April is such a fun month in Bordeaux! It starts to be warm outside, everything blossoms, and a lot of places are slowly opening up for the summer season. It’s also one of the best months to discover the surrounding of Bordeaux before they become too crowded with visitors from around the world.
Before I give you the list of events taking place in April, I want to recommend a few articles for you to read before visiting the region. My detailed guide to Saint Emilion as well as my list of recommended chateaux to visit are two articles that have helped many tourists to properly discover this amazing little village. You should also take a look at my list of the best places to visit in Bassin d’Arcachon and the Guide to the most beautiful villages around Bordeaux.
Make sure to read my article about the best 50 things to do in Bordeaux. And if you have questions about other parts of the Southwest of France, be sure to join my Facebook group “Travel in the Southwest of France”
If you live in the region or planning to visit soon, you’d love to know that there are many fun and interesting events taking up this month so let’s discover what are the best things to do in Bordeaux in April 2023!
The best events in April in Bordeaux and its surroundings
Open doors in Médoc
To celebrate the beginning of the spring the Maison du Tourisme et du Vin de Pauillac will hold an open doors weekend on April 1-2. During the weekend you can visit plenty of châteaux in the Medoc region and taste some of the finest wines in the world. For details about all the participating chateaux click here.
If you want to know more about the event you should read my post about the Open doors weekend.
When: April 1-2 / Where: different locations (see the site)
Bordeaux Electronic Week-end
Bordeaux Electronic Week-end 2023 is a fun music festival taking place on April 7-9. The lineup includes more than 10 electronic artists that will take the stage at Quai des sports, Saint Michel and Hangar FL. See the details here.
When: April 7-9 / Where: Quai des sports and Hangar FL in Bordeaux
Grande Brocante Antiquites À Rauzan
Every year the village of Rauzan in the Entre deux Mers region is hosting one of the best brocantes (antiques and flea market) in the SW of France. This year the big market will take place on April 7-10. See all the details here.
When: April 7-10 / Where: Village Antiquités in Rauzan
Treasure Hunt on Pâques Weekend
The second weekend of April is the long weekend of Easter in France and the area of Bordeaux offers plenty of activities to entertain you and your kids. Egg hunting, visits to beautiful chateaux, and chocolate workshops are only some of the activities you could do this weekend.
Here’s my list of all the best events taking place on Easter weekend around Bordeaux.
I will be publishing more events in my newsletter (subscribe here) and on the Lost in Bordeaux Instagram account.
Territoires Sauvages – Nature festival
Territoires Sauvages is a nature festival that will take place at the Halle du Port in Teich (Arcachon Bay) on April 7-10. You’re invited to spend your Easter weekend discovering the natural treasures of the region. For more info click here.
When: April 7-10/ Where: Halle du Port, 33470 Le Teich
Promenade en Scène!
Promenade Sainte-Catherine is the shopping center located in the middle of Bordeaux’s main shopping street – rue Sainte-Catherine. On April 14-16, Promenade Sainte-Catherine is hosting a festive weekend with a very entertaining program: dance, music, a magic show, and more. See all the details here.
When: April 14-16 Where: Face à la FNAC, 51-53 Rue Sainte-Catherine, 33000 Bordeaux
The Blaye Spring Wine Festival
The Blaye Spring Wine Festival will take place on April 15-16 at the Blaye Citadel. The annual wine festival brings together more than 80 winemakers.
The program includes discovery workshops (introduction to tasting, mixing, and food and wine pairing), guided visits to the citadel by train or horse, and more. For the full program and tickets click here.
When: April 15-16/ Where: Citadelle de Blaye, 33390 Blaye
Week-end des Vins Vivants
On April 15 -16, the town of Monségur in Entre-deux-Mers is hosting a wine festival. The event is dedicated to organic and natural wines. See all the details here.
When: April 15-16/ Where: Halle de Monségur
BLIB – the beer festival of Bordeaux
The 7th edition of Bordeaux’s beer festival will take place on April 15. The event will take place at Hangar 14 in Chartrons. Check out the Facebook page of the event for more info.
When: April 15 / Where: 115 Quai des Chartrons, 33000 Bordeaux
Search for beautiful antiques at the Brocante
The big brocante of Bordeaux is hosted twice a year at Place des Quinconces with 200 antique dealers, horticulturists, restaurants, and craftsmen. It’s the biggest brocante event in the area and the selection is huge, from vintage home decor to paintings, antique furniture, garden accessories, and more.
The market is taking place from April 21 to May 8. For more info and the list of exhibitors click here.
When: April 21 – May 8 / Where: Place des Quinconces, Bordeaux
Open doors at Lalande de Pomerol
An open doors weekend will take place on April 22-23 at the châteaux of the Lalande de Pomerol appellation. During the weekend, the châteaux of this appellation will offer plenty of activities such as guided tours, tastings, markets, an old cars exhibition, and many other activities. If you want to learn more about the Lalande de Pomerol appellation and its châteaux, click here.
When: April 22-23/ Where: Lalande de Pomerol (see the list of chateaux in the link)
Violette Sauvage X Madeingreen
Violette Sauvage is a big vide-dressing event (second-hand clothes sale) taking place every year in several cities in France (including Bordeaux).
This year the organizers of the event have collaborated with Madeingreen, a Bordeaux fair that promotes green creators. Together they will host a huge sale of second-hand fashion items. The event will take place in Hangar 14 on April 21-23. See more details here.
