In Discover Bordeaux

Museums in Bordeaux – Art, design, wine and history

Last updated on June 11, 2023 No Comments

Bordeaux is so beautiful that you can spend several days here without visiting even one museum. Despite that, you’ll be surprised to learn that Bordeaux has quite a variety of interesting museums. The city has permanent exhibitions of classic art, modern design, street art, architecture, archeology, and more.

In this article, I gathered a list of the most interesting museums to visit in Bordeaux. So if you’re in a cultural mood, this article is for you. If you found this article while desperately looking for something to do on a rainy day, check out more ideas in my article about the best things to do when it’s raining in Bordeaux.

Table of content

Just before we start I need to mention a few important bits of information.

Discounts for Bordeaux’s museums

The fees that I mention next to every museum represent the full ticket price and may change with time. But that doesn’t mean you will have to pay that price as there are plenty of discounts in France. The price is usually reduced (or even free in some cases) for students, people under 25 yo, seniors, people with disabilities, unemployed, and people holding the Bordeaux city pass. So it’s always good to check the site of the museum to see if you can get a reduced price.

Bordeaux city pass – This pass is a card you can buy online or at the tourist office that allows you to freely use public transport, visit plenty of museums and enjoy some attractions for a reduced price. This pass is available for 24, 48, or 72 consecutive hours. You can see all the details and purchase the Bordeaux city pass here.
Bordeaux museums pass – this pass is more interesting for people who live here or visit the city on a regular basis. The pass gives you unlimited entry for a year to seven museums in the city. You can see the list of museums and all the details here. The price is 25 € for a single pass and 37,50 € for a couples pass. You can purchase it in any of the museums mentioned in the link above.
Free Sunday – many of the museums in the city are free on the first Sunday of the month (apart from July and August), which includes permanent and temporary exhibitions.

Now that we’re done with all that let’s get into our artistic mood and start discovering the museums of Bordeaux.

Wine museums in Bordeaux

Cité du Vin

The Cité du Vin is one of the most popular attractions on the tourist trail in Bordeaux. In the last couple of years, it has become one of Bordeaux’s most iconic institutions even though it opened its doors only in 2016. The extraordinary building, inspired by the movement of wine swirling in a glass, is a one-of-a-kind cultural center, dedicated to discovering the wine world.

Through its interactive exhibition, It offers a journey to both French and global wine history, culture and know-how. You will learn about winemaking, see movies and interviews with wine producers and then smell and taste wine.

Cite du vin - colors of wine — A fun place even if you don’t like wine

The Cite du Vin allows you to discover a selection of wines from all over the world in its spectacular wine shop and to see the best panoramic view of Bordeaux. The fee for the museum is quite high (22 euros) so if you want to decide if it’s worth the money, you can read my article about my visit to the cite du vin to get a good idea of what to expect.

You can also skip the line and buy the tickets online- click here to purchase the tickets.

Address: Esplanade de Pontac, 134 Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: https://www.laciteduvin.com/en

Musée du Vin et du Négoce de Bordeaux

Apart from the Cité du Vin, Bordeaux also has another wine museum that is dedicated to Bordeaux’s wine history. Musée du Vin et du Négoce is a small museum, located in what used to be the house of an Irish négociant (wine merchant) in the 18th century. During that time Chartons was the neighborhood of Flemish, Irish, and German wine merchants who settled close to the Garonne River in order to export wine to their home countries.

Thanks to this museum you can go back in time and see what a typical house of a négociant used to look like. The ground floor was used to store wine and meet the winemakers and potential customers and the top floor was the residence of the family. Throughout your visit, you will learn about the evolution of winemaking in Bordeaux during the last three centuries. You will discover old techniques and equipment that were used at the time and the way wine was stored and shipped. It goes into interesting details like the first use of bottles to age wine, the first wine etiquette, and more.

This museum is small and 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, one of the most interesting streets in Bordeaux. If you want to know what else you can do on that street and generally in the posh Chartrons neighborhood, go to my article about the Chartrons district.

You can purchase tickets here.

Address: The entrance is from 41 Rue Borie, Bordeaux
The site of the museum: https://www.museeduvinbordeaux.com/

Art Museums in Bordeaux

Les Bassins des Lumières – Base Sous-Marine

Les Bassins des Lumières is one of the most unique places in Bordeaux. Built by the Germans during the Second World War, this old submarine base has been converted into a space dedicated to contemporary art, allowing you to enjoy the space itself no less than the art presented.

Until recently the building was operated by the city hall and offered modest exhibitions of digital art and was called Base Sous-Marine. However, since 2020, it has become Les Bassins des Lumières, an immersive exhibition that combines digitalized works of world-renowned artists with amazing music.

The exhibitions change every year so go on their website to see what’s up at the moment. You can purchase the tickets to the Bassins des Lumieres here. You also get a free entrance if you have the Bordeaux city pass.

La Base sous-marine is located in the Bacalan neighborhood which is yet another cool place to discover in Bordeaux and I have a whole article about the best things to do there, you can read it here.

Address: Boulevard Alfred Daney, 33300 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: https://www.facebook.com/BasesousmarinedeBordeaux/

Le musée des beaux-arts – fine arts

Le musée des beaux-arts is the main art museum of Bordeaux, known for its large collection of sculptures and paintings from the 16th to the 20th century. The museum owns a huge collection of more than 6000 paintings, 600 sculptures, and 3000 drawings. Nevertheless, the museum is quite small and so most of these artworks are not displayed to the public.

I really enjoy visiting this museum but it’s quite modest so don’t expect a second Louvre here :). The Museum of fine arts is located in a beautiful house built in 1801 and has one of the most beautiful gardens in Bordeaux. The permanent collection includes a lot of famous works by artists like Pérugin, Rubens, Chardin, Delacroix, and Matisse alongside Bordelaise artists such as Odilon Redon and Albert Marquet. The museum often hosts temporary exhibitions as well as concerts and art events.

Address: 20 Cours d’Albret, 33000 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: http://www.musba-bordeaux.fr/

Le CAPC – musée d’art contemporain de Bordeaux

CAPC is the contemporary art museum of Bordeaux located in the chic Chartrons district. The museum is housed in an impressive former warehouse from the 19th century where commodities, traded down the river, used to be stored.

The building was planned to be demolished in the 20th century but was saved thanks to a new law protecting houses with historic importance. In 1984 the city decided to transform this unique space into a museum of contemporary art, an idea that was very innovative at the time. In the permanent collection, there are almost 300 works of art and it regularly hosts temporary exhibitions that are dedicated to the history of art.

The museum is also home to the Architecture center “Arc en rêve”, which hosts temporary exhibitions related to urban planning, design, landscaping, and more. I usually find their exhibitions super interesting and recommend visiting them when you are at the museum. The center is located on the first floor and is sometimes hard to find, so just ask for help from one of the employees. Entry is free every first Sunday of the month (except July and August).

Address: 7 Rue Ferrere, 33000 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: http://www.capc-bordeaux.fr/capc

Musée des Art décoratifs et du Design

The Museum of decorative art and Design is located in a beautiful 18th-century mansion and is one of UNESCO’s heritage sites in Bordeaux. It has a large collection of furniture, porcelain, and art objects, dating to the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.

The building itself, named Hotel de Lalande, was built by Pierre- Raymond de Lalande, a counselor of the Parliament of Bordeaux, and is an architectural piece of art by itself. Through the museum’s backyard, you pass to a separate building (former stables) where the temporary exhibitions are presented. These are usually very good and attract many locals.

If you’re hesitating on whether to spend your time in this museum check out their website for the temporary exhibitions as these alone can be worth the visit. The museum is free every first Sunday of the month, except for July and August.

The museum also has a really cute terrace cafe that’s worth a visit even if you’re not into art.

Address: 39 rue Bouffard 33000 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: https://madd-bordeaux.fr/

Institut Bernard Magrez

If you love street art, you’re in the right city! Bordeaux has plenty of amazing local street art to offer. Surprisingly enough, one of the best places to see street art in Bordeaux is located in a beautiful 18th-century mansion called Chateau Labottiere. A cool contrast, isn’t it?

The place is called the Institut Bernard Magrez and it regularly hosts exhibitions by the best local and international street artists. The art is beautifully integrated with the classical features of the chateau and is being alternated every couple of months so there is always something interesting to see there.

Next to the château, there are two smaller exhibition spaces where amazing exhibitions of paintings, sculpture, and photography are hosted on a regular basis so you actually get to see three exhibitions during one visit. The cultural institute also hosts plenty of creative workshops for kids and concerts for adults so check their events list on their site.

Mika Bordeaux — Mika at Institut Bernard Magrez

Address: 16 rue de Tivoli, Bordeaux
The site of the museum: https://www.institut-bernard-magrez.com/

FRAC – local contemporary art

If you crossed Pont Saint-Jean in the last couple of years you must have noticed the new, very modern building that reminds you a bit of the Arc of La Defense in Paris. This is MECA the Regional Pole of Culture and Creative Economy. It houses many offices that don’t mean much to most people, but there is one place inside that is worth going to if you’re looking to discover new art.

FRAC, located in MECA is a cultural institution with a mission to promote contemporary art in Nouvelle Aquitaine, hosting several exhibitions of local artists. It has reopened its doors after being closed for two years. The exhibitions are varied and include many genres from photography to painting and sculpture. The works are not always my style but it’s big and you can always find a lot of interesting artists there.

Address: Corto Maltese, La MÉCA 5 parvis, 33800 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: https://fracnouvelleaquitaine-meca.fr/

Kids Museums in Bordeaux

The Natural History Museum

After years of renovations, the natural history museum of Bordeaux has finally opened its doors in 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.

I’m not sure that I should’ve put it under the category of kids’ museums as it’s a fascinating place for everyone. But it’s extremely kids friendly and it has become a go-to place for Bordelais parents, especially when it’s cold or raining outside. If you need more ideas for activities for kids check out my article about 30 things to do with kids in Bordeaux.

Address: 5 Place Bardineau, 33000 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: https://www.museum-bordeaux.fr/en/accueil

Cap Sciences

Cap Sciences is a kids’ science museum and one of the most fun and educative places in Bordeaux. The museum proposes interactive exhibitions and activities all dedicated to different aspects of science. It touches upon topics of light, space, time, robots, and more and everything is presented in an immersive and approachable way for kids to understand.

The museum regularly offers exhibitions dedicated to little kids, up to 6 yo, so it’s really great for all ages. All the descriptions are also translated to English so it’s a welcoming place for tourists and locals alike. Another interesting feature of the museum is the kids’ workshops arranged by different age groups. Among them, you can find photography, molecular cooking, eco-citizens, and more.

Address: Hangar 20, Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: http://www.cap-sciences.net/

History, culture and others

Musee d’Aquitaine

Musée d’Aquitaine is the largest museum in Bordeaux, dedicated to archaeological findings and regional history and ethnology. The museum’s permanent collections span two floors. The first floor is largely dedicated to archaeological findings including tools from the Old Stone and Bronze ages. The other big collection covers the Gallo- Roman period of Bordeaux, with old statues and parts from the original wall that surrounded the city from the 3rd to the 18th centuries.

The second floor is dedicated to the 18th century and the modern era of Bordeaux. A big part of the exhibition touches upon the importance of the port and the slave trade that Bordeaux was part of. The exhibition finishes with some inspiring videos presenting the big chances of Bordeaux in the last decade and leaves you with a taste to discover more of the city and region.

The museum is very rich with information but the first floor is a bit outdated with almost no explanations in English. The second floor somewhat makes up for it with a more modern style of display and many more explanations in English. It also has many videos giving you an idea of how the city looked like in the 18th century, one of the most important centuries in Bordeaux’s history.

The museum also runs good temporary exhibitions on specific topics related to the Nouvelle Aquitaine region. They often have guided tours in English but their schedule is always changing so it’s better to send them a message on Facebook and ask when’s the next one.

Address: 20 Cours Pasteur, 33000 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: http://www.musee-aquitaine-bordeaux.fr/

Musée national des Douanes

This small museum is the national museum of the History of French Customs. It’s located in one of the most beautiful buildings in Bordeaux, called the Hôtel des Fermes du Roi on Place de la Bourse, just in front of the water mirror.

