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On lonelyplanet.es and in the new 'Bordeaux up close' guide
In addition to giving its name to one of the most famous wine appellations of origin in the world,
Bordeaux
is a perfect city for a weekend getaway, or simply to enjoy the
savoir vivre
(good living) that the French love so much.
This
world heritage
city
on the banks of the Garonne River, a stone's throw from elegant places of the Atlantic summer such as Arcachon, is also the place that marked the last artistic stage of the universal Francisco de Goya (1746-1828) and one of the most renowned destinations among the French themselves for its rich gastronomy and relaxed lifestyle.
Bordeaux is often visited to stroll among its
antique dealers
and large
mansions
;
to taste its
prestigious wines
in spectacular wineries, to taste the
most exquisite recipes in
its restaurants and cafes;
and to be surprised with the
delicatessen
of its
gourmet
shops
.
But Bordeaux has changed in recent years: it is no longer just a
bourgeois and elegant city
but also a vitalist capital, a
magnet for students and artists
.
This charming city of contrasts is best known by walking through it, entering the neighborhoods that have forged its character over the centuries and peering into the more modern ones with which it proudly projects itself into the future.
The Mirror of Water, in front of the Place de la Bourse, in the center of Bordeaux.
Horizon Images ALAMY
Saint Pierre
,
the neighborhood of the guilds
This iconic area of Bordeaux's old town rests behind the majestic
Place de la Bourse
(Stock Exchange Square), inaugurated in 1749 to break the corsets of the old medieval walled city and open it to the Garonne River.
At present, its classic architecture is reflected in the Espejo de Agua, one of the most characteristic and photographed spaces in the city.
Saint Pierre occupies the space of the old Gallic-Roman port that served as a refuge for ships loaded with merchandise before leaving again for the different provinces.
Around this place, and over the centuries, many businesses flourished.
In fact, the names of its streets still evoke the trades of yesteryear: Rue des Argentiers (silversmiths), Rue des Bahutiers (chest merchants), Rue du Chai des Farines (grain stores).
This is a neighborhood of small streets, most of them pedestrianized, and of pretty squares, which invites you to explore it on foot and without haste, a true lesson in the history of the Girondin capital, from medieval times to the Enlightenment.
It takes its name from
the Saint-Pierre church
, in the heart of the neighborhood and built in the 14th century, although remodeled in the 19th.
With a portico in flamboyant Gothic style, the only thing that has remained from its origin are the choir and the south facade.
The interior is spectacular, thanks to its meticulously sculpted pointed vaults, 19th century stained glass windows and a 17th century wooden Pietà.
La Galerie Bordelaise, a neoclassical glazed passageway in the Saint Pierre neighborhood.
Jerónimo Alba alamy
The neighborhood is crossed by the longest street in the city, the commercial
Rue Sainte-Catherine
, today full of shops, and which in its day was one of the two main Roman roads of the primitive fort that gave rise to the city.
At its intersection with
Rue de la Porte-Dijeaux
, the other great Roman avenue, is the
Galerie Bordelaise
, a neoclassical passage built in 1833 and somewhat neglected today, but with that decadent elegance that the marble coating gives it. , mirrors and sculpted flower crowns.
A good starting point for visiting Saint Pierre is the
Place de la Bourse
, overlooking the Garonne River, designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel, the architect of Versailles, in the mid-18th century to open the fortress city, enclosed behind its walls. stone for centuries.
Among the palaces that surround the square, there is the
National Customs Museum
, with a curious border office admirably restored.
But the greatest success of the reform of the Garonne quays is the so-called
Miroir d'eau
(
Mirror of Water
), a large esplanade that has served as a meeting and recreation point for citizens since it was built in 2006. This reflecting pool of blue granite is covered in a thin layer of water, only two centimeters deep, with 900 foggers that activate several times an hour, creating a thick mist over the water, transforming passersby into ghostly figures.
In summer it becomes a kind of miniature beach where you can cool off.
And, uninterruptedly, the facades of the buildings that make up the square are reflected in this particular mirror, giving rise to one of the most recurrent postcards of Bordeaux in the 21st century.
At the southern edge of the neighborhood, the imposing
Porte Cailhau
erupts
with its turrets and pinnacles raised towards the sky, a mixture of defensive tower and ornamental building, between medieval and Renaissance.
Dedicated to King
Charles VIII
to commemorate his victory at the Battle of Fornovo, fought in the surroundings of Parma (Italy) in 1495, it is one of the most beautiful entrances to the historic center of Bordeaux.
Nearby there are obligatory stops
for
those who practice gastronomic tourism, such as
Comptoir Bordelais
, a beautiful grocery store where we can buy lamprey (the oldest fish on the planet) Bordeaux mixture, harvester terrine,
duck
foie gras
… And other
local
delicatessen
.
To taste a good cheese board you have to go to
Fromagerie Deruelle
, with a multitude of varieties and presentations.
