In Biking, hiking and nature in Bordeaux

The best family friendly hiking trails in Gironde

Last updated on May 31, 2021 4 Comments

In the last year, with Covid restrictions, we started doing much more hiking than before, which I’m very happy with. However my kids are still small, so a not very well-planned trip usually turns into a whining journey and ends with me and my husband carrying them half the way. That is why in the last few months I did a lot of research to find kids-friendly walking paths in Gironde. In this article, I chose the hiking trails I enjoyed most when traveling with my kids. Most of them had also longer trails which you can enjoy with older kids that can walk longer distances.

I have to warn you though that some parts of most of the trails are not very stroller friendly so if you are hiking with babies I strongly recommend bringing a carrier with you. In any case, for stroller-friendly hiking I recommend going to the parks of Bordeaux, you can discover the best ones in my article about the most beautiful parks of Bordeaux.
Also, check out my article about the best hiking trails around Bordeaux for additional locations in our beautiful region.

If you’re interested in more ideas for things to do with kids in the region I invite you to follow me on Facebook/Instagram. Now let’s start! let’s dive into family-friendly hiking trails around Bordeaux!

Family-friendly hiking in Bordeaux Metropole

The city center itself is very friendly for kids but here I’m mostly going to talk about trails in nature so I didn’t include it.

Ecosite du Bourgailh in Pessac

One of the most pleasant and kids friendly hiking trails in Bordeaux is located in Pessac. The Ecosite of Bourgailh is not just a park, it’s a universe of plants put together in a great landscape design. The area of the Foret du Bourgailh includes a 2.6 km walking trail, the largest tropical greenhouse in the region, sports facilities, a skate park, an amphitheater, a zoo, and a really fun wooden animal theme playground.

Parc Floral

Parc Floral, located in the north part of Bordeaux is part of the Réserve écologique des Barails, a beautiful natural reserve spreading over 156 hectares. The reserve consists of different parts each with its own characteristic: the forest, the park, the meadows, the wetlands, and the ecological corridors. All of them are great for hiking but the one that kids love the most is Parc Floral.

The park starts with beautiful flowers and continues to the surprising twin cities gardens with sculptures and structures donated by some of Bordeaux’s twin cities like Ashdod (in Israel), Fukuoka (Japan), and Casablanca (Morocco). Kids usually use the twin gardens as a playground, climbing and running around the different statues. The most magical part of Parc Floral is the Torrent de Montagne, a mountain river with stones from the Pyrénées.

Parc floral in Bordeaux - one of the most kids friendly hiking trails in Bordeaux

Parc Floral is located in the Bordeaux Lac neighborhood and to get there straight without passing the forest first you will need to enter through entree roseraie (next to the Golf de Bordeaux Lac). Before heading there check out the information about the different entrances and parking spots on the official site of Bordeaux.

Hiking with kids in Arcachon

Arcachon is heaven when it comes to hiking with kids. Everything is flat, the landscape changes a lot depending on the timing of your arrival and it has a rich flora and fauna to explore during your trip. There’s also always the option of going to the beach at the end to motivate kids to finish the trail. Here are some of the best family-friendly hiking trails in Arcachon.

The Domain of Certes-Graveyron

If you want to explore the nature of Bassin d’Arcachon at its best, Domain of Certes Graveyron in Audenge is the place to go. Located at the very heart of the Arcachon Bay, this natural reserve of 530 hectares is an amazing place for hiking with kids no matter what age they are. There are several trails you can take to discover the salt meadows and the migrating birds passing through Arcachon. The most kids-friendly one is Boucle de Graveyron, a 5.5 km circular hiking trail that goes through some of the animal farms in the region, the cute port of Audenge, the Audenge beach, and the blue colored salt marshes.

Domain of Certes Graveyron in Audenge, Arcachon

What I especially love about the Domaine de Certes is that it looks different every time you visit it. Due to its location at the heart of the Bay, the reserve completely changes its looks depending on the tide hours during the day of your visit so every visit there feels like you’re exploring a new location.
The reserve is free and can be visited whenever you want. Bicycles are not allowed on the walking paths of Domain de Certes et Graveyron. There are maps and good trail markings on site.

Réserve Naturelle Nationale des Prés Salés d’Arès

La Réserve des prés salés d’Arès is a huge natural reserve that offers several short and long hiking trails. The hiking starts at the port of Arès which is a nice place to stop for a plate of oysters before you hit the road 🙂 The most family-friendly trail is the 4.5km Boucle d’Arès, a path that goes along the salt meadows and then continues in a beautiful forest. The one downside is that this path ends on a road so you have to walk a bit along passing cars. However as the road is in the village itself, the few cars passing there are driving quite slow so it doesn’t really ruin the experience.

Les Prés Salés Ouest

Prés Salés Ouest is another beautiful natural reserve, located on the other side of the Bassin d’Arcachon in La Teste de Buch. I love recommending this one to parents with small kids as it’s one of the only stroller-friendly hiking paths in the region. You can start the 2.2km trail from the port of Teste de Buch or from the Avenue du Général Leclerc (you will see a big parking from the road).

Prés Salés Ouest - a beautiful hiking trail in Arcachon

We started hiking when the tide was still quite low and finished it when it started to rise, the change in the landscape was spectacular. If you want to make it even more fun, stop at the port for some fresh oysters. The entrance is free and open for cycling as well.

Hiking with kids in other parts of Gironde

Réserve Naturelle des Dunes et Marais D’Hourtin

Let’s now move to the Medoc region which offers a lot of great hiking trails. Hourtin is the biggest lake in Gironde surrounded by beautiful beaches and a lot of natural spaces. The Réserve Naturelle des Dunes et Marais D’hourtin is located at the northern point of the lake. It offers several trails which are all quite easy to do with kids, with the shortest one being the green path (Le Sentier de la Lobelie), a 2 km path along the lake. If it’s hot enough, finish your day at the beach nearby! To start the hiking trail park your car at the Piqueyrot beach.

You can see more details about all the trails in that reserve here.

Lac Bleu and Lac Vert

I 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 in Gironde 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. They are both great to visit with kids, although the green one is easier to do with strollers. If you have a dog, they would love Lac Blue!

Forêt de Migelane

Forêt de Migelane is a 280 hectares forest situated on parts of the Saucats, Martillac, and la Brède towns in Southern Gironde. The calm forest has several hiking trails to offer, from the most kids-friendly one we have la Petite Boucle circular (1.4 km), La Petite Boucle circular trail to la Balade Forestière (2.7 km), la Balade Géologique (5.2 km) and la Grande Balade (6.5 km). See more info here.

If you’re looking for more ideas for day trips in the Bordeaux region here are a few other articles you might want to read:
The best beaches around Bordeaux
Day trips around Bordeaux – wine, beaches and villages
10 day trips from Bordeaux by Public transport
A weekend in Medoc – Bordeaux wine tours
What to do and eat in Saint Emilion

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

Facebook |Instagram |Email | Facebook group

In Around Bordeaux

Where to walk your dog around Bordeaux

Last updated on May 31, 2021 No Comments

You need to add a widget, row, or prebuilt layout before you’ll see anything here. 🙂

From time to time I receive questions about beautiful places to walk dogs in Bordeaux, and so “inspired” by the third confinement in France I decided it’s time to dedicate an article to our little four-legged friends. In the last few months, I wrote numerous articles about hiking and parks in Bordeaux that many found useful this year. Most parks in Bordeaux are very dog friendly so I really recommend you go through my previous articles:

The most beautiful parks in Bordeaux
The best hiking trails around Bordeaux
Best places to visit 20km from your home
The most family-friendly hiking trails in Gironde

Important note: In many parks in Bordeaux dogs are allowed only on a leash and some need to be muzzled, here’s the exact wording from the site of the Marie de Bordeaux: “Les chiens “non classés” sont autorisés tenus en laisse, de même que les chiens de seconde catégorie tenus en laisse et muselés”

In this article, I want to give you a bit more than just the list of parks. This year I’ve spent quite a lot of days exploring nature around Bordeaux with my kids, looking for hidden lakes, easy walking trails, streams, and just any beautiful place where my kids can feel free to run and enjoy nature. I’ve noticed that many of these places are perfect for dogs as well, in many of them you can let them run free and they can even enjoy a swim. So here are some of the best green spaces to walk your dog in Bordeaux metropole.