The exhibition of the museum presents the evolution of the customs administration from ancient to modern times. In the 18th century, it was the local headquarters of the French customs administration in the region, collecting taxes for the king. Through paintings, uniforms, maps, and musical instruments the museum allows you to discover the works of one of France’s oldest administrations and their different challenges.

The Musée National des Douanes is a great place for people who are interested in history, especially the French one. The fee is only 3 euros so it is worth a visit.

Address: 1 Place de la Bourse, 33000 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: http://www.musee-douanes.fr/

Musée Mer marine

The Sea and Marine Museum is one of the newest museums of Bordeaux, located on the Bassin a flot, the port of Bordeaux in the Bacalan district. As the name suggests the museum is dedicated to the sea world with a remarkable exhibition of boats, sculptures, and objects.

The permanent exhibition has more than 10,000 sea and marine-related objects like navigation instruments, maps, and many pieces of art as well. The idea behind it was to create a bridge between the marine and art worlds. Even the building itself is interesting if you like modern architecture.

The museum regularly hosts temporary themed exhibitions such as different illustrations by a specific artist, photography, and more. The museum is certainly a good place to visit if you’re interested in boats. The entry fee is 14€ so I’d also check their website for the temporary exhibitions to see if it’s worth going.

Address: 89 rue des Étrangers, 33300 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: https://www.mmmbordeaux.com/en/home/

La Maison de l’Huître

This cute little museum is actually located on Arcachon Bay, but I decided to add it to the list because many people go to Arcachon for a day trip. The museum sits in Port de Larros in Gujan Mestras, the oysters’ capital of Le Bassin d’Arcachon. So it doesn’t come as a surprise that they have decided to dedicate a whole museum to oysters.

The permanent exhibition includes a beautiful movie and plenty of items and information about all the techniques of oyster farming and the history of the oyster in our region. The museum is very interactive and fun to visit with kids. They even have a special oyster farming boat made for kids where they can play. If you’re heading to the Bassin d’Arcachon anytime soon, I highly recommend visiting there.

Address: Rue du Port de Larros, 33470 Gujan-Mestras
The site of the museum: http://www.maison-huitre.fr/

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.

You can also get plenty of tips on things to do in the Southwest of France via lost in Bordeaux’s social media accounts and email list, check them out here:

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*Note – Some of the links in this article include affiliate links for which I earn a small commission. It adds absolutely nothing to your cost and helps me continue writing about this amazing region. Don’t worry, I’m not getting rich here, I’ll never recommend anything I don’t believe in 🙂

In Bordeaux wine region

Visiting la Cité du Vin – Bordeaux’s wine museum

Last updated on February 20, 2023 1 Comment

La Cité du Vin, Bordeaux’s wine museum, has become one of the city’s main touristic attractions.

Inaugurated in 2016, the wine museum was set to celebrate wine culture around the globe and educate visitors about winemaking and its history.

The shape of this spectacular building is inspired by the movement of wine when it’s swirling in a glass. It can be seen from afar and uplifts the grungy port of Bassin a Flot, where the museum is located.

If you’re visiting Bordeaux and wondering if La Cité du Vin is worth your time, the short answer is yes 🙂 However, if you want a real glimpse into the best wine museum in the world, keep reading the article. Here I’ll walk you through what to expect when visiting La Cite du Vin, how to do it with kids, and what not to miss there.

The museum has been recently renovated and many cool features were added to the permanent exhibition. This article was updated after my recent visit to the Cite du Vin in 2023 and includes all the new sections as well.

Before we start, I have a detailed guide to the Bordeaux wine region so if you plan on visiting wineries in Bordeaux, be sure to read it. Also, see other good museums to visit in Bordeaux.

Now take a sip of Bordeaux wine and let’s dive in!

What to expect when visiting La Cité du Vin?

La Cité du Vin was best described by my friend July who called it an amusement park for wine lovers. The museum offers an interactive journey into the wine world that includes videos, touch screens, sensory tables, interesting stories, music, and more.

The permanent exhibition takes place on the second floor of the museum. You’ll get an audio guide, that you absolutely must use to enjoy the experience. There’s very little to read and a lot to see and listen to in this museum.

Contrary to what many assume, the museum isn’t dedicated to the Bordeaux wine region. It’s actually a world wine museum. The exhibition takes you through many wine regions in the world. And on that journey, you learn about wine history, culture, different grapes and wines, and more.

cite du vin - wine of the world — The most beautiful wine regions in the world – all photos by lost in Bordeaux

What will you discover at La Cite du Vin?

The permanent exhibition includes 18 sections that are divided into six areas.

The first one introduces you to the vineyards of the world through beautiful images and stories from winemakers.

The second is the “know-how” area – here you will learn about varieties of grapes and the winemaking process. One of the cool features here is flat touch screens, surrounded by gigantic wooden bottle shape statues, which help explore the major wine types, from red to sweet white wines and sparkling ones.

*An interactive way to learn about different types of wine at the Cité du Vin*

The third area is about wine and civilization. Here you’ll dive deep into the history of wine and the latest trends in wine tourism, culture, design, and more.

One of the new sections at the Cite du Vin where you get to learn about wine — *One of the new sections at the Cite du Vin in Bordeaux – by Lost in Bordeaux*

The fourth area is called “Art of Living” and it’s my favorite part of the museum. Here you’ll find the “buffet of the five senses”. Plenty of different food items from fruits to honey and cookies are presented in front of you on two big tables, allowing you to explore different wine aromas.

The table of Five senses - La cite du Vin — *The buffet of the five senses*

Another part that was just recently added is the dinner table with a stunning visual art immersive experience.

The last two parts are a bit less interactive but are fascinating to those interested in the history of wine. The fifth area is dedicated to the part waters and wars played in the history of wine around the globe. And the last part of the exhibition is finally dedicated to the Bordeaux wine region.

It’s time for wine tasting with a view

Now to one of the best parts of this experience – wine tasting!

Go back to the ground floor and take the elevator to the 8th floor (you’ll need your ticket for that, so don’t lose it).

This floor is called the Belvedere and it offers a breathtaking panoramic view of Bordeaux. You can choose one wine from one of the regions that the exhibition is focusing on and take your glass to the balcony to see the view. A perfect ending to this enriching experience.

wine tasting cite du vin — wine tasting at the end of the tour

How to explore Bordeaux’s wine museum?

The permanent exhibition in La Cite du Vin is big and extremely rich in information. It can take about half a day to cover all of it. When the museum gets busy it can take even more time. Many visitors have either no time or patience to go through every piece of information offered by the museum.

If you have only two-three hours to visit the La Cite du Vin you can actually create a tour, that will be based on the areas of your interest and your time constraints.

Vising la Cité du Vin with kids?

Although kids are usually not very interested (or welcomed) in the wine world, La Cite du Vin can be a very kid-friendly experience. I wouldn’t recommend going through every section of the wine museum, however, there are quite a few interactive parts, they’ll be happy to discover.

When you start your tour, build your own kids-friendly guide in the audio guide. Choose a one-hour tour (or more if your kids handle museums well) and then choose. In the areas of Interest choose things like wine making and art, which have more interactive parts in them. Let them touch, smell and enjoy the beautiful visuals.

One of the parts of La Cite du Vin that kids will enjoy — *Visiting la Cite du Vin with kids*

If you’re visiting Bordeaux with kids take don’t forget to read my article about the best 30 things to do with kids in Bordeaux.

What else is there to do at the wine museum?

When you finish the permanent exhibition don’t be in a rush to leave the Cité du Vin, you still have a lot of things to do there.

The Museum regularly hosts great temporary exhibitions that focus on different cultural aspects related to the wine world. The temporary exhibition is located on the first floor and is included in the ticket to the Cite du Vin.

glass expo in cite du vin — *Great temporary exhibitions at the cite du vin – glass and wine*

Don’t miss the beautiful library of wine-related books located on the first floor.

Additionally, La Cite du Vin daily hosts wine-tasting workshops in French, English and Spanish. These take place in stunning modern tasting rooms. The English workshop is mainly dedicated to Bordeaux wines while those in French are varied. You can choose workshops about specific wine regions or learn how to match wine with cheese or chocolate.

Wine tasting workshop at the cite du vin

Another thing to miss is the beautiful wine shop located on the ground floor. The shop has about 800 bottles, with 600 of them being non-French wines. The seventh floor is the fancy Le 7 Restaurant with a stunning view of Bordeaux. I haven’t had the chance to eat there yet but heard some mixed reviews.

The beautiful wine shop at the cite du Vin in Bordeaux — *The beautiful wine shop at the Cite du Vin*

All you need to know before going to la Cité du Vin

Tickets and prices

The ticket is a bit pricey but definitely worth the one-time experience.

A ticket to the permanent exhibition (including a glass of wine) is 22€ for an adult and 9 € for kids over 6yo. A family pack is 54€ which is worth buying if you are two adults and two kids.

The museum is top-rated and sometimes the lines can be quite long. To avoid that you can purchase the tickets online in advance.

Click here to buy your tickets in advance.
In case you decided to purchase the Bordeaux city Pass, you’ll get a 20% discount on your tickets to the Cite du Vin and use public transport for free to get there.

Opening hours

The opening hours of Cité du Vin are Monday to Friday from 10 am to 6 pm and Saturday – Sunday and bank and school holidays from 10 am to 7 pm. Opening hours change in the high season so check them out on the website of the museum before going.

How to get to the wine museum

The easiest way to get to Cité du Vin is by tram B. The “Cité du Vin” station is located just two minute’s walk from the museum.

If you are located on the other side of the Garonne river you can also take the boat (BAT 3). It’s the same ticket as the tram but you can get there in a more stylish way 🙂

For more information about the hours and the other stations of the BAT3 -click here.

Another option is taking the city bikes from one of the V3 stations that are spread all over the city. The ride from the city center to the wine museum is one of the best things to do when visiting Bordeaux. I’ve even included it in my article about the best things to do in Bordeaux in one day.

What else is there to do next to the wine museum?

If you don’t have anything planned after your visit to the museum don’t rush to leave this cool neighborhood. This is an opportunity to discover the Bassin a flot district, which as you’ll see has a more hipster and industrial vibe to it.

It’s one of the rising districts of Bordeaux with plenty of street art, bars, music venues, and a chic-covered market. If you want to learn more about the Bassin a flot (Bacalan) district check out my article about the north of Bordeaux.

things to do in Bacalan Bordeaux — *The Bacalan district in Bordeaux*

If you want to explore the Bordeaux wine region more in-depth check out my articles about the best wineries in Saint Emilion and about traveling in the Medoc wine region.

If it’s your first time in Bordeaux check out my ultimate guide to Bordeaux to get familiar with all the must-see places in the city. To help you choose a place to stay I’ve gathered a list of the best hotels in the center of Bordeaux as well as a guide to the districts of Bordeaux to help you find your preferred AirBnB location.

You can also get plenty of tips on things to do in the Southwest of France via lost in Bordeaux’s social media accounts and email list, check them out here:

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Pin this article for your next visit to Bordeaux!

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In Discover Bordeaux

A weekend in Bordeaux- the ultimate guide from a local

Last updated on September 6, 2023 16 Comments

As someone living in this city, writing an article about things to do on a weekend in Bordeaux is not as easy as you might think. In the last few years, this amazing city has been booming with festivals, art events, amazing coffee places, and a sea of gastronomic restaurants. So choosing the best things to do over a few days is almost impossible, but I will give it a try nevertheless 🙂

I have a longer article where I talk about my 50 favorite things to do in Bordeaux and its region. However, if you have only a few days to spend here, this article will guide you step-by-step through all the must-see things Bordeaux has to offer.

A weekend in Bordeaux France — Bordeaux by @Lostinbordeaux

For many years, Bordeaux was nicknamed the sleeping beauty. A stunning city turned into a somewhat shady town following years of neglect. However, in the last two decades, the beautify has been awakened following a massive restoration work done by its administration. The goal was to make Bordeaux an attractive town to tourists again and give it back its well-deserved glory.

The makeover included the restoration of monuments, modern tram lines, a building of a long beautiful promenade, an extensive cleaning of all the facades, and more. That plan was a great success with Bordeaux becoming one of the most interesting and popular destinations in Europe in the last decade.

