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Apart from luxurious wine, the Bordeaux area is also known for its beautiful beaches. Arcachon is one of the most popular beach destinations in the region, however, there are quite a few other beaches Gironde has to offer. In this article, I want to share my favorite beaches, the ones I consider to be the best beaches near Bordeaux.

My list includes both lake beaches, ocean beaches, and of course the best beaches on the Bassin d’Arcachon. There are many more gorgeous beaches in the Southwest of France but I made sure to include only those that are located within a reasonable distance from the center of Bordeaux. Hope you’ll enjoy the article and the beaches around Bordeaux 🙂

best beaches around Bordeaux in Gironde
Beaches near Bordeaux

*Note: most beaches require a car to get to, click here if you need to rent a car in Bordeaux. Also, my article doesn’t include beaches in Cap Ferret, as I have a dedicated article for that.

Before we start, here are a few other articles you might want to read when you’re traveling around Bordeaux:
Best places to visit on the Arcachon Bay
Day trips around Bordeaux – wine, beaches and villages 
10 day trips from Bordeaux by Public transport

You can also join my Facebook group “Travel in the southwest of France” where many enthusiasts of the region share their recommendations for places to visit and things to do in the southwest of France.

Lake beaches near Bordeaux 

Plage du Lac d’Hostens – South of Gironde

Hostens Lac is one of the highlights of the South Gironde region. Domaine des Lacs d’Hostens is located at the heart of the Landes de Gascogne forest (50km from Bordeaux) and has one of the most beautiful beaches in our area. 

There are actually 5 lakes at the domain but the beach is located on the shores of Lake of Lamothe. There’s also a restaurant and a snack bar next to the beach so no worries if you didn’t come prepared. 

Lac d'Hostens - one of the most beautiful beaches around Bordeaux
Lac d’Hostens – Lost in Bordeaux

This place is much more than just a nice place to swim. Hostens offers plenty of water activities such as kayaks and pedaling as well as hiking trails, mountain bike trails, and more. You can get more information about the activities at the tourist information point which is located next to the parking at the entrance to the Domain or read some of it here.

Bordeaux Lac – in Bordeaux city

If you’re in Bordeaux and prefer to avoid renting/using a car, this beach is perfect for you. Bordeaux Lac has everything you need, a sandy clean beach and a lot of shade from the nearby trees for those who don’t really like the sun. The lake is located in the North of the city and can be reached by tram c.

Bordeaux lac
Bordeaux lac by Lost in Bordeaux

The beach is open to the public daily during the summer (July and August) and starting July 1st it offers water and beach activities such as sailing, kayaking, mini-golf, and more. See more details here. If you’re hungry, you have a really nice restaurant within a few minutes’ distance, called la Ferme de Bruges.

Plage Laouga – Close to Arcachon

Plage Laouga and Plage Caton– Close to Arcachon

Plage Laouga on Lac Cazaux is a fine sandy beach located about 400 m from the main beach of this beautiful lake (Plage Cazaux). Its calm warm water makes it one of the best places for families. This part of the lake is sheltered by the pine forest of Landes de Gascogne, which creates a lot of shaded spots on the beach (a must in the South-west summer). 

The beach is supervised during the summer season (mid-June- mid-September) and has free parking just next to it. Plage Laouga is located about 70 km from Bordeaux. If you get hungry, you have two restaurants on the main beach Restaurant Lauga and Chez Juliette. 

Plage de Caton on Lac Cazaux one of the lake beaches near Arcachon
Plage de Caton – Lost in Bordeaux

Another beach I really love in the same region is Plage de Caton in Sanguinet. This beach is located on the other side of Lac Cazaux, about 60km from Bordeaux. 

La Plage du Moutchic – Lacanau

Plage du Moutchic is located on the banks of Lacanau Lake, about 50 km from Bordeaux. This beach has a nice supervised swimming area, a shaded picnic area, and sports facilities like boat rentals, windsurfing, canoes, and paddle boats which makes it very popular with families from the region.

La Plage du Moutchic - a fun beach near Bordeaux
La Plage du Moutchic by lost in Bordeaux

In case you forgot to bring food, there’s a snack bar and two restaurants with a beautiful view of the lake.  For those who don’t like sand (my hubby including 🙂 ), part of the beach is covered with soft green grass. There’s big free parking behind the beach.

You can also turn it into a nice weekend discovering the Lacanau region, there are a few nice hotels just next to the lake. One of the most fun hotels in Lacanau is called O Lac and you can book it here.

Best Beaches in Arcachon– close to Bordeaux

In this list, I didn’t include beaches in Cap Ferret. They are stunning and worth a visit and that’s why I have a dedicated article with my favorite beaches in Cap Ferret.

Plage Pereire in Arcachon

Plage Pereire is one of the most popular beaches in Arcachon. The beach is located in Ville de Printemps (the spring city of Arcachon) about 67 km from Bordeaux. It’s a beautiful three km long beach with white sand and an amazing view of the Cap Ferret peninsula on the other side of the bay. 

