In Around Bordeaux

The best beaches near Bordeaux

Last updated on September 6, 2023 2 Comments

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.

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 F e rme 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.

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.

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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*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 Weekend plans

What to do this weekend in Bordeaux (July 5-7)

Last updated on July 10, 2019 No Comments

The summer is fully on in Bordeaux and with it come open air events where you can dance and enjoy being outdoors with your friends and family. One of the biggest events is the Weekend de L’art Contemporain with more than 150 artists presenting their works all over Bordeaux. If you’re fed up with the city center, there are plenty of great festivals in different parts of the metropole you can go to. If you’re more into art this weekend, check out my new article about the best exhibitions to see this summer in Bordeaux. Here’s the list of things to do this weekend in Bordeaux (July 5-7):

Weekend de L’art Contemporain

The contemporary art weekend will take place on July 5-7 in different art institutions in Bordeaux. During three days, 40 locations in Bordeaux metropole will open their doors to the public and present artworks from more than 150 contemporary artists. The inauguration evening will take place on July 4 on the IBoat, see more details here. For the full program click here.

When: July 5-7 / Where: different places in Bordeaux (see the program)

Zinefest

Zinefest is a festival dedicated to comics, illustrations, photography and poetry. The festival includes several expositions and concerts by both French and international artists and will take place in several venues in the south of Bordeaux. Check out the full program of events here.

When: July 1-7 / Where: Different locations next to Marché des Douves in Bordeaux Sud (check out the program).

Jalles House Rock

Le Jalles House Rock is one of the biggest rock festivals in Gironde that annually proposes a rich program of local and international acts. The goal of the festival is to share the love for rock music with as many people as possible and that’s why the entrance is free (they do however encourage you to donate to the Estran association that organizes the event). This year the festival in Saint-Médard-en-Jalles takes place on July 4-6. For more details check out the website of the festival.

When: July 4-6 / Where: 1 chemin de Cantelaude, 33160 Saint-Médard-en-Jalles

Festival Rues et Vous

This is the 12th edition of Festival Rue et Vous, a performance art festival taking place every year in the charming medieval town of Rions. This year the festival will take place on July 5-7 and will include a rich program of theater, dance, circus and music shows for both adults and kids. For tickets and the full program check out the website of the festival.

When: July 5-7 / Where: Rions

Summer of Music in Medoc

Les Estivales de Musique en Medoc is the only music festival in France dedicated exclusively to young laureates of international competitions. The festival was created in 2003 to discover new talents in classical music. The concerts are hosted in some of the most prestigious châteaux in the Medoc area and are followed by wine tastings. The concerts will take place on July 3-12. See the full program here.

When: July 3 -12 / Where: Different locations, see program above

Les 24h du Swing

This is the 30th edition of ‘les 24h du Swing’, a swing festival taking place this weekend (July 5-7) in Monségur. More than 40 concerts will take place at different locations like Bastide Monséguraise, des Tilleuls à la Halle and different bars and restaurants in Monségur. For more info and tickers click here.

When: July 5-7 / Where: several locations in Monségur

INSITU – Lire le Monde

INSITU is a fun literature festival taking place this weekend (July 5-7) in different places in Bordeaux metropole. The concept of the festival is a marathon of events where texts, written by foreign authors, are read by French comedians in surprising locations like a chocolate shop, a synagogue, a greenhouse and more. For the full program and list of locations click here. The reading events are free but require prior reservation (click here to register).

When: July 5-7 / Where: different places in Bordeaux metropole

Bordeaux Open Air

Bordeaux Open Air is a series of free summer electronic music events, all set in different locations and with a great city vibe to them. Every event is dedicated to a different country and hosts its DJ’s for sets of electronic music. The next Open Air event will take place this Sunday (July 7) in Jardin public. For more details click here.

When: July 7 / Where: Jardin Public, Bordeaux

Senefesti

Senefesti is a festival celebrating African culture through dance and music performances. The event will take place this Saturday(July 6) in Parc Palmer in Cenon. For more details click here.

