Bordeaux is a very lively city with plenty of restaurants, boutiques, and interesting places to visit. So if you want to fully enjoy all this city has to offer, choosing the right hotel or apartment location is crucial. The most vibrant and central neighborhood in Bordeaux is Saint Pierre and if you don’t have a tight budget or other constraints (kids, noise, vicinity to the train station, etc.) it’s a great area to stay in. But you shouldn’t limit yourself to Saint Pierre, there are lots of good neighborhoods in Bordeaux.
In this guide, I’ll help you discover the best areas to stay in Bordeaux: lively neighborhoods, hipster districts, and the best areas for families visiting the city. I also added a few recommended hotels to some of my district descriptions in case you’re not an Airb&b kind of person 🙂 If you need more recommendations for hotels in the city center, check out my post about the best hotels in Bordeaux for every budget.
If you’re planning to do a weekend in Saint Emilion, here are my recommendations for the best places to stay in the Saint Emilion region. In case your next destination is Toulouse, here’s my guide to the best areas of Toulouse.
Let’s dive into the best districts of Bordeaux!
Central Areas in Bordeaux
Saint Pierre and Saint Paul – The historic center of Bordeaux
Saint Pierre and Saint Paul districts represent the historic heart of the city. These are the most vibrant and lively areas in Bordeaux, where you stroll by paved narrow streets, charming squares, and several famous monuments (the Miroir d’eau, place de la Bourse, and others). it’s also the heart of the gastronomic scene in Bordeaux, with plenty of amazing restaurants, cocktail bars, and hip cafés. Many are concentrated around the Place Fernand Lafargue, especially on rue Saint James. In Saint Pierre, almost every street has a good restaurant, but the best bars are on rue Parlement Saint Pierre and rue Parlement Sainte Catherine.
The neighborhoods are bounded by the Opera of Bordeaux from the north and rue Victor Hugo from the South. Going east you can enjoy a pleasant stroll on the gorgeous promenade of the Garonne River. The western border of the historic center is marked by rue Sainte Catherine, the longest pedestrian shopping street in Europe hosting all the main retail stores as well as several smaller boutiques.
You can find plenty of Airbnb apartments in this area but they will usually be more expensive. Also, you should know that some of the streets can be a bit noisy at night.
There are lots of little hotels in this touristy area. If you’re looking for something very simple but with good value for money I recommend staying at Hôtel Acanthe. Another good option is the Quality hotel, which is a very nice 3- star hotel.
You can see more recommendations for hotels in the Saint Pierre district in my post about the best places to stay in Bordeaux.
Pey Berland and Meriadeck – the administrative district of Bordeaux
Bordering the historic center is the Pey Berland neighborhood, home to the main Cathedral of Bordeaux, Saint André and the city hall (Hotel du Ville). This is one of Bordeaux’s central neighborhoods located within a walking distance from all the main monuments in Bordeaux. Pey Berland is also known as the museum district of Bordeaux with several good museums worth visiting: Musée des Beaux-Arts, Musée des Arts décoratifs et du Design and the Musée d’Aquitaine (a regional history museum).
This district is also a hub for the new wave of hip quality cafés emerging around Bordeaux such as SIP, The Blacklist, l’Alchimiste and Gusco. If Sainte Catherine left you hungry for more shopping, this district will not disappoint you. Plenty of clothing boutiques and art galleries are located between the town hall, place Gambetta and Cours de l’independance. On rainy days, you can also visit the Mériadeck, the only shopping mall in the center of Bordeaux. If you’re looking for accommodation in this area but still want to feel the historic vibe of Bordeaux, try choosing a place to the east side of Cours d’Albret.
In this district, you can find the coolest hotel in town – the Mama Shelter. Stylish rooms, a good restaurant and a super chic rooftop bar with the best view of Bordeaux. What more do you need? If you’re traveling with kids, Novotel can be a good option for you. It’s located within 10 minutes walk from the center of Bordeaux and they offer big rooms that will fit your whole family.
Quinconces and Triangle d’Or – The fancy area of Bordeaux
To the north of the historic center, we find the Triangle d’Or district, where the architecture mostly dates back to the 18th century. You’ll immediately notice the contrast in scenery coming from the narrow paved streets of old Bordeaux to the wide boulevards and elegant facades of the Triangle d’Or. This is the fancy part of Bordeaux, abundant with luxury boutiques and some of the best chocolatiers in Bordeaux.