Parc des Berges de la Garonne in Bègles

Berges de La Garonne is one of the hidden gems of this region. Many, visit this part of Bègles to do shopping in Rives d’Arcins without even knowing that behind the big shopping center hides a very tranquil green park with a beautiful view of the Garonne river. Take your dog for a walk along the river and enjoy the metallic sculptures along the way. Don’t miss the Carrelets, the traditional fishing cabins that you can find mostly on the banks of the Gironde Estuary.

Where to park: You can park near Cultura in the main parking of the shopping center and go in the direction of the Garonne river until you see the park. You can equally find parking at the port of Begles and start the walk from the northern part of the park.

Bois de Thouars in Talence

The Thouars forest is located on the border of Talence and Gradignan and has 4km of walking paths in the woods and around the lake as well as different sports facilities. The hilly path around the lake is especially beautiful and is a great adventure for dogs and kids alike.

Where to park: There’s a huge parking in front of the pool at 235 Avenue de Thouars, 33400 Talence.

Bois des Sources du Peugue in Pessac — Bois des Sources du Peugue

Bois de Thouars in Talence — Bois de Thouars

Parc de Montgaillard in Gradignan

Gradignan is known as one of the greenest towns in Bordeaux metropole so it’s not a surprise that one of our dog-friendly places is located there. The path follows the Bourde stream that goes through Gradignan and continues to Canejan, a great hiking path for the more avid walkers among you. At the heart of this park, you’ll find one of the last fully restored water mills in the metropole, a fishing lake, playgrounds, and a picnic area.

Where to park: There are several parking spots around the mills at Chemin des Moulins, 33170 Gradignan

Bois des Sources du Peugue in Pessac

How about a hike in a magical forest with a beautiful lake where your dog can swim? Bois des Sources du Peugue in Pessac is one of the less known forests/parks in the metropole, but it’s really worth a visit. It has plenty of trails that are perfect not only for hiking but also for cycling. It’s a perfect place to walk your dog and also to have a picnic at the end of the walk.

Where to park: You can find parking around the intersections of Avenue du Port Aerien et Rue des Bouvreuils.

Parc de la Bruthe in Floirac

Moving on to rive droite to the beautiful Domaine de la Burthe in Floirac. This park is part of a beautiful forest and is a perfect place for hiking and for spending the day enjoying the hidden spots between the trees. The place is also home to the equestrian center so you can see plenty of horses all over the park.

Where to park: Chemin de la Burthe, 33270 Floirac

Parc de la Bruthe in Floirac — Parc de la Bruthe

Bois d’Arboudeau in Parempuyre

Another hidden gem that many are not aware of is the Arboudeau forest in Parempuyre, one of the northern towns in Bordeaux metropole. Like other places on this list, this forest has a beautiful lake in its center and you can do a fun circuit with your dog around it.

Where: Rue de Bordeaux, 33290 PAREMPUYRE

Lac Bleu and Lac Vert

These two lakes are very popular among dog owners and they are also two of the most beautiful lakes in Gironde. 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 a 15/20 minute drive from Bordeaux. Their names derive from the color of the water and they are both stunning. I think that Lac bleu is the dogs favorite one 🙂

Forêt de Migelane in Martillac

Forêt de Migelane is a 280 hectares forest situated on parts of the Saucats, Martillac, and la Brède towns in Southern Gironde. This calm forest has several hiking trails to offer, all of them are perfect for walking your dog: la Petite Boucle circular (1.4 km), La Petite Boucle circular trail to la Balade Forestière (2.7 km), la Balade Géologique (5.2 km) and la Grande Balade (6.5 km). See more info here.

If you’re looking for more ideas for day trips in the Bordeaux region here are a few other articles you might want to read:
The best beaches around Bordeaux
Day trips around Bordeaux – wine, beaches and villages
10 day trips from Bordeaux by Public transport
A weekend in Medoc – Bordeaux wine tours
What to do and eat in Saint Emilion

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

Facebook |Instagram |Email | Facebook group

In Biking, hiking and nature in Bordeaux

10 Places to visit within 20 km of your home

Last updated on March 4, 2021 No Comments

So we can finally go a little bit farther than 1 km from our house Wouhoooo!!! I know that it’s not really considered traveling but we’re in 2020, take whatever you can my friends 🙂 In this article, I want to offer a few ideas of places you can visit within the 20km radius of your home, which is the new limitation for the moment. I don’t mention places in Bordeaux itself as I believe it will be very crowded so I prefer to encourage you to find more spacious places and discover nature or other cute parts of the metropole. As we are limited to only three hours a day I included places that can be visited shortly rather than long hiking trails.

Before we start here are two articles I think you’ll find helpful if you’re looking for beautiful places to breathe some fresh air
The most beautiful parks in Bordeaux
The best hiking trails near Bordeaux

For the purpose of this list, the 20km radius is measured from the center of Bordeaux. I assume that many of you live outside of Bordeaux so before going out check if the location fits in your 20km limitation. You can use this site to check. Here’s the list of ideas for places to visit during the next stage of confinement – 20km, 3 hours – here we go!

Parc floral

This is my getaway when I need a bit of nature close to Bordeaux. The beautiful Parc Floral of Bordeaux is located at the Barails natural reserve, next to the forest of Bordeaux (Bois de Bordeaux). With its beautiful flower garden and the creative twin city gardens with sculptures and structures donated by some of Bordeaux’s twin cities. No matter where you live in Bordeaux metropole, this park is probably within the allowed distance and it will fill your three hours with a lot of beauty.

Parc de l’Ermitage

Parc de l’Ermitage Sainte-Catherine in Lormont with its while cliffs is one of the most beautiful parks near Bordeaux and if you haven’t been there yet, this is an excellent opportunity to check it out. When on the upper side of the park don’t miss the stunning view from the Aquitaine bridge above the Garonne river.

For those of you coming with kids, there’s a cute animal park just next to the park called la ferme des Iris. Also if you’re traveling with a stroller I would recommend doing either the upper or lower parts of the park as the stairs between the two parts are quite steep.

Réserve Naturelle Des Marais De Bruges

Another beautiful and under-discovered nature spot in the metropole is the natural reserve of Bruges. Just a few minutes’ drive from Bordeaux Lac you’ll find 256 hectares of natural treasure with more than a hundred bird species and many types of insects and mammals. There is an itinerary of 2.4 km offered by the site that will allow you to discover one of the parts of the reserve and watch the birds from three different observatory spots.

The entry to the site is free, the address is Avenue des 4 Ponts.

Lac Vert

Now something for those in the South part of the metropole, although it is within your 20 km even if you live in Bordeaux center. If you like taking a stroll next to water sources this one is for you. The beautiful Lac Vert (the green lac) in Canejan is a perfect place for a short hike with kids or with dogs or both 🙂 It has a nice 1.5 km trail surrounding the lake and a playground for kids when they finish the stroll.

Parc Majolan

A lake, beautiful nature, and mysterious caves all in one stunning park located less than 10km from the center of Bordeaux. Parc Majolan in Blanquefort is one of the most beautiful parks in Bordeaux and an excellent way to spend your three hours outside.

Take a long walk on the quai

The right side of the Garonne river is worth a visit not only for Darwin and la Guinguette chez Alriq but also for its beautiful promenade, especially Parc aux Angéliques next to Darwin. You can start your walk at Pont Chaban Delmas and continue walking along the riverside until you get to Arkea Arena in Floirac – it is about 6km in total.

The Ecosite of Bourgailh

I have mentioned this place on several occasions just because I really love it. It’s a great park for walking or cycling and definitely the best one if you have active kids who love skating and climbing on walls (aren’t they all 🙂 ) The area of the Forêt du Bourgailh includes a 2.6 km walking trail, the largest tropical greenhouse in the region, sports facilities, a skate park, an amphitheater, a zoo, and a beautiful animal-themed playground. If you’re cycling from Pessac you don’t have to get to the main entrance to enter the park, on the crossroad between Rue des Frênes and Avenue de Monbalo there’s a cycling path that leads right into the park.

For more places to visit in Pessac read my article.

Lla Forêt du Taillan-Médoc

If you want to discover a proper forest rather than a park, this one is for you. La Forêt du Taillan-Médoc is a 420 hectares forest that proposes four trails for hiking: The 2.6 km Circuit vert, the 5.3 km Circuit bleu, the 7.1 km Circuit rouge, and the 8.6 km Circuit noir. You can read more info about the forest and the circuits here.

