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Voykit pocket guide · France
Bordeaux
Give Bordeaux 2–3 nights: one full day for the old town and riverfront, one for wine, and a half-day for Saint-Émilion or Arcachon.
Bordeaux is France's fifth-largest city, on the Garonne in the Gironde. Its 18th-century riverfront and old town are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the surrounding vineyards are the reason many people come. The centre is compact and walkable; most trips use it as a 2–3 night base with one wine day.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, busy), Nov–Feb (wet, grey)
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–90 excl. bed · Mid €110–170 excl. bed · High €200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- European emergency number 112 · Ambulance (SAMU) 15 · Police 17 · Fire 18
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café counter | €1.50–3 |
| Lunch menu (plat du jour) | €14–20 |
| Glass of Bordeaux wine | €5–9 |
| Dinner, mid-range, per person | €25–40 |
| Tram or bus single ticket | €1.80 (check) |
| Museum entry | €5–14 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €10–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BOD · Bordeaux-Mérignac
- 15 km (9.3 mi) west of the centre; Tram F to the city, about 35 min9.3 mi (15 km) west of the centre; Tram F to the city, about 35 min
Typical fares
- BOD airport → centre, Tram F
- €1.80, about 35 min (check)
- TBM day pass
- €5.50 (check)
- TGV Bordeaux → Paris Montparnasse
- about 2 h 10 min, from about €40 if booked early (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The centre is walkable and largely pedestrianised. Trams and buses (TBM) cover the rest: single ticket €1.80, ten tickets €15.70, day pass €5.50 (2026 estimate). Tram C links Gare Saint-Jean to the centre. The Batcub river bus is part of the same network.
See and do
Known for
- UNESCO-listed Port of the Moon riverfront
- Place de la Bourse and the Water Mirror
- Wine and the Cité du Vin
- Saint-Émilion day trips
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Saint-Émilion | TER train from Gare Saint-Jean, about 35–45 min, then walk uphill | About 1 h |
| Arcachon and the Dune du Pilat | TER train to Arcachon, about 50 min, then bus 1 to the dune | 1.5–2 h |
| Médoc châteaux | Train to Margaux or Pauillac, then taxi or bike between estates | 1–1.5 h |
| Soulac-sur-Mer | TER train via Pointe de Grave, about 2 h | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Saint-Pierre / old town
- Pedestrian lanes, restaurants and riverfront on foot; noisier at night.
- Chartrons
- Quiet riverbank district north of the centre, near the Cité du Vin; good for longer stays.
- Gare Saint-Jean
- Cheapest beds and direct trams and trains; 20–25 min walk from the sights.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Good day | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| Please | S'il vous plaîtseel voo PLEH |
| How much is it? | C'est combien ?say kom-BYEN |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaîtla-dee-SYON seel voo PLEH |
| Where is the tram stop? | Où est l'arrêt de tram ?oo ay la-REH duh tram |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- Pickpockets work the tram lines and around Gare Saint-Jean; keep bags zipped in front.
- Some bars near Place de la Victoire post no prices: ask the total before ordering.
- Summer afternoons hit 30 °C+ with little shade on the quays; plan indoor stops.
- The A630 beltway jams at rush hour; don't plan to drive into the centre.
Bordeaux is generally safe by day and busy at night. The real risks are pickpockets on trams and at Gare Saint-Jean, and bars without posted prices near Place de la Victoire: ask before you sit.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Bordeaux yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- UNESCO-listed Port of the Moon riverfront
- Place de la Bourse and the Water Mirror
- Wine and the Cité du Vin
- Saint-Émilion day trips
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Bordeaux Métropole tourist office: www.bordeaux-tourisme.com/
- Bordeaux city: www.bordeaux.fr
- Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport: www.bordeaux.aeroport.fr/en
- TBM public transport: www.infotbm.com
- Wikivoyage: Bordeaux, revision 5328023 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5328023
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Bordeaux
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The US has a consulate in Bordeaux (check the address); most other countries: consulates in Bordeaux or embassies in Paris.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/bordeaux). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.