Bordeaux: Guide, Hotels, Map & Photos
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EUR 78 - 238 La Tour Intendance
 La Tour Intendance is situated in the heart of Bordeaux, next to Place Gambetta and a 2-minute walk from the Grand Theatre. It offers free Wi-Fi and a… MoreEUR 59 - 82 La Maison Du Lierre
 La Maison du Lierre is a charming hotel offering free Wi-Fi and a prime location in Bordeaux centre. It is near the Grand Theatre, luxury shops and Al… MoreEUR 52 - 95 Le Dauphin
 Le Dauphin is located on an animated street, a 2-minute walk from Place Gambetta in the heart of Bordeaux. It offers free Wi-Fi and comfortable, budge… MoreEUR 90 - 290 Mercure Bordeaux Centre
 The Mercure Bordeaux Centre is located in the heart of Mériadeck, the city’s business district. It offers modern facilities and is just a short wal… MoreEUR 75 - 275 Mercure Bordeaux Gare Saint Jean
 This 4-star Mercure is located in Bordeaux, 250 metres from Saint-Jean TGV station and 100 metres from Église Sainte-Croix. It offers spacious rooms… MoreEUR 50 - 85 La Maison Danjou
 This 18th-century house is located in the centre of Bordeaux, just 50metres from the Botanical Garden and 300 metres from Place Tourny. It offers spac… MoreEUR 144 - 310 La Maison Bord´eaux
 La Maison Bord´eaux is a boutique hotel located in central Bordeaux. Just a 10-minute walk from the Quinconces Tramway stop, it offers soundproo… MoreEUR 58 - 80 Hotel Du Theatre
 Hotel du Theatre is located in the pedestrian area of Bordeaux near Place de la Comedie and the Grand Theatre de Bordeaux. Free Wi-Fi is available thr… MoreEUR 90 - 130 Hotel Des 4 Soeurs
 The Hotel Des 4 Soeurs is an authentic 18th-century building located in the centre of Bordeaux. It offers nicely decorated, soundproofed rooms with fr… MoreEUR 58 - 138 Hotel La Porte Dijeaux
 Hotel La Porte Dijeaux is situated in the heart of Bordeaux’s shopping area, next to Place Gambetta and near the tram and airport bus stop. It offer… MoreEUR 50 - 110 Kyriad Bordeaux Nord - Lac
 The Kyriad Bordeaux Nord – Lac offers free Wi-Fi, free parking and good public transport links. The casino, Exhibition Centre and Convention Centre … MoreEUR 75 - 300 L´Avant-Scène
 L´Avant-Scène is located in Bordeaux’s chic Chartrons district in the heart of the historic wine trading centre. It offers modern comforts an… MoreEUR 67 - 235 Mercure Bordeaux Le Lac
 This Mercure hotel is a 5-minute walk from the convention and exhibition centres in the outskirts of Bordeaux. It offers air-conditioned rooms with fl… MoreEUR 85 - 200 Mercure Chateau Chartrons
 Mercure Chateau Chartrons is located in the old wine trade district, just 5 minutes’ drive from Bordeaux city centre. It offers elegant rooms and pe… MoreEUR 46 - 85 Séjours & Affaires Bordeaux de L´Yser
 Séjours & Affaires Bordeaux de L´Yser offers fully equipped apartments for a minimum stay of 4 days in Bordeaux. All of the accommodation is so… MoreEUR 52 - 184 Residhotel Galerie Tatry
 The Residhotel Galerie Tatry offers comfortable apartments and is located just a short tram ride from the historical centre of Bordeaux.