Discover other markets

If you live far from a market and are obliged to buy everything at the supermarket, this is a great opportunity to get familiar with some of the best markets of the metropole. Many of the big weekly markets take place on the weekends and they are spread around some of the biggest suburbs in Bordeaux metropole. A few of my favorites are the Sunday market of Bassens, the Saturday market at Merignac, and the Sunday market of Pessac.

Check out the list of the best markets in Bordeaux is my article

Discover the suburbs of Bordeaux

Most people usually leave the metropole on the weekend or go to the center of Bordeaux, but these new rules give us an opportunity to discover some of the other towns surrounding Bordeaux. I have already written about Pessac with its lovely center (check out my article) but there are other cute little towns around Bordeaux. Lormont has a cute little center, Gradignan is lovely and has some interesting sites to visit such as the Prieure de Cayac and Parc René Canivenc with its aminal park. In Bordeaux itself, you can visit Saint Agustin and Saint Bruno which are two nice neighborhoods, or take a walk in the developing neighborhood of Bassin a flot.

If you don’t live in Bordeaux metropole, join my group “Travel in the Southwest of France“. We have members from all over the southwest of France that share a lot of advice about secrets spots in their region.

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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In Bordeaux by Neighborhood

Discover the hidden gems of Pessac – cycling around Bordeaux

Last updated on October 4, 2022 2 Comments

You don’t need to rent a car or travel far from Bordeaux to have a fun and enriching day trip. Some of this region’s treasures can be found in Pessac, one of Bordeaux’s biggest suburbs. Just jump on a tram or your bike and enjoy a full day of history, nature, wine, and street art in a beautiful historic town. The trip I planned is best done by bike but you can also do it by foot, car, or public transport.

Here are all the places I’m going to discuss in this article:

If you need other ideas of day trips from Bordeaux without a car check out my article about 10-day trips from Bordeaux by train.

The center of Pessac

Start your day in the center of Pessac, next to the Pessac Centre tram station. It is one of the liveliest city centers in Bordeaux metropole, with plenty of restaurants, coffee places, and excellent food shops. Here are some of my favorite places in the center of Pessac:

Eat and Coffee – If you want to start your day with coffee or a light lunch, head to the chic coffee shop Eat and Coffee at 14 Place de la Liberté.

Franck Labasse Patisserie – just in front of the coffee shop don’t miss the great chocolatier and patissiere Franck Labasse at 11 Place de la Liberté.

Ragazzi da Peppone – If you’re hungry, just know that you’re standing next to one of the best Italian restaurants in the region. Ragazzi da Peppone is located at 8 Place de la Liberté.

Fromagerie Dauchez – on the main street (30 Avenue Pasteur) you can also find a fantastic cheese shop.

Pessac Market

Every Tuesday and Saturday there’s a very nice market in the center of Pessac. Try to plan your trip on one of these days as the center tends to be livelier on market days.

Le marché Bourrec – the biggest outdoor market of Pessac takes place every Sunday on Avenue Pierre Wiehn. This is one of the biggest markets in Bordeaux metropole with more than 170 stalls selling the best products the region has to offer.

Street art in the center of Pessac

Pessac is one of the main street art centers in Bordeaux metropole and even has an annual festival, called Vibrations Urbaines, dedicated to street art. You can find dozens of murals all over town with some located close to the center of Pessac.

My favorite one is located near the train station in Pessac, at 25 Place de la 5ème République. The huge mural of an elderly man called Entre Deux Mondes was created by the French duo Sismikazot in 2017. On the map I’ve made for this article, you can find several other murals in the center of Pessac, marked with a yellow painter’s palette sign.

If you’re a street art geek, you can find many more murals all over Pessac on this site.

Amazing villas in Quartier Casino

Another one of Pessac’s hidden gems is the beautiful villas in quartier Casino, on rue Goya and Rue Alexandre Jaubert. Between 1897 and 1904, a local architect named Hector Loubatie built 17 villas that were inspired by the villas of Ville d’Hiver (the winter town) in Arcachon. Today the neighborhood looks like mini Arcachon and the houses carry the nickname “arcachonnaises”. During the Belle Epoque, these villas were the resort houses of wealthy Bordeaux residents.

villa mimosa - quartier casino in Pessac

Get on your bike and discover Pessac

From the elegant center of Pessac, you can start your cycling tour to discover some of the main attractions of this town, from wine to nature and fascinating architecture. I remind you that this tour is doable by car or public transport and even on foot if you’re in good shape. However, I strongly recommend exploring Pessac by bike.

Cité Frugès – Le Corbusier

This colorful residential neighborhood can be easily overlooked, but it’s actually one of the most important monuments of Pessac. The Cité Frugès is the first housing project of the famous Swiss-French architect, Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, known as Le Corbusier.

The project was initiated by Henry Frugès, a wealthy industrialist in order to house working-class families in the 20s. In this project, Corbusier experimented with many new architectural ideas, incorporating strict geometric shapes, panoramic terraces, and vibrant colors in his design.

Cité Frugès was listed as a UNESCO heritage site in 2016.

One of the houses in the district is a museum where you can learn more about the project and visit the house interior with all of the original features. See all the details about the visits on this site. The address is 4 Rue le Corbusier, 33600 Pessac.

Taste wine at Château Pape Clément

Château Pape Clément is a Grand Cru Classé wine labeled under the Pessac Leognan appellation. Pessac Leognan, a wine region that was traditionally labeled under the Graves appellation, became a separate appellation only in 1987. This extraordinary château is one of the best wineries around Bordeaux and definitely worth a visit when you’re in Pessac.

The vineyards of Château Pape Clément were planted at the request of the Archbishop of Bordeaux, the future Pope Clement V. The château itself was built much later and has beautiful Neo-Gothic embellishments. Today apart from producing wine it’s also one of the most beautiful luxury hotels in Bordeaux. The chateau offers daily visits in both French and English as well as winemaking workshops where you can assemble your own wine.

Book your visit here.

Cycle along the Peugue

It’s time for some nature! The cyclers or hikers among you will love this part of the trip. From Château Pape Clément take avenue du Pont de l’Orient north until you get to rue Surcouf (it will be to your left), a green pleasant path that follows the Peugeu stream.

The Peugeu is quite a long river that centuries ago was running through the center of Bordeaux flowing into the Garonne river (around Cours Alsace Lorraine). Since then the part running through the city center was covered leaving it exposed to the open air only in the suburbs. On this trip, We’ll be following the stream in the southwest direction.

On the way (around the intersection with Avenue de Noes) you’ll pass by Moulin de Noes, an 18th-century watermill. This is a very picturesque spot for a picnic.

The Ecosite of Bourgailh

From the Moulin de Noes, we’ll be heading to our last destination, the Bourgaill forest. To do that you’ll have to cross the highway through Passerelle Rocade (find the path from rue Ciceron). On the other side continue on Rue des Frênes until it meets Avenue de Monbalo, then take the cycling path on your right until you reach the eco-park of Bourgailh.

The Ecosite of Bourgailh is not just a park, it’s a universe of plants put together in great landscape design. The area of the Forêt du Bourgailh includes a 2.6 km walking trail, the largest tropical greenhouse in the region, sports facilities, a skate park, an amphitheater, a zoo, and a beautiful animal-themed playground. This is one of the most kids-friendly places in the metropole and on weekends it’s filled with families cycling and hiking.

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This Saturday (August 29) the eco-park of Bourgailh is hosting a music day with a big program of concerts, DJ sets, open-air cinema, a brocante and more. For more details about this and other fun events nd expos you can see this weekend, go to the weekend list on my blog. . . . #weekendbordeaux #bordeauxcity #pessac #visitlafrance #hello_france #amazingfrance #southoffrance #girondetourisme #lostinbordeaux #lovebordeaux #bordeauxmylove #bordeauxmaville #bordeauxmetropole #igbordeaux #igergironde #nouvelleaquitaine #bordeaux_focus_on #welovebordeaux #gironde #suddefrance #super_france #bordeauxtourisme #beautifulfrance

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There are also plenty of nice ecological and educational events taking place there throughout the year, such as mushroom hunting, a pumpkin festival, planting workshops, and more.

Discover more parks in my article about the most beautiful parks in Bordeaux.

How to get to Pessac from Bordeaux

Pessac is actually one of the easiest day trips on my site. It’s located about 10 minutes drive from Bordeaux center and is very accessible by public transport. You can take tram B from the center of Bordeaux bringing you to the Pessac Centre tram station. You can also get there by train from Gare Saint-Jean and by several buses from different parts of Bordeaux.