When: July 6/ Where: Parc de Palmer, 1 rue Aristide Briand, 33150 Cenon

The summer pavilion on the right side of the river

Like every summer in the last five years, the Orangeade association opens its summer pavilion on le Quai Deschamps (in the Bastide neighborhood) with live concerts every Friday (18:00 – 01:00) and Saturday (12:00 to 01:00). These events are not just music concerts but rather a place for friends and families to spend the weekend with yoga classes, creative workshops, activities for kids and more. The events will take place throughout the summer from July 5 to August 31 and are free. For the specific program of each event, follow my weekend posts about what to do in Bordeaux. For more details click here.

When: From July 5 to August 31 / Where: Quai Deschamps, 33100 Bordeaux, France

Relache Festival

Relache Festival, created by the Allez les filles association, is a series of free concerts taking place at different venues and dates during the summer. The next two events are about to take place this weekend (July 5 -7) at Place Fernand Lafargue and at Square Dom Bedos. For the lineup and more details click here.

When: July 5-7 / Where: Place Fernand Lafargue and at Square Dom Bedos, Bordeaux

Journee de l’elevage et des produits du terroir in Bazas

The traditional day of local products and animal farming is taking place this Saturday (July 6) in the historic town of Bazas. A big exhibition of animals will take place on place de la Cathédrale among them cows, sheep, horses and more. The program also includes a cattle competition, concerts, local food, sheep shearing and more. For more info click here.

When: July 6, 11:00 – 23:00 / Where: Place de la Cathédrale, 33430 Bazas

Larrostréa

Larrostréa is an event in Gujan-Mestras celebrating the oyster cabanes and the traditional oyster farming boats. During three days (July 5-7) plenty of nice activities will take place on Port de Larros such as a boat parade, art exhibitions, concerts and more. For more details click here.

Port Larros - Gujan Mestras — Port Larros – Gujan Mestras

When: July 5-7 / Where: Port de Larros, 33470 Gujan-Mestras, France

Micro-Festival Balterno!

Micro-Festival Balterno is a music event that is taking place this Saturday (July 6) in Parc de Mussonville in Bègles. It’s a free event with nine hours of non-stop music with six concerts and an art exhibition, all in a fun atmosphere in a charming park. For more info click here.

When: July 6, starting 16:00 / Where: Avenue Alexis Labro, 33130 Bègles

Pétanque Electronique in Canéjan

If you love to play Petanque, this is your weekend. Pétanque Electronique is an event taking place this weekend (July 6-7) in Canéjan. The program includes a petanque competition (in groups of three), concerts and food. For more info click here. Bring your own petanque balls

When: July 6-7 / Where: Avenue du Barricot, 33610 Canéjan

Festival PLAY in Gradignan

PLAY is a free sports festival taking place this weekend (July 6-7) in Gradignan. During two days plenty of sportive, artistic, digital and cultural activities will take place in different locations in the city, among them Parc de l’Ermitage, Conservatoire de Musique de Gradignan, trocké Caféand Gymnase Toupiac. For the full program click here.

When: July 6-7 / Where: different location in Gradignan

Foire aux Rosés

The Foire aux Rosés is the perfect event for this hot summer. 47 Rosé producers from all over France will offer tastings and great deals on their wines. The event will take place this Saturday (July 6) in Hangar 14 on quai des Chartrons. For more details click here.

When: July 6 / Where: 173 Quai des Chartrons, 33300 Bordeaux

Lacanau fête l’été

Lacanau Ocean will celebrate this Saturday (July 6) a day of activities for the whole family, an oyster buffet and salsa dancing in the evening. For more details click here.

When: July 6 / Where: the main beach of Lacanau-Océan

Soirée Blanche

Another summer celebration is happening this Friday (July 5) at the Restaurant du StadeBordelais in Le Bouscat. To celebrate the beginning of the summer vacation they initiated a white evening with Dj sets and a lot of tapas. The dress code is white of course 🙂 For more details click here.

When: July 5, starting 19:00 / Where: 2 rue Ferdinand de Lesseps, 33110 Le Bouscat

If you want to see art this weekend check out my post about the best exhibitions in Bordeaux this summer.

If you’re visiting Bordeaux for the first time, be sure to check out my ultimate guide to Bordeaux to get familiar with all the must-see places in Bordeaux. To help you choose a hotel in Bordeaux 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.

