the Carte Jeunes.

Address: Cap Sciences – Hangar 20 – Quai de Bacalan – 33300 Bordeaux

Natural History Museum

After years of renovations the museum of natural history of Bordeaux has finally opened its doors on March 2019. Created in 1971, the museum has one of the biggest collections in France with more than a million specimens. Besides the new design and the incredible collection, one of the new features in the renovated museum is the “Early Years Museum” for kids under 6 years old.
Where: 5 Place Bardineau, 33000 Bordeaux

Skating in darwin

Darwin eco-system is where the cool kids go :). An ancient military base, located in the Bastide neighborhood on the right side of the river, that has been turned into a place full of innovation and surprises for both parents and kids. And although it seems like a perfect spot for a sunny weather it has a lot to offer indoors as well, notably the skating park. As part of its environmental friendly agenda, the skate house is made of recycled materials and has a special cultural landscape of street art and electronic music. Your kids will love it!

In order to skate in the hangar you would have to pay a member fee of €5 and then €3 for the whole day every time you come. Open everyday except Monday.

Address: 87 Quai des Queyries, 33100 Bordeaux

Ice skating in La Patinoire de Mériadeck

For even colder days, you can get into the winter spirit with ice skating. La Patinoire de Mériadeck is a sports complex in Bordeaux center that hosts hockey games as well as many different concerts. However, several days a week the place is open to the public and you can come with your family and enjoy ice skating in this huge arena. The Patinoire is open on Wednesday afternoon, Thursday, and Friday evening and from the morning on Saturday and Sunday (with a lunch break). The prices range between € 5.70 to € 8,30 (depending on your age and if you need skates or not) and free for kids under 5.

As the Patinoire hosts many different events during the year, its opening hours might change from time to time, so before heading there with your kids, check out the schedule.

Address: 95 cours du Maréchal Juin 33000 Bordeaux

Royal Kids in Pessac

There are some days when you just have to get your little ones out of the house to release all their energy, so if it’s raining non-stop and you can’t take them to the park, take them to Royal Kids in Pessac. Royal Kids is an indoor soft play with different structures adopted for kids from 0 to 12 years old. The place is open on Tue, Wed, Fri , Sat and Sun and every day during school break. The prices varies according to the age and number of kids in the family (between €4.5 and €9) and the entrance is free for kids under 1 years old and over 13 years old.

Address: 6 Rue Henri de Châtelier, 33600 Pessac

Karting and Bowling

If your kids are a bit older (over 11 years old) and you need an activity with more action, karting is always a good idea. There are two karting facilities in Bordeaux, one in Bordeaux-Lac (indoor) and the other one in Merignac (outdoor), both belong to Kart System.

However, Kart system is not only a karting place, you can easily make a family fun day out of it. In Bordeaux- lac, additionally to the huge karting indoor space there is a bowling alley with 20 lanes as well as 13 billiard tables with a bar. Kart-System in Bordeaux-Lac is open 7 days a week from 14:00.

Address: KART System INDOOR – Rue du grand Barail – 33300 Bordeaux Lac

Jump in the Trampoline park

Another great place for the whole family is the Let’s Jump Trampoline Park which is also located next to Bordeaux Lac. The Trampoline park has a 500m² of trampolines where besides jumping you can play dodgeball, trampoline basketball or (trying to) walk on a tightrope. Kids over 3 years old are welcomed to the park and the prices are €8 for 5-6 years old and €12 for the rest (there’s also a discount with a student cart) for one hour, it’s recommended to reserve a spot in advance.

Address: 49 Rue Pierre Baour, 33300 Bordeaux

Enjoy lunch while your kids playing in Kidooland

kidooland bordeaux — kidooland by lost in Bordeaux

In this soft play wonderland you can enjoy a lunch while someone is watching your little kids enjoying 1000m² of soft playground. The Kidooland facility includes many inflatable installation for kids whose height is under 140cm, with the goal to make it a safe space for little kids. Apart from the soft-play space the place organizes artistic workshops: comics, painting, photography, theater and more.
Kiddoland is closed on on Mon and Thur and the price is €9 for half a day and free for the parents.

Address: 280 Boulevard Alfred Daney – 33300 Bordeaux

Climb on Blocks in Block’Out

If your family needs more action try climbing on blocs! Block’Out Bordeaux is the first climbing center dedicated to bloc climbing to open in Bordeaux, with a huge selection of structures and more than 1,100 m² of climbing surface.
The place is equipped with 45 blocs and 7 different levels so that both beginners and professionals can enjoy this activity.
Block’Out runs climbing courses for both adults and kids (7 years old and up) and it’s open every day of the week.

Address: 3 Rue Georges Barres, 33300 Bordeaux

Magic Makers

When the weather is bad many kids are stuck in front of the screen. This could be a good opportunity to discover if they like to create their own video games or to learn coding in general.
To help them discover the digital world take them to an atelier at Magic Makers in Chartrons. Every Saturday at 13:30 Magic Makers invites children and teenagers between the ages of 6 and 15 to learn programming like adults and to enjoy themselves with other potential coding geeks 🙂
The price is €15 for every atelier.

Address: 60 Cours de la Martinique 33000 BORDEAUX

Bibliothèque Mériadeck

This activity for rainy days is fun, educative and totally free! If your kids are interested in books, the Bibliothèque in Mériadeck has a library for kids between 0 and 13 years old. The place includes novels, comics, manga, music, movies and even a coloring space for younger kids. Apart from books the Meriadeck library also hosts different events such as little shows for kids, story time and video games in groups.

Address: 85 cours du Maréchal Juin 33000 Bordeaux

La Parentèle for babies and toddlers

Last but not least, if your kids are too young for most of these activities, don’t be discouraged! La parentele hosts families with little kids every day except Sunday and it’s free. The Parentele is an indoor space for babies and toddlers where you will find a play area for different ages, a lot of toys, books, colors and a large space with coffee for parents to have a chat (while watching their kids of course). As the Parentele is open for all, it is limited for one hour and a half, but I guess for a toddler it is more than enough.

Address: 2 rue Courpon – 33000 Bordeaux

So next time you see clouds approaching, don’t panic! Bordeaux offers great indoor activities to keep you and your kids occupied.

If you know of any other places to escape the rain with the kids, please let us know in the comments below.

Thank you for reading 🙂

In Weekend plans

This weekend in Bordeaux (December 29-30)

Last updated on January 3, 2019 No Comments

This weekend I’ve decided to post a shorter version of my regular weekend list. I guess many of you left Bordeaux to visit your families or to travel during winter break. While I myself am currently on vacation, I didn’t want to leave those staying in Bordeaux without any weekend plans. So I gathered all the Christmas markets you can still visit in Bordeaux area (and some a bit further) and a few other interesting events. This is the (short) list of things to do this weekend in and around Bordeaux.

Marché de Noël de Bordeaux

The traditional Christmas market of Bordeaux will stay open until 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 plan 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

Drôle de Noël

The city of Talence invites you to their big Christmas celebration taking place on December 14-30 in Park Peixotto. This weekend (December 29-30) plenty of activities for kids will take place in a covered pavilion that was created especially for Christmas. For more info click here.

When: December 29-30
Where: Peixoto, 33400 Talence

Christmas celebrations in Mérignac!

The city of Mérignac is hosting a Christmas market and a variety of Christmas related activities on December 21-30. In the program: meeting Santa, a gospel concert, tastings of buches de Noël (a traditional Christmas dessert), fireworks and a Christmas market of course. The events will take place at the center of Mérignac. See more details here.

When: December 21-30
Where: Avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, 33700 Mérignac

Arcachon Christmas market

The Christmas market of Arcachon officially started two weeks ago and will continue until January 6. Besides the traditional market stuff, this one includes an open ice skating rink on place Thiers. For more info click here.

