September is hands down the best month to visit Bordeaux! It’s warm enough for a beach day, many summer bars are still open, and the vineyards are at their most stunning. While you don’t need events to enjoy Southwest France in September, I’m here to share the best ones anyway—because they’re the perfect way to explore the region’s hidden gems.
This list highlights the biggest events in the area, but if you’re looking for more, subscribe to my weekly email list to get all the best events in Bordeaux every weekend.
To make your trip even better, don’t miss out on my exclusive guides and resources:
- 5-Day Bordeaux Itinerary: Packed with insider tips on where to eat, stay, and explore.
- Bordeaux Map: A personalized map to the city’s best spots.
- Audio Tours: Take a self-guided journey through Saint-Émilion and Bordeaux, two of the region’s most captivating destinations.
These resources are designed to make your trip unforgettable—check them out now and start planning your perfect Bordeaux experience!
The best events in Bordeaux (and Gironde) in September 2026
The Medoc Marathon
Running 42km is only a small part of the Marathon du Médoc. It is mostly about the scenery, the wine, and the food along the way. The 40th edition runs on Saturday 5 September 2026, with a costume theme of “The 80’s”, and the festivities spread across the whole weekend of 4-6 September in Pauillac. You do not have to run to enjoy it. Follow the programme here.
See all the other things you can do in Medoc in my article about a weekend in Medoc.
Go for a drink in one of Bordeaux’s summer bars
Many of the outdoor bars of Bordeaux are still open this month and many of them have fun musical programs over the weekend. Don’t miss the last month of a proper Bordolais summer! Check out the list of the best summer bars in Bordeaux.
Vélotour in Saint-Emilion
Vélotour returns to Saint-Émilion on 5 September , a relaxed bike ride through the vineyards and past the châteaux, with routes of 20, 30, and 45km. You can ride solo, with friends, or with the family, and it is more about the atmosphere than the distance. Details on the Saint-Émilion tourist office page.
Ouvre La Voix Festival
Ouvre La Voix is a lovely way to discover the Entre-deux-Mers by bike. The three-day programme (4-6 September) pairs concerts, wine, and food with cycling routes along the old Roger Lapébie railway path, stopping at villages like Créon, Frontenac, and Sauveterre-de-Guyenne. More details from the Rock School Barbey, who organise it.
Portes Ouvertes de l’Appellation Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
The Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux appellation holds its yearly open-doors weekend on 5-6 September. Around fifteen estates open up for cellar tours, tastings, meals, and workshops in a friendly, low-key setting. Details on the appellation’s site.
Bassins des Lumières immersive shows
If it rains, or you just want something calm and indoors, the Bassins des Lumières in the old submarine base is an easy anytime option. In September, the programme is Matisse, la symphonie des couleurs, Frida Kahlo, and The Little Prince immersive odyssey. See bassins-lumieres.com.
Festival des Gueilles de Bonde in Macau
This free festival in Macau, in the heart of the Médoc, celebrates its 21st edition on 4-5 September. Live music, street theatre, and a food market fill the town for the weekend. See the programme.
Fêtes médiévales de Jaufré Rudel in Blaye
Blaye’s Citadelle, part of the Vauban UNESCO listing, goes back to the Middle Ages for a weekend on 5-6 September. Expect a medieval market, costumed processions, a banquet, and fireworks over the estuary to close the first evening. Details from the Blaye tourist office.
Bordeaux Open Air
Bordeaux Open Air closes its summer season on Sunday 13 September at the Parc Bordelais, from 2pm to 8pm. It is a free open-air music afternoon that starts chilled and builds into live electronic sets, with food trucks and drinks on site. Full programme.
Festival Teste à Têtes
The Teste à Têtes festival, run by the Komonò Circus school, returns for its 9th edition on 11-13 September in La Teste-de-Buch. The programme mixes circus, street theatre, music, and workshops for kids, with a guinguette village (an open-air café-bar for a drink and a dance) set up in front of the school. More details from the La Teste-de-Buch tourist office.
See my other recommendations about places to visit in Arcachon in my article about a day trip to Arcachon.
The Big Scooter Race
The Nire Laguna Thomas Association runs this children’s scooter race to raise money for pediatric cancer research. The Bordeaux race takes place on 12 September on the quays, and it is open to primary and early-secondary school kids. Entry is free and you register on the day. More on the Bordeaux page.
La Grande Fête in Ayguemorte-les-Graves
Three days of concerts, open-air cinema, street performance, and fireworks in this small town south of Bordeaux, on 11-13 September for its 7th edition. It is free and very family-friendly. All the info here.