Plage Pereire is equipped with many sports facilities, a cycle path, and green lawns for people to have a picnic on. When coming from Arcachon Center, one of the best ways to get there is cycling. A flat cycle path stretched from the central beach to the Dune du Pyla and passes through Plage Pereire and other Arcachon beaches. 

Plage Pereire one of the most popuar beaches in Arcachon
Plage Pereire – Lost in Bordeaux

On a hot summer day, you can enjoy a cold rosé or lunch at Club Plage Pereire, one of the best beach restaurants in Arcachon.

Le Moulleau beach

Le Moulleau, while officially a part of the city of Arcachon, feels like a completely separate little resort town with its own center, beaches and restaurants. It’s a very popular beach that attracts both families and many young people. 

The Moulleau is located midway between the center of Arcachon and the famous Dune du Pilat which is always a great spot to finish your day. There are a few bars and restaurants very close to the beach so you can easily spend the whole day in this resort. 

Day trip from Bordeaux

You can also take a ferry and check the beaches on the other side of the Bassin at Cap Ferret. The beach can be reached by car, bike, or bus from the train station of Arcachon.

If you’re going to Arcachon for the day check out my guide to the best things to do and eat in Arcachon.

La Plage du Petit Nice

Le Petit Nice is located on the Atlantic coast, south of the Dune du Pilat. It is a long, calm, and beautiful beach which is attracting many families in the summer. What makes it very special is the stunning view of the dune and le banc d’Arguin (the Island in Arcahcon). 

Plade le Petit Nice - a beautiful beach near DUne du Pilat
Plade le Petit Nice – Lost in Bordeaux

The beach has big parking and a descent ramp between the parking lot and the beach for wheelchair accessibility. It’s supervised during the summer. The beach is located about 70 km from Bordeaux, with quite heavy traffic during the summer, so be sure to leave early.

Near the parking, you’ll find two restaurants for snacks or lunch called Restaurant Le Petit Nice and Restaurant & Bar de Plage Chez Aldo. The restaurants aren’t situated on the beach but have a great view nonetheless. 

Andernos les Bains

Andernos les Bains is one of the most attractive beach town on the Bassin d’Arcachon.  It has a cute little center leading to the main beach that is abundant with restaurants, ice cream shops, and beach clothing boutiques. 

While the main beach is really nice, if you want a more isolated and relaxed atmosphere you should continue in the direction of the oysters port and go to the remarkable nature reserve of les Quinconces

A  more isolated beach in Andernos les bains
A more isolated beach in Andernos les Bains

After a short walk from the port into the reserve, you’ll discover a beautiful beach with the forest as your background. This beach is quite isolated so there are no facilities here and it’s not supervised. Andernos les Bains is located about 50 km from Bordeaux.

Plage de la Hume – Gujan Mestras 

Plage de la Hume is a family-friendly beach located in the touristic part of Gujan Mestras, a little town known as the capital of oyster farming on the Bassin d’Arcachon. Its location on the bay makes the water very calm and easy to swim in. 

Plage de la Hume
Plage de la Hume on the Bassin d’Arcachon

However, if you’ve come for more than the beach itself and really want to swim, check the tide hours first. They are changing daily and at some hours of the day, you can barely see any water. Click here for the daily hours. 

The beach is supervised in July and August (from 10:00 to 19:00), which makes it a very safe place for kids. Plage de la Hume is located just next to the ports that Gujan Mestras is famous for, so if you’re getting hungry you can always stop in one of the cabanes on the port for fresh oysters.

Beaches on the Atlantic coast

Plage du Grand Cohort – Lège Cap-Ferret

Grand Cohort Beach is located on the Ocean side of the Cap Ferret peninsula. As opposed to the calm water on the side of the Bassin d’Arcachon, on the ocean side, the waves are strong which makes it a surfing paradise. 

This beautiful white sand beach attracts both kite surfers and families that love to swim in the ocean. In the summer the beach tends to be quite busy and sometimes parking can be an issue so try to come early. 

If you’re coming with kids, this beach is supervised during the summer. This beach is located about 60 km from the center of Bordeaux.

Lacanau Ocean beaches

If your idea for a beach day is a more active one, this is the beach for you. The Lacanau Ocean beach begins right at the end of Boulevard de la Plage at the Lacanau Ocean town, which is located about 55km from Bordeaux. 

Lacanau-Ocean - surfing beach near Bordeaux
Lacanau-Ocean main beach

It’s one of the longest beaches in the Aquitaine area, spreading to 15 km of white sand. The beach is considered a perfect place for surfing and windsurfing and it has become known for surfing competitions and events. This long beach is also a great place for bathing in the sea with your family and has all the facilities you need, including many restaurants and shops in its little center.