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.

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.

In Weekend plans

This weekend in Bordeaux (June 28-30)

Last updated on July 2, 2019 No Comments

This is going to be a very musical weekend with a lot of music festivals in Pessac, Bacalan, different parks in Bordeaux and the big one, the GaroRock in Marmand. Also, the sales have started this weekend, so it’s a good opportunity to hit the stores. If you want to travel a bit, there are quite a lot of activities in Saint Emilion this weekend, with celebrations of the 20 years to the Unesco declaration. You can also just go traveling to the Medoc area by following my new guide to the Medoc wine region.

Here’s the list of things to do this weekend in Bordeaux (June 28-30).

Saint Emilion celebrates 20 years in Unesco

In 1999, Saint Emilion was the first vineyard to enter the UNESCO world heritage list. This year, to marks the 20th anniversary of this nomination, Saint Emilion invites you to a weekend full of fun events in the village and the châteaux around it. The program includes concerts, markets, guided tours, open doors at the wineries and more. For more details click here and for the full program here. The event will take place on June 28-30.

If you’re wondering which wineries you should visit while there, check out my recent post about the best châteaux to visit in Saint Emilion.

When: June 28-30 / Where: Saint Emilion

Les Tropicales – film festival

The Tropicales is a cinema festival created to encourage people to share their thoughts and feelings about different movies. This year’s program includes many popular films as well as new movies that were premiered at the Cannes festival, outdoor screenings, debates and more. The festival will take place on June 27-30 in Cinéma Utopia and Place du Palais. Take a look at the full program.

When: June 27-30 / Where: Cinéma Utopia and Place du Palais, Bordeaux

Festival Les Z’Arpètes

This is the 17th edition of this outdoor arts festival that takes place this Friday and Saturday (June 28-29) in Villenave d’Ornon. the two-day festival includes a very rich program of concerts and performances as well as an artisans’ market and many activities for kids. Check out the full program here.

When: June 29-29 / Where: Plaine de Courréjean, Chemin de la Caminasse, 33140 Villenave d’Ornon

Festival en Bonne Voix

This is the 13th edition of the Bonne Voix festival, a free event that takes place every year in Parc Razon in the center of Pessac and proposes a rich program of French music. This year the festival will take place on Saturday (June 29) and will include artists like Sinclair, Léa Paci, Delta, Bancal Chéri and others. For more info click here.

When: June 29 / Where: Parc Razon, 33600 Pessac

Festival Mur du Souffle – Street art live

Mur du Souffle is an artistic association that fights against the Cystic fibrosis disease. This weekend (June 29-30) they invite you to a live street art festival in Bruges. during two days, four street artists (Rouge, DACO, KARTE and MIKA) will paint in three different locations in the city. The program also includes a music concert, food and activities for kids. For more info click here.

When: June 29-30 / Where: Bruges – Tram C – Arrêt Ausone

Festival des arts et des cultures Grand Parc en Scène

The Grand Festival was created to reunite people through art and culture. The artistic program includes culinary activities, workshops, circus, dance, DJ sets and more. For more info click here. The free festival will take place this weekend (June 28-29) at Place de l’Europe.

When: June 28-29 / Where: Place de l’Europe, 33300 Bordeaux

Bordeaux Open Air

Bordeaux Open Air is a series of free summer electronic music events, all set in different locations and with a great city vibe to them. Every event is dedicated to a different country and hosts its DJ’s for sets of electronic music. The first event this summer is taking place this Sunday (June 30 ) at Square Dom Bedos. The locations of the following events have not been published yet. For more details click here.

When: June 30 / Where: Square Dom Bedos, Bordeaux

Fête de la pirogue

Fête de la pirogue is a fun festival that celebrates the Tahitienne culture and gastronomy with activities like traditional dance, an artisan village, traditional food and more. The event will take place this weekend (June 29-30) on Plage du Moutchic at Lacanau lake. For more info click here.

When: June 29-30 / Where: Plage du Moutchic, 33680 Lacanau

Week-end découverte des plantes sauvages comestibles médicinales

A discovery weekend of wild, edible and medicinal plants will take place this weekend (June 29-30) at Ferme d’Hortélie in Saint-Sauveur. The program includes a discovery walk of wild plants, lunch in the farm, workshops on aromatic plants and oil fabrication and more. Check out the full program here.

