The 8 Best Things to Do in Bordeaux
Words by Dalene Heck / Photography by Pete Heck
Bordeaux may be famous for wine, but let’s be honest—this city is far more than vineyards in pretty bottles.
Think grand squares, riverside strolls, art that rivals Paris, and food that’ll ruin you for supermarket baguettes forever.
Whether you’re here for a weekend or a week, Bordeaux serves up the good life on a silver platter (or perhaps in a crystal glass).
1. Sip (and Learn) at Cité du Vin
This isn’t just a wine museum—it’s Willy Wonka for wine lovers.
At Cité du Vin, you’ll swirl your way through exhibits, tastings, and stories from wine regions across the globe.
Bonus: the top floor bar offers panoramic views over Bordeaux with a glass in hand.
2. Stroll the Place de la Bourse & Miroir d’Eau
If Bordeaux had a “most photogenic” award, this duo would win.
By day, the elegant Place de la Bourse shimmers in 18th-century glory.
By night, its reflection in the Miroir d’Eau (world’s largest reflecting pool) doubles the drama. Instagram eats it up.
4. Explore Bordeaux by Bike
Bordeaux is wonderfully flat and bike-friendly.
Rent a vélo and roll along the Garonne River promenade, stopping at leafy squares and cafés as you go.
It’s sightseeing with a breeze in your hair — much better than a stuffy bus.
3. Wander Rue Sainte-Catherine
Europe’s longest pedestrian shopping street, Rue Sainte-Catherine is a marathon of boutiques, cafés, and people-watching.
Start at Place de la Comédie for designer names and end near Place de la Victoire, where vintage shops and student haunts keep things affordable (and fun).
5. Visit the Bassins de Lumières
An old WWII submarine base transformed into a dazzling digital art space.
Bassins de Lumières projects masterpieces onto cavernous walls, reflected in pools of water.
The result? You’re literally standing inside the art. Trust me, even museum skeptics get goosebumps.
6. Climb the Pey-Berland Tower
Sure, you’ll huff and puff up 231 steps, but the view over Bordeaux’s rooftops is worth it.
The Pey-Berland Tower, next to the cathedral, gives you a bird’s-eye look at the city — with fewer crowds than Paris’s towers.
7. Picnic in Jardin Public
Every great city has a park where locals escape, and for Bordeaux it’s the Jardin Public.
Pack some cheese, wine (naturally), and pastries, then sprawl under the trees.
It’s peak French lifestyle, minus the clichés.
8. Take a Wine Tour to Saint-Émilion
A trip to Bordeaux without visiting vineyards is like Paris without the Eiffel Tower.
Saint-Émilion, a UNESCO-listed medieval village surrounded by vines, is less than an hour away.
Cobblestone streets, limestone cellars, and endless tasting opportunities await.
Cheers.
Where to Stay in Bordeaux
From chic boutiques to budget-friendly beds, Bordeaux caters to every style.
Luxury: InterContinental Bordeaux – Le Grand Hotel — think Belle Époque elegance, Michelin-starred dining, and spa bliss right on Place de la Comédie.
Budget: Mama Shelter Bordeaux — funky décor, a rooftop bar, and surprisingly affordable rates.
Mid-Range: Hotel de Tourny — small, stylish, and perfectly located for exploring on foot.
Tours Worth Booking
If planning isn’t your strong suit (or you just prefer someone else to drive after a few tastings), these tours are spot-on:
Day Trip to Arcachon Bay – Swap wine for oysters and climb Europe’s tallest sand dune, Dune du Pilat.
Saint-Émilion Wine Tour – Half or full-day trips with tastings at top châteaux.
Bordeaux River Cruise – See the city from the Garonne with a glass in hand.
Food Walking Tour – Sample canelés, cheeses, and charcuterie while hearing the stories behind them.
Our Experience
Wine and I don’t get along. I suppose I started it. Not with any intention though – I can either curse it as one of the many pitfalls of aging or blame it on my youth and the way in which I repeatedly drowned my weekday sorrows in liquid-y weekend fun. Either way, my body now rejects alcohol, and wine most vehemently. I can barely finish a glass of red before pain begins to seep into my brain.
And so to visit Bordeaux seemed preposterous, blasphemous even. It’s a “must stop” on a south of France road trip and one thing that Bordeaux is famous worldwide for is their lovely fermented grapes. But on our three day visit, I didn’t even sniff a sample.
Was I a waste of space? Did I fail as a traveler and explorer by forgoing this renowned cultural experience? I can see how some may say that.
Without wine tours to the countryside, tasting cruises on the river Garonne and the like, it might appear to others that there is little other reason to be there. And I did have to wonder myself, but upon arrival both Pete and I were very pleasantly surprised. It is a great city to enjoy our favourite activity – simply wandering about – and we spent almost our entire time doing exactly that.
There are palaces and a grand opera house to be seen, several perfectly manicured parks to linger in. The Miroir d’Eau swallowed up hours of our time, watching kids run through it as a giant puddle, and then dance in its rising fog later. We found fairy tales down alley ways. We eavesdropped on delicious gossip in French tongues while delighting our own with some of the best cuisine we found in our weeks in the country.
There’s a vibrant youthful flair to the city, which was amusing but also a mournful reminder of those days when I could have joined them with a glass in hand.
My plan has always been to age as disgracefully as possible…and thus wine and I need to make up.
(Maybe more time in Bordeaux will do the trick…or a visit to Saint Pierre and Miquelon as it’s much closer to Canada.)
Final Pour
Bordeaux is one of those rare cities that balances elegance with ease.
One minute you’re wandering historic squares, the next you’re sipping wine in a medieval cellar or watching digital Van Gogh swirl across submarine walls.