There are plenty of other amazing beaches near Bordeaux but I think that these ten beaches will give you a sense of how beautiful and magical the Gironde region is! 

For more places to visit around Bordeaux check out my guides about day trips from Bordeaux by car and by train.

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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 🙂 

I started writing this article mostly for myself about a week before the end of confinement. I wanted to come up with a long enough list of places I could go to with my kids or even alone (if that’s ever possible) where we can enjoy the wonders of the region but still keep social distancing. (If you’re reading this in 2050, we were all locked in our houses for two months, just google COVID-19).

Gironde is one of the most beautiful departments in France with an impressive number of hiking options. You can discover the parks and lakes around Bordeaux metropole or combine your trips with some heritage in Entre Deux Mers, or the vineyards of Saint Emilion.

There are long hiking trails for fit walkers and shorter ones for families with kids. I had so many ideas that I just had to come here and share them with you. I included hiking trails from every part of Gironde to give a big landscape variety.

I also publish quite a lot of my daily trips on social media so you are of course invited to follow me on Facebook/Instagram. Now let’s start! 

Hiking in Bordeaux Metropole

Let’s start with destinations closer to Bordeaux and its suburbs. There are dozens of big and small parks in the metropole that can be perfect for a nice and easy hike, so you don’t even need a car to be able to enjoy the green areas of Bordeaux.

The ones I particularly love are Parc de l’Ermitage in Lormont, Parc Majolan in Blanquefort, and Parc Bordelais in Bordeaux. There are of course many more green and lush places in the city and I’m working on an article with the full list which will be published soon. But for now, I wanted to introduce you to a few great hiking trails in Bordeaux Metropole through which you can discover the towns and forests surrounding the city. 

Parc Majolan

Au fil de l’eau bourde – From Talence to Gradignan

I live in Talence so the first one on the list is close to my home, a 5km trail through some of the green areas of Talence and Gradigan. It’s important to mention though that while most of your hike is going to be accompanied by green scenery, this is not a classic nature trail, meaning that you will have to walk through some urban areas to get from one location to another. Having said that, it’s a beautiful path and you will be surprised by some of the parks and monuments located in the footsteps of Bordeaux.

 Parc du Moulineau in Gradignan

The starting point is Bois de Thouars, a forest located on the border of Talence and Gradignan (it’s recommended to enter the forest from Avenue de Thouars in Talence). Don’t be in a rush here, take your time strolling around the lake, it feels more unspoiled here than many of the other lakes in the area.

From this point, you can follow the markup of GR® métropolitain throughout the entire route. But just to make sure you’re in the right direction, here are a few interesting points you should check on the way.

From the forest cross the bridge of the rocade (highway) to get to Gradignan (you should reach rue de Bénédigues in Gradignan). After a few more minutes walk, you’ll be on rue Saint-François-Xavier and will enter a green area that follows the Eau Bourde, a little stream of the Garonne river.

Your second destination on the trail is Parc de Pelissey in Gradignan. From there continue along the Eau Bourde to enter one of the biggest parks in this town – le Parc du Moulineau. This park is a gem for kids. Not only can they enjoy a big playground but it’s also home to the Maison de la Nature that inhabits nearly 50 different animal species from rabbits to the black and white goat of the Pyrénées. The animal park is unfortunately still closed due to Covid 19, but that should not bother you to enjoy the vast green Parc du Moulineau (or Le parc René Canivenc by its other name).

When you leave le Parc du Moulineau continue along the stream to get to Parc Mandavit. From here you will continue to the last destination of this trail – le Parc de Cayac, a historic monument on the Saint-Jacques de Compostelle pilgrimage road. From here you can take bus line number 10 to get back to the Thouars forest.
There’s also an option to continue to another 9 km hike through Gradignan. You can find more info about this and other hiking trails in the Metropole here

Réserve écologique des Barails

If you prefer to forget that cars exist for a couple of hours, this next trail is for you!  I’m happy to introduce you to the Réserve écologique des Barails, a beautiful natural reserve spreading over 156 hectares which also includes the beautiful Parc Floral of Bordeaux.

Located in the North of Bordeaux (the Bordeaux Lac district), it’s actually the biggest green space in Bordeaux. The reserve consists of different parts each with their own characteristics: the forest, the park, the meadows, the wetlands, and the ecological corridors. It’s so rich in nature that most visitors don’t cover it in one visit. 

Réserve écologique des Barails

There are three entries to the park. If you enter through Entree bois you’ll have the pleasure to discover more than 6km of hiking trails in the beautiful green forest. Enter the entree roseraie (next to the Golf de Lac) and you can enjoy a beautiful flower park with more than 500 varieties of roses. 

The reserve is also perfect for an easy stroll with kids and in fact, it was the first place I took mine after the deconfinement. Before heading there check out the information about the different entrances and parking on the official site of Bordeaux

Floirac – fil vert – the green path

Le Fil vert on the right side of the river has more than 25 km of hiking to offer, passing through Parc des coteaux, the green space that encompasses most of the parks of Floirac, Cenon, Lormont, and Bassens. There are numerous hiking trails you can do here, depending on what part of “rive droite” you want to discover. You can see some of the trails here.