Apartments a… MoreEUR 175 - 390 Seeko´o Hôtel
 Hotel Seeko’o is located in the heart of Bordeaux on the banks of the Garrone River. It offers a sauna and hamman and spacious suites with free Wi-F… MoreEUR 50 - 90 Ténéo Suites Bordeaux
 Ténéo Suites Bordeaux is located a 5-minute walk from Saint-Jean train station. It offers modern fully equipped apartments that sleep up to 4 people… MoreEUR 248 - 1,600 The Regent Grand Hotel Bordeaux
 The Regent Grand Hotel Bordeaux is located in the heart of the city centre, directly opposite the Grand Theatre. It offers free Wi-Fi and luxurious ro… MoreEUR 87 - 250 Quality Hotel Sainte Catherine Bordeaux
 The Quality Hotel Sainte Catherine Bordeaux is centrally located near the lively Saint Pierre district. It offers comfortable accommodation and free W… MoreEUR 88 - 600 Pullman Bordeaux Aquitania
 Located by Bordeaux Lake, a 15-minute drive from central Bordeaux, the stylish Pullman Bordeaux Aquitania features a gourmet restaurant and bar, an ou… MoreEUR 75 - 190 Mercure Cité Mondiale
 Mercure Cité Mondiale is situated in the charming Chartrons district of Bordeaux. It features a panoramic terrace, with a view over the River Garonne… MoreEUR 91 - 170 Novotel Bordeaux Centre Meriadeck
 Novotel Bordeaux offers a quiet setting just a few minutes from the centre of Bordeaux. It is close to the business district and main shopping centre,… MoreEUR 65 - 170 Novotel Bordeaux Lac
 Novotel Bordeaux Lac sits on the shore of Lake Bordeaux, conveniently between the convention centre and exhibition centre. It offers standard and supe… MoreEUR 42 - 80 Premiere Classe Bordeaux Nord - Lac
 Premiere Classe Bordeaux Nord – Lac features fully-equipped, air-conditioned guestrooms with free Wi-Fi internet access. Its affordable accommodatio… More | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bordeaux: Guide
Capital of Aquitaine, France, Bordeaux is famous for its various wines, which are considered among the best in the world. However, it is also a very nice place to visit... for other reasons. The city itself is one of the 5 biggest cities in France, with a population of about 660,000 people, including suburbs. It is a very lively place, with large student (Bordeaux Campus is the biggest in France) and foreigner communities.
Districts
Bordeaux is a historical city with many tourist attractions. The main districts are briefly presented here, which are listed according to their distance from the railway station.
Les Quais -- for a nice walk on the shores of the Garonne, a ride on a ferry boat, a stunning view over the bridges of Bordeaux, or spending good time in the city's night clubs !
Bordeaux is considered a very tolerant and relaxed place - no one will bother you about your political beliefs, religion, or sexual orientation. The cultural, artistic, and music scenes are very vibrant.
People from Bordeaux sometimes feel jealous of people from Paris, and the city is often referred to as "Little Paris". This rivalry is a hot subject, so you may experience some heated arguments on the subject (who said "flame wars?") during your stay.
The city center is located west and south of the Garonne. To the east are a few hills - the only ones in the vicinity. These hills mark the beginning of an industrial zone and suburbs. Because it is a flat city, bicycles make excellent modes of transport, especially as the city has more than 17 km of cycle tracks. Bordeaux is among the most economically buoyant cities in France.
There are no skyscrapers in Bordeaux, just a few tall buildings due to the weakness of the subsoil, which explains its sprawl. The center of the town has retained its traditional stone mansions and smart terraces, which is probably the reason behind the city being called "Little Paris".
Modern buildings can be found to the west (administrative center) and south (university) of the city.
An express bus runs every 40 minutes to the city center, and makes several stops in the city.
http://www.bordeaux.aeroport.fr/ (In French)
Buses and taxis leave from in front of the station.
You can reach Bordeaux by car from north (taking the A10 highway or N10), south (taking the A63 highway), and east. A beltway goes around the city.
If possible, avoid driving between 8-10 AM and 4-7 PM, as the beltway is usually overcrowded.
The bus station is located just in front of the train station, in the center of the town. Eurolines provide bus service to the city.
