In Bordeaux, France's wine capital, here are some places to stay, eat, and explore.
Bordeaux has been progressively luring more Parisians over the past ten years, who are bringing a fresh jolt of art, culture, and culinary excellence to the formerly soot-stained trading city on the Garonne River. Although you'll drink plenty of wine, whether at luxury hotels tucked within old vineyards, a new crop of natural wine bars downtown, or at the well-known Cité du Vin museum, the fresh vitality being pumped into the city is thrilling.
It is just a two-hour train ride from the City of Light, made more accessible in 2017 by the expansion of Paris's high-speed train network, the TGV. While technically quick enough for a day trip, we recommend allowing at least a weekend because there is plenty to keep your interest (and appetite) piqued in France's wine capital.
Here's everything you need to know to make the most of your trip to Bordeaux, from vineyard tours to enticing speakeasies and psychedelic art exhibitions held in old submarines.
Optimal Period to Visit Bordeaux
From May through October, when the weather warms and the days are long and sunny, Bordeaux is at its finest. There will be far less to see in the city itself in August and December because many companies close for their annual holidays. On the plus side, this means fewer tourists. If you do find yourself there during the winter, bring waterproof clothing because it usually rains and is gloomy.
If they travel during harvest season, which typically lasts from late August or early September through October, oenophiles and aspiring wine lovers alike are in for the experience of a lifetime. Before tasting the results of the work you've just seen, you may take a glance at the wine-making process and take a stroll through the vines.
How to Navigate Bordeaux
The quickest and easiest method to travel to Bordeaux is to board the TGV at the Montparnasse station in Paris and go directly to Gare de Bordeaux-Saint-Jean, which takes around two hours. Although you can technically fly into Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport, using the train will save you money and time. (not to mention, more sustainable). You may also drive here, but be advised that finding parking downtown can be a little challenging. Check with your hotel to see if they have any on-site parking.
Once you've arrived, it's simple to rely on the public transportation network (the TBM, or Transports Bordeaux Métropole), which includes motorized scooters and bicycles, a vast bus network, river shuttles, and a tram system, all of which are accessible with the Bordeaux CityPass. If you're visiting for a few days or longer, the contactless card is a terrific alternative since it provides unlimited travel on the trams, buses, and river shuttles over 24, 48, or 72 hours in addition to entrance to 15 museums (including the more expensive Cité du Vin) and a guided city tour of your choice. (for 34 euros, 44 euros, or 50 euros, respectively). You can purchase one online or collect one up at the visitor center when you get there.
While public transportation is practical, you'll spend a lot of time on foot admiring Bordeaux's splendor because the city's tourism district is pedestrian-friendly.
Taxis, Uber, and other ride-share services (like Bolt, which you can download for Apple and Android) are all easily accessible when it comes to private transportation.
The best hotels in Bordeaux
Les Caudally Sources
If you are acquainted with the renowned French skin care company Caudalie, you may be aware with their exquisite grape retreat, a hotel located only 30 minutes by vehicle from Bordeaux's city center. This is a must-visit location for self-care: The 40 rooms and 21 suites are light and airy, furnished with natural materials, vintage fixtures, and jacuzzi-sized bathtubs, and are tucked away in the Château Smith Haut Lafitte vineyard. After a day of wine tasting, treat yourself at the on-site La Grand'Vigne restaurant, which has two Michelin stars, or indulge at the Vinotherapie Spa, which has a hammam and a natural hot spring.
Hotel and spa Le Palais Gallian
Despite being situated in the center of Bordeaux's downtown, it is simple to believe you have been transported to the French countryside once you are inside this opulent hotel. With an oasis-like rear pool, a creative rooftop cocktail bar, and jewel-sized rooms that have period furnishings and private patios with jacuzzis, this is one of the rare city hotels that successfully blends old-school elegance and modern convenience.
Hotel Le Boutique & Spa
This chic 25-room boutique hotel is housed in an 18th-century mansion and boasts a prime location in the heart of the city, just steps from the Triangle d'Or. No two rooms are alike thanks to Philippe Starck's design-forward furnishings and antique parquet floors, although most have stunning city views. An inviting outside terrace, built around a big tree trunk, is the ideal spot for enjoying an early-evening apéro or your morning coffee. Don't forget to use the Nuxe spa while you're there.
Here's a big one: what French wine region do you most want to visit (again OR for the first time). pic.twitter.com/n6QnjyGATn
— Wine Folly (@WineFolly) June 19, 2021
Hotel Yond
The tiny Yndo Hôtel in the heart of the city has just 12 rooms, and its design is simple and contemporary. The juxtaposition of the old and new worlds, set in a timeless 19th-century home, will leave you speechless. Modern furnishings stand out against vintage features like parquet floors and sculpted fireplaces. Since the property's owner Agnès Guiot has a unique collection of chairs, including whale-shaped seats, sequined flowery couches, and more, it's worth a trip just to see them.
Best Restaurants and Bars in Bordeaux
Café Black List
Visit Black List Café for a spectacular slice of velvety Basque cheesecake or an artisanal coffee fix. This hip indoor-outdoor restaurant serves delicious breakfasts where you can chow down on goat cheese risotto or savory French toast with sweet potatoes while seeing the Hôtel de Ville. (town hall).
