March in Bordeaux is a great month for brocante lovers with two big events related to antiques and garage sales which are a good build up to the main brocante of Bordeaux that will take place in April. Also, like everywhere in France, Bordeaux hosts its annual carnival this month, a really fun event. Apart from that, there are plenty of other great events like the kids’ cinema festival, the swing festival, the vintage salon and more. If you’re reading the article in February you may also want to check my February list, just to make sure you don’t miss any of the cool events taking place this month. For those of you who are new to this site – I publish a post with events taking place every weekend in Bordeaux, so check it out to stay up to date.
If the weather is good, March is a great month to start discovering our region and for that, you can check out my article about the best day trips from Bordeaux and my Facebook group Travel in the southwest of France.
Here’s the list of things to do in March 2020 in Bordeaux.
Festivals, Fairs and Brocantes in Bordeaux
Vide-greniers des Bordelais
One of my favorite things to do in France is to wander around vide greniers (the French version of a garage sale) discover what French people hold in their homes and buy a lot of stuff I don’t really need at ridiculously low prices. On March 1st, more than 20 vide-greniers will take place all over the city. Check out the list of all the locations here.
When: March 1st / Where: different locations (see the link)
Les Toiles Filantes – kids cinema festival
Les Toiles Filantes is a cinema festival that invites kids aged 3-12 years old to discover cinema through screenings, meeting with people from the industry, new movie contests and more. This year the Festival’s theme is “Sur la route”, meaning that all the movies and animation films will be in some way related to traveling journeys. The festival takes place at Cinéma Jean Eustache in Pessac from March 2-8. For more details see the website of the festival.
When: March 2-8 / Where: 7 rue des Poilus 33600 Pessac
Festival de 2 rives
Le Carnaval des 2 rives (March 8) takes place on both sides of the Garonne river. This is a modern festival (created in 1996) that has all the best features of a traditional carnival such as costumes, shows, and a big parade. The parade will start at 14:00 at the Allée Serr, on the right side of the river and will pass to the other side through Pont de Pierre ending at the Village Carnival at Place Pey-Berland at 16:00. The Village Carnaval will be open until 18:00 with a big scene including dancers and demonstrations of augmented reality. For more details click here.
When: March 8 / Where: Starts at Allée Serr, Bastide, Bordeaux
Salon du Vintage
The annual vintage salon will take place in Hangar 14 (Quai des Chartrons) on March 7-8. This chic event will gather more than 150 exhibitors with a great selection of accessories, furniture, vinyl records, classic cars, jukebox, paintings and more. Just outside of Hangar 14, plenty of food trucks will wait for you during lunch. For more details check the Facebook page and the website of the event. Entry is 5€ and free for kids under 8 years old.
When: March 7-8 / Where: 173 Quai des Chartrons, 33300 Bordeaux
Swing Festival
Every March, for more than a decade now, Bordeaux has been hosting the Swing Art Festival (March 6-8) where swing dancers come from all around the globe to teach the dancers of Bordeaux their art of Swinging. This festival is much more than just swing dancing, it’s three days of live music, art, vintage markets, workshops, and a get together of many people from all around the world to celebrate this sweeping dance. It will take place in and around Halle des Chartrons and it’s Free! For more details click here.
When: March 6-8 / Where: 10 Place du Marché Chartrons, 33000
Voir & Avoir – handmade fair
This Voir & Avoir is a handmade fair taking place every year in Talence. This year the event will take place on March 7-8 in château de Thouars. For more details click here.
When: March 7-8 / Where: avenue de Thouars, 33400 Bordeaux
Salon des Vins des Vignerons Indépendants de Bordeaux
The Salon des Vins of the Bordeaux independent winemakers will take place on March 13-15 at the Parc des Expositions de Bordeaux. Wine producers from the region will present their wines and will invite you to a free taste. This event is not geared towards professionals but rather to all wine lovers. For more info click here.
