By rail
Bordeaux Saint-Jean, ~2 h by TGV from Paris
Europe · France
Bordeaux, France
Wine country and an elegant riverfront
Getting there
By air
Bordeaux–Mérignac (BOD), ~12 km
Best time to visit
May to October; the harvest is in September
Don't miss
The Place de la Bourse and its Water Mirror
The Cité du Vin
Saint-Émilion
The Grosse Cloche
Things to do
The Cité du Vin
The Water Mirror
Vineyard tours in Saint-Émilion and the Médoc
Where to eat
What to pack
Layers
A quieter corner
Saint-Émilion's underground church
Questions travellers ask
When is the wine harvest in Bordeaux?
September. May to October is a good stretch to visit overall; bring layers.
What are Bordeaux's top sights?
The Place de la Bourse and its Water Mirror, the Cité du Vin and the Grosse Cloche, plus vineyard tours in Saint-Émilion and the Médoc. Don't miss Saint-Émilion's underground church.
Besides wine, what should I try in Bordeaux?
Canelés and Arcachon oysters, paired with the wines.
Is there a fast train to Bordeaux?
Yes, the TGV reaches Bordeaux Saint-Jean in about 2 hours from Paris. Bordeaux–Mérignac (BOD) airport is about 12 km out.
About Bordeaux
- Riverside
Where it is
Bordeaux is a port city on a crescent-shaped bend of the river Garonne in south-west France, the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region and prefecture of the Gironde department, inland from the Atlantic coast.
History
The Celtic Bituriges Vivisci named the town Burdigala, and it came under Roman rule around 60 BC. After Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry Plantagenet in 1152, Bordeaux was ruled by the English kings for three centuries and grew rich shipping wine to England, until France took it after the Battle of Castillon in 1453. Its 18th-century golden age, built on colonial trade including the Atlantic slave trade, gave it the classical Place de la Bourse.
People
Bordelais speak French, and wine shapes the region's life, from the châteaux and merchants of the wine trade to the grape harvest each autumn. Local tables feature canelés, entrecôte à la bordelaise and oysters from nearby Arcachon Bay.
Known for
- Bordeaux wines of the Médoc, Saint-Émilion and Sauternes
- The Place de la Bourse and the Water Mirror
- La Cité du Vin
- Canelés, small caramelised cakes
- The Grosse Cloche gate
Did you know?
Bordeaux has more protected historic monuments than any other French city except Paris, and its old riverside port, the Port of the Moon, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.