However, as I already mentioned the best way to do this day trip is by bike! If you don’t have your own bike you can use one of the city bikes of Bordeaux métropole – some of the stations are located in Pessac center so you can start and finish your day there. See all the bike stations in the center of Pessac in this link.

If you want to discover more of Bordeaux by bike, read my article about the Bridge to Bridge bike trail in the center of Bordeaux.

If you’re looking for more ideas for day trips in the Bordeaux region here are a few other articles you might want to read:
The best beaches around Bordeaux
Day trips around Bordeaux – wine, beaches and villages
10 day trips from Bordeaux by Public transport
A weekend in Medoc – Bordeaux wine tours
What to do and eat in Saint Emilion

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

Facebook |Instagram |Email | Facebook group

In Biking, hiking and nature in Bordeaux

The most beautiful parks in Bordeaux

Last updated on October 12, 2020 No Comments

The amazing response to my Hiking in Bordeaux article last week, made me realize that now, more than ever, people are looking to replace their city center outings with parks, beaches, and forests. So maybe not everyone is up for a 9km hike but I’m sure most of my readers would love to discover new places where they can admire exotic flowers, observe ducks swimming peacefully in a cute pond and enjoy an outdoor picnic. I know we all miss going to restaurants but opening a bottle of good Bordeaux wine accompanied by cheese, charcuterie and a beautiful view doesn’t feel so bad to me! So this week I decided to write an article about the most beautiful parks in Bordeaux, or better yet “my favorite parks in Bordeaux” 🙂

If you leave the city center and travel to the other towns of Bordeaux Metropole, you will discover that there’s a huge amount of parks and green spaces in the Bordeaux region. Some of them have lakes, playgrounds, picnic areas, others have a more foresty vibe to them and some even have beautiful art installations. In some parts of this article, I mention things like playgrounds, animal parks, coffee places, and picnics, which were a normal thing before the pandemic. I hope that things can get back to normal as soon as possible but for now, please know that some of these places are still closed and that no gathering of more than 10 people is allowed. So be safe and prudent when visiting public spaces.

If you’re keen on staying close to the center you can check out my older article about the best places for picnics in Bordeaux. Also, I just want to remind you that on my Instagram I post plenty of photos and stories from the places I visit in Gironde so follow me to get much more info about the hidden gems of our region.

Table of Contents

The best parks in Bordeaux – Rive Gauche

Jardin Public in Bordeaux center

For those living in Bordeaux, my choice to start with Jardin Public would seem too obvious, but one cannot make a list of parks in Bordeaux without mentioning this beautiful green island harmoniously placed among the historic buildings of Bordeaux. Jardin Public, created in the 18th century is the biggest park in Bordeaux center spreading over 11 hectares! This place is the epitome of city parks, it has a beautiful pond with ducks and swans, a wide green area for picnics, a lot of space for runners and two fun playgrounds for kids. It’s also home to Bordeaux’s natural history museums which is a great spot for families. You can clearly see why it’s one of the most visited places in Bordeaux by locals and tourists alike. In the summer, the park hosts a daily traditional puppets show, which makes it even more attractive for families. For more activities for kids check out my article about the best things to do in Bordeaux with kids.

Parc Bordelais in Cauderan

Parc Bordelais in the Cauderan neighborhood is the biggest park in Bordeaux city. It’s a beautiful 28-hectare green space that attracts both friends and families for picnics around the lake, as well as runners and bikers. It also has a chic cafe, for those of you in need of a cold glass of rosé 🙂 I would dare to say that it’s the most kids-friendly park in Bordeaux. Besides two large playgrounds (for younger and older kids), there is a puppet theater, a little animal park and a kids train that takes you on a tour of the park. While it’s not in the hyper center like Jardin Public, it’s really worth the travel.

There’s no tram directly to the park but you can easily reach it by bus (number 2 or 3) from the center of Bordeaux. You can also take tram D and walk about 15 minutes to the park. It will take you about half an hour to get there walking from the center of Bordeaux.

Parc Majolan in Blanquefort

If I had to make a list of my top three parks in Bordeaux this one would definitely be on it! Parc Majolan in Blanquefort is a great example of a beautiful landscape design. When you follow the paths in the park you feel like you walk through a forest but then suddenly discover ruins of an old gate, beautiful flowers, and finally a stunning lake. The best part of it all is the artificial caves created in the 19th century. This park is so rich that it will take you hours to explore all of it!

How to get there: The entrance to the park is from Avenue du Général de Gaulle 33290 BLANQUEFORT. If you’re coming by bus, take bus number 29 and get off at Parc de Majolan station.

Parc Bouran in Merignac

Parc Bouran is the main park of Merignac and is easily accessible by tram A from the city center. While it’s a proper park with a lake, a beautiful chateau and playgrounds, some parts of it feel rawer and woody, which I find very nice. The park has been built around the Deveze, a stream that runs into the Garone river next to the Saint Pierre neighborhood (the original location of the old port of Bordeaux). In the city center, the stream now goes underground but here in the park, it’s in the open-air, giving it yet another special feature. This park is perfect for families and seems to be very popular with joggers as well 🙂

Parc Floral

I feel like this amazing park doesn’t get enough credit. The 20 hectares flower park of Bordeaux side by side with the Bois de Bordeaux (the forest of Bordeaux) in the Barails natural reserve, which I have written about in my Hiking in Bordeaux article. This is one of the most beautiful places in Bordeaux for walking, running, bicycle riding or a picnic.

The colorful Parc floral has a beautiful rose garden with more than 500 varieties of roses. And that’s not all, among the park’s greenery you can find magnolias, many irises, every possible type of rhododendrons and many types of vines (mind you they are there to feed the birds). Throughout the park you will see plenty of statues and structures that look like they have been taken from other parts of the world. These were donated to Bordeaux from different places like Japan, Spain, and Morocco (don’t miss the stunning Moorish mosaics.) Spring is the best time to visit the park. Everything is still blossoming and after two months of confinement, it’s a good reminder that the world is still beautiful and alive 🙂

Parc Floral is located in the Bordeaux Lac neighborhood and to get there straight without passing the forest first you will need to enter through entree roseraie (next to the Golf de Bordeaux Lac). Before heading there check out the information about the different entrances and parking spots on the official site of Bordeaux.

Le Bois du Bouscat

Le Bois du Bouscat is a 5 hectares park stretched along the big Hippodrome in the Le Bouscat neighborhood. It’s a relatively new park, opened only in 2013 and labeled “entre nature et culture” it strives to connect nature, art, and culture. While it’s not a huge park, its cultural aspect is particularly attractive and it can take you a few hours to see everything if you really pay attention to all the details. Plenty of sculptures are spread throughout the park, unusual benches, each designed by a different wood sculpturer, beautiful metallic animals representing the animals of the forest, and other art installations all related to nature. If you’re in for a culture hike, this is your place.

Parc Peixotto

Parc Peixotto in the center of Talence is not one of the big parks in Bordeaux metropole, but one of my favorites for sure. Well, I’m not objective here, I live just next door to it and it has been my savior every time my kids go bananas at home. What can you find here? A pond with plenty of geese and ducks, a beautiful chateau, and tons of hidden spots for romantic picnics 🙂 In the summer there are usually some nice events taking place in the park as well.

It’s easily accessible by tram B from the city center – the Forum and Parc Peixotto stations are both very close to the park.

Ecosite du Bourgailh in Pessac

The Ecosite of Bourgailh is not just a park, it’s a universe of plants put together in great landscape design. The area of the Foret du Bourgailh includes a 2.6 km walking trail, the largest tropical greenhouse in the region, sports facilities, a skate park, an amphitheater, a zoo and one of the most beautiful playgrounds you have ever seen, which for me is the highlight of this park. There are plenty of nice ecological and educational events taking place there throughout the year, such as mushroom hunting, a pumpkin festival, planting workshops and more.

There are currently some issues with the parking there so you might have to stop further away and walk a bit. Click here to see where to park and how to get there by public transport or biking.

Parc du Moulineau Gradignan

Parc du Moulineau happens to be one of the biggest parks in the green suburb of Gradignan and it’s a real 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 still closed so I recommend waiting until it opens up before going there. You can see all the details about the opening hours of the animal park here.

Parc Sourreil in Villenave d’ornon

This little park is well hidden behind its chateau and is easy to miss when passing by its main entrance in Villenave d’Ornon. However, if you go beyond the chateau you’ll find a cute forest-y park with a nice area for kids and some walking paths around the woods. I wouldn’t necessarily make a long trip to see this park but if you’re not far from here, it’s worth a visit!