Bordeaux has 362 historic monuments (second only to Paris), to visit them all will probably take weeks. So here in this article, I will cover only the most interesting/ beautiful ones. If you’re interested in a more deep understanding of the history and architecture of Bordeau you might consider the two hours guided walking tour, offered by the tourist office. Or a guided bicycle tour that will allow you to discover some of the most interesting spots in Bordeau in just a few hours.

Guided cycling tour in the Bordeaux — ***Cycling in Bordeaux – by lost in Bordeaux***

Also, despite it being the world capital of wine, I did not include wine-related activities in this article. I believe you need more than two days from that. If however, you do want to include a wine-related experience on your visit here, check out my articles about the Bordeaux wine region and wineries in Saint Emilion.

Although this guide proposes a specific route to follow, feel free to take whatever you want from the list, and adapt it to your style of travel. You can switch the order of places you’re planning to visit but pay attention to things that are taking place only on Saturdays or Sundays. This list is quite dense so if you come for more than two days, feel free to reduce the pace and take some time to visit the city more calmly, and enjoy its cafés and the general atmosphere.

One last thing before we dive in. If you’re looking for a hotel to stay in during your visit here, check out my posts about the best districts in Bordeaux and about the best places to stay in Bordeaux. I’ve included some beautiful boutique hotels and several more affordable ones.

*If you’re also planning to visit Toulouse while traveling in the region read my detailed guide to a weekend in Toulouse.

A weekend in Bordeaux -Day 1

Place de la Victoire

Start your day from Place de la Victoire, on the southern end of Bordeaux’s shopping street rue Sainte Catherine. The impressive square you can recognize by the 18th-century arc and the marble obelisk at its center.

Its proximity to the busiest street in the city, the University campus, and the numerous cafes and bars give it a very young and happy vibe. It’s not one of my favorite squares in Bordeaux but it’s a great place to start your discovery tour of Bordeaux. If you only have one day in Bordeaux, you can skip Place de la Victoire and focus on the most beautiful monuments in the city.

Marché des Capucins – discover local gastronomy

It’s never too early to start your gastronomic discovery of Bordeaux and for that, there’s no better place than Marché des Capucins.

The Capucins, the biggest daily market in Bordeaux has everything from stands of fruits and vegetables, sweets, spices, and a bunch of lively cafés and restaurants. It’s the best place to taste some of the specialties of this region like oysters, duck products, and sheep cheese.

It’s a covered market so you can enjoy it on the city’s numerous rainy days. Most cafes and restaurants also have tables outside where you can have a coffee or an early lunch. During the weekend, the market is packed with locals, who gather to eat oysters accompanied by white wine. Be sure to come early if you want to catch a table.

Marche des Capucins — **Marché des Capucins – for an early lunch with the locals**

Before you go, be sure to check out my article about the best places to eat at the Marché des Capucins. The market is open from Tuesday to Sunday, however, be aware that not all the restaurants and stands are open on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Now after opening the morning at the market we can start touring Bordeaux and admire its beautiful architecture.

If you followed my advice and went to the market, your next destination should be Saint Michel. From Place des Capucins continue to rue Clare which brings you to the heart of the Saint Michel neighborhood. If you don’t have two full days in Bordeaux skip Saint Michel and go to the next item.

Discover the Saint Michel neighborhood

Saint Michel is skipped by many tourists. But I think that its authentic atmosphere, chic cafes, and markets make it one of the more interesting places in Bordeaux. There are many things to do and see in this area and you have more time to discover the neighborhood, be sure to read my detailed guide to Saint Michel. If, however, you are short in time and just want the “best of”, this is what I suggest:

The Basilica of Saint Michel – classified as a world heritage by UNESCO in 1998 stands at the heart of this lively neighborhood. It is located on the main square, Place Meynard, surrounded by plenty of cafes, restaurants, and bars.

la Flèche Saint-Michel – Just next to the basilica you’ll find the Saint Michel bell tower, one of the main monuments of the city. I highly recommend climbing it to see a magnificent view of Bordeaux.

**The view from la Flèche Saint-Michel**

The market on Saturday – Every Saturday there’s a local market around the Basilica. Even if you don’t need to buy anything I’d still recommend going there on a Saturday morning just for the atmosphere

Antiques – if you love antique markets, whether it’s to buy or just to have a look, you’re at the right place. This neighborhood has several antique places that are open daily. Check out my guide to Saint Michel for a detailed list of addresses.

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We are now going to enter the historic center of Bordeaux! If you’re short on time, I recommend starting the tour here!

The Grosse Cloche – one of the most impressive monuments in Bordeaux

From Place Meynard (in Saint Michel) take rue des Faures to get to one of the main streets in the center of Bordeaux (rue Victor Hugo). After a minute’s walk, on your right, you’ll see the spectacular bell town called the Grosse Cloche.

The 15th-century bell tower is one of the most prominent symbols of Bordeaux. The gate was built on the remains of Porte Saint-Éloy, through which the pilgrims of Saint Jacques passed on their way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

You will now be entering the historic center of Bordeaux through the Quartier de la Grosse Cloche/ Saint Paul. Let yourself be charmed by the narrow paved streets of this small neighborhood. It’s one of my favorite districts of Bordeaux, full of chic cafés and boutiques.

Rue Saint James

The first street you encounter when entering through the Grosse Cloche gate is Rue Saint James. This is one of the most charming streets in the neighborhood, with beautiful coffee shops (such as books and coffee ) chic boutiques, and specialized shops. Take some time to discover this street as well as the lovely narrow streets around it.

Quartier de la Grosse Cloche on of the best district in Bordeaux — **Quartier de la Grosse Cloche – by Lost in Bordeaux**

Continue on the street until you get to Place Fernand Lafargue. A long time ago this square used to be the city’s market and today it’s one of the best spots for a nice Lunch. The square and the emerging streets are a real food hub with plenty of cafes, bars, and a variety of restaurants from hamburgers to Sushi and Ramen soup.

A few of my recommendations are Apollo bar for a drink, Wine More Time for a glass of wine, Frida restaurant for a brunch on a nice terrace, Kokomo for a great hamburger, and Piha for a great coffee.

After you finish strolling around the Grosse Cloche continue on Cr d’Alsace-et-Lorraine until you get to rue Sainte Catherine.

Shop on rue Sainte-Catherine

Sainte Catherine is the longest pedestrian street in France. A long strip of shops where you can find all main clothing retail stores as well as boutiques of cosmetics, jewelry, books, and more.

The Southern part of the street (closer to Place de la Victoire) is where you’ll find most of the cheap clothing shops. The big chain clothing stores are located in the northern part of the streets. After you finish your shopping go back to Place Saint Projet, a square in the middle of rue Sainte Catherine. Now take rue des Trois-Conils and walk towards the main cathedral of Bordeaux on Place Pey Berland.

rue sainte Catharine Bordeaux — **Sainte Catharine – the main shopping street in Bordeaux**

Visit the main Cathedral of Bordeaux on Place Pey Berland

Place Pey Berland is one of the most central squares of Bordeaux and home to the main Cathedral of Bordeaux and its town hall. It’s also one of the liveliest neighborhoods in Bordeaux with many coffee places, chocolate shops, museums, and art galleries.

Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux

The Cathedral of Saint André is the main church of Bordeaux and the seat of the Archbishop of Bordeaux. It is a Roman Catholic church that was labeled as a national monument of France.
In the evening the Cathedral often hosts concerts of classical music, choirs, and an organ festival during the summer. You can check out more info about the concerts here.

Tour Pey Berland

Just next to the Cathedral, you’ll find its 15th-century bell tower – la Tour Pey Berland. On the top of the tower, the statue of Notre Dame d’Aquitaine rises to the height of 66 m.

If you want to enjoy a beautiful view of Bordeaux climb the 231 stairs of the tower to get to the top. A ticket to the bell tower is 6 euros and free to people below 26 years old. I recommend climbing it only if the weather is good, otherwise, you won’t see much. See the hours and buy tickets here.
*If you have the Bordeaux City Pass, you get free entry to the Tour Pey Berland.

Good places for a coffee break:

Although I’m not a big fan of French coffee, somehow Bordeaux has figured out the secrets of a great brew. Some of the best coffee places in the city are actually in this central neighborhood, among them: Sip, Black list, and l’alchimiste café. If you’re a coffee-lover check out my article about Five coffee places in Bordeaux you don’t want to miss.

l'alchimiste café - one of the best coffee places in Bordeaux — ***L’alchimiste café – by Lost in Bordeaux***

Other interesting streets in the Pey Berland neighborhood

From Place Pey Berland continue on rue Vital Carles, alongside the tram B line which goes through the main spots of the center of Bordeaux. On your left, don’t miss one of the city’s establishments – Librairie Mollat, the oldest independent bookstore in France since 1896.

Another place worth mentioning is Porte Dijeaux. This pretty arc is another gate to the historic center of Bordeaux and has been classified as a historic monument in 1921.

Visit one of Bordeaux’s museums

If you have some time to visit a museum or two in Bordeaux, three of them are located in the Pey Berland neighborhood. It can also be a great option in case it’s a rainy day in Bordeaux.

Here are three museums in the neighborhood you should know about (all three have free entry with the Bordeaux City Pass):

Musée des Beaux-Arts: is the fine-art museum of Bordeaux and one of the largest art galleries in France outside Paris. See the ongoing exhibitions on their website.

The address: 20 Cours d’Albret, 33000 Bordeaux

Museum of Decorative Arts of Bordeaux – installed in a beautiful chateau, the museum is home to collections of furniture, ceramics, and many other objects dating to the 18th and 19th centuries. The museum also has a nice outdoor coffee place in the beautiful courtyard of the building. See the ongoing exhibitions on their website.

Address: 39 Rue Bouffard, 33000 Bordeaux

Musée d’Aquitaine – If you want to learn about the history and archaeology of Bordeaux and its region (Nouvelle-Aquitaine), this is your best source.

Address: 20 Cours Pasteur, 33000 BordeauxIf you skipped the museums continue walking on Vital Carles street and be ready for a beautiful surprise. At the end of the street, you will turn right to one of the most impressive streets of Bordeaux Cours de l’Intendance. This street conveys the feeling of Bordeaux – historic, beautiful, and very calm- just stand there and take a breath for a second.

Cours de l'Intendance - a street to discover on your weekend in Bordeaux — ***Cours de l’Intendance – by Lost in Bordeaux***

Continue on Cours de l’Intendance until you get to Place de la Comédie.

Grand Théâtre – one of the landmarks of Bordeaux

The beautiful 18th-century building on Place de la Comédie will be hard to miss. The Grand Théâtre, the home of the National Opera of Bordeaux is one of Bordeaux’s most important landmarks.

If you have the chance, try to book tickets to one of the concerts at the Opera or the national ballet. If you speak French, I recommend taking a tour of the Grand Théâtre. The tours take place twice a week, not during school breaks or the summer period. You can book your visit here.

Have a fancy meal in one of Bordeaux’s great restaurants

If you want to have a fancy meal while in Bordeaux, Place de la Comedie and its surrounding streets are one of the main spots for fine dining in Bordeaux.

One of my favorite restaurants in Bordeaux is le Quatrième Mur, which belongs to the famous French chef Philippe Etchebest. The restaurant is located inside the Opera of Bordeaux complete with all its lavish decor.

There are of course many other amazing restaurants in Bordeaux such as Bo Tanique, Lauza, and Mably.

Place des Quinconces

Next on our list is Place des Quinconces, the largest city square in France and one of the biggest ones in Europe. On one of the sides of this enormous square, you’ll find le Monument aux Girondins, a spectacular monument dedicated to the members of a political faction that were killed during the French Revolution.

Throughout the year, many different events, festivals, and fairs (like the Brocante de Quinconces and the Foire aux Plaisirs) take place on this square. I tend to write a lot about the events that take place in Bordeaux in my newsletter and monthly to-do lists in Bordeaux.

If you’ve been following my guide so far, you’ve probably walked quite a bit. This would be the perfect time to rest in one of Bordeaux’s most beautiful parks. From Place des, Quinconces continue to Cours du Marechal Foch until you get to Jardin Public.

Do a picnic in Jardin Public

Jardin Public is the largest park in the center of Bordeaux with more than 300 trees and vast green planes – a perfect place for a picnic. It has a large pond (with ducks and geese!), great facilities for kids, and even a nice coffee place. If you’re traveling with kids, it’s really worth visiting the Natural history museum which is situated in the park.

