Bordeaux

France·Europe

Currency

EUR

Language

French

Timezone

Paris

Continent

Europe

Our guide

Discover Bordeaux

Bordeaux spent the 2000s scrubbing itself clean: the pale eighteenth-century stone, blackened by two centuries of soot, was cleaned, the quays returned to pedestrians, and the whole city — the Port de la Lune — UNESCO-listed in 2007 as the largest urban ensemble ever inscribed. The Place de la Bourse and its water mirror became the image of it. The Cathédrale Saint-André and its Pey-Berland tower, climbed for the view, command the centre. The Basilique Saint-Michel has the tallest spire in the south-west. The Musée d'Aquitaine tells the city's story, including its part in the slave trade, which it does not sidestep. The Cité du Vin on the northern quays is a building of disputed shape and undisputed content. And the Base Sous-Marine, a German concrete bunker, now serves as an exhibition space.

When to go

May, June and September are the best months: twenty-four degrees, walkable quays, and the harvest under way in September in the vineyards around. July and August are hot — thirty-five degrees has become common — but the ocean is an hour away. Winter is mild and wet, around ten degrees. Spring is when the pale stone looks best, under a low sun.

Getting around

Four tram lines, one crossing the Garonne, and an entirely pedestrian centre: the rue Sainte-Catherine runs more than a kilometre without cars. The bicycle rules — Bordeaux is flat and well equipped. Saint-Jean station puts Paris two hours away and Bayonne an hour and a half. The Médoc and Saint-Émilion châteaux need a car or an organised trip; Saint-Émilion is forty minutes by direct train, which is the simplest answer.

Where to eat

Entrecôte à la bordelaise comes with a red wine and shallot sauce. Lamprey, a Garonne fish, is stewed in its own blood and divides visitors. Canelés, small rum-and-vanilla cakes, crisp outside and soft within, are sold on every corner. The Marché des Capucins opens early and Arcachon Bay oysters are eaten standing at the counter from the morning. Twenty-five halal addresses are listed.

Good to know

The euro is the currency. Eight sites are free, and municipal museums are free on the first Sunday of the month. Château tastings are booked ahead, particularly in September. The Dune du Pilat and Arcachon Bay are an hour away and deserve a full day. The city empties in August and many good restaurants close for three weeks.

Smart Planning