When: December 15- January 6
Where: center of Arcachon

Marché de Noël à Sarlat

If you’re in the mood to travel a bit this weekend, why not go to one of the most impressive Christmas markets in the South of France, the Sarlat Christmas market. Sarlat is a magical place that is worth a visit any time of the year, but this market makes it even more worthwhile. 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,

A traditional marionette theater

Guignol Guérin is the oldest family-run marionettes theater in France. While their well-known show runs in the summer, the theater’s winter edition is only two years old and plays at the center of Bordeaux. Their traditional spectacle takes place in Théâtre l’Inox between December 15 and January 5. This year, this Bordelaise institution celebrates its 165 anniversary with an exhibition of some of the marionettes that have been a part of this family since 1853. For more details click here.

When: December 15 to January 5
Where: 13 Rue Fernand Philippart, 33000 Bordeaux

GamingFX Exhibition

Throughout the winter vacation (December 22- January 6) Musée Replay together with Cap Sciences will host an exhibition that follows the evolution of digital technologies and the use of special effects in video games. Entry is 4€, for more details click here.

When: December 22 to January 5 (14:00 – 19:00)
Where: Hangar 20, Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux

I want to use this opportunity to wish you all a happy new year! I hope you’re starting the new year with plenty of energy to discover new places, because plenty of great articles are on their way 🙂 For those of you who still haven’t subscribed to my email list, what are you waiting for? Subscribe here and discover all the secrets of Bordeaux. Have a great weekend!

In Weekend plans

Weekend Plans in Bordeaux (December 14-16)

Last updated on December 20, 2018 No Comments

Just like in the last two weeks, most events on this list are related to Christmas. As we get closer to December 25, more and more Christmas markets are popping up in and around Bordeaux. I covered some of them in my article about Christmas markets in Bordeaux. If you still haven’t finished (or started) you Christmas shopping, take a look on my post about where to shop for Christmas in Bordeaux. However, if you’re fed up with Christmas I have few other suggestions such as the Bordeaux wine tasting festival, the kids theater festival, a special effect exhibition and more.

This is the list of things to do this weekend in Bordeaux (December 14-16):

Taste the best French wines

This month you have a chance to taste some of the best French wines in one place at an event called “Bordeaux Tasting”. During two days (December 15-16) more than a hundred wine houses from Bordeaux area and other regions in France like Bourgogne, Rhône, Alsace and Loire will be there to present their best wines. The tasting will take places in six different sites around Place de la Bourse:
– Palais de la Bourse : les grands bordeaux / les cognacs / les grands invités
– Le Gabriel : Pomerol Séduction
– La Bulle : les bordeaux / bordeaux supérieur
– Le Musée national des Douanes : les grands étrangers
– l’Espace Saint-Rémi : les champagnes
– la Maison Darnozan : l’espace des vins bio

Tickets are 23-27€ depending on the day. For more details click here.

When: December 15-16
Where: Place de la Bourse, Bordeaux

Drôle de Noël

For the 9th time the city of Talence invites you to their big Christmas celebrations taking place on December 14-30 in Park Peixotto. For two weekends in a row (December 14-16, December 21-23) a Christmas market will take place in the park and on December 24-30 (except December 25) the park will host plenty of activities for kids. For more info click here.

When: December 14-30
Where: Parc Peixoto, 33400 Talence

Les lumières de la ville 2018

Les lumières de la ville is a great chance to discover how Bordeaux’s monuments look at night. It’s an hour and a half biking tour that will start at Place Pey-Berland and will finish at the Garage moderne for Christmas drinks. On the way you will get to see the most important monuments and all the beautifully decorated little streets of Bordeaux. The event will take place this Friday (December 14) at 19:00, it’s free and open to all. For more details click here.

When: December 14, at 19:00
Where: Place Pey-Berland, 33000 Bordeaux

Christmas Concert

A special Christmas concert will take place this Friday (December 14) at the Notre Dame church in Bordeaux. The girls choir of Bordeaux will take the stage accompanied by soprano Romie Estèves and Jérémie Genet on a cello. The event is free. For more details click here.

When: December 14, at 20:30
Where: 1 Rue Mably, 33000 Bordeaux, 33000 Bordeaux

Take your kids to Cirque Pardi!

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

Xmas Market – Darwin

This market is gradually gaining a status as one of the main Christmas markets in Bordeaux. Like Darwin itself, the Xmas market is an alternative event with craftsmen and regional creators. The market will include stands of clothes, jewelry, accessories, art objects, books, sport accessories and bio products. To make it more entertaining many activities will take place during these three days, among theme workshops for kids, tasting of bio products, concerts and other surprises. The market will take place on December 14-16, for more info click here.

When: December 14-16
Where: 87 quai des Queyries, 33100 Bordeaux

Marché & Cuisine De Rue

This is the other market Darwin will host this weekend (December 15-16) to accompany the Christmas market. The “market and street cooking” event will hosts local producers of organic food that will allow you to taste and learn about eco-responsible cooking. The event will take place at the Caserne de Noël just in front of the Christmas market. For more info click here.

When: December 15-16
Where: 87 quai des Queyries, 33100 Bordeaux

Le Marché de Noël des Halles

Les Halles de Bacalan are holding their Christmas market this week (December 14-16). Tens of creators will participate in the market, selling products like soaps, jewelry, accessories, kids clothes and more. The rich program of the event includes activities like kids room with creative workshops, pizza making, pony tours, Raclette de Noël and more. For more details click here.

When: December 14-16
Where: 10 esplanade de pontac, 33300 Bordeaux

Festival « Sur Un Petit Nuage » de Pessac

The city of Pessac invites you to a fantastic kids festival with plenty of live shows. This is the 17th edition of the festival and this time the program includes circus, dance, music concerts, theater and a puppet show as well as artistic workshops for kids. The festival Sur un Petit Nuage, will take place on December 16-22 in different locations in Pessac. See the full program here.

When: December 16-22
Where: different places in Pessac (check out the program)

Christmas Swing Party

Arbre de Noël is a Christmas swing party with a live band that will take place this Sunday (December 16) at La Salle Des Fêtes Bordeaux Grand-Parc. To get into the Christmas spirit, there is a dress code (white and red colors) and even a secret Santa game. if you want to take part in the Santa game be sure to bring a little gift (maximum 5€). Entry is 10€, for more info click here.

When: December 16 at 15:30
Where: 39 Cours de Luze, 33300 Bordeaux

Noël 2018 à Bergerac

If you want to travel a bit this weekend, visit the Bergerac Christmas market. Bergerac is one of the best markets in the south-west region with tens of stands, beautiful decorations and activities. The market takes place at place Louis de la Bardonnie on December 8-24. For more details check out the website of the market.

When: December 8-24
Where: place Louis de la Bardonnie, 24100 Bergerac

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

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

Arcachon Christmas market

The official Christmas market of Arcachon will start this weekend (December 15) and will continue until January 6. Besides the traditional market this one includes an open ice skating rink on place Thiers. For more info click here.

When: December 15- January 6
Where: center of Arcachon

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 weekend a group of local talented craftsmen and artists will present their original creations. See more details here.

When: Until December 23
Where: 23 Rue Minvielle, 33000 Bordeaux

Interactive special effects exhibition

Do you ever wonder how the special effects you see in movies are made? A new exhibition for kids (older than 6 yo) by the name of “Effets speciaux” is taking place these days in Cap Science. It’s an interactive exhibition that allows you to see the behind the scenes of the cinema world and experiment with different special effects like the green screen. Entry prices range from 6.5€ to 9€ and free for kids under 5 years old. For more info click here.

When: until August 26
Where: Hangar 20 quai Bacalan, 33000 BORDEAUX

I hope this weekend will be more cheerful than the last one! And if you’re afraid to go to the city center I hope I gave you enough ideas for events outside the center of Bordeaux.

If you want more tips on things to do and places to visit, be sure to subscribe here to my newsletter.

Have a great weekend!

Just like in the last two weeks, most events on this list are related to Christmas. As we get closer to December 25, more and more Christmas markets are popping out in and around Bordeaux. I covered some of them in my article about Christmas market in Bordeaux. If you are still haven’t finished (or started) you Christmas shopping, take a look on my post about where to shop for Christmas in Bordeaux. However if you’re fed up with Christmas I have few other suggestions such as Bordeaux wine tasting festival, kids theater festival, a special effect exhibition and more.