Read my article about all the other fun stuff you can do with kids in Bordeaux.

Jardin Public Bordeaux — Jardin Public – a green island in the city

If you want to know more about parks and gardens in Bordeaux check out my article with plenty of places for picnics in Bordeaux.

Now back to the city and to the last stop on the first day of discovering Bordeaux – the Chartrons neighborhood.

Leave the park from Cours Xavier Arnozan and continue towards the Garonne river. On your right don’t miss the CAPC, the Contemporary art museum of Bordeaux. This beautiful building was previously used as a warehouse for colonial foodstuffs and today is the house of contemporary art in Bordeaux, curating many exhibitions.

Now turn left on rue Notre Dame to enter the Chartrons neighborhood.

Visit the northern chic district of Bordeaux – Les Chartrons

Located to the north of Bordeaux’s center, Chartrons is a very popular neighborhood with chic boutiques, antiques, and a lot of restaurants. The most interesting part of Chartrons is the main street, rue Notre Dame which is also one of the most foodie streets in Bordeaux. Don’t miss Eglise Saint-Louis des Chartrons, a 19th-century Neo-Gothic church.

rue Notre dame - one of the prettiest streets on Bordeaux — **rue Notre Dame – by Lost in Bordeaux**

Turn left straight after the church to get to the heart of the neighborhood- Halle des Chartrons. There are plenty of restaurants around the central square, with good lunch menus. The Halle des Chartrons often hosts activities and exhibitions, so take a peek inside to see if there’s anything going on.

If you want to discover all the interesting places you can visit in the Chartrons district check out my article about the best things to do in Chartrons.

How to spend a weekend in Bordeaux – Day 2

Start the day at Place du Palais Station (Tram A) to enter the Saint Pierre Neighborhood.

Enjoy the squares of the Saint Pierre neighborhood

Saint Pierre is the most ancient district of Bordeaux and the tourist heart of the city. There aren’t any major monuments to see in this part of town but the little narrow paved streets and the beautiful lively squares are what make it one of the more pleasant places in Bordeaux.

I’ll mention some of the best things to do in this neighborhood, but I really recommend just taking a few hours to get lost in the charming narrow streets and get a feel of historic Bordeaux.

rue parlement saint pierre - one of the most beautful streets in the Saint Pierre neighborhood in Bordeaux — ***rue Parlement Saint Pierre in Saint Pierre – by Lost in Bordeaux***

Porte Cailhau

From Cours d’Alsace et Lorraine turn to place du Palais. This is the first of many squares you’ll see while touring the neighborhood and probably the most beautiful one.

The magnificent Porte Cailhau, a monument that looks like it has been taken from a fairy tale cannot be missed. This gate was built in 1495 to commemorate the glory of king Charles VIII. On the square itself, you’ll find a few nice cafes and restaurants with a view of the medieval gate.

One I particularly like here is Tutiac, Le Bistro Vignerons.

There are three other squares worth mentioning in this neighborhood, all of which are beautiful and abundant with cute terrace restaurants. Each one is quite unique and worth a visit, but if you don’t have much time don’t feel obligated to visit all the squares.

Place Camille Julian

Place Camille Julian is one of the busiest squares in towns. Its main highlight is Utopia, a monastery turned into a cinema with a varied program of both blockbuster movies and small independent films.

Place Saint Pierre

The little square of Place Saint Pierre is where Bordeaux was born in the 3rd century. In the center stands the main church of the neighborhood Gothic Flamboyant styled Église Saint-Pierre. This historic monument used to be the main praying temple of the craftsmen and traders living in the area in medieval times.

Place du Parlement

Another beautiful square in this lovely neighborhood is Place du Parlement, which was classified as a historic monument in 1952. This is yet another spot with many cafés with tables outside, perfect for a sunny day in Bordeaux. The Parlement square is located just a few steps from one of the important squares of Bordeaux – Place de la Bourse.

Miroir d’eau – the most popular attraction in Bordeaux

From Place du Parlement continue to rue Fernand Philippart until you reach Place de la Bourse, a masterpiece of classic French architecture from the 18th century. Don’t miss the famous mascarons of Bordeaux, the little faces looking at you from the arches of the buildings. There are more than 3000 of them decorating the buildings and monuments of Bordeaux.

In front, on the quay of the Garonne river, you’ll find one of the most popular attractions in Bordeaux – le Miroir d’eau! This modern monument, built in 2006, is the world’s largest reflecting pool. The surface is made from blue granite covered in water, reflecting the 18th-century Place de la Bourse.

Miroir d'eau bordeaux — *le Miroir d’eau – the world’s largest reflecting pool*

During the summer months, the system of le miroir d’eau operates in cycles of 15 minutes creating a shallow pool where you can wet your feet. The sight of little kids running in the water creates one of the most beautiful and photogenic moments that you can experience in Bordeaux.

Take a walk on the quai – Bordeaux’s promenade

The promenade on the board of the Garonne is one of Bordeaux’s highlights. In recent years, since the renovation of the area, the riverfront became one of the city’s most central spots, hosting many events and festivals during the summer.

The 4.5 km promenade is also perfect for a walk or a bicycle tour. The most interesting part of it is between the two bridges of Bordeaux – Pont Saint Pierre in the center and Pont Chaban Delmas in the north of the city. This trail includes the water mirror as well as big playgrounds for kids, restaurants with a view of the river, and the Chartrons Market, which is our next stop.

This is part of the trail you’ll do if you take the guided cycling tour.

Wine Festival on the quai in Bordeaux — ***The wine festival of Bordeaux in the summer***

Shop and dine at the Chartrons market

One of the best markets in Bordeaux takes place every Sunday morning at Quai de Chartrons. The Chartrons market hosts dozens of food stalls, fruits, vegetables, cheese, fish, and plenty of food trucks.

The Chartrons market - one of the best markets in Bordeaux — ***Marche des Quais – by Lost in Bordeaux***

The market is usually quite busy with both locals and tourists, especially if you come towards noon, but it’s still worth the visit. For many visitors, the main attraction is the few stalls with oysters and a bottle of dry white wine. This, in a way, embodies life in the region 🙂

For more info about the market and other places around it read my article about the best places to visit in the Chartrons district.

Bacalan – discover the northern part of Bordeaux

From here (if you have more time left) will start discovering Bacalan, the northern district of Bordeaux, with is rather different from the center of Bordeaux. From the market just continue walking north on the riverfront until you reach the Chaban Delmas bridge.

Pont Chaban Delmas

Pont Chaban Delmas is a modern bridge, named after the previous mayor of the city, which was inaugurated in 2013. It’s the longest vertical-lift bridge in Europe and seeing it elevating to let the tall ships pass is a very impressive sight. On the way there you will pass by several hangars that were turned into restaurants, boutiques, and a fantastic science museum for kids (Cap Sciences).

La Cité du Vin – Bordeaux wine museum

Just next to the bridge, you’ll find one of Bordeaux’s main attractions – la cité du vin. The wine museum of Bordeaux is a one-of-a-kind cultural center, all dedicated to discovering the wine world. It’s a “must” place for wine lovers but can also be very interesting and enjoyable for people who don’t drink at all.

The museum offers an immersive exhibition to help you discover both French and global wine history. You will learn about winemaking, see movies and interviews with wine producers and then smell and taste wine.

Click here to buy tickets to the wine museum in advance to avoid the line.

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

Les Halles de Bacalan

Les Halles de Bacalan is a covered market that was inaugurated in 2017 and immediately became one of the most popular spots in Bordeaux. This impressive 950m2 hangar is located just in front of the famous Cité du vin and hosts tens of stalls with amazing food and drinks.It’s a perfect place to stop by for a snack or a drink when discovering the Bacalan district.

Marché de Bacalan — *Les Halles de Bacalan – a new covered market*

Take a boat to the other side of the Garonne

Now it’s time to discover the other side of the Garonne river – the Bastide neighborhood. It’s yet another district of Bordeaux worth exploring if you have time. There are a few ways to get to the Bastide district. You can either cross the bridge (it’s a very nice walk but will take some time), take a bus or take a boat.

Since 2013 the public transport system in Bordeaux has introduced a ferry (navette fluviale) that will cross you over to the other side. The ferry which operates from 7 am to 7 pm, stops at five stations: Stalingrad, Quinconces, les Hangars, La Cité du Vin and Lormont. If you followed my guide up to now, take the navette at La Cité du Vin and get down at Stalingrad (on the other side of the river).

Take a look at the ferry timetable here.

You can use the boat and all other public transport in Bordeaux free of charge if you have the Bordeaux City Pass.

Jardin Botanique

Arriving from Place de Stalingrad you have a nice walk on the riverfront to get to our next stop. On the way don’t miss le Jardin Botanique de Bordeaux. This beautiful park was created to allow the wide public to discover the world of plants, biodiversity, and sustainability. It’s definitely not a must-stop, but can be a great spot for a picnic with kids.

From the part continue straight on the riverfront until you get to our next stop – Darwin.

Darwin – the hipster hub of Bordeaux

Darwin is probably one of the most surprising places in Bordeaux. An old military base turned into an urban space with a workspace/incubator for startups, a skate park for all ages, a restaurant, and many other surprises, all with an agenda of ecological awareness.

Whether alone or with kids you can spend hours in Darwin. One of the buildings hosts the restaurant and the Darwin products store with a huge selection of different organic products.

Darwin is also an extraordinary hub of street art done by many local and international street artists. The place hosts many cool events so don’t be surprised if suddenly you see an artisan market or a collection of old cars on display.

It’s also one of the best places to hide from the rain on one of Bordeaux’s many rainy days.

This is the end of our weekend journey in Bordeaux! Before I leave you, here are some useful links:

Useful links and info when visiting Bordeaux

The Bordeaux expats blog is a great source of info for people considering moving to Bordeaux.

The site of the tourist office in Bordeaux has loads of information about all the points of interest in the city as well as about most of the main events. They also offer a lot of tours in and around Bordeaux – so check it out here.

The official site of Bordeaux offers a lot of interesting info about the places you will see (in French)- read it her e.

As I said, Bordeaux has a lot to offer! It’s hard to see everything if you only have a day or two but don’t be stressed, just take the time to enjoy the city.

If you have only one day, I recommend following this article instead.

Where to stay in Bordeaux

Before we end I want to help out those who are looking for accommodation in Bordeaux! If you’re looking for a hotel, I have an article with recommendations about the best hotels in Bordeaux for different budgets. If you’re looking for an Airbnb or just want to understand where you should stay in Bordeaux, you should definitely read my Bordeaux districts guide.

You can also get plenty of tips on things to do in the Southwest of France via lost in Bordeaux’s social media accounts and email list, check them out here:

Facebook |Instagram |Email | Facebook group

If it’s your first time in Bordeaux you may also like to read some of the following “intro to Bordeaux” articles I wrote:
The Ultimate Guide to a weekend Bordeaux
The best districts in Bordeaux
Where to stay in Bordeaux
What to do in one day in Bordeaux
Things to do with kids in Bordeaux

If you like this article and want to read it again when you’re in Bordeaux – Save it to your Pinterest board!

In Bordeaux by Neighborhood

Bacalan – best things to do in the north of Bordeaux

Last updated on September 25, 2018 No Comments

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

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

La Cité du Vin

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

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

Have a drink or a snack at les Halles des Bacalan

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

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

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

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

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

Le Garage moderne – a social garage

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

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

Street art all over

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

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

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

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

Go to a concert on the I.boat

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

The opening hours:

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

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

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

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

standby coffee shop — Standby coffee shop

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

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

Visit the Bordeaux Whiskey Distillery

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

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

Find the UFO on the water

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

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

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

In Weekend plans

This Weekend in Bordeaux (November 9-11)

Last updated on November 15, 2018 No Comments

The Chateaux of Sauternes et Barsac will open their doors to the public this weekend so if you love sweet wine this weekend is a treat. If you prefer to stay in town there are plenty of other things to do like a yoga festival in Darwin, a craftsmen market in Chartrons, a piano festival, a World music festival and more.

