The name of Bordeaux is famous worldwide for the reputation of its wine.
For 2000 years, wine has been part of the city’s history, which has become one of the first producers worldwide.
Many of its wines are classed amongst the finest (and most expensive) in the world.
Discover Bordeaux
Bordeaux is also the largest urban complex listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, with 350 buildings covering a zone of 1810 hectares!
Bordeaux’s architectural style is based on unity since the style of the buildings has been preserved for about 300 years (the 18th century being the golden age of the wine trade).
Ideally located on the bend of the Garonne and close to the Atlantic Ocean, Bordeaux remains a great maritime harbour and an active trading city.
The city has been the residence of great philosophers and politicians like Etienne de la Boétie, Montaigne, and Montesquieu.
In this classified “City of Art and History”, you will enjoy visiting the old city, admiring Bordeaux’s highlights, walking along the beautiful Garonne banks to see the luxurious Place de la Bourse and discovering the very wealthy “golden triangle” in the heart of this bourgeois city.
Find out more about Bordeaux
Check out our blog posts about Bordeaux and the surrounding region of Nouvelle Aquitaine:
- The history of Bordeaux
- Discover the old town
- A visit to the Saint-André Cathedral
- Discover the neo-classical Place de la Bourse
- A little guide to the Wines of Bordeaux
- The famous (and delicious!) canelés, a local delicacy
- Visit the Tourist Board
Bordeaux City Pass
The Bordeaux CityPass is a convenient all-in-one card designed to make exploring Bordeaux both easier and more affordable.
Available for 24, 48, 72, or 96 hours, it gives visitors free entry to major attractions such as La Cité du Vin and the Bassins des Lumières, along with more than ten other museums and cultural sites.
The pass also includes unlimited travel on trams, buses, and the river shuttle, plus one guided city tour of your choice.
It’s activated on first use and offers excellent value, especially for travellers who want to see several highlights in a short amount of time.
Get your Bordeaux City Pass here!
What to do in Bordeaux
Check out the activities and monuments you can visit in Bordeaux:
Where to stay when you visit Bordeaux?
Choosing the right base can make your trip to Bordeaux even more enjoyable.
The city is compact and walkable, so staying in or near the historic centre is ideal — especially between the railway station and Place des Quinconces, where you’ll have easy access to restaurants, tram lines, and the main sights.
Below is a curated selection of six hotels, ranging from boutique charm to modern comfort, all perfectly located for exploring the city on foot.
Hôtel Burdigala by Inwood Hotels (★★★★★)
A contemporary five-star stay offering refined comfort, elegant interiors, and a calm atmosphere just a short walk from Mériadeck and the historic centre.
📍 115 rue Georges Bonnac, 33000 Bordeaux
Aparthotel Adagio Bordeaux Centre Gambetta (★★★★)
Modern and practical serviced apartments in a central location, ideal for longer stays or travellers seeking kitchen facilities steps from the city’s main cultural sites.
📍 40 rue Edmond Michelet, 33000 Bordeaux
Radisson Hôtel Bordeaux Saint-Jean (★★★★)
A stylish contemporary hotel near Bordeaux-Saint-Jean station, perfect for visitors arriving by TGV and looking for easy tram access into the historic centre.
📍 13 rue des Gamins, 33800 Bordeaux
Hôtel de Normandie (★★★★)
Classic Bordeaux elegance in a beautifully preserved 18th-century building, ideally located near the Golden Triangle and Place des Quinconces.
📍 7 Cours du 30 Juillet, 33000 Bordeaux
Hôtel Majestic (★★★★)
A refined, traditionally styled hotel in a prime central location, close to Bordeaux’s theatres, upscale shopping streets, and major monuments — ideal for exploring the historic centre on foot.
📍 2 rue de Condé, 33000 Bordeaux
Hôtel Madame (★★★)
A charming boutique hotel set in a quiet street near the cathedral, blending intimate atmosphere, thoughtful design, and excellent access to the historic heart of Bordeaux.
📍 4 rue Bouffard, 33000 Bordeaux
More places?
Find your preferred accommodation here or by browsing the map below:
How to get to Bordeaux
By train
There are approximately 20 daily TGV trains from Paris itself to Bordeaux, taking approximately two hours.
If you arrive in Bordeaux by train, you’ll be able to reach the city centre by the Tramway, line C.
By car
You can also drive to Bordeaux from Paris by the Autoroute (motorway) A10, but it will take about 5.30 hours to drive the 590 km.
Fly to Bordeaux
If you are travelling from Australia or America, the best way to reach Bordeaux is to take a flight to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport and take either a TGV train or a domestic flight from there.
The Bordeaux Airport has connecting flights to a few cities in the UK and other parts of Europe.
Get around in Bordeaux by tram
Since 2003, the three tramway lines have passed through the city and its suburbs, totalling 44 km, and stop at 90 different stations.
This allows locals and tourists to get around more quickly, avoiding all the congestion which existed before its construction.
The three tramway lines
Bordeaux has one of the most efficient tram networks in France, built to make getting around the city simple and smooth.
The system is organised into six lines — A, B, C, D, E, and F — which cover the historic centre, major squares, the university district, residential neighbourhoods, and both sides of the Garonne.
Line C connects directly to the main railway station, while lines A and B run through key city landmarks such as Mériadeck, Quinconces, and the Chartrons district.
Together, these lines form a clean, reliable, and frequent network that makes exploring Bordeaux easy without needing a car.
It is great to see people talking about Bordeaux! You’ve perfectly captured why our city remains the wine capital.
Since you wrote this, the Bassins à Flot area has truly become the place to be. If you want to see the “modern” Bordeaux, you have to spend an evening there. The contrast between the historic locks and the futuristic Cité du Vin is incredible.
Also, for your readers’ convenience, the tram extension to the airport on Line A is a total lifesaver now!
Hi Gina, thanks for the info!