Parks on Rive droite

Parc de L’ermitage in Lormont

The Parc of Lormont, or by its official name Parc de l’Ermitage Sainte-Catherine, is one of the favorite parks of rive droite inhabitants, or those who love traveling around the metropole. This beautiful hilly park is located on the east bank of the Garonne river and is part of the enormous 400 hectares green space called Parc des Coteaux, which goes through several other towns on rive droite.

If you climb on the upper side of the park you can enjoy a stunning view of the Aquitaine bridge covering the Garonne river. However, If you’re coming with strollers or generally with little kids, beware that it’s not a very easy climb to the top of the park. In that case, I would advise you to spend your time near the lake at the bottom of the park and then reenter the park again through Haut Lormont (the higher part of Lormont) to visit the hilly part.

I previously mentioned this park in my article about things to do with kids in Bordeaux. Just next to the park you will find the ferme d’Iris, an animal farm for kids with rabbits, donkeys, goats, and more. For more info about the farm click here.

Parc aux Angéliques in Bastide

Parc aux Angéliques on Quai des Queyries isn’t a park per se, but rather a vast green area close to the city center, perfect for hiking, biking, or a picnic with friends. I felt that I should include it in the list for those looking for a nice picnic spot in the more tranquil part of Bordeaux. The park is spread along the Garonne river from its east side which provides a beautiful view of the buildings and monuments on the opposite side of the river such as the beautiful Place de la Bourse. There’s a very familial and tranquil vibe to it even during the more touristy months of the year. You will see groups of friends picnicking, families playing badminton, and a lot of bikers and runners (well, these are apparently everywhere in Bordeaux). If you’ve made it all the way there you can enjoy places like Darwin and Jardin Botanic, both located just in front of the park. You can read more about these two places in my ultimate guide to a weekend in Bordeaux. If you’re coming with kids, don’t panic if you don’t find a playground in the park. There’s actually a large playground just next to Jardin Botanique at Place des Droits de L’Enfant.

You can get there by tram A (Stalingrad station), by boat from the other side of the river, or with many buses that go through the Bastide neighborhood, You can use the site of the public transport in Bordeaux to find the best route. My favorite way to get there is on a city bike, you can read more about that in my article about cycling in Bordeaux.

In this list, I included only the parks that I had a chance to visit, which is quite a lot but if you think that I should include other parks feel free to write it in the comments below.

If you want to get more information about traveling in Bordeaux and the Southwest of France you should join my Travel in the Southwest of France Facebook group or simply join my Facebook/Instagram pages where I share almost all my travel and experiences in the region on a daily basis. If you want to get exclusive tips on traveling in the region, subscribe to my newsletter here.

Hope you enjoyed reading!

In Discover Bordeaux

The best markets in Bordeaux

Last updated on September 6, 2023 No Comments

Going to a market is probably one of the most exciting experiences when traveling in the Southwest of France. The colors of strawberries in the spring, the smell of cheese from local farms, and the fresh oysters from the seaside always get me thrilled. Luckily for us, Bordeaux has one of the best markets in France, which should not be missed on your visit here!

But the main market of Bordeaux is definitely not the only market worth a visit when you’re in the region. Due to the French people’s tendency to buy everything fresh from the market, there are plenty of open-air markets taking place in different parts of Bordeaux on a daily basis. Besides the small weekly markets in the different neighborhoods of the city, there are several big covered ones that are open daily and offer a great shopping and dining experience.

The best markets in Bordeaux — ***markets in Bordeaux by Lost in Bordeaux***

The Southwest is one of the most prolific agricultural regions in France, so visiting markets here is an absolute must. You have the most delicious strawberries from Lot et Garonne, tomatoes from Marmande, sheep cheese from the Basque country, and duck from the Dordogne. That’s just a tiny list of delicacies you’ll find in Bordeaux’s markets. In this article, I will help you discover the best food markets in Bordeaux, both in the city center and in the suburbs. Let’s start!

If you’re traveling in other parts of the Southwest, check out my article about the best markets in Toulouse, which is another foodie city in the region.

The BestFood Markets in Bordeaux city

Marché des Capucins – the central market of Bordeaux

The Capucins market is one of the most visited places in Bordeaux. It’s the city’s biggest daily market and has everything from fruits and spices to local sweets and plenty of oyster stands. This is the best place to discover the gastronomy of the southwest of France and if you’re a foodie, it might take you a few good hours.

Marche des Capucins, one of Bordeaux's best markets — ***Marche des Capucins by Lost in Bordeaux***

After you stroll the market, upgrade your experience with a delicious lunch in one of the many restaurants in the market. If you need help choosing what and where to eat, check out my article about the best places to eat in Marche des Capucins.

This is a covered market so it can also be a perfect place to escape to on one of Bordeaux’s many rainy days. Weekends are especially busy at Marche des Capucins with locals meeting their friends for oysters and wine after their market run. So if you want to get a table on a Sunday be sure to be there before 11 am.

Eat at the Capucins market in Bordeaux — ***Charcuterie tasting at Marche des Capucins – Lost in Bordeaux***

If you don’t have a lot of time, the best way to discover this huge market is by taking a food tour. You can join the great group food tour of the No Diet club or join a more in-depth private tour with Anne, who’s a chef, and an amazing food tour in Bordeaux. Check Anne’s website for details.
Opening hours: Open daily except Mondays, see opening hours / Address: Place des Capucins, 33800 Bordeaux

Marche des Quais – the market with the most beautiful view

Every Sunday morning dozens of food stalls with the best oysters of the region, fresh fruits, vegetables, cheese, fish, wine, and plenty of food trucks are installed on the Quai des Chartrons. It’s one of the most popular markets in Bordeaux for locals and tourists alike thanks to the quality of the products and the stunning setting on the riverfront.

Besides the local products you can buy at the market, it’s simply a very nice spot to have an early lunch. For many visitors, the main attraction is the oyster stalls, serving you a plate of six oysters with a cold white wine from the region. It kind of embodies the good life atmosphere in this region :). If you want to have a table be sure to be at the market no later than 11:30.

On Thursdays, a smaller market takes place at the same place. It hosts only a few stalls and doesn’t have the lively atmosphere of the Sunday market but if you need good organic products to cook at home, it’s a good market to go to.

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

Opening hours: Every Sunday and Thursday morning / Address: Place des Capucins, 33800 Bordeaux

Les Halles de Bacalan – the posh market of Bordeaux

This fancy food market opened its gates in November 2017 and has been visited by more than 60,000 people in the first month. It’s no surprise, as Bordeaux is well known for its gourmand population.

This impressive 950m2 hangar is located just in front of the famous Cité du Vin and hosts many different artisans and merchants that were chosen for the quality of their products (85% of which are produced in the Southwest of France).

Most weekends the market hosts different events like pintxos evenings, cooking workshops, music concerts, and activities for kids. This is one of the best places to go for an afternoon drink and tapas with friends.

Les Halles de Bacalan - one of the best markets in Bordeaux — ***The Bacalan market – Lost in Bordeaux***

If you have time, you can stay a bit longer and explore one of the rising neighborhoods in the city. Read about it in my article about the Bacalan district. If you would also like to visit one of the best wine museums in the world, check out my article about visiting the Cité du Vin.

Opening hours: from Tuesday to Sunday (the market closes between 14:30 t0 16:30 on weekdays) / Address: 149 Quai de Bacalan, 33300 Bordeaux

Marché Royal in Saint Michel

Marché Royal is one of the biggest open-air markets in Bordeaux, taking place every Saturday morning at Place Meynard in the Saint Michel district. The surroundings of the church and bell tower are covered by tens of stalls, with merchants selling everything from fruits and vegetables to kitchen supplies, clothes, and even pillows :).

From my experience, this is the cheapest market in Bordeaux. However, if you’re looking for organic produce, this one is probably not for you. On sunny Saturday mornings, the market attracts both locals, doing their weekly shopping, and outsiders that come for the noisy market atmosphere and chic cafés.

On Monday mornings a different market is taking place in front of the church. You will find very diversified merchandise displayed on the stands of Marché Neuf, including books, house supplies, clothing, toys, and more. However, it’s not a food market and doesn’t have the vibe of Marché Royal. This market is composed of hundreds of stands but has a more local vibe to it.