Mrs. Pang
Madame Pang is a good stop on nights when you're seeking for something new, even though dim sum might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you're planning a trip to the French wine region. This chic Cantonese restaurant offers creative fare such curry pork dumplings and octopus croquettes with yuzu mayo along with lively cocktails. What's best? At midnight, the kitchen is still open.
The Pavlov Dog
Le Chien de Pavlov is one of the city's standout neo-bistros and serves excellent food in a welcoming setting (consider the fish carpaccio with wasabi and green apple or the lamb cooked two ways and served atop a green pea and mint purée with delicate roasted artichoke and a bright burst of confit lemon, for example). A five-course dinner tasting menu costs only 49 euros, which is a tremendous bargain after you've noticed the exquisite plating. The restaurant is run by a young French couple, and it is warm and pleasant with high-quality food without any of the stuffiness associated with fine dining.
Symbiose
As soon as you enter the riverfront cafe recommended by the Michelin Guide, Symbiose is more than what first appears. (which has its own garden from which it plucks much of its produce). The blonde-wood chamber has a few tables lining the wall, but a hidden speakeasy is revealed by an ancient clock. There, you'll discover a candlelit, cavernous bar where knowledgeable tourists and locals enjoy edgy cocktails and flirt with the dashing French bartenders while sipping local wine.
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This ultra-cozy wine bar and cafe, which specializes in natural and low-intervention wines, beckons to you from the street, where tables are set up during warmer months and you may catch a peek of an interesting assortment of bottles poised invitingly in the window. Inside, there is a bar and a few tables where a young, local crowd frequently congregates to consume slabs of paté topped with caramelized onions and reasonably priced wines by the glass.
Best Activities in Bordeaux
Wine tastings and Vineyard Tours
It's likely that you want to drink wine if you're in Bordeaux. The region, which is also known as the "wine capital of France," has 57 appellations (also known as AOCs) and more than 6,000 vineyards that produce mostly red wines made from merlot and cabernet sauvignon. Because of this, picking a wine-tasting location can be a little challenging, but fortunately the Bordeaux Tourism & Conventions website makes it easier. A little to the east or north of the city center, in Saint-Émilion or Margaux, you can select between half- or full-day tours of vineyards and chateaux.
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Location of the Bourse
Place de la Bourse, one of the city's most well-known attractions, is a stunning 18th-century square constructed during the reign of King Louis XV. It's essential to stop by in order to see the spectacular Miroir d'Eau, a 37,000-square-foot reflecting pool, which is close to the beautiful Chartrons district. (which happens to be the largest in the world).
Cathedral of St. André
If you haven't gasped in amazement at a French city's most iconic cathedral—in this case, Cathédrale Saint-André, also known as Bordeaux Cathedral—you haven't actually visited to that city. This Gothic-style Roman Catholic church boasts two spectacular spires and is worth a visit only for its stunning architecture. It also houses the Marcadé Collection, a treasure trove of well-known medieval paintings.
Bordeaux's Muse des Beaux-Arts
The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux reopened in 2019 after undergoing a significant refurbishment. It now houses a sizable collection of works from the 15th to the 20th century by renowned European artists (such as Picasso and Renoir) and local painters. Along with its permanent collections, they frequently host a few short-term exhibitions of local artwork.
Market of Capuchins
During your visit to Bordeaux, you must take a food tour through the olfactory delight of the Marché des Capucins. It is a feast for the senses to stroll around the bustling mix of locals buying their weekly groceries and merchants offering fresh fruit, local cheese, and cream-filled pastries. Aim to find Chez Jean-Mi, an oyster bar that serves a delectable variety of freshly shucked oysters from neighboring Arcachon, one of France's major oyster producing regions.
A river cruise at dusk
While floating down the Garonne River at dusk, take in the city's UNESCO-designated banks. While river cruises frequently have a touristy tang, this one from Les Bateaux Bordelais makes up for it by taking you beneath the city's illuminated bridges, including the Pierre, Jacques Chaban-Delmas, and Aquitaine bridges, while delving into their histories and treating you to a fine dining experience with locally inspired cuisine, prepared freshly on board.
The City of Wine
La Cité du Vin, a type of mecca for oenophiles, is one of the locations that has recently altered the city's physical and cultural landscape. But you don't have to be an expert on wine to enjoy the decanter-shaped building's impressively contemporary architecture or the palate-expanding wine tastings offered there. Flyovers of vineyards from all over the world are included in the exhibitions, along with information on terroir, grape varieties, the winemaking process, and other topics.
The Basins' of Light
Discover Dal and Gaud's artwork in a way you've never seen it before at this former submarine base that has been transformed into a cultural hub that hosts surreal, immersive projections all year long. After being attacked and buried in water during the war, the Bassins des Lumières structure received a thorough renovation. It is currently one of the most fascinating art venues in the city. Think of some of Gaud's most famous architectural creations that are lit up in technicolor on the walls all around, above, and below you while you lose yourself in Dal's melting clocks.