Explore Bordeaux, famous for its wine but is also a bustling city with lots of historic sights to discover. It is listed as a World Heritage Site for being “an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble”. Lyon, the country’s second largest city, is listed too, and boasts a beautiful old centre as well as a number of Roman ruins. Strasbourg, one of the EU headquarters, has a character of its own, with clear German influences. Montpellier is one of the best places in the south, with lots of monumental buildings and nice cafés. In the west there’s the beautiful historic city of Nantes, home to the Château des ducs de Bretagne and many other monuments. The Capitole de Toulouse is situated right at the heart that famous university city’s street plan. Last but not least, don’t overlook Arles, with its World Heritage Listed Roman and Romanesque Monuments.

You’ll be raising your glass many times in Bordeaux, which is renowned for its wines, considered amongst the best in the world. As the capital of the department Gironde in the region Aquitaine, it has one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area. After years of neglect, the former wet docks are the country’s new hot spot, with a number of cafés, gardens, and museums springing up all the time. A lively university community of over 60,000, (Bordeaux Campus is the largest in France) establishes that Bordeaux is about more than just wine.

Bordeaux is considered a very tolerant and relaxed. The cultural, artistic, and music scenes are very vibrant. The city was ruled by the English for a long time, which is why Bordeaux seems to have an “English flair”.

Bordeaux is often referred to as “Little Paris” and the rivalry between the “Bordelais” and “Parisiens” is a hot subject, so you may experience some heated arguments on the subject during your stay.

Geography Bordeaux is a flat city, built on the banks of the Garonne River. It is also the largest French city by area and geographically one of the largest in Europe. The Garonne merges a dozen kilometers below the city with another river, the Dordogne River to form the Gironde Estuary, which is biggest estuary in France.

The city centre is located west and south of the Garonne. To the east are a few hills – the only ones in the vicinity. These hills mark the beginning of an industrial zone and suburbs. Because it is a flat city, bicycles make excellent modes of transport, especially as the city has more than 580 km of cycle tracks. Bordeaux is among the most economically dynamic cities in France.

Due to the weakness of the subsoil, there are no skyscrapers in Bordeaux, which explains its sprawl. The centre of the town has retained its traditional stone mansions and smart terraces, hence the reason behind the city being called “Little Paris”.

Modern buildings can be found to the west (administrative centre) and south (university) of the city.

You can reach Bordeaux By plane. Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport is west of the city. It is a regional airport which serves mostly domestic flights, though there are international flights as well connecting Bordeaux to some European “hub” airports like Paris (Orly and Roissy), London (Gatwick and Luton), Madrid, and Amsterdam.

Bergerac Dordogne Périgord Airport is served by a number of airlines. As of 2017, the airport is not served by any public transport.

From Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport there are TGV high-speed train services from the railway station which is adjacent to Terminal 2 to Bordeaux Saint Jean station. The quickest journey time for a direct train is 3 hrs 33 mins.

The main train station (Gare Saint Jean) is located about 4km from the centre of town. Several trains per day (around one every two hours) go north (to Paris, about 2 -3 hours, 25 trains a day , Angoulême, Poitiers), south (to Toulouse, Marseille, Montpellier (about 4 to 5 hours), up to Nice), and east (to Périgueux and Clermont-Ferrand).

Buses, trams and taxis leave from in-front of the station. Take Tram C to get to downtown if you are going to the more northern part, or a bus if you are going to the area around Place de la Victoire.

Bordeaux is quite a big city; however, most of the interesting attractions are in the town centre. It is not recommended that visitors drive as it is always a hassle to park, and there are often traffic jams in the narrow, old streets of the city.

The most interesting way to explore the city is by walking. As most of the town centre is a ‘pedestrian area’, this is easy to do. If you like sports, you can rent roller-skates or a bike or you can make your way in town using the various bus lines. A small ferry boat permits to go from the western shore of the river to the eastern shore, and vice-versa.

Three efficient tramway lines are also available (A, B, and C), tickets cost 1.50€ and covers unlimited journeys within one hour of validation. The machines do not accept notes so you will need a French Carte Bancaire or coins.

Bordeaux is a historic city with many tourist attractions. The main districts are briefly presented here, which are listed according to their distance from the railway station.

• Les Quais— Great for going for a nice walk on the shores of the Garonne, enjoying a ride on a ferry boat, viewing a stunning landscape over the bridges of Bordeaux, or dancing the night away in the city’s many nightclubs. The Aquitaine Bridge is an architectural achievement unique in France.
• The Jacques-Chaban-Delmas lift bridge; located between the “Quais” and the “Aquitaine Bridge”. Opened in 2013, it features a liftable deck, which goes up to 53 metres (170 ft), to enable cruise ships and historical sailboats to dock close to the Quinconces Square.
• La Victoire — Historical monuments meet student life and bars.
• The Pedestrian Centre — If you plan on shopping, or are looking for cultural activities, Bordeaux has a lot to offer – and it starts right here.
• Gambetta Square — the rich districts of Bordeaux start north – this part of the town is nicknamed “Little Paris“.
• Quinconces Square — Be sure to check out the fountain monument to the Girondins, a group of moderate, bourgeois National Assembly deputies during the French Revolution.
• Meriadeck — the administrative centre of Bordeaux, with one of the biggest libraries in France.

Do not miss the Victory Arch (Roman architecture), at the centre of La Vicroire

 and a great example of the town’s Roman roots.

Relax and take a picnic in the lush Public Gardens, north of Gambetta square.

The Girondins memorial on the Quinconces square is a fitting tribute to the Members of Parliament from Gironde who were guillotined by Robespierre.

• Musee D’Art Contemporain at 7, rue Ferrère. Definitely worth a visit if you are interested in Modern Art. The Richard Long slate line-up on the roof is a permanent feature. Exhibits are always changing and the museum is an inspiring place for installations. The CAPC is open Tuesday to Sunday 11AM-6PM (to 8PM Wednesday), closed Monday; admission is €5.50 (£4), but free on the first Sunday of the month.
• Musee D’Aquitaine, 20, cours Pasteur. Stunning museum that exhibits Gallo-Roman statues and relics dating back 25,000 years. Hours- 11AM – 6PM Tue-Sun. Free entry for permanent collections; temporary exhibits cost around €5 for adults.
• Musee national des douanes(Customs National Museum), 1 place de la Bourse. 10AM – 6PM.Tue-Sun. a historical museum of the french customs administration. Unique in France, it reflects the history of France through commerce, trade and taxes and hosts an original painting by Claude Monet. Entry fee for permanent and temporary collections €3 for adults, free for children. Audioguides in english lent for €2.