On Sundays and Fridays, antiques and flea markets are also taking place on the same square so this place is always worth a visit.

Bordeaux's flea market on Sunday morning — *Flea market on Sunday morning – by Lost in Bordeaux*

Wondering what else is there to do in this neighborhood? Check out my article about the best things to do in the Saint Michel district.

Opening hours: Saturday for the food market, and Monday, Friday, and Sunday for the other markets / Address: Place Meynard, 33000 Bordeaux

Marché de Producteurs Saint-Seurin

The farmers market of Saint Seurin takes place every Friday morning at Place des Martyrs de la Résistance, about 10 minutes walk from the center of Bordeaux. It is a fairly small market with about 20 stalls but has a very cozy atmosphere and a variety of high-quality products from local farmers.

In addition, it’s located on a beautiful square next to one of the most impressive churches of Bordeaux, la Basilique Saint Seurin, so it’s definitely worth a visit.

Opening hours: Every Friday Morning (7:00-13:00) / Address: Place des Martyrs de la Résistance

Markets around Bordeaux Metropole

Les Halles de Talence – one of my favorite places in Bordeaux

The Talence market is the little brother of the Bacalan market, built by Biltoki in December 2018. This market has a more local vibe to it with people from Talence (the university town of Bordeaux) coming here for their daily shopping. The market offers stalls of meat, seafood, bakery, and more.

However, the fun part is that it also has a tapas bar and many other places to get ready food from. In the center of Les Halles de Talence, you’ll find the Biltoki Bar, where all the locals gather to have their morning coffee or afternoon apero. It also has quite a big terrace, where all the locals meet their friends, especially on weekends.

Les halles de Talence, the locals' market in Bordeaux — ***A perfect apero at the Talence market – Lost in Bordeaux***

In the last couple of years, the market organizes plenty of cute events with live music and workshops for kids. See their Instagram for more info.

Like les Halles de Bacalan, this too has a bit of a posh vibe to it compared to Marche des Capucins. The prices are not very cheap, but it has everything you need, including a great atmosphere.

wednesday openair market in Talence — *Wednesday open-air market in Talence – Lost in Bordeaux*

Every Wednesday there’s also an open-air market (in front of the covered market) that offers great products at much more reasonable prices. If you want to stay for lunch, a few nice food trucks are there to welcome you every Wednesday until about 14:00.

When: Daily except for Mondays, the market closes for a break between 14:30 to 16:30 on weekdays / Where: Place Alcala de Henares, 33400 Talence

Thouars Talence – Every Sunday

Let’s stay in Talence just a little bit longer as there’s another great market I must mention in this list. This one takes place every Sunday morning in the Thouars forest in Talence, just in front of the swimming pool.

This is the biggest weekly market of Talence with tens of stands with great French products. I particularly love going there for the big variety of fruits and veggies and for the deals at the fish stall (if you come towards noon of course).

This isn’t only a food market! You can also find other practical things like plants, clothing, and kitchen accessories. The market is located within a few steps from a lake within a forest so you can also make a nice picnic day out of it. It’s not the easiest one to get to by public transport but if you have a car it’s worth a visit.

When: Sunday morning / Where: the parking of 235 Avenue de Thouars, 33400 Talence

Le Marché du Centre-ville de Mérignac

Another market I really love visiting during the weekend is the Merignac city center market. A short ride on tram A from the center of Bordeaux will take you to one of the best markets in the city.

The market takes place every Wednesday and Saturday morning on Place Charles de Gaulle, just next to Mediatheque Mérignac, the city library. It offers stalls of regional wine, a huge variety of cheese, nuts, honey, pastries, and all the basics like vegetables, meat, and fish.

A few tables have been put in place for you to enjoy a nice cup of coffee from the market’s coffee roaster stall.

One of the best markets in Bordeaux - Merignac

When: Wednesday and Saturday / Where: Place Charles de Gaulle, Merignac

Pessac center

A very nice market takes place in the center of Pessac every Tuesday and Saturday morning. Pessac is one of the more charming suburbs of Bordeaux and a market day is a good excuse to visit its lovely city center. The market isn’t big but the products are excellent, I especially love the cheese stall. And as a bonus, you can finish your market tour with a drink in one of the coffee places on the square.

Cycling in Pessac — *The central square of Pessac – Lost in Bordeaux*

You can reach it easily by public transport, just take tram B from the center of Bordeaux to Pessac Centre.

A much bigger market is taking place not far from the center every Sunday morning. Le marché Bourrec, on Avenue Pierre Wiehn is hosting more than 150 merchants and farmers coming from all the departments surrounding Bordeaux (Lot et Garonne, Dordogne, Landes…) with the best products of our region. This market also has stalls of clothing, art, and more.

When: Tuesday and Saturday and Sunday / Where: Place de la Ve République and Avenue Pierre Wiehn. Pessac.

Marché de Rochefort – Gradignan

Marché de Rochefort is a great option for those living in the Southern suburbs of Bordeaux. More than 70 merchands arrive here every Saturday morning selling everything from meat to cheese and fish, flowers, and more.

It’s a very local market with a cozy vibe to it. People are greeting each other and the customers share their cooking ideas and stories from their family dinners with the merchants who come here every week. It’s a very nice market if you’re looking for a calmer local vibe rather than a touristy atmosphere.

It’s located next to the central road of Gradignan, Cours du Général de Gaulle so it’s easy to get there by public transport from Bordeaux and Talence (bus line 10 stops next to it).

When: Saturday morning (8:00-13:00) / Where: rue de Rochefort ( between the cemetery and le collège des Fontaines de Monjous), Gradignan.

Marché de Bassens

The Bassens market is less known by most tourists but it’s actually one of the biggest markets in our region and one of the most popular among people on the rive droite of the Garonne. The market takes place every Sunday at Place de la Commune de Paris in Bassen, a town located just after Lormont.

Almost 150 stalls are waiting for you with some of the best products in the southwest of France. There are oysters from Arcachon and from Ile de Re, charcuterie from the Basque country, tarts from the Landes, and other produce from almost every corner of Nouvelle Aquitaine. Among them, there are quite a few food stalls like Morocain couscous, Portuguese grilled chicken, and a coffee place. You can spend a really fun morning here, strolling the many alleys of the market and tasting local food.

When: Sunday morning (9:00-13:00) / Where: place de la Commune de Paris, Bassens

If this list of the best markets in Bordeaux got you in a foodie mood you can also read my article about the most foodies streets in Bordeaux and the one about the sweet specialties of Bordeaux.

dunes blanches — *Dunes Blanches – local specialty*

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 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.

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

Facebook |Instagram |Email | Facebook group

*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 Discover Bordeaux

Five Alternative Ways of Visiting Bordeaux

Last updated on May 15, 2020 No Comments

When Ira suggested I write a guest post for her fantastic Lost In Bordeaux blog, I wondered what might be the best approach. Over the years my Invisible Bordeaux blog has sought to uncover the city’s more obscure and lesser-known sights and stories. This has resulted in many interesting encounters and numerous fascinating discoveries, writing about subjects as varied as Cacolac (a local beverage that is most definitely not wine), Mort Shuman (the renowned Brooklyn-born singer-songwriter who is buried in Caudéran), the innovative silent movie star Max Linder, the events of May 1968… and what can be found at the point of convergence between the 45^th parallel and the Greenwich meridian (the answer is: not much).

But one of the things I’ve realized is that one of the best ways to visit the city is by finding an unusual angle, transforming it into an itinerary, and just seeing what happens. I thought it might be interesting to share a few of those tips, which you may or may not want to replicate, or which might trigger concepts of your own! So here are five alternative ways of visiting Bordeaux:

Using a Monopoly board as a roadmap to discovering Bordeaux

There are many regional variants of the legendary board game Monopoly, including one that is set in Bordeaux. Of course, the basic premise of the game is that the various squares represent streets or districts of diverse real estate values… and therefore different moods and atmospheres. So, by plotting a route across all those squares in real life, you are bound to get a feel of the city as a whole! This is something Invisible Bordeaux tested, by conceiving an itinerary that involved “collecting” all the Monopoly properties over the course of the journey, which is probably best enjoyed on a bike. The trip was made using what is now an older edition of the game and that remained within the city itself, whereas the current edition includes stops that are further afield… but the potential for an unusual take on Bordeaux remains intact! You can discover the full route in this article.

You can also read Lost in Bordeaux’s articles about things to do in the chic Chartrons neighborhood and the hip Bacalan district as this fun route goes through both of these districts.

