Today I want to bring you an advertising feature in partnership with Atout France for an itinerary for 3 days in Bordeaux. This city is famous for wine, but there’s a lot more to it than that. I’m going to show you the highlights of visiting Bordeaux and the surrounding area. Get ready to get excited about this place and see what really matters here.
3 Days in Bordeaux
I’m in town to see the sights and discover a range of what the city has to offer. From historic streets to acclaimed restaurants and hip hotels, there’s a lot to love here.
Bordeaux is the capital of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the largest region in France. This vast area is home to cities like Poitiers, fairy-tale areas like the Dordogne Valley, seaside towns like Biarritz, and islands like the Ile de Re.
Where to Stay for 3 Days in Bordeaux
I arrive on a direct flight from London the night before my itinerary starts. A driver picks me up from Bordeaux airport, and his car is a Tesla with doors that open like the ones in Back to the Future. I can already tell I’m in for a special experience.
The driver takes me to my accommodation, Hotel La Zoologie. This stylish place was once the Institute of Zoology, and the lobby still retains traces of the former signage.
My room is spacious and has a big bathtub in the middle, and the ground floor has a bar and restaurant with colorful decor.
3 Days in Bordeaux: Day 1
After a good night’s sleep, I start my 3 days in Bordeaux with a private guided walking tour of the city.
My guide, Bruno, is a Bordeaux native. He shows me both the big attractions and the secret places he loves. From UNESCO World Heritage Sites to riverside terraces and bakeries selling the city’s signature caneles, we see it all.
We start at Bordeaux Cathedral, where Bruno tells me about the history of the city. Bordeaux was part of England for several centuries, and it was once a hub for international trade. Learning the background of the city sets a good tone for the visit.
From the cathedral we take in other highlights like the 18th-century Hotel de Ville and the Place des Quinconces, one of the largest city squares in Europe.
We also stop at the Grand Theatre de Bordeaux, a stunning building with an 18th-century facade topped with sculptures. We even go inside to admire the sweeping staircases and historic atmosphere.
Elsewhere, we pop into the CAPC Museum of Contemporary Art to see works by Richard Long and admire the high ceilings and dramatic arches in what was once a warehouse for goods imported from the Americas.
Between landmarks, Bruno takes me into a famous bookshop called Mollat. He says it’s the largest independent bookstore in France. My inner literature lover is in heaven.
We also duck into churches like the 17th-century Eglise Notre-Dame and stand in awe of the Place de la Bourse and adjacent Miroir d’Eau, the world’s largest reflecting pool.
After all the walking, we stop for lunch at Pastel. This riverside restaurant has outdoor tables, and we sit at one to enjoy good food and wine as we watch the world go by.
After lunch, the first of my 3 days in Bordeaux continues as Bruno takes me across the river to the right bank of the Garonne.
Here we find ourselves in a more modern atmosphere, with a string of contemporary architectural works leading us to the unique Darwin area.
A former military barracks, Darwin is now home to restaurants, shops, an indoor skateboarding arena, and art exhibitions. Across the street, the hip Chantiers de la Garonne bar has its own beach with views over the river.
Later in the day, I head back to the left bank to go to an award-winning wine bar called Le Metropolitain. I settle into a big cheese plate full of everything from Manchego to Comte, then let my server choose a mystery wine for me.
After I taste it, he reveals it’s Aurore de Dauzac, a vegan wine made from a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s delicious.
From Le Metropolitain I float over to Frida, a cocktail bar and restaurant on a narrow street in the historic city center. A Spritz Bordelais made with local Lillet Rose goes down a treat as I dine on roasted cauliflower in a lively atmosphere.
3 Days in Bordeaux: Day 2
The next morning the second of my 3 days in Bordeaux starts with a self-guided tour of the Chartrons district. Just north of the city center, this ancient 14th-century neighborhood features a mix of the bourgeois and the bohemian.
Originally built around the Chartreux Abbey, Chartrons is now home to wine museums, antiques shops, open-air markets, and cafes. As I walk down Rue Notre Dame, I can’t help thinking how much the area reminds me of the Marais in Paris.
After exploring, I take the tram up the river to the Bassins a Flots district for lunch at Le Familia.
This restaurant in the Halles de Bacalan food market has stylish decor and a great outdoor area for al fresco dining. I settle in and relish a plate of tuna tartare as the sun shines down on me. The meal is one of my favorites of the trip.
After lunch I head across the street to La Cite du Vin, a cultural center dedicated to the universal living heritage of wine.
Set in a stunning contemporary building on the river, its temporary exhibitions and permanent displays offer a range of interactive ways to discover the world of wine and its history. There are panoramic views from the top floor, too.
I enjoy everything from an exhibition on the ancient history of wine to videos of wine-growing regions and audio guides to various elements of the wine-making process.
After visiting La Cite du Vin, I walk over to Les Bassins de Lumieres. This center for digital art is set in a former submarine base. As I enter, I’m immersed in a world of painting.
A light-and-sound show projects the works of artists like Monet and Chagall onto the walls and water. As it does, everything from classical compositions to Janis Joplin plays in the background. It’s a spectacular sensory experience.
From Les Bassins de Lumieres I make my way to dinner at Les Tables Vatel. In a series of small dining rooms, the restaurant offers bistronomic cuisine and local wines.
I settle in for the evening, enjoying fresh fish in a nod to Bordeaux’s proximity to the Atlantic coast of France.
3 Days in Bordeaux: Day 3
The following day my 3 days in Bordeaux continue with a climb to the top of the 15th-century Saint Michel Bell Tower. This free-standing number is nicknamed “La Fleche” (The Spire).
It’s 376 feet (114.6 meters) high, and the views from the top are stunning. I can see everything from the river to the medieval gates in the city center.
After the tower, I walk through the narrow streets of the Saint Michel district before heading to lunch at the Puy Paulin restaurant.
It features classic French bistro decor, and my meal is a feast of vegetable crudites, grilled prawns, and an assortment of desserts.
In the afternoon I head out into the countryside on a small-group wine tour with Olala Bordeaux. Called “An Afternoon in Margaux”, it takes me and two others to two wineries for tours and tastings.
First we stop at a small, family-run winery called Chateau Haut Breton, then we go to a larger winery called Chateau Dauzac. We’re here during the harvest, and it’s fun to watch the grape-sorting in action before trying the wines.
Between tastings, we pop into famous places like Chateau Margaux and visit other eye-catching buildings and vineyards in the area.
The tour is a great way to taste the region’s iconic wines and get a feel for the landscapes, villages, and vineyards of the Margaux area.
I haven’t been back here since I ran the Medoc Marathon years ago, and it’s nice to be able to taste the wines without having to run between the wineries!
Back in Bordeaux, I head to dinner at Le 1925. This restaurant has a great Parisian brasserie feel that’s reminiscent of the 1920s. All blue and gold, it’s an atmospheric place to dine on seared tuna and enjoy more of Bordeaux’s good wine.
3 Days in Bordeaux
The next morning my 3 days in Bordeaux come to an end. But my trip to Nouvelle-Aquitaine isn’t over yet. This is the largest region in France, after all, and I can’t leave without seeing more of it.
I’m off to Haute-Vienne and Limoges next, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store. Stay tuned…
This is an advertising feature with Atout France and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Tourism Board. You can learn more about Bordeaux at https://www.bordeaux-tourism.co.uk and Nouvelle-Aquitaine at https://www.nouvelle-aquitaine-tourisme.com/en.
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