When: April 21-23 / Where: Hangar 14, Quai des Chartrons, 33300 Bordeaux, 33300 Bordeaux
Salon Nautique d’Arcachon
The big Salon Nautique d’Arcachon will take place the weekend on April 21-23 at the Port de Plaisance d’Arcachon. More than 170 exhibitors will participate in the Salon, with 450 boats stationed all over the port. For more details click here.
When: April 21-23/ Where: Port d’Arcachon, 33120 Arcachon
Open doors in Saint-Emilion
An open-door weekend will take place on April 29 – May 1st in Saint Emilion where tens of wine producers will open their chateaux to the public.
The weekend will include many activities such as wine tastings, visits to the chateaux, games for kids, and bike rides. Check out the full program for the participating châteaux, the activities, and the wine tasting proposed for that weekend – here.
You can also plan your trip to this wine region with my detailed guide to Saint Emilion.
See all the other open-door events taking place in the Bordeaux wine region this year.
When: April 29- May 1st / Where: different locations around Saint Emilion
Tauzia Fête les Jardins
Tauzia is a gardening festival that takes place on April 29-30 at the Tauzia chateau in Gradignan. The popular event brings together more than 80 exhibitors specialized in the world of plants: plant producers, landscape designers, artists, collectors, horticulturists, and in general people with exceptional knowledge of plants. See more details here.
When: April 29-30 / Where: Château de Tauzia, 216 Cours du Général de Gaulle, 33170 Gradignan
Fete de la Lamproie
Sainte-Terre, the world capital of the Lamproie, will celebrate this creepy jawless fish with a fun, festive weekend. The event will take place on April 28 – 30. See the program here.
When: April 28 -30/ Where: Sainte-Terre
Fête de l’Asperge du Blayais
la Fête de l’Asperge du Blayais in Etauliers is a big event celebrating asparagus and its farmers. More than 8000 visitors are expected to stroll along with the 50 exhibitors of local delights and enjoy the activities offered to both adults and kids (make-up sessions, mini farm, pony rides, and more). The event is taking place on April 29-30 at the center of Etauliers. See the full program.
When: April 29-30 / Where: Place principale, 33820 Etauliers
Big events in other parts of the SW of France
Foire au Jambon à Bayonne
Like every year, Bayonne will celebrate its famous ham with a big fair called, Foire au Jambon. The event will take place on April 6-9. See all the details here.
When: April 6-9 / Where: Center of Bayonne
Châteaux En Fête
Châteaux En Fête is one of the best evets the Dordgone department has to offer. 71 castles all over Dordogne will open their doors to visitors and offer guided visits, activities, and festive evenings. The Châteaux En Fête event will take place from April 15 to May 1st. See the list of chateaux and their programs here.
When: April 15- May 1st / Where: different towns in Dordogne
Winestock Festival
The Winestock Festival is a new wine-gastronomic festival that will take place for the first time this year in the villages of Monestier and Thénac in Dordogne. The program of the event includes concerts, tastings, workshops, a wine fair, masterclasses, and more.
The event will take place on April 28-30. See all the details here.
When: April 28-80 / Where: Monestier and Thénac
Année Du Dessin En Dordogne
This year the Dordogne is celebrating the Drawing year with an impressive amount of art exhibitions all over the department. The exhibitions and different art-related events will take place in famous chateaux, churches, libraries and other art venues. See all the dates and locations in the program of the event.
When: February – December 2023 / Where: different towns in Dordogne
Marché aux Fleurs
The pretty town of Duras is hosting a big flower market on April 16. For more details click here.
When: April 16 / Where: Duras
Exhibitions and concerts not to miss this month in Bordeaux
Itinéraires des Photographes Voyageurs – photography festival
The 32nd edition of the “traveling photographers routes” festival will take place on April 5-30. During one month, 17 photography exhibitions will be presented at the main cultural institutions in the city, among them, the Rocher de Palmer in Cenon, the Bibliothèque in Meriadeck, Espace Saint-Rémi, and others. Get the full list of all artists and more info about the event here.
When: April 5-30 / Where: Different locations in Bordeaux (see program)
Dali and Gaudi – Les Bassins de Lumières
Les Bassins de Lumières is hosting a new amazing exhibition! This time the immersive exhibition is dedicated to Dali and Gaudi. Les Bassins de Lumières is a visual arts space, situated in an old submarine base, that is known for its immersive exhibitions.
You can see a video I took in their previous exhibitions just to get the vibe. The new exhibition will be presented from February 3 to January 7, get your tickets here.
When: February 3 – January 7, 2024 / Where: Imp. Brown de Colstoun, 33300 Bordeaux
Go to a concert at Arkea Arena
Arkea Arena is the place to go to if you want to see big concerts in Bordeaux. The program in April includes the Celtic Legends, the Swan lake ballet, Jennifer, and more. See the full program here.
Street are at L’institue Bernard Magrez
L’institue Bernard Magrez is a beautiful chateau in Bordeaux that regularly host street art exhibitions and events. Currently, there are three different street art exhibitions presented at the gallery. You can visit the chateau only on weekends. Buy tickets here.
Is it your first time in Bordeaux? If it is you should definitely check out my ultimate guide to Bordeaux to get familiar with all the must-see places in the city. To help you choose a hotel 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.
If you need more tips for things to do in the SW of France I invite you to join my Facebook group ” Travel in the South West of France“. Also, every Friday I send a newsletter with plenty of additional events you can enjoy during the weekend, so hurry up and subscribe to my email list now 🙂
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:
