Bordeaux, city of the south-west and known as the capital of wine, seduces for its historic centre classified as UNESCO Heritage, its new museums or the banks of the Garonne.
Here, discover the 10 things to see or do in Bordeaux; pretty streets, monuments or emblematic squares!
1. The city of wine
Located in the new Bataclan district on the banks of the Garonne, this atypical museum has an important architecture. Every detail has been thought out to recall the theme; a curved building to refer to the movement of the wine in the glass or the dark atmosphere which recalls the wine cellars. Numerous workshops, conferences and exhibitions have been designed to highlight different vineyards from around the world.
*In Bordeaux there are places to take introductory courses in wine : courses or workshops at the wine school.
2. The Place des Quinconces
The Place des Quinconces is the largest square in Europe. It is a square surrounded by trees in quincunxes and there is also the monument to the Girondins. It is a place for events; fairs, wine festivals, concerts…
A few steps away is also the Chartons district, the old district where Bordeaux wine was made until the end of the 18th century. It is a beautiful flowery district with many small shops.
3. The Place de la Comédie
This square is rather imposing as it also houses the Grand Theatre, the Cailhau Gate and the Place de la Bourse in Bordeaux. It is a place not to be missed with large 18th century buildings and the famous water mirror that creates multiple reflections.
4. Museum of Fine Arts
This museum was founded in 1801 in the gardens of the City Hall in Bordeaux. It has been renovated to reach a wider public and exhibits mainly a collection of sculpture and graphic arts from the 15th to the 20th century. These works were created by the greatest European and Bordeaux painters; Delacroix, Van Dyck, Rubens…
5. The pools of light
This museum is a former submarine base of more than 12,000m2 that was built during the Second World War. Today, it has become the largest digital art centre in the world. It offers breathtaking sound and light shows thanks to a system of video projectors and speakers that broadcast sound. These different light shows transport us to another world!
6. The Galliens Palace
The Palais Galliens is an ancient Roman amphitheatre dating from the 2nd century and located in the middle of the streets of the city of Bordeaux. Today only the remains remain, but in the past this place could accommodate about 20,000 spectators to watch the games.
7. The public garden
Change of scenery! Let’s go to the public garden of Bordeaux, a green space in the city centre. It has been classified as a “Jardin Remarquable de France”. It has an arboretum, playgrounds, a large pond, a Guignol Guérin puppet theatre…! An ideal place to stroll in the green and cut yourself off from the city!
8. The Saint Michel district
This emblematic district of Bordeaux is located around the Saint Michel basilica. This place is very well known for its markets and its rather traditional second-hand dealers. It is a commercial area; on Saturdays the food, on Sundays the flea market, on Mondays the fabrics and the flea markets the rest of the week.
9. The Aquitaine Museum
Located in the heart of Bordeaux, this museum traces the history of Bordeaux and Aquitaine from prehistory to the present day. Each year it presents a temporary exhibition on the history and cultures of the world. And its programme of visits is varied; conferences, screenings, guided tours…
10. St Andrew’s Cathedral
Finally, the Cathedral of St. Andrew, built in Gothic style and part of the official route to Santiago de Compostela. It is possible to participate in guided tours of the city to learn more about this landmark church.