When: June 29-30 / Where: 12 bis route de la Garosse – 33250 Saint-Sauveur

Festival Garorock

One of the biggest music festivals in our region is taking place on June 27-30 in Marmande (about an hour drive from Bordeaux). Garorock is an international festival with 5 big stages that will host more than 50 French and international artists. For more info and tickets click he r e.

When: June 27-30 / Where: Plaine de la Filhole, 47200 Marmande

If you want to discover other festivals taking place in the region, check out my post about the best music festivals around Bordeaux.

Festival Connexion Brasil

This fun event is about to take place this weekend (June 29-30) in different locations in Bacalan. During the two days, plenty of fun activities related to music and dance from Brazil will take place in locations like Les Vivres de l’Art, Halles de Bacalan and others. For more info click here.

When: June 29-30 / Where: Different location in Bacalan, Bordeaux

Meeting de l’Air de Cazaux

La base aérienne 120 de Cazaux is one of the biggest economic actors in the region. This weekend (June 29-30) the airbase opens its doors to the public with plenty of demonstrations of their airplanes. For tickets and more info click here.

When: June 29-30 / Where: Base aerienne 120 – BP 70413, 33260 Cazaux

Eysines Goes Soul

The annual soul festival in Eysines will take place this Friday (June 28) at the Domaine du Pinsan. You are invited to bring your picnic to the park and celebrate the summer with concerts of soul, rock, funk and blues. The evening will end with a fireworks show. For more details and the lineup click here. The event is free.

When: June 28 / Where: Domaine du Pinsan, Eysines

Heures d’été in Caudéran

Heures d’été is a series of musical evenings taking place every Friday in different parks in the Cauderan neighborhood in Bordeaux. This week the musical evening will take place on Friday (June 28) at Chartreuse Saint-André. For the full program click here.

When: June 28 / Where: Chartreuse Saint-André, Bordeaux

Soirée dj set croisière

How about a party on a boat, sounds nice, right? That’s exactly what you can do this Sunday afternoon (June 30). The boat-restaurant SICAMBRE invites you to get on board and enjoy three hours of music, wine, snacks and a guided tour of Bordeaux on the water. The tour starts at Quai des Chartrons. For tickets and more details click here.

When: June 30 / Where: Quai des Chartrons, Bordeaux

SUNDUB Session

SUNDUB is a music event dedicated to Reggae & Dub music with a great lineup of free concerts. The event is taking place once a month from June to October. This month Sundub will take place on Sunday (June 30) at Université Bordeaux Montaigne in Pessac. For more details click here.

When: June 30, from 14:00 / Where: Esplanade des Antilles, Domaine universitaire, 33607 Pessac,

PIK NIK ZIK – free concerts

Pik Nik Zik is a series of free concerts organized by the Les P’tits Gratteurs association, that will take place every last Sunday of the Month from April to August. This week the event will take place on Sunday (June 30) at the Quai des sports Saint-Michel. For more details click here.

When: June 30, starting 17:00 / Where: Quai des sports Saint-Michel, Bordeaux

Last chance to see the “When art and design take on glass” exhibition

This is the last chance to see this beautiful glass exhibition at the Cité du Vin. The exhibition beautifully combines the wine and glass worlds. It includes the works of several glass designers who all modified and reinvented wine glasses and bottles. For more details click here.

When: March 15 – June 30 / Where: Esplanade de Pontac, 134 quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux

That’s it for this weekend 🙂

If you’re visiting Bordeaux for the first time, be sure to check out my ultimate guide to Bordeaux to get familiar with all the must-see places in Bordeaux. To help you choose a hotel in Bordeaux 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.

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.

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.

In Weekend plans

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

Last updated on July 31, 2018 No Comments

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

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

Events in Bordeaux Metropole

The summer pavilion on the right side of the river

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

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

RullaHoop Party in Darwin

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

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

Banzaï Land

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

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

Dance on the Quai

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

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

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

Urban Legends Exhibition

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

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

base sous marine - street art exhibition

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

Quai des Sports

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

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

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

Relache Festival

Relache Festival, created by the Allez les filles association, is a series of free concerts taking place at different venues and dates during this summer. The 9th edition of this festival will last about 3 months (May 30 to August 31) with performances by both local groups and international acts in many genres of music. The next evening will take place this Friday (July 27) in Sortie 13 in Pessac and Saturday (July 27) at Les vivres de l’art. Take a look at the full program of events on their website.