This is the list of things to do this weekend in Bordeaux (December 14-16):

Taste the best French wines

This month you have the chance to taste all the best French wines in one place at an event called “Bordeaux Tasting”. During two days (December 15-16) more than a hundred wine houses from Bordeaux area and other regions in France like Bourgogne, Rhône, Alsace and Loire will be there to present their best wines. The tasting will take places in six different sites around Place de la Bourse:
– Palais de la Bourse : les grands bordeaux / les cognacs / les grands invités
– Le Gabriel : Pomerol Séduction
– La Bulle : les bordeaux / bordeaux supérieur
– Le Musée national des Douanes : les grands étrangers
– l’Espace Saint-Rémi : les champagnes
– la Maison Darnozan : l’espace des vins bio

Tickets are 23-27€ depending on the day. For more details click here.

When: December 15-16
Where: Place de la Bourse, Bordeaux

Drôle de Noël

For the 9th time the city of Talence invites you to their big Christmas celebration taking place on December 14-30 in Park Peixotto. For two weekends in a row (December 14-16, December 21-23) a Christmas market will take place in the park and on December 24-30 (except December 25) the park will host plenty of activities for kids. For more info click here.

When: December 14-30
Where: Peixoto, 33400 Talence

Les lumières de la ville 2018

Les lumières de la ville is a great chance to discover how Bordeaux’s monuments look at night. It’s an hour and a half biking tour that will start at Place Pey-Berland and will finish at the Garage moderne for Christmas drinks. On the way you will get to see the most important monuments and all the beautifully decorated little streets of Bordeaux. The event will take place this Friday (December 14) at 19:00, it’s free and open to all. For more details click here.

When: December 14, at 19:00
Where: Place Pey-Berland, 33000 Bordeaux

Christmas Concert

A special Christmas concert will take place this Friday (December 14) at the Notre Dame church in Bordeaux. The girls choir of Bordeaux will take the stage accompanied by soprano Romie Estèves and Jérémie Genet on a cello. The event is free. For more details click here.

When: December 14, at 20:30
Where: 1 Rue Mably, 33000 Bordeaux, 33000 Bordeaux

Take your kids to Cirque Pardi!

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

Xmas Market – Darwin

This market is gradually gaining a status as one of the main Christmas markets in Bordeaux. Like Darwin itself, the Xmas market is an alternative event with craftsmen and regional creators. The market will include stands of clothes, jewelry, accessories, art objects, books, sport accessories and bio products. To make it more entertaining many activities will take place during these three days, among theme workshops for kids, tasting of bio products, concerts and other surprises. The market will take place on December 14-16, for more info click here.

When: December 14-16
Where: 87 quai des Queyries, 33100 Bordeaux

Marché & Cuisine De Rue

This is the other market Darwin will host this weekend (December 15-16) to accompany the Christmas market. The “market and street cooking” event will hosts local producers of organic food that will allow you to taste and learn about eco-responsible cooking. The event will take place at the Caserne de Noël just in front of the Christmas market. For more info click here.

When: December 15-16
Where: 87 quai des Queyries, 33100 Bordeaux

Le Marché de Noël des Halles

Les Halles de Bacalan are holding their Christmas market this week (December 14-16). Tens of creators will participate in the market, selling products like soaps, jewelry, accessories, kids clothes and more. The rich program of the event includes activities like kids room with creative workshops, pizza making, pony tours, Raclette de Noël and more. For more details click here.

When: December 14-16
Where: 10 esplanade de pontac, 33300 Bordeaux

Festival « Sur Un Petit Nuage » de Pessac

The city of Pessac invites you to a fantastic kids festival with plenty of live shows. This is the 17th edition of the festival and this time the program includes circus, dance, music concerts, theater and a puppet show as well as artistic workshops for kids. The festival Sur un Petit Nuage, will take place on December 16-22 in different locations in Pessac. See the full program here.

When: December 16-22
Where: different places in Pessac (check out the program)

Christmas Swing Party

Arbre de Noël is a Christmas swing party with a live band that will take place this Sunday (December 16) at La Salle Des Fêtes Bordeaux Grand-Parc. To make get into the Christmas spirit, there is a dress code (white and red colors) and even a secret Santa game. if you want to take part in the Santa game be sure to bring a little gift (maximum 5€). Entry is 10€, for more info click here.

When: December 16 at 15:30
Where: 39 Cours de Luze, 33300 Bordeaux

Noël 2018 à Bergerac

If you want to travel a bit this weekend, visit the Bergerac Christmas market. Bergerac is one of the best markets in the south-west region with tens of stands, beautiful decorations and activities. The market takes place at place Louis de la Bardonnie on December 8-24. For more details check out the website of the market.

When: December 8-24
Where: place Louis de la Bardonnie, 24100 Bergerac

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

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

Arcachon Christmas markets

The official Christmas market of Arcachon will start this weekend (December 15) and will continue until January 6. Besides the traditional market this one includes an open ice skating rink on place Thiers. For more info click here.

When: December 15- January 6
Where: center of Arcachon

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 weekend a group of local talented craftsmen and artists will present their original creations. See more details here.

When: Until December 23
Where: 23 Rue Minvielle, 33000 Bordeaux

Interactive special effects exhibition

Do you ever wonder how the special effects you see in movies are made? A new exhibition for kids (older than 6 yo) by the name of “Effets speciaux” is taking place these days in Cap Science. It’s an interactive exhibition that allows you to see the behind the scenes of the cinema world and experiment with different especial effects like the green screen. Entry range from 6.5€ to 9€ and free for kids under 5 years old. For more info click here.

When: until August 26
Where: Hangar 20 quai Bacalan, 33000 BORDEAUX

I hope this weekend will be more cheerful than the last one! And if you’re afraid to go to city center I hope I gave you enough ideas for events outside the center of Bordeaux.

If you want more tips on things to do and places to visit, be sure to subscribe here to my newsletter.

Have a great weekend!

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

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.

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 Bordeaux Monthly

10 things to do in Bordeaux in December 2018

Last updated on December 28, 2018 2 Comments

This month is all about Christmas, there’s no way to escape it! Markets, photo shoots with Santa Claus and plenty of creative people trying to sell us original Christmas gifts. I admit that in this list of 10 things you don’t want to miss in December in Bordeaux area, Christmas is included several times. But I did try hard to offer other fun activities and places to visit this month, so that you won’t feel like you’re in a Christmas horror movie 🙂 Now go and check my list of 10 things to do in Bordeaux in December 2018. Hope you’ll find it useful!

Celebrate Christmas

The Christmas season is officially on in Bordeaux and you have plenty of great markets to attend this month! The official Marché de Noël de Bordeaux with all the traditional stands and a lot of vin chaud (hot wine) opened its gates a few days ago. If its your first Christmas in France, the traditional Christmas market is a must! However if you feel that you’ve seen it too many times try one of the smaller markets where all the local artists and craftsmen present their stuff. I have made a whole list of Christmas markets in Bordeaux so check it out.

Visit the new covered market in Talence

Finally we have a new place to get drunk on rainy days!! Biltoki, the company that brought us the Halle de Bacalan are opening another market in Bordeaux metropolitan, this time in Talence. In the last few months they have been presenting the merchants that are going to occupy the stands of the market and all of them look very promising. The market will open with a 3 days inauguration party on December 7th. For more info click here.

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

Take your kids to Cirque Pardi!

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

Taste the best French wines

This month you have the chance to taste all the best French wines in one place at an event called “Bordeaux Tasting”. During two days (December 15-16) more than a hundred wine houses from Bordeaux area and other regions in France like Bourgogne, Rhône, Alsace and Loire will be there to present their best wines. The tasting will take places in six different sites around Place de la Bourse:
– Palais de la Bourse : les grands bordeaux / les cognacs / les grands invités
– Le Gabriel : Pomerol Séduction
– La Bulle : les bordeaux / bordeaux supérieur
– Le Musée national des Douanes : les grands étrangers
– l’Espace Saint-Rémi : les champagnes
– la Maison Darnozan : l’espace des vins bio

Tickets are 23-27€ depending on the day. For more details click here.