And for a snack, it is better to drop by the
Fabrique Pains et Bricoles
, which has very tasty proposals such as muffins, the best in town, or apple bread.
Another of the neighborhood's emblematic sites is the
Utopia
, an auteur cinema that is the cradle of the neighborhood's cultural development.
It occupies the old church of Sant-Simenon, from the 15th century.
Just like the
Café de l'Utopia
, a meeting point for Bordeaux moviegoers with a splendid terrace to enjoy the sun.
Another magnificent terrace overlooking the docks is that of the
Grand Bar Castan
.
Its interior has a cave-like appearance thanks to the thick rock that covers the walls;
outside, a magnificent historic marquee decorated with stained glass gives shelter to a large terrace.
And one last must-see before leaving the old town:
La Machine à lire
, one of the most attractive independent bookstores in the city, housed in a 17th-century building.
The other great independent bookstore,
Librairie Mollart
, this one in the Pey Berlant neighborhood: it opened in 1896 and has an impressive literary background.
Les Grands Hommes shopping center (in the background), in the historic center of Bordeaux.
Architect's Eye Alamy
Quinconces, to eat, buy and enjoy
Built in the 18th century, this is one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Bordeaux, concentrating the most elegant streets of the city.
The most exclusive shops line the streets that in a star shape surround the
Grands-Hommes market,
built in 1860 but completely renovated in 2019 to recover the splendor of the original project.
Inside
, delicatessen
shops proliferate
, as
well as select butchers, cheese shops and bakeries.
Nearby it is impossible not to see the
Esplanade de los Quinconces, which claims to be the largest square in Europe, with its 126,000 square meters
and its monument to the Girondists, located at the western end of the square and built to honor the moderate politicians contrary to the postulates of Robespierre who were executed during the French Revolution (1789-1799).
Today it is an amazing sight, with bronze horses and warriors surrounding a central column, all crowned with a statue of liberty.
In this exclusive district also stands the
Grand Théâtre,
a sumptuous late 18th century building built on the remains of a Gallo-Roman temple, the Pillars of Tutelle, destroyed during the reign of Louis XIV.
Today it houses the
National Opera of Bordeaux
, which, like so many other European opera houses, is neoclassical in style, with a facade of columns crowned by statues of muses and goddesses, a grandiose prelude to what awaits us inside.
A good starting point for exploring the neighborhood is the
place de la Comédie
, a pedestrianized esplanade at the intersection of several historic districts.
Opposite the Grand Théâtre, the luxurious
Intercontinental Grand Hôtel
also boasts a neoclassical façade.
Both are illuminated at dusk in a play of light that enhances their impressive silhouettes.
Another of the landmarks of the neighborhood is the baroque church of
Notre-Dame
, as is the
passage Sarget,
one of those glass and metal shopping galleries opened at the end of the 19th century.
Today it continues to host shops and cafes under a beautiful metal structure accompanied by a decoration in honor of Mercury, god of commerce.
And for a pleasant walk, there is the
great avenue of Allées de Tourny,
shaded by four rows of trees.
It is a road opened in the 18th century, surrounded by magnificent mansions from that time, with some very interesting facades.
enlarge photo Exhibition of the artist Nicolas Boulard at the Regional Fund for Contemporary Art (FRAC).
hemis alamy
Those who go in search of gastronomic temples, in this neighborhood have three essential visits.
Le Quatrième MUR
, with its two Michelin stars, is the restaurant of the media chef
Philippe Etchebest,
inside the Grand Théâtre, with an
affordable
brasserie
menu
that allows you to enjoy the magnificent surroundings without mortgaging.
Just across the street is his British counterpart,
the equally famous Gordon Ramsay
, offering two options: a two-star restaurant, the
Pressoir d'Argent
, and a
more popular
brasserie
,
featuring
local produce.
Finally,
Le Chapon fin
is a true monument to Bordeaux cuisine, where the current chef,
Cédric Bobinet
, signs a return to high-flying traditional cuisine.
And to indulge in the sweet pleasure of desserts,
Cadiot-Badie
is, for many, the best chocolate shop in Bordeaux, with a wide assortment of specialties, such as San Cristóbal leaves (milk chocolate with spices and pieces of almond) or the
guinettes
(cherries macerated in alcohol and wrapped in chocolate).
The second stop for exquisite palates is
Fromagerie Jean d'Alos
, the most prestigious cheese shop in Bordeaux, with almost 200 varieties and an expert staff to clear our doubts.
An electric tram passes by the Saint-André cathedral in Bordeaux.
Ian Dagnall alamy
Pey- Berland, museums and shopping
The most interesting museums in the city and the liveliest shopping streets are concentrated in the Pey-Berland district, dominated by the round silhouette of the
Saint-André cathedral
.
This Gothic marvel, built in the Middle Ages on an ancient Roman basilica, captures all eyes once you set foot on
Place Pey-Berland
.