Plaque-spotting on the waterfront

The Garonne waterfront is now synonymous with its pleasant walkways, shops and café terraces, but by hunting out some of the plaques that have been positioned here and there, it is possible to travel back in time and imagine how it once was. One of the city’s big taboo subjects is its Second World War period, but plaques commemorating the British Royal Marines’ ambitious “Operation Frankton” (between Hangar 14 and the skatepark), the altruistic actions of Portuguese consul Aristides de Sousa Mendes (Quai Louis XVIII) and the manner in which Spanish guerilla Pablo Sanchez saved the Pont de Pierre from imminent destruction (Quai Richelieu) serve as testaments of some of the city’s more inspiring wartime events.

By the “Bourse Maritime” building, a statue by Haitian sculptor Filipo that depicts the slave Modeste Testas is a poignant recently-installed memorial to the city’s slave trade past (get closer to the riverfront to see her). It is located, along with its accompanying plaque, towards the area from which ships set sail between 1672 and 1837, on the first legs of 508 triangular slave trade voyages that resulted in 150,000 Africans being deported to the Americas. Finally, on Quai des Chartrons, a plaque commemorates the legacy of Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States and a veritable “symbol of Franco-American friendship”. It is positioned here in honor of the five fruitful fact-finding days this renowned wine connoisseur spent in the city in 1787!

The Wallace fountain hunt

Wallace fountains are distinctive, elegant green cast-iron drinking fountains that are more naturally associated with Paris, but there are seven to be spotted around Bordeaux, in locations ranging from the Jardin Public to Place Stalingrad, via pleasant lesser-known squares such as Place Mitchell and Place de Porto-Riche. Some are original 19^th-century models that were financed at the time by local philanthropist Daniel Osiris, while others are more recent replicas. Invisible Bordeaux has a very detailed article explaining where the Wallace fountains can be found in Bordeaux.

The 1950s Formula 1 circuit

In the early 1950s, the city center of Bordeaux hosted four Formula 1 Grand Prix races, attracting driving aces including Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss and Maurice Trintignant. The drivers competed on a 2.5-kilometer circuit which looped around the Esplanade des Quinconces and along the waterfront. In order to be recognized as a Formula 1 race, the total distance had to be of at least 300 kilometers; drivers would, therefore, have to go around the track no less than 123 times, amounting to a little over three hours of racing. It is easy to find maps of the circuit in order to revisit it on foot or by bike, although going around once is probably enough! Read the full article about how Bordeaux city centre became a Formula 1 racing track.

Greenery in the suburbs of Bordeaux

Finally, it can be refreshing to head out to the suburbs and enjoy some of the nice greenery and wide-open spaces to be found within a relatively small radius. You can, for instance, start out to the north of the city at the surprising Parc Floral (now part of the recently rebranded “Réserve écologique des Barails”) with its curious twin city gardens, stunning rose garden and artificial Pyrenean stream.

impressive wooden structures of Pessac’s Écosite du Bourgailh

Looping your way anti-clockwise around the city’s periphery, make sure you take in the massive vegetable growing patches in Eysines, the linear Parc du Ruisseau in Le Haillan, the slightly arty Bois du Bouscat in Le Bouscat, followed by the tall and impressive wooden structures of Pessac’s Écosite du Bourgailh. Then the leafy stroll along the Eau Bourde stream in Gradignan and Canéjan is other-worldly, the Garonne riverside path between Floirac and Latresne is an absolute delight, and Lormont’s Parc de l’Ermitage Sainte-Catherine is a scenic reminder that the right bank is a hilly beast! The hustle and bustle of the city center soon feels a long way away!

A little bit about Tim, the founder and writer of Invisible Bordeaux

Tim Pike is an Englishman who has spent most of his adult life in France. On his website Invisible Bordeaux, he has been documenting the city’s lesser-known sights, stories and landmarks since 2011, also using the project as a great excuse to do a lot of cycling! During office hours Tim handles digital communications and content for the aerospace company Thales. He can also occasionally be spotted out and about singing and playing guitar.

These and many more subjects have been covered over the years on Invisible Bordeaux, which you’ll find here: http://invisiblebordeaux.blogspot.com

You can also follow Invisible Bordeaux on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

In Weekend plans

What to do this weekend in Bordeaux (September 13-15)

Last updated on September 16, 2019 No Comments

A week ago I published an article about the harvest season in the region and this weekend we can finally see the first harvest related events in Bordeaux. Also, there are a few nice family-friendly events such as the big scooter race and the Talençaises. And we are definitely still in summer mode with the Bordeaux air festival! If you want to see what other events are taking place this month in Bordeaux check out my post about the best things to do in September in Bordeaux. Here’s the list of things to do this weekend in Bordeaux (September 13-15).

Bordeaux fête ses vendanges

Bordeaux will host the big “Bordeaux fête ses vendanges” event on the weekend of September 12-15. On September 13-14 the bars and restaurants of Bordeaux will open their terraces and will help you discover the different wines of Bordeaux. For more info about “Bordeaux fête ses vendanges” click here.

When: September 12-15 / Where: the center of Bordeaux

Vign’ en Ville

This is the 4th edition of Vign’ en Ville, an event dedicated to the know-how of winemaking. On September 14-15, winemakers from the Bienvenue à la ferme network will teach you all about wine production through a series of workshops and activities. The event will take place in Jardin Public and is free. For more info check out the facebook page of the event.

When: September 14-15 / Where: Jardin Public

Fête Des Vendanges at La Sauve-majeure

Another great harvest event will take place at the Sauve-Majeure, the ruins of the 11th-century Benedictine monastery. The site also hosts the Maison des Vins de l’Entre-deux-Mers, one of Bordeaux’s wine regions known for its white wines. This is a very kids friendly event with pony and tractor rides, collecting grapes and a musical aperitif. The Fête des Vendanges will take place on September 14 at Place Saint-Jean in La Sauve Majeure, starting at 14:00. Click here for more info and reservation details.

When: September 14 / Where: la Sauve Majeure

Vélotour Bordeaux

Did you ever ride a bike in a museum or a hotel? Discover Bordeaux by bike through places where usually bicycles are not allowed: museums, sports centers, cultural and historic places and more. More than ten places have opened their doors for this unusual experience. The tour will take place this Saturday (September 15) and will start at the Maison Écocitoyenne Bordeaux. For tickets click here and for more info about the event click here.

When: September 15 / Where: Quai Richelieu, 33000 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 next Open Air event will take place this Sunday (September 15) at Square Dom Bedos. For more details click here.

When: September 15, starting 15:00 / Where: Square Dom Bedos, Bordeaux

Les Talençaises

This weekend (Sep 13-14), 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 13-14 / Where: Parc de Peixotto, 33400 Talence

Festival des Coteaux Bordelais

Festival des Coteaux Bordelais is the annual music festival of Fargues Saint-Hilaire (a small town located just a few minutes by car from Bordeaux). The festival will take place this Saturday (Sept 14) at la Plaine de Fargues Saint-Hilaire. Check out the lineup of the performing artists here.

When: September 14 at 18:00 / Where: Plaine de Fargues Saint-Hilaire (behind the salle du Carré des Forges)

Summer Rock in Bouliac

This Saturday (September 14) a fun event will take place in Bouliac called “Bouliac on the Rock”. The program includes an American cars exhibition, a rock concert, a raffle, vinyl discs, and food stands. The festival is free, see more info here.

When: September 14, starting 11:00 / Where: Parking du stade, Bouliac

24 Heures D’Inauguration de la Fabrique Pola

La Fabrique Pola is an artistic hub that brings together associations related to the visual arts. Last summer it moved to a new and very cool structure in the Bastide neighborhood (a few minutes walk from Darwin). This weekend (September 13-15) Fabrique Pola is celebrating its official opening with original performances by the resident artists, concerts and exhibitions. For the full program click here.

When: September 13-14 / Where: 10 quai de Brazza, 33100 Bordeaux

Festival Love Tattoo Urban Street

The Love Tattoo Urban Street festival will take place on September 14-15 at the Parc des Expositions in Bassin d’Arcachon. In the program tattoos, creative market, concerts, fashion, workshops for kids and more. For more info click here.

When: September 14-15 / Where: 940 Avenue de l’Europe, 33260 La Teste-de-Buch

The big scooter race

The Nire Laguna Thomas association organized a wonderful event to help raise funds for research on pediatric cancer. A kids scooter race will take place on September 14 on the Quai of Bordeaux, starting from la Maison Eco-citoyenne. More than 300 kids, ages 5 to 10 will take place in the event. If you want your kids to participate in the race, register here.