Here’s the list of things to do this weekend in and around Bordeaux (November 9-11):

Open doors in the Chateaux of Sauternes et Barsac

Sauternes et Barsac are two wine areas (appellation d’origine contrôlée) famous for their sweet white wine. This weekend (November 10-11) 50 wine producers of Sauternes et Barsac invite you to an open door weekend, with a program that will include wine tastings, visits in the châteaux, gourmet food, concerts and activities for kids. Some of the participating châteaux are: Château La Tour Blanche, Château Coutet à Barsac, La Maison du Vigneron Sauternes, Château Suduiraut, Château de Rayne Vigneau, Château Caillou. You can see all the châteaux on the photo below.

When: November 10-11
Where:Sauternes et Barsac– chose your chateau from the program

BLISS YOGA Festival

The Bliss Yoga festival will take place this weekend (November 10-11) in Darwin. The program of the festival includes 30 courses that aim to make you discover different types of yoga no matter what level you are. Although yoga is the main event, there will be other activities like workshops, different information stands, a well being space, kids area, a photography exhibition, bio products and more. For more info check out the website of the festival and the facebook page of the event.

When: November 10-11
Where: Darwin Ecosystème, 87 quai des Queyries

Halles de Bacalan – 1 year anniversary

Halles de Bacalan invites you to celebrate their first anniversary with a super gourmand event on the weekend of November 9-11. This fun market is one of the best places for drinks with friends, especially on rainy weekends, so this event is guaranteed to be good. For more info check out the facebook page of the event.

When: November 9-11
Where: 10 esplanade de pontac, 33300 Bordeaux,

Piano Festival

This is the 9th edition of the Festival L’esprit du Piano that will take place at the Auditorium of the Opera of Bordeaux on November 9-26. This magnificent festival hosts some important pianists like Chick Corea, Yefim Bronfman, Deszo Ranki and Bertrand Chamayou and others, some of whom will collaborate with the National Orchestra of Bordeaux and the choir of the Opera of Bordeaux. One of the biggest names to take the stage of the Auditorium is the Jazz legend, Abdullah Ibrahim. See the program of the festival here and info about the tickets here.

When: November 9-26
Where: Grand Théâtre, Place de la Comédie – 33 000 Bordeaux

Remembrance day ceremonies- November 11

This Sunday (November 11) is remembrance day in France and some events will take place in Floirac to commemorate the centenary of the armistice of the First World War. For more details click here.

When: November 11, 9:00-12:00
Where: Floirac, see the program

Centenaire de l’armistice de la 1ère Guerre Mondiale – Exhibition

This year is the centenary of the armistice of the First World War and as part of the commemoration the city will present an exhibition of different objects, posters and archives related to the war. The exhibition will be presented at the Town Hall in Floriac between November 6 and November 17 and in Espace Lucie Aubrac on November 11. For more info click here.

When: November 6-17
Where: 6 avenue Pasteur BP 110, 33270 Floirac

Jazz Festival in Caudéran

The second edition of the Jazz festival of Caudéran will take place on November 8-10. Three days with 6 concerts: Robin & the Woods, IepXtet – création musicale de Sébastien Iep Arruti, Lorenzo Naccarato trio, Itamar Borochov quartet, Saxtape and the Nicolas Folmer Horny Tonky experience. For more info about prices and the full program click here.

When: November 8-11
Where: La Pergola Theater, Rue Fernand Cazères, 33200 Bordeaux

Salon Ob’Art

Le salon Ob’Art (Objets de créateur) is a creators fair with a rich pedagogic program of activities, workshops and demonstrations. The aim of the event is to create a dialog between artists, craftsmen and the wide public in order to transfer their know-how and to make the young generation discover a variety of professional vocations. The event will be dedicated to Japanese philosophy and craftsmanship. Le Salon Ob’Art will take place in Hangar 14 (Quai des Chartrons) on November 9-11. Entry is free for kids under 18 years old and 6 € for adults (free on the first day). For more info check out the website of the event.

When: November 9-11
Where: 173 Quai des Chartrons, 33300 Bordeaux

L’Arche de Noël – creators market

L’Arche de Noël is a creators market that will take place in the Chartrons neighborhood every weekend until Christmas (November 22-23 is the last event). Each week a group of local talented craftsmen and artists will present their original creations. This weekend (November 10-11) the stands will include jewelry, kids toys, textile, graphic design and more.

See more details here.

When: November 10-11
Where: 23 Rue Minvielle, 33000 Bordeaux

Festival Toutes Latitudes

Festival Toutes Latitudes is taking place this week (November 7-11) in Rocher de Palmer in Cenon. The festival celebrate diversity through world music with musicians from all the the world. The lineup includes the Malian singer Oumou Sangaré (the black Tina Turner), the Turkish guitarist Bilal Karaman, the Algerian band Babylone and more. To see the full program and buy tickets click here and for more info check out the facebook page of the event.

When: November 7-11
Where: 1 rue Aristide Briand, 33150 Cenon

Salon des Grandes Ecoles

The Salon of the “Grandes Ecoles” is an event where the most prestigious institutions in the French higher education come to present their schools to future students. The Salon will take place this Saturday (November 10) at the Palais des Congrès. The event includes conferences and meetings with representatives from the schools who will present you their academic programs. For more info click here.

When: November 10
Where: Espace Pluriel, Avenue Jean Gabriel Domergue, 33300 Bordeaux

Bordeaux Medoc Lyrique comtest

The finals of the International singing competition of the Opera of Bordeaux will take place this weekend (November 9-10) at the Opera. Some of the young singers are coming from the biggest opera houses and theaters in France and abroad such as Opéra de Zurich, Opéra National de Bordeaux, Opéra national de Paris, Semperoper Dresde, Théâtre du Bolchoï and Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse. For more info and tickets click here.

When: November 9-10, at 20:00
Where: Place de la Comédie, 33000 Bordeaux

Delirium Party

Mille et Une Bieres, the very cool beer boutique invites you this Friday (November 9) to a Delirium party. The program includes a DJ , tattoo sessions and a happy hour on some of the beers. See more details here.

When: November 9, from 17:00 to midnight
Where: 42 Rue Edmond Besse, 33300 Bordeaux,

Fit Attitude

The Fit Attitude is a sports event that takes place on Saturday every two weeks in Jardin Public. It’s a free fitness event and it’s open for all. The event will take place Saturday (November 10) at 11:00. See more details here.

When: November 10. 11:00
Where: place du Champ de Mars, 33000 Bordeaux,

Exhibitions

Exposition 3/1 – Espace Saint-Rémi

La Spirale association invites you to a collective exhibition by three local artists: Magalie Darsouze (visual artist), Benjamin Monteil (engraver) and Chris Pillot (painter). The exhibition will be presented at the beautiful Espace Saint-Rémi on November 7-17. The entrance is free. See more info here.

When: November 7-17
Where: 4 rue Jouannet à Bordeaux

Douro, l’air de la terre au bord des eaux – Exhibition

La Cité du Vin is currently hosting its second temporary exhibition of the “Vignoble invité” (invited vineyard). This exhibition, called Douro, l’air de la terre au bord des eaux, will take you to the heart of the wine region Haut-Douro in Portugal. As with the permanent exhibition in La Cité du Vin this too will be accompanied by an experience of sounds and senses. For more info click here.

When: October 5- January 6. 2019
Where:1, esplanade de Pontac, Bordeaux, 33300

Salva Me exhibition

“Salva me” is the new exhibition of the Bordelais graphic designer Aymeric Giraudel. The exhibition combines photography and graphics and plays with the human body to express its beauty. The exhibition will be presented at the Les Vivres de l’Art until November 16. For more info click here.

When: until November 16
Where: 4 rue Achard, 33300 BORDEAUX

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

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

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Have a great weekend!

In Weekend plans

Things to do this weekend in Bordeaux (June 22-24)

Last updated on June 25, 2018 No Comments

This weekend it’s time to relax a bit after the fête du vin and fête de la musique. There are no big festivals but plenty of fun events and activities and a few incredible art exhibitions you should go see.

If you need a really calm weekend after the overload of events in Bordeaux in recent weeks, check out my list of the best places for a picnic in Bordeaux and choose the best spot to enjoy this sunny weekend!

This is the list of things to do in Bordeaux this weekend (June 22-24):

Festivals and Events

Bordeaux Open Air #1

The first part of the third edition of the Bordeaux Open Air festival will take place on June 24 in Parc Palmer in Cenon. Bordeaux Open Air is a series of summer free electronic music events, all set in different locations and with a great city vibe to them. The second and third parts of the festival will take place on July 22 and August 12 in Jardin Public and Parc Palmer, respectively.

See more info about the event on their website and facebook page.

When: June 24
Where: Parc Palmer , 1 rue aristide Briand, 33150 Bordeaux, France

Refugee Food Festival

The Refugee Food Festival will take place on June 21-25 in several location across the city. Five restaurants in Bordeaux will open their kitchen to refugee chefs that will enrich their menus with special dishes from their countries. For more details check out the website and the facebook page of the event.

When: June 21-25
Where: Different locations in Bordeaux (check out the link above)

Fête de la Musique for kids

Every year, on the weekend following the Fête de la Musique, kids get to celebrate their own music day in Parc Bordelais. The event proposes a large program of musical activities such as concerts of different music schools, a workshop of electronic music for kids, a concert of the Orchestre d’Harmonie de Bordeaux and more. See the full program here.

When: June 24
Where: Parc Bordelais

Flashmob Studio Attitude 2018

Join the big Flashmob event that will take place this Saturday at the Miroir d’eau at 16:00, organized by Studio Attitude. You can learn the dance moves in the video bellow. See more details on the facebook page of the event.

When: June 24, 16:00
Where: Miroir d’eau

A zero waste festival will take place on June 23 at Place Sainte Bernadette in Merignac. During this event you’ll be able to do a no-waste shopping and gain new ideas you could implement in your day to day life in order to decrease waste. For more info check out the website of the event.

When: June 23 (10:00 to 17:00)
Where: Place Sainte Bernadette. Merignac

Festival de Papa Yann from Enfant- Bordeaux

Papa Yann, the founder of the super helpful website Enfant-Bordeaux will host the first event for kids on Sunday (June 24). The event will take place at la Cabane de Raba in Talence and will include many activities and spectacles in its program. For more details check the website and the facebook page of the event.

When: June 24 – from 10:30 to 18:00
Where: 35 rue Remi Belleau , 33400 Talence
How much: 6 €

La Ferme des Halles

le Carreau des Producteurs, a group of farmers and a local producers located at the Halles de Bacalan will hold a fun event this Saturday (June 23), by the name of “La Ferme des Halles”. The event will include a little farm installed in place, a farming class and a market where you could meet the local producers. See more info here.

When: June 23
Where: 10 esplanade de pontac, 33300 Bordeaux, France

Banzaï Lab présente : Arrière Cour #3

Banzaï Lab invites you to spend a lovely afternoon this Sunday (June 24) at Les Vivres de l’Art. The program includes a Barbecue, different games, a magic show and more. See the full program on the facebook page of the event.

When: June 24 from 12:00 to 22:30
Where: 2 rue Achard, 33300 Bordeaux, France
How much: 3 € (free for kids under 12 yo)

CULTURE

Last chance to see the Street Color Exhibition

I know I have been saying that in the last three weeks, but this is really your last chance to see this amazing street art exhibition at the Institut Bernard Magrez, which will be presented until the end of this weekend (June 24). The expo includes some well known street artists (mostly French ones), such as MAD C (GER), Seth (FRA), d’Alexöne (FRA) and more.

For more info and tickets.

color street exhibition at the institut culturel bernard magrez — photo by @lost_in_bordeaux

When: until June 24
Where: 16 rue de Tivoli, Bordeaux
How much: 8 €

Urban Legends Exhibition

“Legendes Urbaines” , an exhibition that will host more than 50 street artists, will be presented from June 21 to September 16 at La Base Sous Marine, one of the most unique places in Bordeaux.

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

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

Corpus Focus – a journey of a dance

Corpus Focus is a dance project that has been running since March in different locations in Bordeaux. It brings together 4 renowned international choreographers with dancers (from the Adage dance school) that will perform their new creations. The forth edition of Corpus Focus is coming to an end with two performances this weekend, on June 22 (19:30) and June 23 (16:00) in Bordeaux and Saint-Macaire, respectively. The entry is free.

Read more about the project and the next two performances here.