Bordeaux is quite a big city, however most of the interesting attractions are in the town center. It is not recommend anyone to use a car to get around, as it is always a hassle to park it (and car parks are expensive) and there are often traffic jams in the small, old streets of the city.
If you can, use your feet and walk. As most of the town center is a 'pedestrian area', this is a good idea anyway. If you like sports, you can rent roller-skates or a bike (see below) or you can make your way in town using the various bus lines. A small ferry boat permits to go from the western shore of the river to the eastern shore, and vice-versa.
Three efficient tramway lines are also available (A,B and C).
It is possible to rent roller-skates at a small sport-shop called "Pierre Qui Roule", situated on the western side of Place Gambetta, north of the pedestrian area.
The bus network is organized around three main places, where it is possible to
Gare Saint-Jean (railway station, bus lines going to town center, university, and north of town, TBC agency),
Tickets can be purchased on the bus, however that's expensive and you cannot change buses with the tickets bought on the bus. The best thing is to buy tickets either at the TBC agencies (Gare Saint-Jean, Gambetta, Quinconces), at almost any tobacconist, or at the tourist offices (Quinconces, Gare Saint-Jean).
A 10-trip ticket will cost 8.60 euros. Each trip comprises up to 4 bus changes within one hour. You have also the possibility to buy tickets that will enable you to access freely the bus network for one to six days - those tickets cost from 3.75 up to 11.80 euros. Students and elderly persons can buy tickets at a reduced price.
One peculiarity of Bordeaux buses is that you can get in the bus using whatever bus door you want - use the automatic machines to perforate your ticket, thus validating your trip. Don't try to cheat — fines are high.
Avoid the buses on peak hours (8-10AM, 4-7PM), as the town center is usually totally jammed (and cars often block bus tracks), and buses are overcrowded.
The electric bus, called la navette du centre-ville, is the only public transportation on pedestrian roads. There are no bus stops for this one: to board an electric bus, wave your hand to the driver - he will stop the bus and let you on. When you want to go out, just tell the driver.
All the maps, fares and times are on the .
If you are a sport-lover, Bordeaux is a very nice city for practising roller-skating (or roller-blading) and other "skating sports".
Other sports that enjoy some support in Bordeaux include ice hockey, handball and rugby.
If you're interested in wine, don't hesitate to visit wine resellers north of Gambetta or Les Quinconces.
The University , located a few kilometers south of town offers a wide variety of courses, from science to humanities, from beginner classes to high-level research. The laboratories are among the best in France. It is possible to take French courses there in the summer, with Erasmus students. The (Department for the study of French as a foreign language) is attached to Université Michel de Montaigne - Bordeaux III. It offers both semester and vacation courses in French for foreign students.
Bordeaux is the capital of wine, so buying some wine can be a good idea... Local pastries, such as "cannelés", are worth buying too, if you're close to the end of your trip (buy them just before you go, they should be good for two days after you buy them).
If you're into clothing fashion, you will find several shops to buy very nice and trendy clothes (and they are less expensive than in Paris).
And if culture interests you, don't hesitate to buy some local music - Bordeaux groups are really cool! There are also a lot of artists who sell stunning artworks.
Gastronomy has a very important place in the city, which is full of restaurants of all kinds. French restaurants provide dishes from almost every part of the country, and there are a lot of Asian, African or Arabian restaurants.
If you prefer dancing or clubbing, most of the night-clubs are on the Quais, close to the train station. From rock to disco, dance to techno, you also have a lot of choice.
One piece of advice regarding as well bars and clubs: the entrance is free (most of the time), but do not get there drunk. The crew won't let you in (and anyway drinks inside are not so expensive...).
Bordeaux has a recently-built youth hostel, close to the railway station, which can be worth a visit for a few nights - remember to book in advance.
As for Internet access, there are a few cybercafes in the pedestrian center, which are not expensive (from 2 to 4 euros per hour).