When: December 15-16
Where: Place de la Bourse, Bordeaux

Interactive special effects exhibition

Do you ever wonder how the special effects you see in movies are made? A new exhibition for kids (older than 6 yo) by the name of “Effets speciaux” is taking place these days in Cap Science. It’s an interactive exhibition that allows you to see the behind the scenes of the cinema world and experiment with different especial effects like the green screen. Entry range from 6.5€ to 9€ and free for kids under 5 years old. For more info click here.

When: until August 26
Where: Hangar 20 quai Bacalan, 33000 BORDEAUX

Go ice skating

an open air ice skating rink during Christmas time is quite a tradition in many French cities. Until a couple of years ago Bordeaux also used to have one on place Pey Berland. However, after the city decided that setting up the rink only for a few weeks is too expensive and not environmentally friendly, this tradition was canceled. But that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy ice skating during Christmas time! La Patinoire de Mériadeck will open its covered ice skating rink in a Christmas spirit with Santa Claus, games, dance and more.

When: until January 1st
Where: 95 cours du Maréchal Juin 33000 Bordeaux

Search for beautiful antiques at the Brocante

The big brocante of Bordeaux is hosted twice a year at place des Quinconces with 200 antique dealers, horticulturists, restaurants and craftsmen. It’s the biggest brocante event in the area and the selection is huge, from vintage home decor, to paintings, antique furniture, garden accessories and more. While some items can be pricey, you can still find plenty of affordable pieces at this antiques market. The merchants are very nice and are open to negotiations. The brocante is taking place until December 9. For more info and the list of exhibitors click here.

When: until December 9
Where: Place des Quinconces

Go to a classical music concert

If you need a more classic vibe on Christmas, attend the special Christmas concert by the National Orchestra of Bordeaux at the Auditorium of Bordeaux. Concert de Noël de Radio Classique, conducted by Paul Daniel will take place during three nights prior to Christmas, on December 20, 21 and 23. For the tickets click here.

When: December 20,21,23
Where: Auditorium de Bordeaux, 9 cours Georges Clemenceau, 33000 BORDEAUX

Discover Christmas markets in Gironde

Christmas is a great opportunity to visit other beautiful towns in Gironde in a more festive atmosphere. Most towns have their own Christmas markets and events, but I’ll just give you the noticeable ones:

Arcachon – The official Christmas market and accompanied activities will take place from December 15 to January 6, with an open ice skating rink on place Thiers. For more info click here.

Saint Emilion – A Christmas market will take place on December 8 at the l’UDP de Saint-Emilion (8 Haut Gravet, 33330 Saint-Émilion). For more info click here.

Cadillac – a Christmas market with creative workshops and activities for kids will take place December 15-16 on place de la République. For more info click here.

Celebrate new years eve on a boat

If you’re staying in Bordeaux on December 31 and looking for a place to celebrate new years eve, here’s an idea for you.. The Iboat in the Bassins à flot neighborhood is one of the coolest venues for concerts and parties in Bordeaux, and its new years celebrations have become a tradition. This year the theme of the electronic party is heaven and the dress code should be inspired by nature (you can take that wherever you want 🙂 ). Tickets are 29€ at the entrance, 25€ on pre sale or 18€ if you come before midnight. For more details click here.

When: December 31
Where: quai Armand Lalande, 33300 Bordeaux

These are my suggestions for things to do in Bordeaux in December 2018. Hope it’ll help you discover this city and to never be bored, even if you don’t love Christmas 🙂 If you like this post it would make me very happy if you share it with your friends on social media 🙂

If you want more of these ideas and updates about new places in Bordeaux, join my newsletter where I share extra info about exhibitions in Bordeaux, great coffee places, new markets and anything else you need to know to enjoy Bordeaux. You can subscribe here.

Enjoy December in Bordeaux 🙂

Ira

In Weekend plans

This weekend in Bordeaux (October 26-28)

Last updated on October 29, 2018 No Comments

Get your cameras ready as this weekend the quais of Bordeaux are going to be fun and creepy with the zombie walk of Bordeaux. This is definitely not the only event to mark the Halloween season: Halloween in a beautiful chateau, a mask workshop in Darwin and a zombie after party are only part of the events celebrating this great holiday. If you want to know what’s happening in Bordeaux on October 31, check out my post – “Where to celebrate Halloween in Bordeaux“. Apart from that we have a wine feast and a brocante in Chartrons, a night market in Bacalan, a flamenco show, a concert in the Saint Michel Basilica and plenty of exhibitions. Also, if you still have no idea what to do with your kids next week, check out my post on 10 great things to do with kids on school break.

This is the list of things to do this weekend in Bordeaux (October 26-28):

Zombie walk de Bordeaux

The Zombie Walk of Bordeaux is probably one of the best ways to get into the Halloween spirit. The walk will take place on October 27 and will have the theme of “White walkers” , which is a nice surprise for Game of Thrones fans (however all zombie costumes are welcome). The event will start at 12:00 at l’Espace du Marché des Quais (The walk will leave from the skate park on the quai). The event is free but requires registration on the facebook page of the event or by emailing zombiewalk.bordeaux@gmail.com.

When: October 27, at 12:00
Where: Espace du Marché des Quais, Bordeaux

Zombie party

The walking zombies will need a party to celebrate this creepy get together! The Open Air electronic Zombie party will take place the same day (October 27) starting 18:00 in the Bacalan district. The entrance to the party is free to disguised zombies and 2 euros for the rest. For more info click here.

When: October 27, at 18:00
Where: 30 rue Francis Garnier, 33300 Bordeaux

Fête du Vin nouveau & de la brocante

This weekend (October 27-28) the Chartrons neighborhood invites you to celebrate the Autumn with a festival of new wine and a brocante. During these two days, the main street, rue Notre-Dame , will be transformed into a brocante with wine stands and roasted chestnuts. Come and spend a festive weekend on one of the most interesting streets in Bordeaux.

When: October 27-29
Where: Rue notre dame, 33000 Bordeaux

Foire aux Plaisirs

This is the fall edition of the traditional Bordelaise Fair that is taking place at Place des Quinconces from October 12 to November 4. It’s a perfect activity for kids and for those who are young in spirit as La Foire aux Plaisirs de Bordeaux has it all: a big wheel, roller coasters, ghost trains, bumper cars, donuts, crèpes, barbes à papa and more. The fair is open daily from 14:00, you are not required to pay any entry fee, only for some of the attractions. See more info about the fair here.

When: October 12 – November 4
Where:Place des Quinconces , 33000 Bordeaux

Noche Del Pintxo

Noche del Pintxo is a fun event taking place in Halles de Bacalan every last Friday of the month. As the name indicates, this event is all about Pintxos, with ingredients coming solely from the market. This Friday (October 26) between 18:30 and 22:30 you’ll taste Pintxos and vote on the Pintxo of the month. One of the most fun things about these evenings are the prices: Pintxo = 2€, glass of wine = 2€. For more info check out the website of the market or the facebook page of the event.

When: October 26, starting 18:30- 22:30
Where: 10 Esplanade de Pontac, 33300 Bordeaux,

Start celebrating Halloween

We are warming up towards Halloween with some events and activities taking place this weekend, just a few days before the official celebrations next week. Check out my post about ” Where to celebrate Halloween in Bordeaux” to see what else is on next week.

Château de Vayres

Chateau de Vayres invites you to their 8th edition of their Halloween weekend on October 27-28 with all the Halloween classics: witches, phantoms and werewolves. The two days event will be accompanied by exceptional Halloween decorations and plenty of activities and will finish with a fireworks show. The event is free for kids under 4 yo, 10 € for kids between 5 and 12 years old and 12,50 € for those older than 12. For more details click here.