When: June 22-23
Where: Bordeaux and Saint-Macaire, (check out the program of the event)

Last chance to see the Wine and Music Expo

The is the last chance to see the “Le vin & La musique, accords et désaccords“ art exposition at la Cité du Vin, that will be presented until June 24. The exhibition reveals the relationship between wine and music through a visual journey that alternates between paintings, music and stage art. Around 150 pieces of art will be put in place from French and European collections: ceramics, paintings, music books , instruments and more. For more details and tickets go here.

When: until June 24
Where: 134 – 150 Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux
How much: 8 €

Shakira

Shakira will perform at the Bordeaux Métropole Arena on June 24 – buy tickets here.

Le Bruit des Corps – Festival

Le Bruit des Corps is a festival combining the arts of dance and theater, mixing both professional and amateur dancers. The festival will take place on June 21-30 in different venues in the city. The program of the festival includes concerts, workshops and conferences. For more info check out the website and the facebook page of the festival.

When: June 21-30
Where: Different locations in Bordeaux, take a look at the link above.

La Guinguette Chez Alriq

Enjoy a concert in front of the Garonne river at La Guinguette Chez Alriq. This cool place has live concerts every evening of the weekend with performances in many different music genres. See the full program for the weekend on their website.

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 below so all of us could profit 🙂

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

Have a great weekend!

In What to do

20 things to do in Bordeaux in June

Last updated on May 16, 2019 1 Comment

As we’re approaching the summer, the cultural and gastronomic scene in Bordeaux seems to get hotter and hotter. This month there are so many events, festivals and concerts that you will find it hard to choose from this long list of things to do. The great Bordeaux wine festival is almost here, the Bordeaux food truck festival is about to begin this month, three music festivals and the Fête de la musique with free concerts all over the city. I can go on and on, but let’s just jump right into it.

Here you will find the 20 most interesting and entertaining events that are about to begin or happen during the month of June. I divided them into two groups (events and art exhibitions), where they appear in a chronological order. As usual, during this month, I will publish my weekend things to do lists where I will add some of the smaller events, so stay tuned.

Meanwhile, this is the list of the best things you can do in Bordeaux in June 2018:

Festivals and Concerts

1. Les Epicuriales

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

The event takes place May 25 to June 9. See more details here.

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

2. Festival Echappée Belle in Blanquefort

Echappée Belle festival is a very entertaining event for the whole family that includes many forms of art for both kids and adults including theater, dance, circus and more. The festival will take place from May 31 to June 3 in Blanquefort, starting in Parc Majolan and continuing for the weekend in Parc de Fongravey. This edition of the festival is promised to have a great focus on musical activities with many cross genre shows and creations.

The prices of the shows are between 11€ and 16€ (depending on the amount of tickets purchased), the entrance to the parks and to many activities are free and the access is very easy from the center of Bordeaux (on tram A). See the full program here.

When: May 31 – June 3
Where: Different locations in Blanquefort (see the program)

3. Millesime Electronic music festival

This is a great event for all electronic music lovers who want to enjoy the unique atmosphere of an electronic music festivals and still stay in the region of Bordeaux. Festival Millesime will take place on June 1-2 in La Réole (between Bordeaux and Toulouse) and will have 3 stages, more than 30 artists, a chill out area and many other activities, all in the open air on the banks of the Garonne – sounds like a perfect event! (I’m an electronic music kind of person, so I’m not very objective here 🙂 )

The ticket price is 16,73 € and the access is quite easy – by car or by train from Gare Saint Jean.

For more info check out the website of the festival and the facebook page.

When: June 1-2
Where: Hippodrome de La Réole, lieu dit Mijéma, 33190 La Réole

4. Fête de la Morue

For more than two centuries, Bègles has been an important center of morue (codfish) in France. Today, this unique expertise of this little town is celebrated every year at la Fête de la Morue, a popular culinary and culture festival that also gives a stage young artists. la Fête de la Morue, will take place on June 1-3 in Bègles, with a rich program of concerts, cooking workshops, exhibitions, tastings, conferences and more. For more details follow the facebook page of the event or check our the program.

When: June 1-3
Where: Different locations in Bègles (see program).

5. AHOY music Festival

AHOY is a music festival, taking place on June 1-3 in Bassins à Flot in the Bacalan neighborhood, it proposes day and night experiences in three central cultural venues in the neighborhood – Dalle du Pertuis, Base Sous- Marine and Iboat. This festival is a journey of 36 hours, adapted for any age, where visitors are invited to explore the musical village and enjoy concerts, workshops for kids and adults, a creators’ market, food and wine and many other entertaining activities. Check out the full program of the event.

When: June 1-3
Where: Bassins à flot – Bacalan

6. Bordeaux Food truck Festival

This is the biggest gathering of food trucks in the region of Nouvelle Aquitaine, with around 60 food trucks registered to participate in the five events of the festival, which are spread in different dates until the end of September this year. This festival aims to mix street food with the finesse of the wine world. As part of this gastronomic event, visitors can taste the wines of the hosting châteaux and the specialties of food coming from all corners of the world: French, Italian, Brazilian and many more. The program of the festival also includes free concerts, exhibitions, escape games, activities for kids and a wine and chocolate workshop with the famous Bordelaise chocolatier Hasnaâ.

The first food-truck weekend will take place on June 2-3 in Château de La Dauphine in Fronsac. To purchase tickets for the different events in Château de la Dauphine click here.

See the all the details about the five weekends of the Bordeaux food truck festival here.

When: June 2-3
Where: Château de La Dauphine, 5 Rue Poitevine, 33126 Fronsac

7. “Les Forains, Ballet Urbain” in Bordeaux Opera

The amazing urban dance spectacle of “Les Forains, Ballet urbain” will be hosted by the Opera house of Bordeaux for seven consecutive nights from May 31 to June 7. For more details and tickets click here. Hurry up as the tickets are running low and some of the nights are already full.

When: May 31- June 6
Where: Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux, Place de la Comédie, 33000 Bordeaux

8. Big Bang- Air and Space Festival

The Big Bang festival in Saint-Médard-en-Jalles will take place on June 5-10. The third edition of the air and space festival is dedicated to art and science and is promised to be both educative and entertaining. The program includes art and science exhibitions, conferences, planetarium, flight simulator, films, concerts and much more. Check out the full program of the event.

Big Bang Festival 2017 — Picture by: Big Bang

When: June 5-10
Where: Le Carré des Jalles, Place de la République, 33160 SAINT-MEDARD-EN-JALLES

9. Bordeaux Open Air #1

Another music festival, and this time much closer to the center of Bordeaux! The first part of the third edition of the Bordeaux Open Air festival will take place June 10 in Parc Palmer in Cenon. Bordeaux Open Air is a series of summer free electronic music events, all set in different locations and with a great city vibe to them. The dates and locations of all the other events will be announced shortly.

See more info about the event on their website and facebook page.

When: June 10
Where: Parc Palmer , 1 rue aristide Briand, 33150 Bordeaux, France

10. Bordeaux Wine Festival

This is the 20th edition of this magnificent feast of wine. Like every year, the banks of the Garonne are hosting wine lovers for five unforgettable days of events all dedicated to discovering the wines of Bordeaux and its region, Nouvelle aquitaine. For the five days of the Fête le Vin (June 14-18), 30 tall ships will be docking along the banks of the river, arriving from many different European destinations. Learn more about these special ships and their stories here. The ships are a key theme in this festival and a lot of the activities will revolve around them, among them sailing trips on the Garonne, tours on the ships and evening deck parties on some of the boats. This festival is certainly not only about ships, other events and venues include an open air wine road on the riverfront, fireworks, ships crew parade, concerts and much more, click here to discover the full list of activities.

To participate in the Bordeaux Fête le Vin you will need to purchase a wine tasting pass for five days which includes 12 wine tastings in the many booths of the festival. The price is 16€ for a ticket, buy one here.

When: June 14-18
Where: The banks of the Garonne

11. Grand Crus Weekend

One of the most interesting events accompanying the Bordeaux wine festival is the Grand Crus Weekend that will take place June 16-17. This event, organized by the the Union des Grands Crus (regional wine classification), aims to create an international meeting of wine lovers. The highlights of this weekend will include tasting wines from over 120 Grand Crus and meeting different chateaux owners as part of pre-organized dinners in these châteaux.

Read more about the event and the full program here.

When: June 16-17
Where: many locations, see the program

12. Classic Ballet by the Bolshoi of Minsk

The prestigious Bolchoi of Minsk ballet company will perform parts taken from some of the best classics of ballet, such as the Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and Don Quixote, a beautiful event to take the kids to. The show will take place on June 17 (4pm) at the Bordeaux Métropole Arena.

For tickets and more details click here.

When: June 17
Where: Bordeaux Métropole Arena, 48-50 avenue Jean Alfonséa, 33270 FLOIRAC

13. Fête de la musique 2018

La Fête de la musique is a French national day, dedicated to the celebration of music, with free concerts and street parties happening on the same day (June 21) all over France. This is an extraordinary day where you have the chance to walk around the city and enjoy an endless amount of small and big concerts from any genre of music. Like every other city in France, Bordeaux too will celebrate La Fête de la musique with its own street concerts and activities.

In the following video you will see the famous chef Philippe Etchebest and his band performing at the Fête de la musique.

When: June 21
Where: All over the city of Bordeaux

14. The biggest artists are coming to Bordeaux

Since the opening of the Bordeaux Métropole Arena we have seen some impressive acts coming to perform in Bordeaux. This month is definitely one of the peaks, with two of the biggest names in the music world taking the Bordeaux stage.

Shakira

Shakira will perform at the Bordeaux Métropole Arena on June 24 – buy tickets here.

Guns and Roses

The legendary Guns and Roses will make a stop in Bordeaux as part of their tour and will take the stage on June 26 at the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux (Cours Jules Ladoumègue, 33300 Bordeaux).

15. Dance show by three famous choreographers

A co-production of the National Opera of Bordeaux and the Opera of Limoges presents an evening of three works by three famous choreographers: Petite Mort by Jiří Kylián, Le Chant du compagnon errant by Maurice Béjart and Le Concert (ou Les Malheurs de chacun) by Jerome Robbins. The dance show will be performed in the Opera of Bordeaux, during nine nights from June 27 to July 6.

For more details and tickets see the website of the Opera.

When: June 27 to July 6
Where: Grand Théâtre, place de la Comédie, 33000 BORDEAUX

16. Trajectoires

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

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

When: Many dates in June (see program)
Where: different locations in Bordeaux (see program)

ART

17. Claude Monet at the new Musée Mer Marine – the event is cancelled for now

The Musée Mer Marine is a new museum, based in the bassins à flot (Bacalan),which is scheduled to open its door in the beginning of 2019. While we are waiting for the full experience in this interesting new place, a temporary exhibition of the works of Claude Monet has been put in place and will run from June 15 to December 31. See more details on the website of the new museum.

When: June 15- December 31
Where: Musée Mer Marine,89 Rue des Étrangers
How much: 15 €

18. Last chance to see the Street Color Exhibition

This is the last chance to see the excellent art exhibition that is being presented from April 5 to June 24 at the Institut Bernard Magrez. The expo includes some well known street artists (mostly French ones), such as MAD C (GER), Seth (FRA), d’Alexöne (FRA) and more.

For more info and tickets.

wall paintings in Montreal by SETH — photo by: Seth

When: until June 24
Where: 16 rue de Tivoli, Bordeaux
How much: 8 €

19. Urban Legends Exhibition

La Base Sous Marine, one of the most unique places in Bordeaux, will host the “Legendes Urbaines” exhibition from June 21 to September 16, which will host the works of more than 50 street artists.

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

20. Last chance to see the Wine and Music Expo

The art exposition at la Cité du Vin, named “Le vin & La musique, accords et désaccords“, reveals the relationship between wine and music through a visual journey that alternates between paintings, music and stage art. Around 150 pieces of art will be put in place from French and European collections: ceramics, paintings, music books , instruments and more. The exposition has been running from march and will be presented at the museum until June 24. For more details and tickets check here.

When: until June 24
Where: 134 – 150 Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux
How much: 8 €

If you know of any other interesting events in and around Bordeaux, please let me know in the comments below and I will be sure to add them to my weekly list of things to do in Bordeaux.