The neighborhood also borders Jardin Public, the biggest park in the center of Bordeaux, making it a very kid-friendly area. Triangle d’Or is also the home of the Opera of Bordeaux as well as the Esplanade des Quinconces, one of the biggest squares in France. Several times a year, different fairs take place at the square or on the Allée de Tourney. Among them are the Christmas market, the big brocante (flea and antique market) of Bordeaux and an amusement park. In my blog I cover all the main events taking place in the city during the year, so for more updates follow my monthly and weekly lists.
This district is home to the more fancy and prestigious hotels. Hôtel de Sèze is a beautiful 4-star hotel that also has a Spa. Another option would be the very popular Le Boutique Hotel. They have a few very chic rooms and a great bar where they offer wine tastings (you can read more about it here).
Chartrons – the posh area of Bordeaux
The Chartrons district, neighboring esplanade des Quinconces, starts the northern part of Bordeaux. It’s quite a big district but the more interesting part of it lies next to the riverfront and around the long rue Notre Dame, one of the poshest streets in Bordeaux. This central street and the little ones surrounding it are full of excellent restaurants, trendy boutiques and antique shops.
The Chartrons riverfront is characterized by warehouses once used by foreign merchants to age and store wine. It gives the neighborhood a vibe different than the rest of the city. Also, every Sunday a big market takes place on Quai des Chartrons, gathering many tourists and locals from all parts of the city. So even if you don’t stay there, don’t miss this charming neighborhood.
In the Chartrons district, you can stay at Casa Blanca, a very cozy and stylish B&B with a yummy breakfast. It’s located just a few minutes walk from the main square of this chic neighborhood and is also super close to the main park of Bordeaux, Jardin Public.
Saint Michel, Saint Croix and Victoire – the Cosmopolitan areas of Bordeaux
If you’re looking to lower your budget or change the scenery from classic Bordeaux, the southern districts of the city are a great option. Saint Michel, Saint Croix and Victoire are the cosmopolitan districts of the city. A very mixed population lives in these neighborhoods, you could find international students, artists and immigrant merchant families. The area has a lively culinary scene, from the main market of Bordeaux to local bars and cute little restaurants. If you’re a foodie, check out my food tours in the main market of Bordeaux.
Although it’s only a few minutes walk from the city center, apartments in this area are considerably cheaper than the neighboring Saint Paul district.
The best known hotel in this district is Maison Fredon, a little boutique hotel located in a beautifully renovated 18th-century house. There are only five rooms in this hotel, all uniquely designed to combine modern decor with the classic style of a bourgeois bordelaise house.
Click here to read more about things to do in Saint Michel.
Jardin Public and Saint Seurin – the quiet and green area of Bordeaux
Jardin Public and Saint Seurin are two residential neighborhoods, located quite close to the city center. If you’re planning a trip to Bordeaux with kids, these neighborhoods are perfect as they are calm and close to the main park of Bordeaux, Jardin Public. They are within a short walking distance from the Opera of Bordeaux and some of the best restaurants in the city so you won’t feel isolated.
If you decide to stay in this area, Villa Victor Louis is your place. A charming boutique hotel with beautiful decor and a nice little garden which is just perfect to spend your summer days.
The more distant neighborhoods in Bordeaux
Bordeaux is not a big city and you can easily reach the center from several other more distant districts. So if the center of Bordeaux is a bit out of your budget, consider some of the following areas. Another option would be to look for something on one of the tramlines as those are very regular, as opposed to buses in Bordeaux. Here is the map of the tramline in Bordeaux, to make it easier for you to do your search.
Bastide – the other side of the river
While most of the historic monuments are located on the west side (rive gauche) of the Garonne, rive droite has its own charm and can be a good place to stay in Bordeaux. By crossing the central bridge of Bordeaux (Pont Pierre) you arrive at the Bastide neighborhood. Until quite recently it was a sleepy residential neighborhood but in the last decade, it transformed into a hip area where many locals love to spend their weekends.