When: March 13-15 / Where: Cours Jules Ladoumègue, 33000 Bordeaux
Saint Patrick’s day
Saint Patrick’s day is always a good opportunity to get drunk from an Irish beer or whiskey while listening to good music. Although it’s not Dublin, there are quite a lot of Irish and English bars in Bordeaux. Most of them make a big Saint Patrick’s day celebration with music and a lot of drunk and happy people. Check out my list of Irish/English bars in Bordeaux and choose one for March 17!
Les Fous Rires de Bordeaux
Les Fous Rires de Bordeaux (March 14-21) is a very unique humor festival hosting more than 80 artists and different activities taking place all over the city. The festival is an opportunity to experience humor in different forms, such as live on stage, in pictures and even through cooking!
There are two parts to the festival:
Festival IN, with well-known artists on stage.
Festival OUF– that proposes free activities during the whole week of the festival such as workshops, happenings, entertaining children in hospitals and more. See the full program here.
When: March 14-21 / Where: Different locations in Bordeaux
Salon du Jardin
This big gardening fair will take place on March 20-22 in Hangar 14 on quai des Chartrons. This great spring event will focus on six domains: horticulture, gardening, landscape, outdoor recreation, spas and swimming pools and crafts and new technologies. For more details click here.
When: March 20-22 / Where: Hangar 14, Quai des Chartrons, 33000 Bordeaux
Bordeaux Beer Festival
The second edition of the Bordeaux beer festival will take place on March 21-22. The festival is organized by the Beer Family, which is a group of partners (bars, restaurants, clubs and local French shops) such as Le Sherlock, La Casa, Le Théâtro and the Bordeaux Beer Factory. More details about the events taking place during the festival will be published on the Facebook page of the event.
When: March 21-22 / Where: different bars in Bordeaux
Foire aux Plaisirs
This is the spring edition of the traditional Bordelaise Fair that is taking place at Place des Quinconces from February 21 to March 23. It’s a perfect activity for kids and for those who are young in spirit as La Foire aux Plaisirs de Bordeaux has it all: a big wheel, roller coasters, ghost trains, bumper cars, donuts, crèpes, barbes à papa and more. The fair is open daily from 14:00, and you are not required to pay any entry fee, only for some of the attractions. See more info about the fair here.
When: February 21 – March 23 / Where: Place des Quinconces, 33000 Bordeaux
The European short film festival
The 23d edition of the European Short Film festival (festival européen du court métrage de Bordeaux) will take place on March 26-27 at the UGC Ciné Cité Bordeaux. The festival includes a program of about thirty movies from all over the world and a jury of famous personalities from the French cinema industry, from actors to directors and screenwriters. For more info and tickets check out the website of the festival or their Facebook page.
When: March 26-27 / Where: 13-15 rue Georges Bonnac, 33000 Bordeaux
South Town Jazz Festival
The South Town Jazz festival is an annual festival taking place in Soustons, a charming beach town in the Landes department. The festival will take place on March 24-29. For more info and tickets click here.
When: March 24-29 / Where: Soustons, Aquitaine
Big Vide Dressing event
A big event of vide-dressing (second-hand clothes sale) will take place on March 28-29 at Les Vivres de l’Art. Come and refresh your closet with the most famous marks at affordable prices. See more details here.
When: March 28-29 / Where: 4 Rue Achard, 33300 Bordeaux
Les Puces Bordelaise
Les Puces Bordelaise is the spring brocante of Bordeaux, taking place on March 28-29 in Parc des Expositions de Bordeaux Lac. Experts and antique lovers gather around in a happening of French antiques, second-hand trade, vintage decoration and furniture. Entry tickets are 3 euros (free for kids under 18 years old). For more info click here.
When: March 28-29 / Where: Cours Charles Bricaud, 33000 Bordeaux
The Italian Spring Festival
Le Printemps Italien is an Italian literature festival that will take place on March 19-29 in several locations around Bordeaux Metropole. The program includes meetings with Italian writers, screenings of Italian films, wine tastings and more. For the full program and tickets to events click here.