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

In Weekend plans

Things to do this weekend in Bordeaux (May 10-13)

Last updated on May 16, 2018 No Comments

Another long weekend ahead of us and this time I’ve made a special effort to fill your diaries with a variety of events. If you happen to stay in the Bordeaux region for the weekend, we have a bit of everything, a tango festival in Bordeaux, A medieval festival in Landiras, a music festival in Talence, new exhibitions and much more.

Here is the list of things to do this weekend in and around Bordeaux (May 10-13):

Festivals, Salons and Special events

Bordeaux Tango Festival

The 6th edition of the Bordeaux Tango Festival is taking place on May 8-13. This cool festival connects Bordeaux and the place where Tango was born, Buenos Aires. A variety of activities will be offered to celebrate the link between these two cities, such as music, art, cinema, literature and of course dance. Most of it will take place in Espace St. Remi, except the events on Friday which will take place at the Rocher de Palmer in Cenon.

See the program of the festival.

When:May 8-13
Where: 4 Rue Jouannet, 33000 Bordeaux

The Medieval Festival of South Gironde

The Medieval Festival of Gironde will take place in the Cabiros forest in Landiras (about 40 min south of Bordeaux) on May 12-13. This unique site, at the heart of the forest, creates a perfect atmosphere for this festival giving you the feeling that you have been transported to medieval times. The medieval village, the costumes and the sword fighting are only part of the activities that will help you discover the history and habits of those ancient times. A free fire show will be offered on Saturday night!

The ticket price for the whole festival is 10€ and it’s free to kids under 12. For more info check out the website of the festival.

When: May 12-13
Where: Landiras, 33720

Mayday Festival in Talence

Mayday is a student festival taking place in the university campus in Talence on May 12-13. The artists that will preform during these two days of concerts will represent a mix of different musical genres from rock to electronic music, reggae and rap. Besides live music, the festival will also include other activities and entertainment, such as art exhibitions, a chill out area, a campus visit and more.

The festival is free, for more info check out their facebook page.

When: May 12-13
Where: 351 cours de la libération, 33400 Talence

Salon de l’agriculture of Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Salon de l’agriculture of Nouvelle Aquitaine is an annual event of ten days 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).

Cathedral nights

The Cathedral of Saint André in Bordeaux invites you to the Cathedral Nights events that will include two nights of musical concerts (May 11-12) and one day (May 13) of Organ music. The beautiful lightning of the Cathedral at night will make this an unforgettable event.

For more information click here.

When: May 11-13
Where: Place Pey-Berland, 33000 Bordeaux

Slavery remembrance week

This week (until May 13) is a week dedicated to the commemoration of slavery, slave trade and their abolition. Slavery once being
A week during which Bordeaux pays tribute to the struggles of all of those who, like Martin Luther King, were committed to freedom and equality.

Take a look on the full program of this week here.

When: May 2-13
Where: Different places in Bordeaux (consult the program).

Camp Blaye- the resistance in the citadel

Two local associations, whose agenda is to commemorate the history of the Médoc region during the two world wars, invites you to la Citadelle de Blaye for a weekend (May 12-13) of military battles reenactments during both wars in the citadel . Through this event you will learn about the part this region took in WWll, its occupation, resistance and liberation. Also, the event will celebrate 100 years to the end of WWI.

The event is free, see the program on the site of the citadel.

When: May 12-13
Where: Citadelle de Blaye, 33900 Blaye

Aquarelle day at the Marquèze Ecomuseum

Marquèze ecomuseum is located in the beautiful natural regional park of Landes de Gascogne and is one of the first éco-museums in France. The mission of this museum is to preserve, study and transfer the patrimony of the Grande Lande region. This Saturday (May 12) the museum and the Landes Aquarelle association invite you to a watercolor day. Diverse activities will take place during the day, among them painting workshops for adults and kids and demonstrations of different activities in the Marquèze neighborhood.

The ticket price is 14 € for adults and 9.5 € for kids. See the program here.

When: May 12
Where: Route de la Gare, 40630 Sabres

CULTURE

Corpus Focus – a journey of a dance

Corpus Focus is a dance project that has been running since March. It brings together 4 renowned international choreographers with dancers (from the Adage dance school) that will perform their new creations. The third edition of Corpus Focus takes place in different locations in Bordeaux, and this week (May 10 at 8pm) a dance show will take place at la Grande Poste. The evening will start with a dinner at 20:00 and will continue with the show at 20:30. The entry is free.

When: May 10 at 20:00
Where: 7 Rue du Palais Gallien, 33000 Bordeaux

Baroque Music in la Cité du Vin

This music event at the Cité du Vin is part of the exhibition of wine and music (Le Vin & la Musique, accords et désaccords) that has been running in the museum since March. The conservatory of Bordeaux took upon themselves to interpret the paintings presented at the exhibition. They will give five free performances that will take place this Sunday (May 13) at 10:30 / 11:30 / 14:30 / 15:30 / 16:30 / 17:30. For more info about the event read here, and about the exhibition on the site of the museum.

When: May 13
Where: 134 Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux

Exhibition by Rodolphe Martinez

An exhibition of the artist Rodolphe Martinez about Venice will take 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

La Forme du Songe Exposition

La Forme du Songe (the form of a dream) expo will be taking place in Pessac until May 19. The art exhibition presents the work of three very different artists, each dealing with dreams in their own way. The entry is free on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays between 14:30 – 18:00. For more info click here.

When: Until May 19
Where: Sortie 13, Rue Walter Scott, 33600 Pessac

Remigio ROSANI – Exhibition

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

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

Animal drawings exhibition

An exhibition of animal drawings, made by kids (4 to 15 years years old) will take place at Hall d’exposition Méli Mél’arts in Cenon on May 11-13. The paintings will then participate in a contest, whose results will be announced at the end of the exhibition. This is an opportunity to discover new talent in the region. For more info click here.

When: Until May 11-24
Where: Hall d’exposition Méli Mél’arts Cenon, 24 bis rue Camille Pelletan 33150

Jazz concert at le Caillou

le Caillou is a jazz bar/ restaurant with live music concerts, located next to Jardin Botanique on the rive droite of the Garonne. During the long holiday the place will hold concerts of different genres of Jazz music, see the full program.

When: Until May 10-12
Where: Espl. Linné, 33100 Bordeaux

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 Weekend plans

Things to do this weekend in Bordeaux 19-22 April

Last updated on April 23, 2018 1 Comment

With the sunny weather outside, many of you will probably spend the weekend at a park, the beach or a terrace with oysters and cold white wine. But for those of you who love their weekends more active, there are plenty of things to do and you don’t want to miss them: big gardening events, the brocante of Quinconces, live painting on the M.U.R de Bordeaux and many more.

Here is the list of things to do this weekend in Bordeaux (April 19-22):

Festivals and Salons

Brocante des Quinconces

The big brocante of Bordeaux is hosted twice a year at place des Quinconces with 200 antique dealers, horticulturists, restaurants and craftsmen. This spring is the 100th edition of the brocante and it will take place from April 20 to May 8.

When: April 20 – May 8
Where: Place des Quinconces

Tauzia Fête les Jardins

Tauzia is a gardening festival that takes place on April 20-22 at the Tauzia chateau in Gradignan. The event, which received a great amount of interest from the Bordelaise public last year, is full of events and activities for gardening enthusiasts. It will bring together more than 80 exhibitors specialized in the world of plants: plant producers, landscape designers, artists, collections, horticulturists and in general people with an exceptional knowledge of plants. You will be able to buy plants, flowers and shrubs in the beautiful English park of Chateau Tauzia and also get advice from the specialists on how to maintain your garden.

When: April 20-22
Where: Château de Tauzia, 216 Cours du Général de Gaulle, 33170 Gradignan
How much: 7 euros, free for women with a name of a flower or a fruit and to all people named Olivier 🙂

Different activities

Cannele d’adresses – Launch event

This Saturday (April 21) Cannele d’adresses, the free guide of Bordeaux, will launch its 9th edition in a big event that will take place at the Place Pey Berland. The program includes: concerts, social games for kids and adults, live art creation (live painting and creation of jewelry), catering facilities and more.

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

le cennele d'adresses — le cennele d’adresses

When: April 21 (10:00 – 19:00)
Where: Place Pey Berland, Bordeaux

Urban Gardening in Parc aux Angéliques

An event of urban agriculture will take place this weekend (April 21-22) at Parc aux Angéliques ( in front of la guinguette chez alriq) which is located on the quai of la Bastide neighborhood. Come make your own seed bomb, seeds and barter plants , exchange information about gardening books and the shared gardens in your neighborhood. If you’re a city person but gardening is your thing, this is your moment to join the urban agriculture community of Bordeaux.

For more info check out their site and facebook page.

When: April 21-22
Where: Quai des Queyries, 33100 Bordeaux

Discover Black Kites at the Bouscat forest

An interesting tour will take place on April 21 at the Bois du Bouscat that will introduce you to the world of black kites and other birds of prey like hawks, owls and buzzards. The event requires a reservation: 05 57 22 27 62.

When: April 21 – 10:00
Where: Bois du Bouscat

Culture

Le M.U.R de Bordeaux

The work of Zarb, the street artist will be the one decorating the big graffiti wall, called le M.U.R de Bordeaux. You can meet him and see him perform his art on the wall on April 18-20.

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

When: April 18-20
Where: place Paul et Jean-Paul Avisseau 33300 Bordeaux

Itinéraires des Photographes Voyageurs – photography festival

The 28th edition of the “travelling photographers routes” festival is taking place April 1-29. During this month, 17 photography expositions will be presented in the main cultural institutions of the city such as the Rocher de Palmer in Cenon, the Bibliothèque Grand Parc, Espace Saint-Rémi and others.

Get the full list of all artists and more info about the event here.

Street Color at Institut Bernard Magrez

An extensive street are exhibition will be presented from April 5 to June 24 at the Institut Bernard Magrez. The expo will include some well known street artists (mostly French ones), such as MAD C (GER), Seth (FRA), d’Alexöne (FRA) and more. This institute is a historic monument dated to the 18th century, so the combination of an ancient chateau with street art will most certainly add to the atmosphere of the exposition.

For more info and tickets.

Address: 16 rue de Tivoli, Bordeaux

With Kids

Planétarium in Cap Sciences

This is the last weekend (until April 22) for the Planétarium in Cap Sciences, where your kids can 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.

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

Explore the behind the scenes of the Opera

“Le Vin & la Musique, accords et désaccords” is an exposition currently presented at the Cité du vin, that makes various fascinating connections between music and wine as they are reflected in different works of art. Until the end of spring break (April 22) the museum will hold a workshop for kids that will allow them to enjoy this exhibition as well. Kids (ages 8-12) will discover the magic world of the Opera through its costumes and decorations. At the end of the workshop they will create their own opera decorations.

For more details and reservations.

When: April 7-22
Where: 1, esplanade de Pontac Bordeaux
How much: 9€

Drinking/ Fooding/ Shopping

Dining in the Dark

Tables Vatel restaurant invites you to a sensory experience of blind dining on April 21. This blind dinner will evoke all your other senses and intensify the taste and the odor. The profits from the evening will go to the GIHP association (Groupement d’Insertion des personnes Handicapées Physiques) and a few volunteers from the association will accompany you during the dinner.

Reservations can be made by phone 05 56 11 58 88 or on la fourchette, for more info.

When: April 21- 19:30
Where: 114-115 quais des Chartrons, 33000 Bordeaux, France
How much: 46€

Open doors at Lalande de Pomerol

An event of open doors at the Lalande de Pomerol appellation will take place on April 21-22. During the weekend, 28 Châteaux will offer tours, tastings and many other activities.

See the full list of Châteaux and what they offer during the weekend.
See more information about all the Châteaux.

When: April 21- 22
Where: Lalande de pomerol

Concerts/ Shows/ Games

La Romance de Paris – Cabaret show

La Coupole theater in Saint Loubès welcomes you to the romantic era of Paris with the most famous French chansons from the 50s, 60s and the 70s.

For more info.

When: April 19
Where: La Coupole,36 chemin de Nice, 33450 Saint-Loubès
How much: 27 €

Go for a concert and drink at Casa Latina

Casa Latina hold concerts of different singers and bands almost every night. This weekend the program includes shows of two reggae bands. Check out the full list of events.