Parc Castel in Floirac

In this article, I’ll focus on hiking in Floirac and Boulac, a trail called Boucle de Floirac – Bouliac, which starts at Parc Castel in Floirac. The park itself is very cute with an impressive chateau, which is the starting point of your walk.

Before you start the green path you can climb to the heights of the park to see the “belvédère” for a nice view. Then go down again to find the green loop path (boucle vert) in the le Chemin de Montagne.

After about  500m take a left on the main street (Chemin des plateaux) that you will have to follow to reach le Domaine de la Burthe, the biggest park of Floirac. Enter the park through Chemin de Beaufeu and follow the red and white markup in the park, this will lead you to Ruisseau de Jacotte (a little stream of water). You will then have to go down under the highway to cross to the next town – Bouliac. Continue following the markup until it leads you to the next destination –  le Bois de Loc Boué in Bouliac.

The final destination on this route is the 12th-century church of Saint-Siméon. From here you can start your way back to Floirac. To avoid repeating the same path, you can take a different route through rue de Bourg.

Before leaving rive droite you can also take a walk on Quai Deschamps and enjoy the beautiful view on the Garonne river. 

The Saint Emilion region 

Discover the lamprey capital of Gironde – Sainte Terre – 6.4 km

I’m sure that many of you are familiar with the beautiful Saint Emilion region. Even if you haven’t had the chance to do any hiking there, most of you living here had the chance to drive through the stunning vineyards of the famous wine region.

This trail, however, is different from the usual view you see from Saint Emilion as it goes along the Dordogne river. This is a good opportunity to learn about another product the Saint Emilion region is famous for, the lamproie (lamprey in English).
The little village of Sainte Terre is the capital of Lamprey. Start your tour from Église Saint-Alexis, the church of Sainte Terre and walk on Rue du Parlement until you reach the river. Take a nice long stroll along the river until you reach the prohibited area sign, then turn left with the path. Follow the path until you reach the town again and then turn left on Rue du Parlement to reach the town center.

On normal days you can also visit the Lamprey’s garden, a small park and the museum of lamprey, however, I believe that it’s still closed for visits. You can see the map of the trails with the points of interest here

Sainte Terre

The chateaux and restaurants are still closed, but once they’ll re-open I really recommend combining this hike with a visit to a winery or a nice meal in one of the villages around Saint Emilion. If you want more information on what to do in Saint Emilion, check out my article with everything you need to know about visiting this beautiful village. 

Entre Deux Mers

Boucle de Rions heritage and hillsides

Entre Deux Mers is one of the most beautiful parts of Gironde. An abundance of medieval villages scattered along the Gironde river, centuries-old historic monuments, wineries and a lot of nature makes it a perfect place for day trips from Bordeaux. And above all, it’s also a great region for hiking with several paths mixing heritage and nature. Today I want to focus on hiking around one of my favorite towns in the region – Rions.

Rions

Rions is a small medieval town on the hills on the banks of the Garonne river that played an important role in the Hundred Years War and was occupied by England during the 13th century. Even if you come here specifically for hiking, don’t be in a rush and take some time to admire the beautiful houses with old shatters and the colorful flower pots decorating the narrow streets of the village. After you got inspired by the beautiful architecture we can start the hike. Leave the city center following rue Lavidon, through Porte Lavidon, and enjoy a pleasant 4.5 km path with a stunning view of the Garonne hillsides and vineyards. You will enter back through the most impressive gate in Rions, Porte du l’Hyan, the only gate that was kept fully preserved to this day. Before you leave, visit the old ramparts of the city, built in the 14th century and restored in the 18th century. You can find the map and all the details here

The South of Gironde

Hostens 

Hostens is one of the highlights of the South Gironde region. Domaine des Lacs d’Hostens is located at the heart of the Landes de Gascogne forest (50 km from Bordeaux) and offers some of the best hiking trails you can find near Bordeaux. The Domain consists of five different lakes with plenty of water activities as well as hiking trails, mountain bike trails, and more. If you’re after a good hike, head to the second lake, Lac du Bousquey. On the way you can see horses, butterflies and other wonders of nature. There are three trails in the Domain of Hostens:  8, 11 et 16 km long so there is something for both fit walkers and people who just want to enjoy a relatively short walk in nature. 

Hostens

In Hostens you will also find one of the best beaches in Gironde, this one located on the shores of another lake, the lake of Lamothe. So if the weather is good this would be the best way to end your hike. 