When: March 19-29 / Where: different locations around Bordeau
Concerts in Bordeaux
La Belle au Bois Dormant
The Saint-Petersburg Ballet Theatre will perform the amazing ballet “The sleeping beauty” on March 8 at Arkea Arena. For more info and tickets click here.
When: March 8 / Where: 48-50 Avenue Jean Alfonséa, 33270 Floirac
Le Cirque Alfonse
Alfonse, the circus from Quebec arrives to Bordeaux for one show in Pin Galant in Merignac. The show will take place on March 10. For more info click here.
When: March 10 / Where: Pin Galant, 34 av. du Maréchal-de-Lattre-de-Tassigny, 33700 Merignac
Le Ballet National de Sibérie a Bordeaux
This month is full of beautiful shows! The National Ballet of Siberia will perform one show at the Casino Théâtre Barrière on March 11. For more info and tickets click here.
When: March 11 / Where: Rue du Cardinal Richaud, 33000 Bordeaux
Opéra “Roméo Et Juliette”
On March 7-15 the Opera of Bordeaux will put on stage four shows of Romeo and Juliet. For more info and tickets click here.
When: March 7-15 / Where: Grand Théâtre, Place de la Comédie, 33000 Bordeaux
Béjart Ballet Lausanne
The Béjart Ballet Lausanne will give three performances in Bordeaux. The shows will take place on March 25-27 in Pin Galant in Merignac. For tickets click here.
When: March 25-27 / Where: Pin Galant, 34 av. du Maréchal-de-Lattre-de-Tassigny, 33700 Merignac
Holidays on Ice
A musical spectacle on ice will take place on March 31 – April 1st at the Meriadeck rink. For info and tickets.
When: March 31 – April 1 / Where: 95, cours du Marechal Juin, 33000 Bordeaux
Exhibitions to check out in Bordeaux
Matth Velvet – expo at the Institut Bernard Magrez
Matth Velvet, a talented street artist that lives and works in Bordeaux, presents his beautiful works at the Institute Bernard Magrez, some of which you may have seen on building walls in the city. The exhibition is being presented at the museum from January 23 to March 23. For more details about the artist see here.
When: January 23 – March 23 / Where: 16 rue de Tivoli 33000 Bordeaux
Afrique, Savane Sauvage – New Exhibition
The museum of natural history in Bordeaux has presented its new temporary exhibition for 2020 – Africa, wild Savannah. The new exhibition focuses on different aspects of the relationships between animals in the African Savanna, from the food chain to their coexistence, seasonal migration and survival strategies. It’s a very fun and interactive exhibition that both kids and adults will love. The exhibition will be presented until December 31, 2020. For more info click here.
When: February 4 – December 31 / Where: 5 Place Bardineau, 33000 Bordeaux (in Jardin Public)
L’intelligence De L’œil. Hommage À Robert Coustet, Collectionneur Au Musée Des Beaux-arts À Bordeaux
This year the museum of fine arts of Bordeaux plays tribute to Robert Coustet, an art historian and an important figure in the cultural life of Bordeaux that passed away last year. An exhibition of artworks from his private collection will be presented at the museum until August 31. For more info click here.
When: March 7 – August 31 / Where: 20 cours d’Albret, 33000 Bordeaux
That’s it for things to do in March 2020 my friends! You can see the smaller events taking place in and around Bordeaux in my weekend list and also on the Facebook page of Lost in Bordeaux. For much more info on what to do and where to travel in the region don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter and join my Facebook group “Travel in the Southwest on France“.
If it’s your first time in Bordeaux you may also like to read these articles:
What to do in Bordeaux -the ultimate guide
The best areas in Bordeaux – the district guide
Where to stay in Bordeaux – the hotels guide
The best museums to visit in Bordeaux
What to do in Saint Emilion
What to do in Arcachon