It’s a city that rewards curiosity—and good walking shoes.
Wow – I really only associated Bordeaux with wine and had no idea how beautiful a spot it is! I do enjoy wine (I thank our 3 years of living in the Okanagan for that!) so if I make it there I will enjoy some vin on your behalf 😉
Enjoy plenty on my behalf! Make up for my poor showing! 🙂
Perhaps my favourite photos from you guys – you haev capture dthe understated beauty of Bordeaux perfectly. I am not a big wine fan myself (I love me some craft beer) but I love visiting wineries because I find them so beautiful. I didn’t drink wine when I was in Bordeaux either but I agree that it is definitely still worth a visit whether you partake or not
Even beer causes me problems. It is a sad existence for me now. 😉
Sorry to hear that you and wine aren’t friends!!!
But glad to see that Bordeaux is such a lovely spot even for non-wine-lovers.
We were very happy to see that too! Surprised, but happy!
Oh how beautiful. If this is how good it is without wine, imagine it WITH wine!
Haha, no kidding! Although those reflections might get trippy with too much. 🙂
It’s taken me a few years to start liking wine, white wine only though. Don’t put me near red wine. These…photos…are…incredible. I especially love the one of the couple! As always, thanks for sharing.
Happy travels 🙂
Thanks Lauren! We had no idea how photogenic Bordeaux would be. As you can see, we had a lot of fun.
Wine & I don’t get along either. The romantic idea is actually a reality of blocked sinuses, sneezes and not much sleep! But I do love wine regions as they are so picturesque and calming. I’ve been more than happy to explore them. In fact, next week we are heading to winery countryside. I can photograph while others drink!
Whenever I think of Bordeaux I think of Goya. It’s a gorgeous city!
Beautiful pics as always! So sorry to hear that you can’t enjoy that fermented grape juice, perhaps try one that does not have all the nasties in it, I have heard that the preservatives they use in wine can make some people very ill, maybe an organic wine is just what you need?
I’ve tried organic and had problems too. I really think it’s just my body’s aversion to alcohol in general. Damn the gluttonous ways of my youth! 🙂
Pete, your photography keeps getting better and better…you made Bordeaux look stunning.Bravo!
Outstanding photography, Dalene! Some of the best I’ve seen in a while!
As the not-so-proud master (well, sometimes) of a body nowadays keen on going the teetotal route (or should I say cliff?), I hear ya. Still, your photos are amazing as usual, and Bordeaux comes out winning. Hope you & wine eventually kiss and make up. Here’s to aging disgracefully!
Gorgeous photos – I love the one with the carousel. Wine or no wine, the French countryside is always magical. It might have something to do with the languorous rhythm of life… 🙂
That definitely has something to do with it!
First time here and I love it all: the interface, the visual identity of the website and the stunning pictures! Well done!
Thank you, and welcome! Hope you stick around! 🙂
ok, I really need to see more of France! Bordeaux looks and sounds pretty great and your photos are really stunning!
Oh, and I really like the new design! 🙂
Thanks so much Kami! And we are in total agreement, we need more time in France too. So much to see.
Beautiful romantic photos. Being a lover of wine, I think I would love Bordeaux; and being that Cody doesn’t indulge in alcohol at all, I guess I would be drinking for two
Pete has the same plight, of drinking for two. It can be a rough job!
Your text was interesting but your pictures blew us away!!! Stunning! Not a bad place at all to enjoy a little wine. 😉
I’ll rue the day my body ever starts to reject my beloved wine! Though there’s no shame in listening to what your body needs…someone with celiac disease would never indulge in pizza simply because they found themselves in Naples, now would they? Hopefully one day you’ll be able to repair your relationship with wine 😉 Gorgeous photos!
I can see how you actually didn’t need to taste any wine and upset your body and brain afterward – Bordeaux seems to have its own flair beyond the obvious wine-tasting activity which draws people to come to the city. Oh and that photo of the reflection of the cathedral’s spire on Miroir d’Eau is just spectacular! I also love it how you managed to capture the kissing couple. So romantically French! 🙂
What a gorgeous piece — both writing-wise and photography-wise. I’m sorry you can’t enjoy the wine or booze, but just think about all the calories you are saving!
What gorgeous photos of a city I love (and not just for the wine!). Thanks for posting about why the city is beautiful even with the wine removed (I’m a huge fan of stereotype-breakers!).
Love that top photo. Totally, quintessentially Bordeaux.
Wow, I just wrote about this same topic! I was also recently in the Bordeaux wine country, in Medoc, and discovered that yes, even at the historical wine chateaus, in the middle of the vineyards, there actually is a lot more to do than just taste wine all day! You can indeed have quite a hands-on, wine-related adventure there without drinking any wine at all.
Bordeaux is a beautiful city and you do not need to drink wine to enjoy it. Le Miroir d’Eau, le Grand Theatre, shopping in Rue Ste-Catherine or for the rich,in cours de l’Intendance, cruising on the Garonne river, beautiful gardens and churches, an excellent free Musee d’Aquitaine and food to die for. It is my favourite city in Europe.
Well…..! I had pretty much written Bordeaux off as a place to visit. I had heard it was quite mundane. Thanks for opening our eyes to new horizons.
I just discovered this post and wanted to say thank you! I spent part of my gap year before university living in Bordeaux and absolutely fell in love with the place (and I don’t drink wine either!).
I sometimes seek out photos to reminisce about Bordeaux or show other people how beautiful it is, and I never find many impressive ones. However, your photos are stunning and really capture the magic of the city, especially after dark. So thank you, I’m sure I’ll come back to this post often to swoon over them.
Bordeaux is amazing city, this fontain can turn anyone into fontain-addict! Love your photos!