Lac Vert and Lac Bleu

Lac Vert

I really love hiking around lakes! I think that water in combination with the greenery around it gives it a very meditational vibe 🙂 Luckily there are a few beautiful lakes around the area where you can have a lovely walk and admire the colors of the water. The first one is Lac Vert (the green lake) in Canejan and the second one is Lac Bleu (the blue lake) in Leognan, both located about 15/20 minutes’ drive from Bordeaux. Their names derive from the color of the water and they are both stunning. 

Saint Symphorian

Did you know that the largest man-made forest in Europe is located just an hour’s drive from Bordeaux? The huge Landes forest has a few hiking trails, one of them starting in Saint Symphorien, a village located about 50 km south of Bordeaux. The route starts from the center of Saint Symphorien, which by itself is not very interesting. But it’s nice to dedicate a few minutes to see the town hall, the gothic Saint Symphorien church, and the cute little Maison Cammunale, which was built during the great depression. To start the walk, leave the city center and walk about 5 minutes on Cours de Verdun until you reach Le Chalet Mauriac. In this house the famous novelist, Francois Mauriac used to spend his vacations as a child. The chateau itself is probably closed right now, but the nice park around it might be open.

Le Chalet Mauriac

Your next destination is Moulin de Marian, an old windmill standing close to the Hure river. This is a nice walk that should take you about 30 minutes. From here continue on the path until you reach the department route number D220. Don’t turn to D220, instead continue straight on D115 until you reach Landes de Lassus, turn left here. Then continue north until you get to l’Atelier des Chemins de fer économiques de la Gironde. The building, built in the 19th century is a testimony of what was one of the main economic activities of this village. The site was closed in 1978 but you can still see some of the machines they used back then. You are now almost back to the center of Saint Symphorien, where our tour ends.

Arcachon

Lanton

Lanton on the Arcachon Bay

One of my favorite hiking places in the region is Lanton on the Arcachon bay. There are of course many other great places for a promenade around the Bassin but I love the fact that you rarely see any people in Lanton and that the drive is not very long.  You can start your walk from Plage de Suzette, which is a little port with a few restaurants on it, from there just follow the trail surrounding the little port. If you’ve ever been to the Bassin d’Arcachon you know that the view changes a lot depending on the tide. This trail goes along the bay and that’s why, depending on the time you arrive, it may feel like walking along the beach or in an apocalyptic desert. The scenery and tranquility are just magical and it’s less than an hour from Bordeaux!
To discover more places in Bassin d’Arcachon go to my article about the best day trips to Arcachon Bay.

Ville d’Hiver in Arcachon 

Here’s an idea for those who like urban trails. The touristy city of Arcachon currently feels very different from its usual lively vibes. Tourists are yet to flood the region and the restaurants will stay closed until at least June. Why not use this opportunity to discover the beautiful architecture of ville d’Hiver in Arcachon city. The winter city of Arcachon was mainly built in the 19th century and among its 300 villas, you can find some architectural treasures. Here are a few villas you don’t want to miss: Teresa, Toledo, Brémontier, Trocadero, Alexandre Dumas, Bayard, and Athena. Before you go, don’t miss the beautiful Parc Mauresque which separates the winter city from the summer city. If you can read some French, here’s a site with a short history of the most famous villas in the winter city. For more info on what to do in Arcachon city check out my article about Arcachon.

Ville d'hiver Arcachon

There are of course many more hiking routes in the region. We are surrounded by forests, lakes, parks, old villages, and a lot of heritage, so there’s an endless amount of ideas for a walk. But I wanted to release this article as soon as possible so you can start enjoying the weather and the deconfinement. I will add more ideas for walks in this article in the next few weeks, so I invite you all to return to this page. If you enjoyed reading the article, you can always share it with friends and make them go on a hike instead of the crowded city center 🙂 

Before I go, I just wanted to let you know about all the other places you can get my information about traveling in Bordeaux and the Southwest of France. 

  1. My Travel in the Southwest of France Facebook group – where people from all over the Southwest of France share their favorite places to visit in the region.
  2. My Facebook/Instagram pages where I share almost all my travels and experiences in the region on a daily basis.
  3. Newsletter – I decided to go on a little break with my emails during the confinement being that most of the content there is about villages, restaurants, museums, and heritage sites, which is not content anyone currently needs. But I’m coming back with my weekly emails soon so you are all welcomed to join me there – subscribe here

A happy new year to all my wonderful readers! It’s the first month of the year, a moment for new resolutions and some fresh energy!. And what better way to do it than a good shopping session and a lot of music ;). The winter sales are taking place this month together with several music events and beautiful spectacles. If you want to go to one of the shows mentioned on my list, be sure to book now! If you’re looking for more recommendations of things to do in the Southwest of France region, you can join my new and very active Facebook group, Travel in the Southwest of France – join here. Here’s what you can do in Bordeaux in January 2020. Enjoy!!!

