Bordeaux
Bordeaux is the capital of the department of Gironde and the Aquitaine region and is also the sixth largest city in France. If you travel to the Atlantic Ocean in the southwest of France, you should take at least one day to get to know the famous "world capital of wine".
Getting there
If you arrive by car from Paris, Lyon, Toulouse or Biarritz, you will reach Bordeaux by motorway. Please note: the Bordeaux Rocade is known for its traffic jams in summer and rush hour.
The train will take you to Saint-Jean Station. Since the summer of 2017, travel time by TGV Paris-Bordeaux has been reduced to two hours!
Bordeaux airport is located west of the city, more precisely in Mérignac. Buses take you downtown.
Sights
The city on the Garonne has a number of interesting places that can be explored on foot. Since 2007, the city has been a World Heritage Site. A visit to Bordeaux certainly includes strolling in the old town and along the banks of the Garonne River, as well as a photo session at the reflection basin (Miroir d'eau), which offers plenty of interesting objects in fine weather. The main shopping street is Rue Sainte-Catherine. The Grand Théâtre, the Saint-André Cathedral, the Pey Berland Tower and the Porte Cailhau are further stops on every programme.
Tips
In many cities, tourist offices offer a "pass" that combines public transport and access to museums. In Bordeaux too! The Citypass, valid for 1 to 3 days (e. g. 1 day: 24 €/person) includes free use of public transport and access to certain museums. If you do not want to take advantage of all these offers, just buy a daily ticket for public transport for €4.60, so you can use trams and buses and easily access all tourist sites.
Since the car parks in the city are expensive, it is also worth taking the tram to the city centre!
Related pages
Short visit