NORTH : The Medoc region, where some of the famous Bordeaux wines are produced (Margaux, La Tour, Laffit-Roschild etc . . .) A lot of wine producers organize visits of their installations, with tastings of their products.
WEST : To the west, you will end up at the Atlantic ocean, with over 150 mile of golden sand beaches accompanied by a sea of unspoilt pine forests; there are a lot of very nice-looking little towns close to the sea, including Arcachon, sea-side town, home to an important oyster production. The Hourtins' Lake, the biggest non-salted water lake in France, is located there. In summer, it's a paradise to go swimming or biking in the pine-tree woods of that area.
EAST : Here you will find Saint Emillion, very well known vineyard surrounding the village of the same name.
SOUTH : Lying south is the Graves region, oldest vineyard of Bordeaux. This area is also the most interesting for historical tourism, with many beautiful towns and castles to see - Towns : Bazas, Saint Macaire, Uzeste, Cadillac . . . . Castles : Roquetaillade, Villandraut, Malle, Fargues, Cazeneuve . . .
To reach those places, you can use either the regional railways (TER) or inter-city bus lines (which often go where trains do not). But globaly, by car, all these areas are less than an hour from Bordeaux.
The whole region is covered with well organized bike or walking trails which make you discover the countryside.
This "Travel Guide" section is drawn from the Wikitravel article "Bordeaux". We hope you will edit and improve it. It is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 license.
La Victoire -- Historical monuments meet student life and bars.
The Pedestrian Center -- If you plan on shopping, or are looking for cultural activities, Bordeaux has a lot to share - and it starts right here.
Gambetta Square -- the rich districts of Bordeaux start north - this part of the town is nicknamed "Little Paris". There are also a lot of things to visit.
Quinconces Square -- A lot of things to see in this area close to the river.
Meriadeck -- The administrative center of Bordeaux, with one of the biggest libraries in France.Understand
The city was ruled by the English for a long time, that is why Bordeaux seems to have an "English flair".
Geography
Bordeaux is a flat city, built on the banks of the Garonne River. It is also the largest French city in area and geographically one of the largest in Europe. The Garonne merges a dozen kilometers below the city with another river, the Dordogne River to form the Gironde Estuary, which is biggest estuary in France.Get in
By plane
Bordeaux's Merignac Airport is located west of the city. It's a regional airport which serves mostly domestic flights, though there are international flights as well connecting Bordeaux to some European "hub" airports like Paris (Orly and Roissy), London (Gatwick) Madrid and Amsterdam.By train
The main train station (Gare Saint Jean) is located about 4km from the center of town. Several trains per day (around one every two hours) go north (to Paris, Angoulème, Poitiers), south (to Toulouse, Marseille, up to Nice), and east (to Périgueux and Clermont-Ferrand).
Catch the tramway to go to the inner center.By car
By bus
Get around
Bike and rollerblade rental
Buses
take buses to almost every destination in the city :
Place de la Victoire (bus lines going to town center, to the railway station, to the University, north and south-west of town,
Place Gambetta (bus lines going to la Victoire, the railway station, west, north-west, north of town, TBC agency ).
Quinconces (TBC agency).Ferry boat
Le Bus du Fleuve, as it is called, links the western part of the city and the eastern part of the city by a small cruise on the river. It is managed by the CGFTE, and thus you can get in the boat using a standard bus ticket. The bus goes from the Southern part of Quai Richelieu, and to the Place Aristide Briand, very close to the Aquitaine Bridge (one of the must-see in Bordeaux).Electric bus and tramway
A new tramway serves the town, crossing the Garonne via the Pont de Pierre. A distinctive feature of the tramway is that within the inner city, it has no overhead wires, although this may change due to recent issues with the .See
Each district (listed Bordeaux#Districts|above) has a lot of things to offer:
North of Les Quais, over the river, the Aquitaine Bridge is an architectural achievement unique in France.
Do not miss the Victory Arch (Roman architecture), at the center of La Victoire.