When: October 27 from 14:00 to 20:00 and October 28 from 13:00 to 19:30.
Where: 63 Avenue de Libourne, 33870 Vayres

Halloween in Arcachon

The city of Arcachon invites you this Saturday to celebrate Halloween with a great variety of activities. Les Maisons de Quartier will host a special make up activity, the market hosts a free decoration workshop, in the city center kids can play trick or treat and the Mauresque park will host everybody for fun games and activities. For more details click here.

When: October 27
Where: The center of Arcachon

Make your own mask in Darwin

If your kids still don’t have their Halloween costumes they can learn how to make their own in Darwin. A very fun and creative workshop will take place in Darwin on October 28, where your kids could learn how to make their own masks using a serigraph printing technique. The activity is adapted to kids over 5 years old. The price of the workshop is 15€. For more info click here.

When: October 28 from 11:00
Where: 87 quai des Queyries, 33100 Bordeaux

Halloween in Ferme Exotique

la Ferme Exotique in Cadaujac invites you to celebrate Halloween with the animals of the farm during the two weeks of school break from October 20 to November 4. In the program: games, a pumpkin competition, Halloween make up and a phantom train. For more info click here.

When: October 20- November 31
Where: Domaine de la Roussie, 1932 Chemin du Port de l’Esquillot, 33140 Cadaujac

Discover the Area

Visit the Bourgailh park in Pessac

Before it gets too cold and rainy it’s time to discover the beautiful spots of nature in the Bordeaux area. This weekend I encourage you to discover one of the most beautiful and surprising parks around Bordeaux, the Foret du Bourgailh in Pessac. This is not merely a nice park for a walk it’s a universe of plants, animals and beautiful design. The area of the Foret du Bourgailh includes a 2.6 km walking trail, the largest tropical greenhouse in the region, sports facilities, a skate park, an amphitheater, a zoo and one of the most beautiful playgrounds you have ever seen, which for me is the highlight of this park.

A visit to a Saffron Farm

La safranière du Cabanon in Béguey (close to Cadillac) is a farm producing all the saffron of the Sud Gironde area. This Saturday (October 27) you get to visit the place, accompanied by Chantal et Thierry who run the farm. Besides a guided visit of the Safranière, you can also taste all the products produced at the place. For more details and tickets click here.

When: October 27,
Where: Chemin profond, 33410 BEGUEY

ART & CULTURE

NRITYA – Flamenco show

The Caramelita Flamenco Company is finishing their second creative residency session at the Cuvier in Artigues-pres-Bordeaux and will be presenting part of their new production, “NRITYA”, on Friday, October 26 at 20h30.

NRITYA (“emotion and storytelling created by movement” in Hindi) is a very personal project for flamenco dancer Deborah “La Caramelita”. It is the story of a first generation Canadian exploring her Indian background through flamenco dance. Unlike her first show, “Penas y Alegrías“, anchored in the traditional flamenco style, this new creation is strongly tinged with her cultural heritage. Through her dance and supported by the musicians who accompany her, she offers an initiatory journey and a search for parallels between her Indian roots and flamenco. There will be a Q&A session with the audience after the show. The price is 6€. For more info click here.

When: October 26,at 20:30
Where: Le Cuvier – Avenue de l’Île de France, 33370 Artigues-près-Bordeaux

New exhibition at the Base Sous Marine- Medio Acqua

It is no secret that the Base sous marine is one of my favorite places in Bordeaux so the fact that they’re about to open a new exhibition is making me very happy. The Medio Acqua exhibition includes installations by major French and intentional artists as well as a selection of video works by young emerging artists, recently graduated from the prestigious Fresnoy School. The main theme of the exhibition is inspired by the world of water, while the location and the structure of the base sous marine plays an important role in it.

When: October 26- January 6
Where: Boulevard Alfred Daney, 33300 Bordeaux

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

The first exhibition of La Musee de la Mer et de la Marine has been finally presented this month. 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

Street art exhibition in the Vibrations Urbaines Festival

Vibrations Urbaines is an annual urban festival organized by the city of Pessac, which includes exhibitions, a hip hop battle, urban sports, skating and more. As part of the festival, a street art exhibition is presented at the Médiathèque Jacques Ellul in Pessac (until November 4). The 15 works of art were selected in a national urban art competition. You can be a part of the competition and vote for the best artist. The exhibition is open from Tuesday to Friday (between 13:30 to 18:30) and Saturday (10:00 to 18:00). For more info click here.

When: October 17- November 4
Where:Avenue du Colonel Robert Jacqui, 33600 Pessac

Clock, Les Horloges du Vivant – exhibition for kids

All living creatures have a certain rhythm to their mechanism that allows them to adapt to their environment. This fascinating expo will allow your kids to discover the rhythm of different animals and to understand their world a little better. Why does the koala sleep 20 hours a day? How fast are the wings of the hummingbird? Does a baby breathe like an adult? These are only some of the questions the exhibition will answer. The exhibition has been presented in Cap Sciences for a while now, but this is your last chance to take your kids to see it as the last day will be November 4. See more info here. The minimum age for this expo is 6 years old.

When: until November 4
Where: Hangar 20, Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux

Eclair Circus celebrates its 30 anniversary

To celebrates its 30th anniversary Le Cirque Eclair invites you to a cool party full of concerts and fun! The party will take place this Saturday (October 27) and the lineup will include CIE MOHEIN (Eastern European music), Le Roi Rogomme (Punk). For more info click here.

When: October 27, starting 19:30
Where:65 Quai de Brazza, 33100 Bordeaux, 33100 Bordeaux

An organ and accordion concert in Basilique Saint Michel

Christophe d’Alessandro (Organ) and Olivier Innocenti (Accordion) will perform at the Basilique Saint Michel this Sunday (October 28) at 17:00. Ticket price is 15€ and free for kids under 12 years old. For more info click here.

When: October 28, at 17:00
Where: Basilique Saint Michel, 33000 Bordeaux

If you are new in Bordeaux and want to discover all the “must” places to visit check out my ultimate guide to a weekend visit in Bordeaux.

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

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Have a great weekend!

In Bordeaux Monthly

Best things to do in Bordeaux in October 2018

Last updated on October 23, 2018 1 Comment

The program of October proves that the Bordelaise summer is officially over. Outdoor music concerts and food truck festivals were replaced with new exhibitions, indoor events scattered across the city and some interesting outdoor activities such as a color run and an agricultural march. And yet again we see how Bordeaux can offer activities come rain or shine 🙂
From an art festival to space month and balloon flights, this is the list of the best things to do in and around Bordeaux in October 2018:

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,

Space month

The city of Mérignac will host a whole month of space discovery with workshops, exhibitions, conferences, parties and more. Here’s a sneak peek at the rich program of October:

PROXIMA exhibition – discover how astronauts prepare before going to space – October 5-26 at the Médiathèque de Mérignac.

A visit at the planetarium – October 8 at MJC Mérignac Centre

L’Espace en fête – an afternoon of space workshops for little astronaut apprentices – October 6 at Côté sciences Air&Espace

This is only a small part of what is planed for you by the Town hall of Merignac and Cap Sciences. For the full program and registration details click here. For more details and updates check out the facebook page of the event.

When: October 1-31
Where: Different locations in Merignac – see 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 days even is to connect city people to agriculture. Seven breeders and their sheeps 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 the 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 plants 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

Color obstacle rush

The color obstacle rush is a feast of music, color and sports. Live DJs, a fun 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 students 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.

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,

FIFIB- Bordeaux international festival of independent movies

Bordeaux Independent Films Festival will take place on October 9-15 at Rue Malby in the center of Bordeaux. The program of the festival includes films screening, concerts and meeting with special guests. Every evening, the festival village will transform into an open cinema theater and a dance floor. The event is free and open for all. See the full program on the site of the festival and more details on the facebook page.

