Holidays in Bordeaux

Burgundy makes you think of silly things; Bordeaux makes you talk about them, and Champagne makes you do them.

Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin – French politician and food writer

• 

  The Waterfront

  As part of the city’s regeneration, the whole riverfront area has been redeveloped, turning the banks of the Gironde into a wide pedestrian boulevard punctuated with parks and gardens. This is the perfect place to walk, cycle, roller skate or just relax, while enjoying fabulous views of the city.

  There’s a massive water feature on the quays next to Place de la Bourse called the Miroir d’eau (water mirror), a large sheet of water, shallow enough to be walked on, which acts as a mirror reflecting the amazing architecture of the Place. It’s also great for cooling off when the weather gets hot and kids can have a blast splashing about.

• 

  The town centre

  There are so many fabulous buildings and monuments in the centre, it’s hard to pick just one. The tourist board organise a two-hour walk through the centre which takes in most of the main sights, including:

  - Grand Théatre

  - Cours de Chapeau-Rouge – neo classical architecture at its best

  - Place de la Bourse - where  you can also see the mirroir d’eau

  - Porte Cailhau – a renaissance triumphal arch

  - The Medieval Saint Pierre district

  - Saint-Andre catherdral

  - Palais Rohan – a former Archbishop’s residence, now the town hall.

  The tour is a great way to get your bearings and decide what you want to go back and visit at greater length during your Bordeaux holiday.

• 

  Quai des Marques – outlet village

  Unlike most shopping centres in France, this outlet village is open on Sundays, so it’s a great place to go while away a few hours and pick up some bargains when most other things are closed. If you’re driving, there’s parking nearby and a handy tram stop if you’re not.

  There’s a great view of the ultra-modern Chaban-Delmas lift bridge from the quay, so less enthusiastic shoppers can wait in one of the bars or restaurants watching the bridge lift to let boats through, while others are shopping in the 34 discount boutiques that stock over 400 brands.

   

• La Cité du Vin

  This space-age looking building is pretty much a temple to wine, everything you’ve ever wanted to know about it will be answered here. It’s a museum, a gallery, an exhibition space, a conference centre and a theatre, all rolled in to one amazing modern building and all focused on the glorious grape.

  Do a wine-tasting workshop and find out how to taste wine like a pro. You can ask all those questions you’ve always wanted to ask about top notes and legs without feeling stupid. A lot of the classes are in French so do check before booking if you’re not too fluent.
   

• 

  Musée de la Création Franche

  If you like your art a bit more challenging, then this little museum, slightly off the beaten track, is the place for you. The museum is a bit out of the centre so doesn’t get as much traffic as some of the more central museums, allowing you to really browse the exhibits. 

  This is not your usual art museum, so don’t go expecting classical works or well-known artists. This is all about art brut (outsider art), works by self-taught artists, psychiatric patients, children, anyone outside the official art scene. It’s raw, spontaneous and unpretentious and not everyone’s cup of tea.  

  The museum is open on Mondays, unlike a lot of other monuments and tourist sites in France. To get there, Stade Musard stop on Tramline C is about a 10 minute walk from the museum or you can take the bus.