Rest for a while in the wide Public Garden, north of Gambetta square.
And of course checkout the statues and the Girondins memorial on the Quinconces square.
The MUSEE D'ART CONTEMPORAIN at 7, rue Ferrère, 33000 Bordeaux is definitely worth a visit, if you are interested in modern art. In summer 2004 there was a marvelous video installation "1 hour portrait". The exhibition is not too big, so you need maybe 1,5 hours. Tel. 33 (0)5 56 00 81 50.
The MUSEE D'AQUITAINE in 20, cours Pasteur, 33000 Bordeaux, shows a very interesting exhibition also for children about the history of the region. Tel : 33 (0)5 56 01 51 00Do
There are a lot of things to see here in Bordeaux, but also a lot of things to do by yourself!
Have a walk in the Sainte-Catherine street in the Pedestrian Center.
Consider crossing the bridges or taking the ferry boat over the river (see Les Quais).
If you're interested in that kind of activities, you can go night-clubbing or bar-storming in Les Quais or La Victoire.
If you need an Internet Café, go to 23, cours Pasteur. The "Cyberstation" is a well equipped Internet café nearby the city centre. Tel.: 05 56 01 15 15 Sports
Football (soccer) is a very popular sport in Bordeaux, as the F.C. Girondins, the football club, is one of the best in France (avoid talking football in the city, it's another sensitive subject).Learn
In Bordeaux, you can learn about pretty everything you want - to learn a bit about French culture, consider visiting cinemas such as Utopia or going to the city library in Meriadeck.Work
Buy
Bordeaux has made its wealth out of trade, and the local economic system relies much on shops and trading halls. The Pedestrian Center is basically full of shops of all kinds, from clothes to art, craftworks, food and wine... If you're looking for luxury items, try to go to Gambetta square and in the surroundings.Eat
As mentioned before, Bordeaux is known for its red wine, and has also a lot of local pastries that you cannot find elsewhere in France (if not in the world). The canneleés are only the most known example of such a pastry.Drink
Bordeaux is lively during the day, and is still lively during the night. If you're looking for a bar, whether to hang out with friends or to enjoy a retransmission of a local football match, head for La Victoire, as most of the pubs and bars of the town are here. Virtually, all the shops in the surroundings of this area are bars, and you'll be likely to find one suiting your needs.Sleep
Most tourists hotels are close to the railway station (that is, close to the Quais). There are some luxury hotels close to Gambetta square and Quinconces square, which are really nice but rather expensive.Budget
Mid-range
The Ibis Bordeaux St Jean hotel is located 19, quai Paludate. Tel: (+33)5/56942525, . Prices ranging from €53 to €90.Splurge
The Sofitel Bordeaux hotel is close to the banks of the Bordeaux lake, near the Convention center. There is a private swimming pool. 1 Avenue Jean-Gabriel Domergue in Bordeaux le Lac. Tel: (+33)5/56696666, .Contact
Bordeaux is covered by the three major telecommunication operators in France : France Telecom (Orange), Bouygues, and SFR. If you have a GSM cellphone with an international subscription, you should be able to give calls from anywhere in the city. It is also possible to find phone cabins, but some have been removed recently due to their decreased usage.Stay safe
Bordeaux is not a city known for insecurity, and if you respect some simple rules, you shouldn't have any problems.
Beware of pickpockets, mostly in crowded buses and in the pedestrian streets. Do not leave any luggage out of view—it might disappear. If you're taking the bus with a backpack, it's better putting it at your feet instead of keeping it on your back.
Do not go clubbing/in bars alone at night. If you have a meeting with friends, meet outside the bar/club—anyway it's easier to get inside when you're a pack.
As another general rule, do not accept drinks offered by people you don't know well—some people might try to drug you and abuse you afterwards. This is serious advice, as there were several cases reported. Take drinks directly at the counter or from the waiter.Get out
There are a lot of interesting things to see close to Bordeaux.