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.
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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 or Montesquieu.
In this classified “City of Art and History”, you will enjoy visiting the old city, admiring Bordeaux’ 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!
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 of the Wines of Bordeaux
- The famous (and delicious!) canelés, a local delicacy
- Visit the Tourist Board
What to do in Bordeaux
Check out activities and monuments you can visit in Bordeaux:
Where to stay in Bordeaux
Find your preferred accommodation here or by browsing the map below:
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How to get there
By train
There are approximately 20 daily TGV trains from Paris itself to Bordeaux, taking between 3 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 pass 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.
Since being opened to the public in 2003, it has been extended through till 2008 to reach the suburbs. A third extension is in the planning stage and should add 35 km to the tramway network.
The three tramway lines
Nowadays, the three lines (A, B and C) that go through Bordeaux cover the following areas:
- Line A: Merignac Centre and La Gardette/Floirac Dravemont. With 20km, it is the longest line. Going all over town from West to East, it passes in front of the Town Hall and Place Stalingrad and then crosses the Garonne by the Stone Bridge.
- Line B: Claveau and Pessac Centre. Going between North-East and South-West, this line is the busiest one, because it is fundamental for the city’s students who want to go to the campus of Pessac/Talence/Gradignan. Moreover, it stops at the place Quinconces and goes along the Bordeaux banks. It also goes to the famous “Place de la Victoire”.
- Line C: Les Aubiers and Bègles Terres Neuves. Going between North-West and South-East, this line is the shortest one. However, it is very helpful if you want to travel from/to the railway station “Gare Saint-Jean”. Moreover, this tram is the only one to stop at the beautiful “Place de la Bourse”, even if there isn’t any tram shelter or vending machine, to preserve the beauty of the place.
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