When: October 9-15
Where: Le Village du FIFIB, 3 rue Mably, 30000 BORDEAUX

Foire aux Plaisirs

This is the spring edition of the traditional Bordelais Fair that is taking place at Place des Quinconces from October 12 to November 4. It’s a perfect activity for kids and for those who are young in spirit as La Foire aux Plaisirs de Bordeaux has it all: big wheel, roller coasters, ghost trains, bumper cars, donuts, crèpes, barbes à papa and more. The fair is open daily from 14:00, you are not required to pay any entry fee, only for some of the attractions. See more info about the fair here.

When: October 12 – November 4
Where:Place des Quinconces , 33000 Bordeaux

Speen Festival

The Speen festival is a performance art festival mixing dance music and theater. Throughout the weekend of the festival (October 13-14) many performances will take place on Place de la Comédie and Cours du châpeau rouge, among them: a Brazilian music concert, dance performances, a jazz concert, improvisation theater and more. Check out the full program here and more details on the facebook page of the festival.

When: October 13-14
Where: Place de la Comédie and Cours du châpeau rouge, 33000 Bordeaux

Lire en Poche – books festival

Lire en Poche is a pocket books festival that will take place in Gradignan in October 12-13. Besides a huge books sale, a wide range of activities are offered to the participants, among them: reading sessions, theater shows, music, games, workshops for kids and more. The entrance to the festival is free, however some activities are paid and/or require prior reservation, which will start on October 6 at 8:00 – click here to register. For more info click here.

When: September 12-14
Where: Théâtre des Quatre Saisons et à La Médiathèque Jean Vautrin, 32 route de Léognan – 33170 GRADIGNAN

Salon ABC Kidz

A big event dedicated to future parents and young families will take place on October 13-14 in Hangar 14. Salon ABC kids is the annual gathering of all the important companies and organizations related to babies and little kids from clothing to room decoration, toys and different services like child care companies and health providers. The event allows young parents to meet all the relevant products and services in one place. Many activities will take place at the Salon to make it more entertaining, among them a massage space, workshops for kids, soft play for toddlers and more. For tickets and more info click here.

When: October 13-14
Where: 115 Quai des Chartrons, 33000 Bordeaux

Nuit des Bibliothèques

Have you ever visited some of Bordeaux libraries? If you think of it as only a place storing books, think again, as the libraries in this city are much more than that. Throughout the year they propose plenty of events, courses and activities for kids. Nuit des Bibliothèques will take place on October 13, and is your opportunity to discover the libraries across the city. 25 libraries in 20 different towns in Bordeaux Metropole will participate in this event and will offer such activities as concerts, theater shows, science workshops, games for kids and more. See the full list of all the participating institutions here.

When: October 13 – evening
Where: Bordeaux, Merignac, Talence, Pessac and more – check out the full program

Montgolfiades de Saint-Emilion

Montgolfiades is an annual festival of balloon flights organized by Le Ciel est à Toi association. The flights will take place October 19-21 above Saint Emilion and the vineyards around it, so the sight is promised to be breathtaking. For more info click here.

When: October 19-21
Where: Bordeaux, Merignac, Talence, Pessac and more – check out the full program

Bordeaux Swing Festival

The international festival of Lindy hop (part of the Swing family) will take place on October 19-21 in the Bordeaux region and this year they have invited a special guest, one of biggest stars in the the New York swing scene- Gordon Webster. Two swing parties will take place at the beautiful le Rocher de Palmer in Cenon, with a battle between the Gordon Webster Hot Swing Sextet bands. The program of the festival also includes 7 hours of classes with 11 international teachers. For more details check out the website of the festival.

When: October 19-21
Where: Different locations in Bordeaux – check out the full program

Fête du Vin nouveau & de la brocante

On the last weekend of this month (October 27-28) the Chartrons neighborhood invites you to celebrate the Autumn with a festival of new wine and a brocante. During these two days, the main street, rue Notre-Dame , will be transformed into a brocante with wine stands and roasted chestnuts. Come and spend a festive weekend on one of the most interesting streets in Bordeaux.

When: October 27-29
Where: Rue notre dame, 33000 Bordeaux

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

New exhibition at the Base Sous Marine- Medio Acqua

It is no secret that the Base sous marine is one of my favorite places in Bordeaux so the fact that they’re about to open a new exhibition is making me very happy. The Medio Acqua exhibition will include installations by major French and intentional artists as well as a selection of video works by young emerging artists, recently graduated from the prestigious Fresnoy School. The main theme of the exhibition will be inspired by the world of water, while the location and the structure of the base sous marine plays an important role in it.

When: October 26- January 6
Where: Boulevard Alfred Daney, 33300 Bordeaux

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 your first visit in Bordeaux.

Have a great month 🙂

In Weekend plans

Things to do this weekend in Bordeaux (May 18-21)

Last updated on May 22, 2018 No Comments

This weekend is heaven for geeks, with three days of the Bordeaux Geek Festival taking place at the Parc des Expositions. But there are more great events for those staying in town, such as the ODP music festival in Talence, the European Museums Night and the Portuguese market. If you want to leave the city you have a Picnic at the Vineyards festival.
The program is very long as you can see, so let’s start. Here is the list of things to do this weekend in and around Bordeaux (May 18-21):

Festivals, Salons and Special events

Bordeaux Geek Festival

Comics, science fiction, video games, parallel worlds, creative industries – you’ll find all of these at the next Bordeaux Geek festival (BGF), taking place May 19-21 at Parc des Expositions. The goal of this festival is to experience geek culture and share knowledge on topics that are at the heart of the Geek community 🙂 The BGF will bring together different players from these industries, among them: video artists, gamers, illustrators, designers, scientists, authors, comedians and more. The festival will include four big contests with quite impressive awards: BGF E-Sport, BGF Awards, BGF Makers and BGF Comics. Check out the full program for these three days.

For more details and tickets.

When: May 19-21
Where: Hall 3 and 1 – Parc des Expositions, 33000 Bordeaux

ODP Music Festival in Peixotto

This is the fourth edition of the ODP Festival, whose objective is to raise funds for the orphans of firefighters that have died on duty. The festival will take place on May 18-20 in Park Peixotto, in the center of Talence. Here is a list of some of the acts that will perform at the festival: – NTM, alt-J, Ibeyi, Coeur de Pirate, BALOJI, Dätcha Mandala, Laurent Lamarca, Da silva officiel, Gauvain Sers, Les Négresses Vertes –

The prices go from 35€ to 45€ for a day ticket, 60€ to 70€ for a two days pass and 100 € for a 3 days pass – see tickets.

For more details and tickets go to the website of the festival and the facebook page.

When: May 18- 20
Where: Parc du Château Peixotto, 33400 Talence

European Museums Night

Like every year, thirteen museums and cultural establishments in Bordeaux will open their doors this Saturday (May 19) to the public for free exhibitions and activities. For the 14th edition of the European Museums Night the participating institutions invite the visitors for a cultural journey in 10 destinations: England, Italy, Spain, Greece, Island, Denmark, Portugal, Belgium, Germany and Netherlands, which is a great opportunity to explore the relations of Bordeaux with its neighbors.

This is the list of the participating museums:

BASE SOUS-MARINE

CAP SCIENCES

CAPC

CENTRE D’INTERPRÉTATION BORDEAUX PATRIMOINE MONDIAL – CIAP

JARDIN BOTANIQUE DE LA BASTIDE

LA CITÉ DU VIN

MUSÉE D’AQUITAINE

MUSÉE D’ETHNOGRAPHIE DE BORDEAUX

MUSÉE DE LA CRÉATION FRANCHE

MUSÉE DES ARTS DÉCORATIFS ET DU DESIGN

MUSÉE DES BEAUX-ARTS

MUSÉE DES COMPAGNONS DU TOUR DE FRANCE

MUSÉE NATIONAL DES DOUANES

All the museums will have a special program organized only for that night. The very cool Base Sous Marine for example, hosts DJ Chloé, a big name in the French techno music world. For the full program and the different hours in every museum check out this site.