The medieval festival of Bouliac
Every year, Bouliac, one of Bordeaux’s hillside suburbs, puts on a medieval celebration full of costumes, games, and street performance. In 2026 it runs on 12-13 September. Details here.
The Vino Voce festival
Vino Voce in Saint-Émilion is a celebration of the voice in all its forms, from singing to radio to the voices of actors. The 12th edition (11-13 September) brings concerts, film screenings, and singing masterclasses. Programme here.
Brocante Professionnelle des Allées de Tourny
A curated antiques market from professional dealers on the Allées de Tourny, with tableware, Scandinavian furniture, vintage clothing, jewellery, art, and more. It runs on 11-12 September, free to browse. Details on the event’s Facebook page.
La Grande Fête in Ayguemorte-les-Graves
Enjoy three days (September 12-14) of festivities in this little town in the South of Gironde. See all the info here.
Gribouillis Festival
The 5th edition of the Gribouillis Festival celebrates comics, children’s books, and illustration from September 11-14 at the Garage Moderne in Bordeaux, with a book fair, workshops, exhibitions, professional meetings, and family-friendly shows. See all the details here and here.
Vibrations Urbaines Festival in Pessac
Vibrations Urbaines is the long-running urban festival in Pessac, one of Bordeaux’s suburbs. The programme spans BMX and skate contests, hip-hop dance battles, urban sports, workshops, and street art. Its 20th-anniversary edition runs from 11 September to 11 October. See the website.
Festival d’Art en Medoc
The Médoc Art Festival at the Abbaye de Vertheuil brings together theatre, concerts, exhibitions, and workshops, with food and drink on site and an indoor plan if it rains. This year’s edition takes place on 12 September. Programme on the Abbaye de Vertheuil site.
Journées Européennes du Patrimoine
Heritage Days are one of the best ways to see the buildings you normally cannot get into. Over the weekend of 19-20 September, public and private sites across the city open their doors, including the Opéra, the Grosse Cloche, and many more. See the Bordeaux list on the tourist office site, and the national programme here.
The ceremony of the harvest in Saint Emilion – Ban des Vendanges
The ceremony that kicks off the harvest in Saint-Émilion is the Ban des Vendanges, the harvest ban. It is held in front of the collegiate church by the Jurade, the winegrowers’ brotherhood in their red caps and robes. It falls on Sunday 20 September, during Heritage Days. More on the Saint-Émilion tourist office page, and there is more about the season in my article on the harvest in Saint-Émilion.
There are a few wineries that host harvest events where you can come and take part in the harvest process. I’ll update this list with more specific information soon.
FAB – International Art Festival
FAB, the international arts festival of Bordeaux Métropole, runs this year from 26 September to 10 October. Two weeks of dance, theatre, and street-art performances across many locations in the city, this year on the theme “Following the River”. See the full programme.
Festival Cadences d’Arcachon
Right at the end of the month, Arcachon gives itself over to dance. The 24th edition of Festival Cadences runs from 29 September to 4 October, with performances at the Théâtre de la Mer and the Théâtre Olympia, and out in the streets, the squares, and even on the beach. Since it straddles the two months, you will find it in my October list too. Programme on the Arcachon tourist office page.
Big events in other parts of the SW of France – September 2026
Piano aux Jacobins (Piano concerts)
Piano aux Jacobins is the piano festival held every September at the Couvent des Jacobins in the centre of Toulouse, one of the city’s landmarks. The 47th edition runs from 8 to 30 September. Programme here.
See where else to go in my guide to a weekend in Toulouse.
Le Temps d’Aimer la Danse
Le Temps d’Aimer la Danse is the dance festival held every year in Biarritz. The 36th edition runs from 10 to 21 September, across Biarritz and several towns in the Basque Country. Programme here.
Heading to the event in Biarritz? Don’t miss my guide to the perfect weekend in Biarritz for more tips on where to stay, eat, and explore!
Anglet Jazz Festival
If you do not mind going a little further south, the Anglet Jazz Festival runs from 17 to 20 September, with four days of free concerts at the Théâtre Quintaou. Anglet is a few minutes from Biarritz, so you can fit in a beach on the way. Details on the festival’s Facebook page.
Sarlat celebrates gourmet taste
Every year the medieval town of Sarlat holds its gourmet celebration on the last weekend of September, with a big market, an open-air meal, and a walk to see the migrating birds. It runs on 26-27 September, on the Place de la Grande Rigaudie, with a producers’ market and a guinguette meal under the tents on the Saturday, and the Sunday transhumance walk behind a flock of 200 sheep into town. Details 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:
