Tourist Attractions in Bordeaux

The most interesting and beautiful tourist sites in Bordeaux

Photos, reviews, descriptions, and links to maps

About Bordeaux

The first vineyards in Bordeaux were created by the ancient Romans. It was they who established the winemaking traditions that later made the region famous throughout the world. The Romans also gave an impetus to shipping and the development of trade relations, thanks to which through the centuries Bordeaux turned into the largest cultural centre of France, not inferior in anything to Paris.

Above all, Bordeaux is known for its gastronomic traditions. Who has not heard of the excellent local wines? Moreover, the elegant, smooth, aristocratic streets and squares of the city attract thousands of tourists every year. Here one can feel true French refinement and the ability to enjoy life. The refined atmosphere of Bordeaux can be felt in the Port of the Moon, on the square of Saint Andre Cathedral and on the banks of the picturesque Garonne River.

Top-20 Tourist Attractions in Bordeaux

 0/5

The Port of the Moon is an allegorical name for the architectural ensemble of Bordeaux’s historic centre, which is located by the Garonne (Gironde) River. Picturesque buildings in classical style are arranged in a semicircle on its banks. The complex of buildings includes: the Town Hall, the Grand Theatre, the Place de la Bourse, St. Catherine’s, the Caillot Gate and the Hotel Labottiere. The Port of Luna has played an important strategic role since Roman times.

Place de la Bourse

 4.6/5

16708 reviews

The square is located on the Garonne quay. Its Baroque architectural appearance developed in the 18th century. The project was designed by A. J. Gabriel. The square is surrounded by the buildings of the Customs Museum and the Exchange Palace. The main decoration of this place is the Fountain of Mirrors, which is a wide and flat surface flooded with water. With the help of special atomisers, tiny drops are sprayed into the air, which sometimes creates a fog over the square.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

Place du Parlement

 4.5/5

3525 reviews

A small square in the Italian manner, located near the cathedral of Bordeaux. Most of the opulent mansions surrounding the square were built in the 18th century. In the centre is the 1865 neo-Renaissance fountain of the Parliament, installed thanks to the efforts of G.-A. Brochon, one of the mayors of Bordeaux. The Parliament Square is a historical monument of France.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

Place des Quinconces

 4.5/5

1919 reviews

The main square of Bordeaux, one of the most impressive squares in Europe. The huge space of Kincons can accommodate a large number of people, which is why fairs and concerts are constantly organised here. In 1883, a monument to the Girondists, representatives of one of the political parties of the French Revolution, who were persecuted by the Convent, was erected on the square.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

National Opera of Bordeaux

 4.6/5

8479 reviews

The magnificent building of the Grand Theatre was erected in the classical style on the site of a Roman temple in ancient times. This fact may have influenced the choice of the building’s appearance. The façade of the theatre corresponds to the canons of the ancient Corinthian order, the portico is supplemented with statues of goddesses of the Roman pantheon. The architect V. Louis was invited for the construction. Since the XVIII century, the Bordeaux theatre scene has been the centre of the city’s cultural life.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 1:00 – 6:30 PM
Friday: 1:00 – 6:30 PM
Saturday: 1:00 – 6:30 PM
Sunday: Closed

Hôtel de ville de Bordeaux

 3.4/5

564 reviews

The palace previously served as the residence of the Archbishop of Bordeaux, F. M. de Rogan. The complex was built in the XVIII century under the direction of the guest architect V. Louis, who also worked on the project of the Grand Theatre of Bordeaux. The building changed owners several times. During the Revolution it was the seat of the tribunal, during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte it was the imperial palace, and since 1835 it has housed the Bordeaux City Hall and museum.

Open time

Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 11:30 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux

 4.6/5

11608 reviews

Bordeaux Cathedral, dedicated to St Andrew (in Orthodox tradition he is known as St Andrew the First-Called). The building was erected in the XI century on the site of a ruined temple of the IX century. Over the long period of its existence, the cathedral has undergone several interior redesigns and facade renovations. With each new reconstruction, its appearance has gradually changed, while retaining the reference Gothic features.

Open time

Monday: 3:00 – 7:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 7:00 PM
Thursday: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 7:00 PM
Friday: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 7:00 PM
Sunday: 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 7:00 PM

Pey Berland Tower

 4.5/5

3133 reviews

The tower is located on the square of the same name, which was named in honour of Archbishop P. Berlan. The personality of this minister of the church has remained in history due to the fact that he founded the city’s university for underprivileged students. The tower is the bell tower of St André Cathedral, although it is somewhat distant from it. The structure was built in 1863, and in 1869 an 8-tonne bell was hoisted to its summit.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM, 2:00 – 5:30 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM, 2:00 – 5:30 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM, 2:00 – 5:30 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM, 2:00 – 5:30 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM, 2:00 – 5:30 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM, 2:00 – 5:30 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM, 2:00 – 5:30 PM

Basilique Saint-Michel

 4.4/5

4736 reviews

The church is located on Place Menard, near the Pont du Pierre bridge. The church was built in the XV-XVI centuries to a design by J. Leb. The church was built in a graceful architectural style known as “flaming Gothic”. The bell tower of the basilica is located at some distance from the main building. The bell tower is almost 115 metres long, making it one of the tallest church buildings in the world.