This video covers some of the museums you have the chance to visit during that night, so take a look to get the feeling of the event:

When: May 19 – 6pm until midnight
Where: in all the museums listed above

Saint-Emilion by night

The European museums night event gives you a rare opportunity to discover Saint Emilion in a different way – a night tour. On May 19, the night watchman of Saint-Emilion will be waiting for you at Place du Clocher with a lantern in hand for a night discovery of the village. The guide will walk you through the narrow streets, tell you the history of the medieval city and take you to the famous underground monuments. For more info.

When: May 19 at 21:00
Where: Place Clocher, 33300 Saint- Emilion

Take your picnic to the Vineyard

Wine and picnics are two favorite French activities, so why not combine them? Usually, the vines, owned by the different chateaux can only be visited as part of a guided tour in the chateau, however this month you will have an opportunity to bring your own picnic basket and spend a great day with your family and friends in the vineyards. The principle is quite simple: You bring your own picnic and the chateau will provide the wine and entertainment.

Around 400 different wine domains are participating in the event taking place during the long weekend of May 19-21. More than 1000 activities are proposed to families by the participating chateaux, they will reflect the specialty of the chateaux and the area, among them: art workshops, concerts, bike tours and more.

There are 17 participating Chateaux in the Bordeaux area- See the list
To find a chateaux in other areas in France click HERE.
The places are limited so reserving a spot as soon as possible is recommended.

When: May 19-21

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 we are talking about 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€

Salon de l’agriculture of Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Salon de l’agriculture of Nouvelle Aquitaine is an annual ten days event where you get to discover the agricultural richness of our area through different information stands and activities. For example, a farm space with many animals and plants will be put in place and will provide interesting activities for both kids and adults. Another feature that may attract you is the Gastronomy and Wine space which will highlight the exceptional heritage of the region.

The Salon de l’agriculture is part of a larger event taking place at the same time (Foire Internationale de Bordeaux) and will take place on May 12-21 in Parc des Expositions. For more info check out the website, for tickets click here.

When: May 12-19
Where: Parc des Expositions
How much: 8 euros/ 20 euros for a family pass ( at least 4 people).

Portuguese Art and Gastronomy Market

Musicians, artists and craftsmen, are coming to Cenon from the north of Portugal to introduce their culture during this three day festival. The program includes tasting of Portuguese local products, stands of traditional art, concerts and more. The event will take place May 18-20 in Domaine Du Loret and will include an area for kids. Check out the full program or the facebook page of the event.

When: May 18-20
Where: Domaine Du Loret, 33150 Cenon

Le Marché des créateurs

The 29th edition of the creators market (Marché des créateurs) will take place on May 18-19 at Place Camille Jullian (next to Utopia cinema). This market proposes a great variety of items giving everyone a chance to find something fitting their taste and budget: clothes, accessories, jewelry, decorations, kids accessories, toys and more. Just a few days before mother’s day, this will be the perfect place to look for creative, original and handmade gifts. For more details check out the facebook page of the event.

When: May 18-19
Where: Place Camille Jullian, 33000

Les Cogitations

Les Cogitations is a mocking art festival that will take place in the L’entrepot in Lehaillan on May 16-19. Check out the full list of the performers on the site of L’entrepot

When: May 16-19
Where: 13 rue Georges Clémenceau – Le Haillan

CULTURE

Last chance to see the Digital Abysses expo

If you still didn’t go to the incredible Base sous- Marine to see the currently running exhibition, this is your last chance. The Digital Abysses exhibition, by the digital artist Miguel Chevalier, will be presented until May 20, so hurry up. His fantastic work of art explores nature through underwater plants and wildlife. Combining the characteristics of this unique place with the interactive digital installations makes it a special experience.

See more details.

Address: Boulevard Alfred Daney, 33300 Bordeaux

CAPC

Two new exhibitions of the artists Danh Vo and Daphné Le Sergent will be presented this week at the CAPC, Bordeaux’s museums of contemporary art. The vernissage will take place on May 19 at 6pm as a part of the Museums Night event and is open to the public and free. For more details check out the facebook page of the event.

When: May 19 – 6pm
Where: Entrepôt Lainé. 7 rue Ferrère, 33000 Bordeaux, France

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

Exhibition by Rodolphe Martinez

An exhibition of the artist Rodolphe Martinez about Venice takes place at Institut Bernard Magrez on May 10-20. Martinez has created around 40 pieces of art (paintings, designs, photographs and other mixed techniques) that is intended to describe his relationship with the city of Venice. See more info in the site of the museum.

When: May 10-20
Where: 16 Rue de Tivoli, 33000 Bordeaux

Florilège – Jardin Boutanique

La bibliothèque du Jardin Botanique invites you to discover their special collection of ancient plants from several European countries and the herbarium from its collections. The exhibition will run from May 15 to September 2. For more info.

When: May 15-September 2
Where: esplanade Linné, 33100 Bordeaux

TIC TAC – Play with time

Cap- Sciences invites you and your family to play and experiment with time. This special day (May 19) is proposed as part of the Clock’, les horloges du vivant exhibition, with many activities such as: Hourglass, stop-motion, and cooking workshops, artistic creations, games and more. The activities are open to kids older than 6 years old.

For more info and tickets check out the site of the museum.

When: May 19 2pm – 7pm
Where: Hangar 20 – Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux

Just Fun

Les Chantiers de la Garonne

Les Chantiers de la Garonne, a perfect spot on the rive droite of the Garonne, where you can bury your feet in the sand and eat delicious food, is open for the summer. It seems like it’s going to be a sunny weekend and so a beach atmosphere, with a cold beer and an amazing view on Bordeaux seems like time well spent.

When: Wednesday to Friday (12-15 and 18:30- 23:30), Saturday (12-23:30), Sunday (12-19)
Where: Hangar 20 – Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux

The royal Wedding

The Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is going to take place in England this Saturday (May 19). If you don’t want to miss out on one of the biggest events in the world this weekend, go and celebrate with the Brits at the House of Parliament. For more info check out the facebook page of the bar.

When: May 19-20
Where: 11, Rue du Parlement St Catherine, 33000 Bordeaux, France

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!

In Bordeaux with Kids

Six things to do with kids in Bordeaux over spring break

Last updated on April 23, 2018 1 Comment

Entertaining kids during a two weeks vacation can be a very demanding task. Although Spring vacation in the Bordeaux area started just a few days ago, some parents already feel exhausted by the daily search for interesting things to do with their kids. So if you feel you have covered all the activities in the city and you don’t know what else to do with your kids in the next two weeks, here are six ideas for things to do in Bordeaux on vacances de Pâques 2018.

Planétarium in Cap Sciences

For the next two weeks (April 7-22) Cap Sciences invites your kids to discover and learn about the biggest mysteries of the universe. The planetarium will make a real time simulation of the night’s sky and will populate it with more than 3000 stars, planets and galaxies. The visit to the planetarium is limited to kids older than 8. For ages 3 to 5, they will offer storytelling sessions . It is recommended to reserve tickets online as the sessions for the planetarium are limited to groups of only 19 people.

For more info and tickets.

stars — Photo by Kyle Gregory Devaras on Unsplash

When: April 7-22 (14h15, 15h, 15h45)
Where: Hangar 20, Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux

Guided visit at the Musée des Arts décoratifs et du Design

The museum of decorative art and design hosts an exhibition of book cover designs. This week (April 11-13), the museum proposes a guided visit of the L’image-livre exposition for kids of 6-11 years old. The tour will be followed by a graphic workshop where kids will design a book cover, using the techniques they had just discovered on the tour. Three workshops will take place at the museum: Wednesday – April 11 – 14h30; Thursday – April 12 – 14h30; Friday – April 13 – 14h30.

For more info.

kids workshop — photo by: musée des Arts décoratifs et du Design de Bordeaux

Address: 39 rue Bouffard, 33000 Bordeaux

Learn Block Climbing

Block’Out Bordeaux, the block climbing center, organized climbing courses during the school vacation. The climbing discovery courses will take place April 9-13, between 10:30 and 12:00. The price of a daily course is 15€.

For more information see the site of blockout.