Winter Sales

Who cares if it’s raining and cold? January is the winter sales month!!
Soldes d’hiver are several weeks in the winter during which you can find really good deals on clothes, shoes, appliances, toys and more. This year the winter sales were shortened to 4 weeks from the previous six weeks period. But from my experience even if you come to Bordeaux a week or two after the sales many shops will still have a lot of items on discount. Les soldes d’hiver will take place from January 8 to February 4.

winter sales in Bordeaux

Arcachon still celebrated Christmas

If you’re moody about Christmas being over there is one place that continues the Christmas spirit just a little bit longer. The Christmas market in Arcachon will be open until January 5th and it even has an ice skating rink, so it’s a great place to go to with kids. For more details click here

When: December 14 – December 5 / Where: Place Thiers, Arcachon

Trial Indoor International de Bordeaux

This is a great show for motorbike and action lovers. Trial Indoor International de Bordeaux will take the stage of Arkéa Arena this Saturday (January 10). The show will include plenty of acrobatic stunts and amazing urban decorations. For tickets and more details click here.

When: January 10, 20:30 / Where:  Arkéa Arena, 48-50 avenue Jean Alfonséa, 33270 Floirac 

Tremplin de 2 Rives

This is the 7th edition of the Tremplin de 2 rives festival which aims to promote the musical talents of Bordeaux. The festival includes eight evenings from January 10 to February 8 in different districts of Bordeaux. For more details click here.

When: January 10- February 8 / Where:  See location in the program of the festival

Le Salon du Livre Ancien de Bordeaux

Le Salon du Livre Ancien de Bordeaux brings together more than 40 French exhibitors for the biggest ancient books event in the Southwest of France. Every year more than 3000 people attend this event to look for rare pieces of literature and discover old books from every genre: fiction, kids’ books, old magazines and more. The event will take place at Cours Mably on January 18-19. Read more about the book fair here

When: January 18 -19 / Where:  Cours Mably, 33000 Bordeaux

Le monde des dinosaures au parc des expositions de bordeaux

If your kids love dinosaurs they will be happy to hear that this month the exhibition “The world of Dinosaurs” is coming to Bordeaux. The exhibition will present 25 species of dinosaurs, among them the huge T-REX measuring 13/5 m long and 4.5 m tall. The exhibition will take place on January 18-19 at the Parc des Expositions de Bordeaux. For more info click here

When: January 18 -19 / Where:  Parc des Expositions de Bordeaux, Cours Charles Bricaud, 33000 Bordeaux

Trente Trente – Emerging arts Festival

Trente Trente is an annual festival, created to promote emerging artists in Bordeaux and Nouvelle Aquitaine in general. The festival includes more than twenty performances by artists from all genres, with some experimenting with interdisciplinary arts. Check out the full program that includes dance, music, theater, circus and more. The festival takes place on January 21-February 1st in different theaters and cultural spaces across the metropole (see the full list here).

When: January 21 – February 1st / Where: Different venues in the Bordeaux area (check out the full program)

Bordeaux rock Festival

Bordeaux Rock festival is the big gathering of independent and alternative bands that takes place every year in Bordeaux. This year it will take place on January 22-26 in different music venues in Bordeaux like the Iboat and Salle des fêtes du grand parc. For the full program and tickets click here. Some of the events are free.

When: January 22-26 / Where:  Different venues in the Bordeaux area (check out the full program)

International magic festival

The international magic festival will take place in Théâtre Fémina on January 25-26. This year seven world-class artists (magicians and illusionists) will offer you breathtaking spectacles that you wouldn’t want to miss. For more info and tickets click here.

When: January 25-26 / Where:  10 Rue de Grassi, 33000 Bordeaux

Hostens Trails 2020

Every year the Gironde department organizes plenty of sporting events that are open to the public. The first one in 2020 will take place on the weekend of January 25-26 in Hostens. The event offers several trails for both runners, walkers and Nordic walkers. The price varies according to the trail and prior registration is mandatory. For more info click here.

When: January 25-26 / Where: Secteur de la Base Nautique Hostens

La nuit des conservatoires

This Friday (January 31) le Conservatoire de Bordeaux invites you to a special night with concerts and performances from all the disciplines taught at the conservatory. Besides concerts, the night includes workshops and lectures. The concert is free and open to all. For more info click here

When: January 31 / Where:  Jacques Thibaud 22 quai Sainte-Croix, Bordeaux

Coulisses des Sciences 

Coulisses des Sciences is a week dedicated to different scientific themes, organized by Dealers de Science. The program of the event includes debates, conferences, a movie and debate night and more. As usual, the event will end with the Marché des Connaissances, a special fair taking place at Cour Mably that will reunite different scientific associations and players in the cultural scientific scene in Bordeaux. The event will take place on January 21-25. For more details click here

When: January 21-25 / Where:  Different locations in Bordeaux

Truffles markets in Dordogne

January is the middle of winter truffles season with many truffles markets in the region taking place during the month. Dordogne is known as the capital of truffles of the Southwest of France and starting mid-December it hosts several truffles markets in its different villages. You can see the full list of truffles markets taking place from December to the end of January here

Festival Bouche à Bouche – Bordeaux

Following the success of the event in Paris, the Bouche à Bouche festival is arriving this year to Bordeaux for the first time. During the two nights of the event you will discover the signature dishes of five Bordeaux chefs like Jérôme Billot from Madame Pang and Julien Camdeborde of L’avant comptoir du palais. The event that will take place on January 17-18 also includes a lot of music, shows and street art. For more info click here.