Open time

Monday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Church of Our Lady of Bordeaux

 4.6/5

1118 reviews

An expressive Baroque church built at the very beginning of the 18th century. The building has a very opulent and pompous façade with a lot of ornamentation, decorated with sculptures and bas-reliefs. The stained glass window has an image of the Virgin Mary. The interior spaces are connected by arched galleries. The walls of the church are painted with skilful frescoes of the XVIII-XIX centuries.

Open time

La Cité du Vin

 4.2/5

21537 reviews

The Bordeaux region is famous for its excellent wines all over the world. You can learn more about the history of winemaking, the varieties of the drink and the peculiarities of its production in the “City of Wine”. This is an interesting museum located in a modern building called the “Wine Guggenheim”. The museum opened in 2016, and quickly gained popularity among fans and connoisseurs of the grape drink.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Musée d'Aquitaine

 4.5/5

3780 reviews

In the 18th century, the Museum of Stone Sculpture was founded in Bordeaux to house artefacts from the Roman period found in the surrounding area. From 1962-63 it became a regional museum of ethnography, archaeology and history. In its present form, the collection has existed since 1987. The exposition covers a rather extensive historical period, with about 70 thousand exhibits on 5 thousand m².

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Grosse Cloche

 4.6/5

5018 reviews

In the Middle Ages, the tower was part of Bordeaux’s urban fortification system. It is believed to have been built in the 15th century on the site of a ruined gate. The Grosse Cloche is on the city’s coat of arms and is a symbol of Bordeaux. The building acquired its modern appearance in the XVIII century, when the two side towers acquired cone-shaped roofs. The northern façade is decorated with figures of fairy gargoyles, and the centre is the face of an astronomical clock.

Open time

Porte Cailhau

 4.5/5

4719 reviews

In the 15th century, the Cayo Gate (or Palace Gate) was the main entrance to Bordeaux. The gate was built after the victory of the Battle of Fornovo, when Charles VIII’s troops defeated the Italian army. The architectural style of the building represents a transition from Gothic to Renaissance, which somewhat sets it apart from the surrounding landscape, giving it a slight “medieval” flavour.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 2:00 – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 2:00 – 6:00 PM
Friday: 2:00 – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM, 2:00 – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM, 2:00 – 6:00 PM

Rue Sainte-Catherine

 4.3/5

508 reviews

The street is about 1.3 kilometres long and has more than 200 different shops. It can be called the main shopping artery of Bordeaux. Since the 70s of the XX century, the alley became pedestrianised, which further increased tourist traffic. In addition to shops, there are several historical sights, among them – a Gothic cross on the site of an ancient cemetery and the church of St Simeon, built in the XIV century.

Base sous-marine

 4.6/5

5292 reviews

The base was laid out before the outbreak of World War II by agreement with Hitler, when the Italian navy was stationed in the area. Italian and German submarines were based here. The place was reliably protected from bombardment, so the ships were practically unharmed during air raids. Nowadays, the gloomy concrete docks of the former base are home to an exhibition centre.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Pont Jacques Chaban Delmas

 4.5/5

2971 reviews

Vertical lift bridge over the Garonne River, built in 2013. Its opening was attended by President F. Hollande and the Mayor of Bordeaux A. Juppé. Juppe. The structure is equipped with a lift that lifts passengers to a 50-metre height. Every few days the bridge is opened to allow ships to pass through the harbour of Bordeaux. The structure was named in honour of J. Chaban-Delmas, former Prime Minister.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

Pont de Pierre

 4.7/5

1172 reviews

An old 19th century bridge over the Garonne, designed by C. Deschamps. It was commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte himself. The structure is a series of arched spans based on ancient Roman bridges. The piers are decorated with medallions depicting Napoleon’s profile. In the evening, the Pont de Pierre is illuminated by a system of floodlights, which gives it a very romantic appearance.

Open time

La Garonne

 4.8/5

4 reviews

The river originates in the central Pyrenees and flows into the Bay of Biscay. The total length of the riverbed is 647 kilometres. The Garonne is an important navigable artery of France and has several hydroelectric power stations and reservoirs. The river flows through the cities of Toulouse, Bordeaux and Agen. It overflows with enviable periodicity, which causes problems in the settlements located on its banks.

Bordeaux Wine Trails - Wine tours

 4.9/5

318 reviews

Bordeaux is the oldest wine-growing region of France, where the best quality drinks are produced using traditional technologies. Local (and not only) tourist companies offer a huge number of interesting wine and gastronomic excursions, during which tourists visit vineyards, factories, wine cellars, taste different varieties and learn to distinguish one wine from another.

Open time

Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 1:00 – 5:00 PM
Sunday: Closed