Address: 3 Rue Georges Barres, 33300 Bordeaux

Spectacle for kids

Take your kids to a day show at one of the spectacles of Théâtre La Boîte à Jouer. The program includes different genres such as: comedy, drama, dance and even a puppet show. The shows of the theater are hosted in different places in Bordeaux, among them: Halle des Chartrons, le marché de lerme and vivres de l’art.

See the full program for the school vacation.

Gardening at the Maison du jardinier

La Maison du jardinier in Parc Rivière proposes free workshops of gardening for kids during the vacation. The next workshop, “l’atelier du petit jardinier écolo” will take place on April 18 ( 16:00) and will be open to kids of 6 to 14 years old. It is advised to call them to reserve a spot (05 56 43 28 90).

huge cucumber — a cucumber that went out of control

Address: Maison du jardinier et de la nature en ville, Parc Rivière, rue Mandron, Bordeaux

Discover nature within the city

Let your kids discover one of the two French reserves in a peri-urban area, le Réserve Nationale de Bruges, which is located less than a 30 minutes drive from the center of Bordeaux. With more than 3500 species of plants and animals, the national reserve of Bruges offers a large space for playing and observing the natural life of the region. The reserve is spread over a large green area of 265 hectares. You and your family can go on a 2.5 km round trip, with observation posts on the lake. le Réserve Nationale de Bruges is free and open Saturday to Wednesday from 10 am to 6 pm.

See more details.

la réserve naturelle nationale de Bruges

Address: Lieu dit “Le Baron”, Avenue des 4 ponts , 33520 Bruges Tel: 05 56 57 09 89

Do you have other ideas for things to do with kids during the vacation? Please share them in the comments below so that other parents could enjoy as well 🙂

cap sciences

Stroll rue des Notre dame – the main street of Chartrons

Discover some of the best pastries in Chartrons

Stop for a good cup of coffee

One of the best spots for shopping in Bordeaux

Look for antiques

Learn about the history of Bordeaux wine at the musée du Vin et du Négoce

Have a picnic in the central park of Bordeaux

Discover one of the foodie streets of Bordeaux – Cours Portal

Have a delicious meal in one of the restaurants in Chartrons

Discover the oldest boulangerie in Bordeaux

Visit the local market

Visit Church Saint Louis

Go to the contemporary art museum

Explore the street art

Discover the kids Science museum of Bordeaux

Wave Surf Café

Sing Karaoke

Shop in the Hangars – Quai des Marques

Check out what’s happening in Hangar 14

Cap sciences

Address: Cap Sciences – Hangar 20 – Quai de Bacalan – 33300 Bordeaux

Natural History Museum

Skating in darwin

Address: 87 Quai des Queyries, 33100 Bordeaux

Ice skating in La Patinoire de Mériadeck

Address: 95 cours du Maréchal Juin 33000 Bordeaux

Royal Kids in Pessac

Address: 6 Rue Henri de Châtelier, 33600 Pessac

Karting and Bowling

Address: KART System INDOOR – Rue du grand Barail – 33300 Bordeaux Lac

Jump in the Trampoline park

Address: 49 Rue Pierre Baour, 33300 Bordeaux

Enjoy lunch while your kids playing in Kidooland

Address: 280 Boulevard Alfred Daney – 33300 Bordeaux

Climb on Blocks in Block’Out

Address: 3 Rue Georges Barres, 33300 Bordeaux

Magic Makers

Address: 60 Cours de la Martinique 33000 BORDEAUX

Bibliothèque Mériadeck

Address: 85 cours du Maréchal Juin 33000 Bordeaux

La Parentèle for babies and toddlers

Address: 2 rue Courpon – 33000 Bordeaux

Marché de Noël de Bordeaux

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

Drôle de Noël

When: December 29-30Where: Peixoto, 33400 Talence

Christmas celebrations in Mérignac!

When: December 21-30Where: Avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, 33700 Mérignac

Arcachon Christmas market

When: December 15- January 6Where: center of Arcachon

Marché de Noël à Sarlat

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

A traditional marionette theater

When: December 15 to January 5Where: 13 Rue Fernand Philippart, 33000 Bordeaux

GamingFX Exhibition

When: December 22 to January 5 (14:00 – 19:00)Where: Hangar 20, Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux

Taste the best French wines

When: December 15-16Where: Place de la Bourse, Bordeaux

Drôle de Noël

When: December 14-30Where: Parc Peixoto, 33400 Talence

Les lumières de la ville 2018

When: December 14, at 19:00Where: Place Pey-Berland, 33000 Bordeaux

Christmas Concert

When: December 14, at 20:30Where: 1 Rue Mably, 33000 Bordeaux, 33000 Bordeaux

Take your kids to Cirque Pardi!

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

Xmas Market – Darwin

When: December 14-16Where: 87 quai des Queyries, 33100 Bordeaux

Marché & Cuisine De Rue

When: December 15-16Where: 87 quai des Queyries, 33100 Bordeaux

Le Marché de Noël des Halles

When: December 14-16Where: 10 esplanade de pontac, 33300 Bordeaux

Festival « Sur Un Petit Nuage » de Pessac

When: December 16-22Where: different places in Pessac (check out the program)

Christmas Swing Party

When: December 16 at 15:30Where: 39 Cours de Luze, 33300 Bordeaux

Noël 2018 à Bergerac

When: December 8-24Where: place Louis de la Bardonnie, 24100 Bergerac

Marché de Noël de Bordeaux

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

When: December 29-30
Where: Peixoto, 33400 Talence

When: December 21-30
Where: Avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, 33700 Mérignac

When: December 15- January 6
Where: center of Arcachon

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

When: December 15 to January 5
Where: 13 Rue Fernand Philippart, 33000 Bordeaux

When: December 22 to January 5 (14:00 – 19:00)
Where: Hangar 20, Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux

When: December 15-16
Where: Place de la Bourse, Bordeaux

When: December 14-30
Where: Parc Peixoto, 33400 Talence

When: December 14, at 19:00
Where: Place Pey-Berland, 33000 Bordeaux

When: December 14, at 20:30
Where: 1 Rue Mably, 33000 Bordeaux, 33000 Bordeaux

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

When: December 14-16
Where: 87 quai des Queyries, 33100 Bordeaux

When: December 15-16
Where: 87 quai des Queyries, 33100 Bordeaux

When: December 14-16
Where: 10 esplanade de pontac, 33300 Bordeaux

When: December 16-22
Where: different places in Pessac (check out the program)

When: December 16 at 15:30
Where: 39 Cours de Luze, 33300 Bordeaux

When: December 8-24
Where: place Louis de la Bardonnie, 24100 Bergerac

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

When: Until December 23
Where: Place Pey Berland

When: December 15- January 6
Where: center of Arcachon

When: Until December 23
Where: 23 Rue Minvielle, 33000 Bordeaux

When: until August 26
Where: Hangar 20 quai Bacalan, 33000 BORDEAUX

When: December 15-16
Where: Place de la Bourse, Bordeaux

When: December 14-30
Where: Peixoto, 33400 Talence

When: December 14, at 19:00
Where: Place Pey-Berland, 33000 Bordeaux

When: December 14, at 20:30
Where: 1 Rue Mably, 33000 Bordeaux, 33000 Bordeaux

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

When: December 14-16
Where: 87 quai des Queyries, 33100 Bordeaux

When: December 15-16
Where: 87 quai des Queyries, 33100 Bordeaux

When: December 14-16
Where: 10 esplanade de pontac, 33300 Bordeaux

When: December 16-22
Where: different places in Pessac (check out the program)

When: December 16 at 15:30
Where: 39 Cours de Luze, 33300 Bordeaux

When: December 8-24
Where: place Louis de la Bardonnie, 24100 Bergerac

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

When: Until December 23
Where: Place Pey Berland

When: December 15- January 6
Where: center of Arcachon

When: Until December 23
Where: 23 Rue Minvielle, 33000 Bordeaux

When: until August 26
Where: Hangar 20 quai Bacalan, 33000 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