When: January 17-18 / Where:  See the program of the event

Go to the Opera

This January the Opera of Bordeaux invites everyone to come and enjoy a big variety of concerts from dance, to Jazz and Classical music. See the full list of January concerts and shows here

When: January / Where:  Place de la Comédie, 33000 Bordeaux

Black History Month in Bordeaux

The third edition of the Black History Month in Bordeaux will take place from January 9 to February 18. It is a month of reflection on the dark history of slavery that Bordeaux was part of as well as a celebration of black culture in France and around the world. The program of the Black History month includes conferences, music concerts, exhibitions and more. This time the main two themes are the one hundred years mark to the sinking of the “French Titanic” with 192 Senegalese workers onboard and the role Boxing played in the Black liberation.  For more info and the full program click here.

EXHIBITIONS:

La déferlante surf – last chance to see it

The Atlantic coast of the south-west of France is a popular destination for surfers these days and it looks like this sport has always been here. But did you know that surfing was actually introduced to Europe through our region in the 50s? Thus it only makes sense that Musée d’Aquitaine, which explores the history of the region, will also explore the surfing culture in Aquitaine. The déferlante surf exhibition deals with different aspects of surfing from the sport itself to its economic and environmental influences. Among others, the items presented include videos, sounds, different traditional objects, images from different beaches and more. The exhibition will be presented until January 5th. If you go to the museum on January 5th the entry will be free. For more details click here

surf musee daquitaine

When: Until January 5th / Where:  20 Cours Pasteur, 33000 Bordeaux

Muséum de Bordeaux – Rire! 

According to scientific research, we laugh 18 times a day on average. Laughter, however, is not unique to us human beings, different animal species also have different expressions of laughter in their language. The super fun exhibition at the natural history museum in Bordeaux offers different activities that provoke laughter. It’s a very interactive and kids friendly exhibition that includes videos, sounds, games, and painting. This is your last chance to see the exhibition as it ends on January 26! For more details click here.

When: until January 26 / Where:  5 Place Bardineau, 33000 Bordeaux (in Jadin public)

Robots in Cap Science

Robots is a cool exhibition for kids presented these days at the Cap Science, the children science museum in Bordeaux. The exhibition is dedicated to robots and their functions in our lives. It will be presented until May 3, 2020. For more details and tickets click here.

Cap Sciences
by Lost in Bordeaux
When:  Until May 3, 2020 / Where: Cap Sciences Hangar 20

Finally, if you are looking for a fun and delicious activity in Bordeaux, check out my food tours in which I’ll take you through a three hours journey in the culinary scene of the Southwest of France.

Basque food in Bordeaux

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.

Lost in Bordeaux helps you enjoy the city and region in many ways so be sure to follow us on facebook/Instagram for more daily updates on things to do and see. Or better yet, join my newsletter where I share a lot of exclusive info about Bordeaux and the region – sign up here.

Although it’s officially Autumn, the weather in Bordeaux still feels like we’re in the middle of July and that gives us a chance to continue enjoying the outdoor events this city has to offer. Hopefully we won’t have pay for that with a long and cold winter. So what is waiting for us this weekend? A Visual Arts festival, Latin Music in Cenon, A sports day in Hostens, a magic festival in Eysines, and plenty of outdoor free concerts all over the city.

Here is the list of things to do this weekend in and around Bordeaux (September 21-23):

Events in Bordeaux Metropole

Echo a Venir –  an electronic music festival 

A big visual art and electronic music festival will take place this weekend in Bordeaux (September 20-23). For its 7th edition the festival invited artists from Montreal to unveil their  immersive  360°  projections on the pavilions created especially for the event. The program of the festival includes a lineup of Djs, a brunch on Saturday and a digital workshop for kids. Check out the facebook page  of the festival for more info. For tickets click here.

When: September 20-23
Where: Placette de Munich (quais de Bordeaux)

Les Talençaises

This weekend (Sep 21-22), Peixotto park in Talence is getting festive for the annual event of Les Talençaises. In the program: dj sets, concerts, interactive dance, a lot of food and a beautiful park to spend a fun afternoon with friends and family. The event is free, for more info click here.

When: September 21-22
Where: Parc de Peixotto, 33400 Talence

Latin Music Festival 

Corazon Latino, a Latin Music and dance festival will take place this weekend (September 21-23) in Rocher de Palmer in Cenon. The Program  includes music concerts, dance shows, three Latin parties andinternational dancers that came especially to teach you some moves. And of course plenty of Salsa , Bachata, Kizomba, Chacha, Semba, Tango, Lady Styling and Forró. For more info and tickets to some of the concerts check out the website of the event.