Where: 59 quai des chartron, 33300 Bordeaux

Enjoy the list and hit the share buttons to spread the word to your friends 🙂

In Weekend plans

Things to do this weekend in Bordeaux 23-25 March

Last updated on September 5, 2023 No Comments

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The main event in Bordeaux this weekend is definitely the Marathon of Bordeaux. For those who look for smaller events there are nice festivals and expos and even a big vinyl records salon, and for some of them you don’t even have to get into Bordeaux center.

These are the things to do in Bordeaux in the weekend of March 23-25:

Special events

Bordeaux Marathon

The Marathon (24 March) takes place in the historic city center, allowing the runners to cross all the historic sites and some of Bordeaux’s biggest wineries. The Marathon will start at 20:00 which makes it even more special as runners can see the city by night with special decorations just for the event. Most of us are probably not in shape for the 42km run, but that should not prevent us from enjoying the atmosphere in the city as well as seeing others run 🙂

Culture

“Le vin & La musique, accords et désaccords” à La Cité du Vin

The art exposition at la Cité du Vin, named “Le vin & La musique, accords et désaccords“, reveals the relationship between wine and music through a visual journey that alternates between paintings, music and stage art. Around 150 pieces of art will be put in place from French and European collections: ceramics, paintings, music books , instruments and more. The exposition will take place March 23-24 for the price of 8€.

Address: 134 – 150 Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux

Festivals and Salons

Salon International du Disque de Bordeaux

The international salon of vinyl and cd records of Bordeaux will take place March 24-25 in the Parc des expositions. It’s the 57th edition of this festival that brings together 80 exhibitors from France and abroad and proposes all genres of music: rock, pop, soul, jazz, punk, reggae and more.

Price: Normal 3€50 / Student 2€ / free for kids.

Address: Parc des expositions de Bordeaux – Vélodrome

Cordes Sensibles 2018- Guitar Festival

The annual guitar festival, Cordes Sensibles will take place on March 23-25 in Saint-Médard-en-Jalles and this year will be mostly dedicated to duos. Besides the concerts the festival will include master classes, art expos and concerts of the music school of Saint-Médard-en-Jalles.

See the program of the festival.

Address: Carré des Jalles, place de la République33160 Saint-Médard-en-Jalles

Les Fous Rires de Bordeaux

If you still haven’t attended, les Fous Rires de Bordeaux is still on until March 24. It’s a very unique humor festival with more than 80 artists participating and different activities taking place all over the city. The festival provides the opportunity to experience humor in different forms, such as on stage, in pictures and even through cooking!!

There are two parts to the festival:
Festival IN, with well known artists on stage.
Festival OUF– that proposes free activities during the whole week of the festival such as workshops, happenings, entertaining children in hospitals and more.

See the program here.

Concerts/ Shows

Piano concert in Château de Cadillac

Piano voyageur, a concert performed by the pianist Jérôme Médeville will take place at Château de Cadillac on March 25, at 15:00. Médeville will play classical music from the 18th and 19th centuries, such as Chopin, Beethoven, Debussy, Mozart, and Liszt. Ticket Price is 9€.

Address: 4 Place de la Libération, 33410 Cadillac

Reggae concert and fundraising in Cenon

On March 24, le Rocher de Palmer will hold an evening in support of the SOS Mediterranee association denouncing the deplorable conditions in which refugees cross the Mediterranean, often risking their lives. The event will include a reggae concert of two and a half hours with the following artists: Yannis Odua, Natty Jean, Papa Style, Brahim.

The concert will start at 20:30, ticket price is 20€ (18€ online). For tickets and more details.

Address: 1 Rue Aristide Briand, 33152 Cenon

With Kids

Early Easter egg hunt in Talence

The Taillade neighborhood in Talence organizes an early Easter egg hunt March 24, between 14:00 and 19:00. Once the baskets of chocolate are full, kids and their parent will be able to taste it together.

Address: salle les Mallerettes, 170-172 cours Galliéni – 33400 TALENCE

Festival Entre 2 Rêves

The Entre 2 Rêves Festival, organized by the Collectif Entre 2 Rêves, takes place between 21-31 March on the right side of the Garonne river ( Cénac, Langoiran, Cambes and other towns in the area). Those 10 days will be full of shows of different genres: theater, music, circus and more. For the full program and tickets.

Prices: daily show 2.50€, evening show 5€.

Drinking and Fooding

Original Cocktail Tour 2018

The Original Cocktail Tour takes place March 20-26 in five bars in Bordeaux: Madame Pang, Au Symbiose, Le Gabriel, Le Taquin, Au CanCan “Coquetels & Flonflons” . During these 7 days these five bars will propose a menu of special cocktails at reduced prices.

Hope this list will help you find some nice things to do during this rainy weekend in Bordeaux. And for all the Marathon runners, you are very brave and good luck to you 🙂

Cité du Vin

Discounts for Bordeaux’s museums

Wine museums in Bordeaux

Cité du Vin

Address: Esplanade de Pontac, 134 Quai de Bacalan, 33300 BordeauxThe site of the museum: https://www.laciteduvin.com/en

Musée du Vin et du Négoce de Bordeaux

Address: The entrance is from 41 Rue Borie, BordeauxThe site of the museum: https://www.museeduvinbordeaux.com/

Art Museums in Bordeaux

Les Bassins des Lumières – Base Sous-Marine

Address: Boulevard Alfred Daney, 33300 BordeauxThe site of the museum: https://www.facebook.com/BasesousmarinedeBordeaux/

Le musée des beaux-arts – fine arts

Address: 20 Cours d’Albret, 33000 BordeauxThe site of the museum: http://www.musba-bordeaux.fr/

Le CAPC – musée d’art contemporain de Bordeaux

Address: 7 Rue Ferrere, 33000 BordeauxThe site of the museum: http://www.capc-bordeaux.fr/capc

Musée des Art décoratifs et du Design

Address: 39 rue Bouffard 33000 BordeauxThe site of the museum: https://madd-bordeaux.fr/

Institut Bernard Magrez

Address: 16 rue de Tivoli, BordeauxThe site of the museum: https://www.institut-bernard-magrez.com/

FRAC – local contemporary art

Address: Corto Maltese, La MÉCA 5 parvis, 33800 BordeauxThe site of the museum: https://fracnouvelleaquitaine-meca.fr/

Kids Museums in Bordeaux

The Natural History Museum

Address: 5 Place Bardineau, 33000 BordeauxThe site of the museum: https://www.museum-bordeaux.fr/en/accueil

Cap Sciences

Address: Hangar 20, Quai de Bacalan, 33300 BordeauxThe site of the museum: http://www.cap-sciences.net/

History, culture and others

Musee d’Aquitaine

Address: 20 Cours Pasteur, 33000 BordeauxThe site of the museum: http://www.musee-aquitaine-bordeaux.fr/

Musée national des Douanes

Address: 1 Place de la Bourse, 33000 BordeauxThe site of the museum: http://www.musee-douanes.fr/

Musée Mer marine

Address: 89 rue des Étrangers, 33300 BordeauxThe site of the museum: https://www.mmmbordeaux.com/en/home/

La Maison de l’Huître

Address: Rue du Port de Larros, 33470 Gujan-MestrasThe site of the museum: http://www.maison-huitre.fr/

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What to expect when visiting La Cité du Vin?

What will you discover at La Cite du Vin?

It’s time for wine tasting with a view

How to explore Bordeaux’s wine museum?

Vising la Cité du Vin with kids?

What else is there to do at the wine museum?

All you need to know before going to la Cité du Vin

Tickets and prices

Opening hours

How to get to the wine museum

What else is there to do next to the wine museum?

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A weekend in Bordeaux -Day 1

Place de la Victoire

Marché des Capucins – discover local gastronomy

Discover the Saint Michel neighborhood

The Grosse Cloche – one of the most impressive monuments in Bordeaux

Shop on rue Sainte-Catherine

Visit the main Cathedral of Bordeaux on Place Pey Berland

Visit one of Bordeaux’s museums

Grand Théâtre – one of the landmarks of Bordeaux

Have a fancy meal in one of Bordeaux’s great restaurants

Place des Quinconces

Place des Quinconces

Do a picnic in Jardin Public

Visit the northern chic district of Bordeaux – Les Chartrons

How to spend a weekend in Bordeaux – Day 2

Enjoy the squares of the Saint Pierre neighborhood

Porte Cailhau

Place Camille Julian

Place Saint Pierre

Place du Parlement

Miroir d’eau – the most popular attraction in Bordeaux

Take a walk on the quai – Bordeaux’s promenade

Shop and dine at the Chartrons market

Bacalan – discover the northern part of Bordeaux

La Cité du Vin – Bordeaux wine museum

Les Halles de Bacalan

Take a boat to the other side of the Garonne

Darwin – the hipster hub of Bordeaux

Useful links and info when visiting Bordeaux

Where to stay in Bordeaux

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La Cité du Vin

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

Address: Esplanade de Pontac, 134 Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: https://www.laciteduvin.com/en

Address: The entrance is from 41 Rue Borie, Bordeaux
The site of the museum: https://www.museeduvinbordeaux.com/

Address: Boulevard Alfred Daney, 33300 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: https://www.facebook.com/BasesousmarinedeBordeaux/

Address: 20 Cours d’Albret, 33000 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: http://www.musba-bordeaux.fr/

Address: 7 Rue Ferrere, 33000 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: http://www.capc-bordeaux.fr/capc

Address: 39 rue Bouffard 33000 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: https://madd-bordeaux.fr/

Address: 16 rue de Tivoli, Bordeaux
The site of the museum: https://www.institut-bernard-magrez.com/

Address: Corto Maltese, La MÉCA 5 parvis, 33800 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: https://fracnouvelleaquitaine-meca.fr/

Address: 5 Place Bardineau, 33000 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: https://www.museum-bordeaux.fr/en/accueil

Address: Hangar 20, Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: http://www.cap-sciences.net/

Address: 20 Cours Pasteur, 33000 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: http://www.musee-aquitaine-bordeaux.fr/

Address: 1 Place de la Bourse, 33000 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: http://www.musee-douanes.fr/

Address: 89 rue des Étrangers, 33300 Bordeaux
The site of the museum: https://www.mmmbordeaux.com/en/home/

Address: Rue du Port de Larros, 33470 Gujan-Mestras
The site of the museum: http://www.maison-huitre.fr/

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

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

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

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

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

When: November 10-11
Where:Sauternes et Barsac– chose your chateau from the program

When: November 10-11
Where: Darwin Ecosystème, 87 quai des Queyries

When: November 9-11
Where: 10 esplanade de pontac, 33300 Bordeaux,

When: November 9-26
Where: Grand Théâtre, Place de la Comédie – 33 000 Bordeaux

When: November 11, 9:00-12:00
Where: Floirac, see the program

When: November 6-17
Where: 6 avenue Pasteur BP 110, 33270 Floirac

When: November 8-11
Where: La Pergola Theater, Rue Fernand Cazères, 33200 Bordeaux

When: November 9-11
Where: 173 Quai des Chartrons, 33300 Bordeaux

When: November 10-11
Where: 23 Rue Minvielle, 33000 Bordeaux

When: November 7-11
Where: 1 rue Aristide Briand, 33150 Cenon

When: November 10
Where: Espace Pluriel, Avenue Jean Gabriel Domergue, 33300 Bordeaux

When: November 9-10, at 20:00
Where: Place de la Comédie, 33000 Bordeaux

When: November 9, from 17:00 to midnight
Where: 42 Rue Edmond Besse, 33300 Bordeaux,

When: November 10. 11:00
Where: place du Champ de Mars, 33000 Bordeaux,

When: November 7-17
Where: 4 rue Jouannet à Bordeaux

When: October 5- January 6. 2019
Where:1, esplanade de Pontac, Bordeaux, 33300

When: until November 16
Where: 4 rue Achard, 33300 BORDEAUX

When: June 24
Where: Parc Palmer , 1 rue aristide Briand, 33150 Bordeaux, France

When: June 21-25
Where: Different locations in Bordeaux (check out the link above)

When: June 24
Where: Parc Bordelais

When: June 24, 16:00
Where: Miroir d’eau

When: June 23 (10:00 to 17:00)
Where: Place Sainte Bernadette. Merignac

When: June 24 – from 10:30 to 18:00
Where: 35 rue Remi Belleau , 33400 Talence
How much: 6 €