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

Bordeaux Metropolitan Summer

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

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

Check out the full program of events here.

Artistic city tour for kids

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

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

Open air Festival combined with a food market

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

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

Events around Bordeaux

Arcachon En Scene

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

When: July 27
Where: Stade Vélodrome d’Arcachon

Music Festival in Lacanau

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

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

La Bataille de Castillon

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

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

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

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

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

Have a great weekend!

In What to do

The bike scene in Bordeaux: Ride, fix and drink it!

Last updated on May 1, 2018 2 Comments

Whether you are into cycling or not, it is plain to see from the sheer number of cycling citizens that Bordeaux is a bike friendly city. Well actually, it’s a fact! Bordeaux is ranked the 6th most bicycle friendly city in the world by Copehagenize. So, whether you are already a cyclist or keen to give it a go Bordeaux is the place to be.

Bordeaux offers so many bicycle related activities, tours and places: dedicated bike paths that go through vineyards to the beach, English speaking bike tour companies and the Musette bicycle café where you can get your bike repaired or just have a delicious coffee, there’s something for everyone.

Today, our guest author Christopher, the owner of Musette bicycle café and a cycling addict, gives us his take on the cycling scene in Bordeaux.

Bicycles and Coffee

Musette is a coffee shop and bicycle shop rolled into one, combining the best bits of both. Opened in 2017 by two Anglophone expats, it is the first bicycle café in Bordeaux. You can simply stop in to have some great coffee and home-made cake even if you don’t have a bike. They also do light lunches, beer and wine and they even have a cute little garden terrace. If you have a bike and need to get a quick repair, they do almost everything for you, from flat tire repairs to full revisions. If you don’t already have a bike and are looking to buy a gravel bike in Bordeaux then you should stop in and check out their stylish Genesis bikes that they display on the walls.

musette coffee shop bordeaux. — photo by: Christopher GJ Cooley

You’ll find Musette bicycle & coffee at 72 Cours de la Somme 33800 Bordeaux. 200 meters from the Victoire with the nearest tram-stop being Saint-Nicolas on the B line.

More information can be found on their website.

Bike Tours and Wine

If you are new in town and looking to discover the city one of the best ways to do it is by bike. Rustic Vines is an English speaking guided bike tour operator. Their Bordeaux by bike tour combines some of the best sights in Bordeaux brought to life with the stories behind them and of course a little drop of wine. If you would like to take it one-step further they also operate electric bike tours in Saint-Emilion, where they take you through the vineyards to explore different wine châteaux and provide a picnic lunch.

rustic vines birdeaux — photo by rustic vines

They can be found in person at 26 Rue de la Devise 33000 Bordeaux in the historic center or you can book directly on their website.

Cycle Paths

If you have your own bicycle and want to enjoy a day in the open air, there are a few great options heading out of town. First, there is a dedicated cycle path that runs all the way to the beach at Lacanau. The path is all flat and mostly straight running through the pine forests. It will take you about 60km to get to the lake and Lacanau town and then another 10km to get to the actual beach but it makes for a great little adventure. To make a round trip there and back in one day requires a fairly high level of fitness, so it’s recommended to go back by bus ( if there’s a space for your bike in the boot of the bus of course).

Another bike path that is definitely worth riding is the Roger Lapebie Voie Verte. It runs from Bordeaux all the way to Sauveterre-de-Guyenne but a recommended day trip would be to the little Medieval village of Creon and back. You’ll see vineyards, forests and little lakes all the while being almost completely out of the way of motor traffic.

bike path Roger Lapebie Voie Verte — photo by: Christopher GJ Cooley

So now you can hop on your ‘bicyclette’ and ride, fix and drink in the biking scene in Bordeaux!

The author, Christopher GJ Cooley, is one of the owners of Mussette bycicle café in Bordeaux.