When: September 21-23
Where: 1 rue aristide Briand, 33150 Bordeaux, France

Festival Arts Mêlés

This is the 10 year anniversary of Arts Mêlés, a festival of magic and supernatural experiences that is organized by the town of Eysines. As always the program is full of magic shows, illusionists, acrobats and more (making it also fun for kids). The event is free and will take place on the weekend of September 22-23 at the Parc du château Lescombes. Check out the full program here. Read more about the festival and the performing artists here.

Festival Arts Mêlés

When: September 22-23
Where: 10 Rue de l’Église, 33320 Eysines

Cypher Party

The Move It organization will host a party this Saturday (September 22) right in the heart of the historic center of Bordeaux, Promenade Sainte-Catherine. This varied program will make you stay in the city center the whole afternoon: A dj set (15:00 to 16:00), dance battle (16:00 to 18:30) dance shows, live music and more. Check out the facebook page of the event.

When: September 22, from 15:00 to 19:00
Where: 25 rue Sainte-Catherine, 33000 Bordeaux, France

The Pavillon d’été of L’Orangeade

It’s almost the end of the Bordelaise summer and it’s the last opportunity to enjoy the summer pavilion on le Quai Deschamps on the right bank of the Garonne. The pavilion, organized by the Orangeade association, is hosting free music and gastronomy events. Take a look at the program for this Friday (Sep 21) and for this Saturday (Sep 22).

When: September 21-22, starting 6pm
Where: Quai Deschamps, 33100 Bordeaux

Open Air Festival

Bordeaux Open Air continues into September with more cool events of Electronic Music at different locations in the city center. The next event of the Open Air Festival will take place on September 23 at Square Dom Bedos.

When: September 23, 15:00
Where: Square Dom Bedos, Bordeaux

Journée Sports Nature

This Sunday (September 23) Hostens, the beautiful town and lake in the Parc Naturel Regional de Gascogne, will host its annual sports day. This event is all about spending time with your family while discovering outdoor fun sportive activities. The day includes 25 free sportive activities from kayaks to sand yachting, Rollerblading and archery. For more info click here.

When: September 23, from 10:00 to 12:30 and from 13:30 to 18:00.
Where: Domaine d’Hostens

A big second hand clothes sale

After many successful huge vintage clothing sales in Paris, Violette Sauvage arrives to Bordeaux with the same agenda of giving clothes a second life. The big vintage sale will take place this weekend (September 22-23)  in one of the most special places in Bordeaux, les Vivres de l’Art. A part from a huge amount of clothes, the event also includes food trucks and different workshops and activities. For more info check out the facebook page of the event. And for more details about the other events of Violette Sauvage click here.

When: September 22-23, from 11:00
Where: 4 Rue Achard, 33300 Bordeaux, France

Le Week-End De l’Imaginaire Ludique

Le Week-End De l’Imaginaire Ludique is an event created with the idea to promote games and the world of imagination. During the weekend (September 22-23) players of all ages will gather around the tables in the Centre d’animation Grand Parc to play and share their experiences. For more info click here.

When: September 22-23, from 11:00 to 19:00
Where:36 rue Robert Schuman 33300 Bordeaux

Exhibitions and Shows

Jazz weekend at the Caillou

If you’re looking for a Jazz concert for the weekend, Le Caillou in the Jardin Botanique is the place for you. Like every weekend in their fall program, different  musicians and groups will take the stage to smooth your weekend with some Jazz tunes. This weekend the program includes the Christophe Maroye trio on Friday (Sep 21) and the Kyara Lisa trio on Saturday (Sep 22).

When: September 21-22, at 20:30
Where: Le Caillou du Jardin Botanique, Esplanade Linné, 33000 BORDEAUX

Exhibition at the Institut Bernard Magrez

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

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

Snow White at the Grand Theatre

The Ballet of Angelin Preljocaj comes back to Bordeaux with Blanche-Neige (Snow white) created in 2008. It’s not only the  brilliant choreography that makes this pieces of art so special but also the costumes designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier and the stage decoration by Thierry Leproust. Seven shows of the Ballet will take place at the Opera of Bordeaux between September 21 and September 30. For tickets and more info check out the website of the Opera.

When:until October  21-30
Where: Grand Théâtre, place de la Comédie,33000 BORDEAUX

Flamenco by La Caramelita

“La Caramelita” our local phenomenal Flamenco dancer will take the stage on the Grande Poste this Friday (September 21). She will be accompanied by Romain Tranchant  on the guitar and by Alejandro Mendía singing. For tickets and more details check the facebook page of the event

When: September 21 at 20:00
Where: 7 rue du palais gallien, 33000 Bordeaux, France

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

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Have a great weekend!