When: September 14 10:30 to 16:30 / Where: la Maison Eco-citoyenne , 33000 Bordeaux

Grand Marché BIO du Bourgailh

A big organic market will take place this Sunday (September 15) in the Bourgailh park in Pessac. This is a great park with one of the most beautiful playgrounds in Bordeaux so this can be a fun event for kids as well. For more info click here.

When: September 15 / Where: 179 Avenue de Beutre , 33600 Pessac

Les Noctambules de Septembre

Every Friday during the month of September you have a chance to discover one of the most beautiful castles in Gironde. However these are not just regular visits, but rather special night tours accompanied by a short wine tasting in the end 🙂 This Friday (September 13) it’s time to discover Chateau Hamel in Castets-en-Dorthe. For more info and reservation details click here.

When: September 13 / Where: Château du Hamel à Castets-en-Dorthe

Fête de la navigation

This weekend (September 14-15) is the annual navigation celebration in Lacanau and this year the theme is navigating into the future. The program includes navigation-related workshops, guided tours, workshops for kids and more. For more info click here.

When: September 14-15 / Where: Voile Lacanau Guyenne, 24 Allée du Club de Voile, 33680 Lacanau

That’s it for this busy weekend!

Don’t miss my post about the best things to do in Bordeaux if you have only one day.
If you want more tips on restaurants, concerts and exhibitions follow me on facebook/Instagram. 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

Weekend Plans in Bordeaux (December 14-16)

Last updated on December 20, 2018 No Comments

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

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

Taste the best French wines

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

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

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

Drôle de Noël

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

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

Les lumières de la ville 2018

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

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

Christmas Concert

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

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

Take your kids to Cirque Pardi!

Cirque Pardi! is a modern circus whose shows combine a lot of dance and humor and are very entertaining for both kids and adults. This year they are coming back to Bordeaux for the second time with their show BorderLand, which gained a great success on their last visit here in 2015. Cirque Pardi! will perform 15 shows from November 30 to December 22. The temporary circus will be located on Quai de queyries, just next to Darwin. For all the dates and tickets click here.

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

Xmas Market – Darwin

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

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

Marché & Cuisine De Rue

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

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

Le Marché de Noël des Halles

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

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

Festival « Sur Un Petit Nuage » de Pessac

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

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

Christmas Swing Party

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

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

Noël 2018 à Bergerac

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

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

Marché de Noël de Bordeaux

The traditional Christmas market of Bordeaux will open its gates between November 30 and December 30. This is one of the biggest Christmas markets in the region with 150 pavilions selling all the traditional Christmas merchandise such as clothes, decorations, jewelry, toys and local products. Even if you don’t intend to buy any gifts at the market you can still enjoy the Christmas spirit with some hot wine and roasted chestnuts. For more info click here.

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

Le Marché de Noël Solidaire

The Solidarity Christmas market is part of the Social Economy and Solidarity month. This is a unique market, organized by the city hall and the local social development fund aiming to support young local creators who founded their company thanks to microcredits. The market will take place at Place Pey Berland on December 7-24. See more details here.

When: Until December 23
Where: Place Pey Berland

Arcachon Christmas market

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

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

L’Arche de Noël – creators market

L’Arche de Noël is a creators market taking place in the Chartrons neighborhood every weekend until Christmas (December 22-23 is the last event). Each weekend a group of local talented craftsmen and artists will present their original creations. See more details here.

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

Interactive special effects exhibition

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

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

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

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

Have a great weekend!

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

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

Taste the best French wines

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

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

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

Drôle de Noël

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

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

Les lumières de la ville 2018

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

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

Christmas Concert

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

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

Take your kids to Cirque Pardi!

Cirque Pardi! is a modern circus whose shows combine a lot of dance and humor and are very entertaining for both kids and adults. This year they are coming back to Bordeaux for the second time with their show BorderLand, which gained a great success on their last visit here in 2015. Cirque Pardi! will perform 15 shows from November 30 to December 22. The temporary circus will be located on Quai de queyries, just next to Darwin. For all the dates and tickets click here.

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

Xmas Market – Darwin

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

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

Marché & Cuisine De Rue

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

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

Le Marché de Noël des Halles

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

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

Festival « Sur Un Petit Nuage » de Pessac

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

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

Christmas Swing Party

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

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

Noël 2018 à Bergerac

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

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

Marché de Noël de Bordeaux

The traditional Christmas market of Bordeaux will open its gates between November 30 and December 30. This is one of the biggest Christmas markets in the region with 150 pavilions selling all the traditional Christmas merchandise such as clothes, decorations, jewelry, toys and local products. Even if you don’t intend to buy any gifts at the market you can still enjoy the Christmas spirit with some hot wine and roasted chestnuts. For more info click here.

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

Le Marché de Noël Solidaire

The Solidarity Christmas market is part of the Social Economy and Solidarity month. This is a unique market, organized by the city hall and the local social development fund aiming to support young local creators who founded their company thanks to microcredits. The market will take place at Place Pey Berland on December 7-24. See more details here.

When: Until December 23
Where: Place Pey Berland

Arcachon Christmas markets

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

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

L’Arche de Noël – creators market

L’Arche de Noël is a creators market taking place in the Chartrons neighborhood every weekend until Christmas (December 22-23 is the last event). Each weekend a group of local talented craftsmen and artists will present their original creations. See more details here.

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

Interactive special effects exhibition

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

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

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

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

Have a great weekend!

pessac

Family-friendly hiking in Bordeaux Metropole

Ecosite du Bourgailh in Pessac

Parc Floral

Hiking with kids in Arcachon

The Domain of Certes-Graveyron

Réserve Naturelle Nationale des Prés Salés d’Arès

Les Prés Salés Ouest

Hiking with kids in other parts of Gironde

Réserve Naturelle des Dunes et Marais D’Hourtin

Lac Bleu and Lac Vert

Forêt de Migelane

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Parc des Berges de la Garonne in Bègles

Bois de Thouars in Talence

Parc de Montgaillard in Gradignan

Bois des Sources du Peugue in Pessac

Parc de la Bruthe in Floirac

Bois d’Arboudeau in Parempuyre

Lac Bleu and Lac Vert

Forêt de Migelane in Martillac

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Parc floral

Parc de l’Ermitage

Réserve Naturelle Des Marais De Bruges

Lac Vert

Parc Majolan

Take a long walk on the quai

The Ecosite of Bourgailh

Lla Forêt du Taillan­-Médoc

Discover other markets

Discover the suburbs of Bordeaux

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The center of Pessac

Pessac Market

Street art in the center of Pessac

Amazing villas in Quartier Casino

Get on your bike and discover Pessac

Cité Frugès – Le Corbusier

Taste wine at Château Pape Clément

Cycle along the Peugue

The Ecosite of Bourgailh

How to get to Pessac from Bordeaux

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The best parks in Bordeaux – Rive Gauche

Jardin Public in Bordeaux center

Parc Bordelais in Cauderan

Parc Majolan in Blanquefort

Parc Bouran in Merignac

Parc Floral

Le Bois du Bouscat

Parc Peixotto

Ecosite du Bourgailh in Pessac

Parc du Moulineau Gradignan

Parc Sourreil in Villenave d’ornon

Parks on Rive droite

Parc de L’ermitage in Lormont

Parc aux Angéliques in Bastide

The BestFood Markets in Bordeaux city

Marché des Capucins – the central market of Bordeaux

Marche des Quais – the market with the most beautiful view

Les Halles de Bacalan – the posh market of Bordeaux

Marché Royal in Saint Michel

Marché de Producteurs Saint-Seurin

Markets around Bordeaux Metropole

Les Halles de Talence – one of my favorite places in Bordeaux

Thouars Talence – Every Sunday

Le Marché du Centre-ville de Mérignac

Pessac center

Marché de Rochefort – Gradignan

Marché de Bassens

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Using a Monopoly board as a roadmap to discovering Bordeaux

Plaque-spotting on the waterfront

The Wallace fountain hunt

The 1950s Formula 1 circuit

Greenery in the suburbs of Bordeaux

A little bit about Tim, the founder and writer of Invisible Bordeaux

Bordeaux fête ses vendanges

When: September 12-15 / Where: the center of Bordeaux

Lla Forêt du Taillan-Médoc