A day in Bordeaux, France

We wanted to go somewhere for the summer. Having visited most of Europe and with most of the popular spots in Europe becoming non affordable and extremely crowded during summer we wanted to settle for somewhere that was not on top of every tourist’s list. With Paris 2024 happening in France and Ryan Air offering affordable flights out of Birmingham, Bordeaux ended up being our choice for the summer break!

Flying to Bordeaux

I have written enough about RyanAir’s value for money flights. However this time we were in for some inconvenience. Despite paying for seats to sit together they separated us and allocated us all different seats. After sorting out once inside the aircraft only two of us were able to sit together. After that it was uneventful and we reached Bordeaux around 10 pm. The airport is well connected to the city with a tram stop right outside the terminals. The taxis were metered but accepted only cash. Since it was late at night we rode a taxi to our Air BnB apartment.

Bordeaux city

Bordeaux is the second largest city in France after Paris. Located much further in south means that it enjoys the warm climate of the Mediterranean. However the city is not as popular as Paris among the tourists which made our visit quite enjoyable! The city centre and the old town area is filled with monuments, 362 historic monuments to be precise, and the river front and the Port of the Moon is nice for long walks. This is in addition to the beautiful lanes, restaurants and the quaint bakeries aka boulangeries. However what puts Bordeaux on many tourists’ radar is its wines. The entire region is famous for its chateaus and the wines they produce. However that wasn’t our primary purpose of visit.

Stay and Transport

We had booked an Air BnB for our 4 night stay in the St Augustin area as it was right between the airport and the city and had a direct tram to the city centre. Since we were there for 4 nights we did not even bother looking at hotels. Also vegetarian food is hard to come by anywhere in France. So the Air BnB came in handy for making our own meals.

The view from our Air BnB apartment at dawn

Bordeaux’s extensive public transport system is very handy when staying or commuting to locations outside its medieval centre. The lines criss cross and offer quite a few interchanges. The travel passes that gives one unlimited rides on the trams, buses and also the river shuttle are a worthy investment. We got ourselves a 3 day pass that gave us rides on the tram from the airport to the city centre and to the Matmut Atlantique on the northern fringe of the city for an Olympic game. Unlike many other passes that use calendar days for calculation the passes in Bordeaux are valid based on the time of first use. The trams were frequent, clean and pretty quick. The trams stops had automated vending machines for the tickets and passes. The system appeared much more user friendly and convenient than the one in Paris! This is the one stop service for all information related to public transport in Bordeaux. The website is detailed with maps, prices and options for passes and multiple tickets.

We split our visit to the city over two days. This itinerary could be done in a single day but we chose to do it over two days as we had the time and it was extremely hot during our visit. Here are some landmark monuments that are worth a stop. Of course, ice cream and a stop at an authentic French boulangerie are a must! 

St. Andre’s Cathedral

This is one of the most beautiful monuments in Bordeaux. This is also the largest cathedral in Bordeaux. Built between the 12th and 14th centuries it soon ran into a period of uncertainty during the French Revolution when it was used for various other purposes. Most of its treasures were looted until it was restored as a place of worship in the 19th century.

It’s gothic architecture, stained glass windows and the huge cavernous interiors are worth a look. More so because they are free!

Grand Theatre

Almost all medieval cities in Europe boast of a grand opera theatre. Bordeaux’s grand theatre was built in the 18th century and its size, decor and grandeur and can rival the opera theatres of many of the top cities in Europe. Paris’ Palais Garnier was only built later in the 19th century and borrowed many architectural and design elements from Bordeaux’s theatre.

Esplanade des Quinconces and the Monument aux Girodins

This 12 hectare square with a column and fountain at one end is the largest and busiest squares in Europe. There are many events held here through out the year. Even if there is no event its a major transport hub with multiple tram lines meeting here. The huge bronze fountain at one end of the square is stunning. This is a monument to the Girodin faction of the French Revolution.

Place de la Bourse and Miroir d’eau

Until the 18th century the medieval city of Bordeaux was closed by towering walls. Only in the 18th century the wall was taken down and the city expanded. The Place de la Bourse is the result of the expansion and the brain child of Jacques Gabriel. It’s an expansive square with stunning buildings surrounding it and a fountain at the center. 

The Miroir d’eau is a later addition to the area. The giant reflective pool is a big attraction and is the most photographed area of Bordeaux. It is programmed to alternate between flooding for mirror effect and draining for the fog effect. We were there on a hot summer evening and it was very popular among the locals from pets to children to even adults who were cooling off!

 Place du Parlement and Place Saint-Pierre

These were two squares that we stopped in the medieval part of the city. Beautiful squares, one with a fountain in the middle, surrounded by restaurants and beautiful buildings. At Place Saint-Pierre there was a long line at one of the shops and I searched up to find that it was a top rated ice cream shop, La Maison du Glacier! Their list of flavours were endless. I had the Bergamot and Shash had the white peach and they were extremely delicious. The best treat on a hot summer’s day!

Porte Cailhau

Dating from 1494, it was built to commemorate the victory of Charles VIII in Italy and is one of the entrances to the old wall that surrounded Bordeaux. This is also one of the most photographed monuments in Bordeaux and it is easy to see why!

Grosse Cloche

It’s one of the oldest belfry in France and is surrounded by some of the pretties lanes in Bordeaux. The bell was cast in 1775 and supposedly weighs 7750 kgs! We found a lovely family owned bakery near it for some warm bread and lovely croissants, Les Boulangerie des Amis. The lanes in this part of Bordeaux seemed more laid back and charming.

The only major attraction that we did not visit was the Cite du Vin, a high tech wine museum with displays and wine tastings. Bordeaux’s wines are popular through out the world. Many restaurants in the area have a longer wine list than their menus. The chateaux surrounding Bordeaux each produce their own version of red, rose or white wines from their vineyards. Both of these are a worthy way to spend your time in Bordeaux.

Suggested walking route and itinerary

The town centre of Bourdeaux is pretty walkable. There are otherwise trams that run frequently to take you from one side to the other. I would strongly recommend walking to soak in the charming atmosphere. Here’s a suggester itinerary and walking route. Click for a larger map and directions on Google maps.

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