This district is especially charming from May to October when you can enjoy all its green areas and all the summer bars and restaurants on the riverfront which are then open for the summer season. Bastide is still much cheaper then the center of Bordeaux and can be a great option if you’re on a budget. However, to still feel like you’re close to the city center, search for a hotel or apartment close to Tram A. This line will take you through Pont Pierre to Hotel du Ville in just a few minutes ride.
There is a new cool eco-friendly hotel in this neighborhood, named Eklo. It has a very young design and it’s located just next to Darwin. However, I would mainly recommend it to young travelers or families with kids who want to sleep in the same eco-friendly room 🙂
Bacalan – The grungy area of Bordeaux
Neighboring Chartrons from the north is the Bacalan district, located about 30 minutes walk from the center of Bordeaux. They are a far not only in their geographical distance but also in their landscape. The Bacalan neighborhood is built around the port of Bordeaux and has a very grungy look to it as opposed to the classic city center. In recent years, the city of Bordeaux has been transforming this neighborhood into one of the most interesting areas in the city. Apart from the magnificent Cité du Vin, it also houses some of the best music venues and has a thriving street art scene. If you chose to stay in this area, be sure to stay in the Southern part (close to the Chartrons district) and as close as possible to the tramline (Tram B) that will take you to the city center in a few minutes.
The best option in Bacalan, in my opinion, is the Seeko’o Hotel which has a very urban and cool design to it. It’s located just next to the riverfront and within a few minutes walk from the big wine museum of Bordeaux. Another great option is the Radisson Blu hotel which is located on the Bassin a Flot and has one of the best rooftop bars in town.
If you want to learn more about things to do in the Bacalan neighborhood, click here.
Gare Saint Jean – next to the train station
Saint-Jean isn’t one of the best neighborhoods to stay in Bordeaux and in some parts can be a bit shady. However, if you need to catch a train early in the morning staying there can be quite practical. And it’s also much more affordable than the center of Bordeaux, which you can easily reach with the Tram Line C. There are some nice hotels on the way from the train station to the riverfront (the quai) and, generally speaking, this is the nicer part around Gare Saint-Jean. Also, Quai des Paludate is home to some of Bordeaux’s night clubs and to the new Boca food market. Gradually and with a lot of investment from the city of Bordeaux, this area is becoming more popular and the stay can indeed be quite nice.
Hôtel Mercure is a good option if you want to stay next to the train station. It’s not very new but the rooms are comfortable and clean. If you’re looking for something fancier, the Hilton Garden Inn hotel is also within a few minutes walk from the station. It is however located a bit further from the city center so take that into consideration.
Saint Agustin
One of the most family friendly neighborhoods in Bordeaux is Saint Augustin. It’s a small quiet neighborhood, located about 20 min (by tram) from the city center and a walking distance from two beautiful parks in Bordeaux, Parc bourran and Parc Bordelais. The neighborhood has a little center with a few restaurants and a weekly market.
Saint Genes and Nansouty
South to the center, you can find Saint Genes and Nansouty. These are two quiet neighborhoods bordering Place de la Victoire from the South. There isn’t much to do here but it’s only about a 15 minutes walk from the center and it’s conveniently placed on the tram line B that takes you to all the main spots in Bordeaux.
Bordeaux Lac
The Bordeaux Lac district is located in the north, quite far from the center of Bordeaux. Apart from cheaper rates, its main advantage is being close to the parc des expositions, where many of Bordeaux’s fairs and salons take place. So if you come to Bordeaux for a conference this will be a good option for you. Also, if the shopping in the city center was not enough, Bordeaux Lac has one of the biggest shopping centers in the region.
As its name suggests, the neighborhood has a big lake with a popular beach that is open to the public during the summer. You can reach the exhibition park, the shopping center and the beach by line C from the center of Bordeaux.
I hope this article covers everything you need to know about the different neighborhoods you can stay in when visiting Bordeaux. If you need more specific recommendations, check out my post about the best hotels in the city center.
If it’s your first time visiting Bordeaux, here are a few other articles you’ll find useful:
Things to do in Bordeaux, France – the ultimate guide
10 day trips from Bordeaux by train
30 things to do in Bordeaux with kids
If you’re moving to Bordeaux, be sure to check out the Bordeaux Expats website which is full of valuable knowledge for newcomers.
Need more ideas for things to do in and around Bordeaux? you should definitely join my newsletter where I share a lot of info about the area – sign up here.
*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 🙂
