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Bordeaux is a city that can go relatively unnoticed by tourists, but they are missing out on a thriving city filled with great shops, amazing historic attractions, and a great nightlife scene nestled in the heart of wine country. Bordeaux boasts vinotherapie (wine therapy) spas. It has a large and charming pedestrian zone. A youthful vibe is present in Bordeaux, and there are numerous sidewalk cafés and bars. The food here is divine, pairing perfectly with the fabulous Bordeaux wines. Bordeaux is luscious, lively and lovely, a must see for travelers to France.

Bordeaux Pictures

Things to do in Bordeaux

Tourists staying in Bordeaux will find plenty of attractions to visit and culture to enjoy. Highlights include the Croiseur Colbert, an enormous battleship featuring guided tours, now docked at the Quai des Chartons; Palais de la Bourse, a magnificent building overlooking Bordeaux’s winding River Garonne; Palais Rohan (Rohan Palace), a particularly fancy and historic building now used as the town hall; Grand Theatre, Europe’s oldest wooden-framed theatre, where many musical shows and theatrical performances are held; Zoo de Bordeaux Pessac (Bordeaux Zoo), with exotic animals from parts Africa and Asia; Jardin Public and Jardin Botanique, a centrally located park complete with botanical gardens and a huge lake; and also the 11th-century Cathédrale St. André, an iconic local landmark dominating much of Bordeaux and located to one side of the Place Gambetta. There are many landmarks in the city, most of which are hard to miss. Look out for the large public square that is the Esplanade des Quinconce, the historic Pont de Pierre bridge, the 15th century Tour Pey Berland bell tower, the Grosse Cloche belfry, and also the Palais Gallien, a local monument known to date back to Roman times and home to an ancient amphitheater. Also, Bordeaux is particularly famous for its legendary wine and often hosts many enormous wine-related events. Around the city itself you will find a wealth of vineyards and wineries, many of which welcome visitors and often hold wine-tasting days.

Nightlife in Bordeaux

Bordeaux is a quiet city but at night the discos and bars open for a night of relaxation and enjoyment of the local wines. Night owls in Bordeaux gravitate toward quai du Paludate, where restaurants, bars, and discos remain open till the wee hours. If you want to dance salsa, merengue, samba or any Latin American rhythm, visit La Casa Latina Bar. For electro-jazz music go to L’Absolute Lounge. L’Alligator has blues on Wednesdays nights and the Comptoir du Jazz provides a healthy dose of jazz and blues on the river at the Quay de Paludate, and is the main point where young people have fun. In the heart of town is the location of the famous gay bar l’Hotel de Ville, and here you can find live entertainment along with heavy metal and rock concerts and drag shows. The Grand Théâtre located at the Place de la Comedie offers musical concerts and theatrical productions, and if you are feeling lucky, you may want to head over to the Casino de Bordeaux, which has no admission fee and offers live music on the weekends.

Dining in Bordeaux

To many people, Bordeaux is all about wine, but keep in mind that when visiting the area the city also hosts some truly fine restaurants, as the area offers one of France’s richest and most charming cuisines. Fine lobsters, oysters and fish from the ocean and rivers are readily available. The lamb raised in Pauillac is known to be among the most tender and tastiest in the world and the local butter and cheeses, especially those made from goat’s milk are superb. Even though some restaurants are expensive, far more are reasonably priced and relative to most of France, are less expensive. Some restaurants near the center of the city one should consider are Bistro de Someillier, La Chamade, Jean Ramet, Le Rouzic, and La Tupina, jus to name a few.

Shopping in Bordeaux

Few people outside Europe realize what a shopper’s paradise Bordeaux truly is. There are some of the world’s most popular brand names on parade here: Cartier, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Hugo Boss, Mont Blanc, Christian Lacroix, Rolex and Tartine et Chocolat. A popular site is the Galerie Bordelaise, a 19th-century shopping arcade. Luxury label boutiques concentrate within ‘le triangle’, and an antique market fills the square on Sunday mornings. Rue St. Catherine is Bordeaux’s busiest shopping street, as it’s over a kilometer in length and suited only for pedestrians. Another popular place to shop in Bordeaux is along the Cours de l’Intendance. Luxury labels fight with each other in its many designer boutiques. Visitors aren’t forced to spend top dollar on upscale designer shops, though. Tati, on the corner of Rue St. James and the Cours Victor Hugo, caters to those with a somewhat tighter budget. Furthermore, there are plenty of less expensive French chain stores here, as well as numerous locally-owned boutiques. Bordeaux is truly a shopper’s paradise.

Bordeaux Travel Tips

• The central train station is called Bordeaux TGV.
• The currency in Bordeaux is the Euro (EURO).
• The international calling code is 556 if dialing from a long-distance phone.