In that temple, which is part of the Camino de Santiago, several royal weddings were held, including that of Louis XIII and the Spanish Infanta Ana de Austria, in 1615. From its free-standing bell tower, the
Pey-Berland Tower
, panoramic views are obtained splendid streets of Bordeaux, for which before it is necessary to climb 233 steps and a winding spiral staircase.
In fact, this bell tower never had a proper bell until relatively recently, when after serving multiple purposes - it became a shotgun factory - it was restored to its original function in 1851. Today it contains four monumental bells with an electric motor.
In this area of the city there is also the City Hall, installed in the
Rohan Palace
since 1837, and which previously and for a long time housed the archbishops of the city.
Rebuilt in the 18th century today it is an imposing neoclassical building preceded by a vast cobbled courtyard.
But, above all, we are in the area of the great art galleries, such as the
Museum of Fine Arts
, which brings together works from the Venetian school, beautiful Flemish and Dutch paintings from the 17th century and some French paintings from the 18th century.
It also has a part dedicated to modern art.
Another cultural attraction is the
Galerie des Beaux-Arts
, conceived at the same time as the buildings of the Universal Exposition of 1937, and which houses temporary exhibitions from the Museum of Fine Arts.
In the
Museum of Decorative Arts and Design (MADD)
an interesting collection is assembled in various rooms that reconstruct the refined Bordeaux interiors of other centuries.
The
Art Deco
style
developed in the 1920s and 1930s around the
Lescure park
.
This extensive urban development program, launched in 1925, coincided with the expansion of the city to the west.
It's a set of pleasant shady streets with graceful mansions with clean-lined porches, slanted windows, and facades adorned with stylized medallions and modern-inspired roses.
A good inn to eat is
Racines (roots, in French)
, where Scottish chef
Daniel Gallacher
, after passing through Alain Ducasse's school, quickly conquered the Bordeaux public with his high-flying cuisine, although quite affordable.
The menu changes every week according to the market, which means that it is almost always full.
The architectural curiosity is
the new court of first instance
designed by the British
Richard Rogers
, which attracts the attention with its play of transparencies and its courtrooms aligned in a rounded way.
La Grosse Cloche is the last vestige of the ramparts erected in the 13th century to defend the city.
mattjeacock getty images
La Grosse Cloche, bohemian charm
La Grosse Cloche (Big Bell, in Spanish) is one of the most charming neighborhoods in the old town of Bordeaux.
Safe from the crowds of
Rue Sainte-Catherine
, we will find bohemian cafes and alternative venues in charming squares and cobbled alleys with Renaissance buildings rejuvenated after painstaking restorations.
The neighborhood is named after its most famous bell tower, one of the oldest in France: its bells have been setting the pace of Bordeaux life since the 13th century.
Here too, we find the oldest house in Bordeaux, a venerable 13th-century building, recognizable by its two elaborate Gothic windows.
The walk can begin in
Fernand Lafargue Square
, a former market site in the Middle Ages, a place that exudes a pleasant provincial air thanks to its lively terraces.
From there a modern pedestrian street full of shops and cafes (Saint-James) starts, which leads to the famous Grosse Cloche.
This is a perfect neighborhood to get lost in its cobbled alleys flanked by mansions from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, including the former residence of Montaigne, or the oldest house in Bordeaux, which belonged to
Jeanne de Lartigue, Montesquieu's wife.
La
Grosse Cloche
is the last vestige of the ramparts erected in the 13th century to defend the city.
It is an imposing monument formed by two huge towers that flank the famous bell, topped by a golden leopard, which also served as the bell tower of the town hall, which was once nearby.
As a last clue, a curious place:
L'Athénée Libertaire
is a space for anarchist activism, active since the 1960s and which still regularly organizes exhibitions and concerts and has a bookstore.
The neo-Romanesque church of Sainte Croix, in the Saint-Michel district.
Hemis ALAMY
Saint Michel and Sainte Croix, markets and antique dealers
This is another of the riverside neighborhoods, south of Saint Pierre, but much less touristy than the rest of downtown.
It is a charming residential place, which tells us about its old history as we walk through the alleys that go down to the river, although it also has a more modern side: that of the immigrants who have settled here over the decades.
Its imprint has been felt in many of the markets, in which ancient charm is mixed with oriental flavors, around the stalls of bread, meat, cheese, fruit, vegetables, mint and coriander, as well as clothing and accessories .
The aromas of spices and fresh herbs awaken the senses, with Saturday being the best day to visit.
Saint Michel is also a neighborhood of antique dealers, many of them in the
passage Saint Michel,
or in the stalls of the Saturday market.
After shopping, a break is welcome: if the weather is nice, people look for a table on the terraces around the Aguja de Saint Michel, the bell tower of the cathedral of the same name, to sunbathe and enjoy the bustle of a Saturday market.
But the spiritual heart resides in the
Saint Michel basilica
, in flamboyant Gothic style, declared a world heritage site by Unesco.
Its bell tower was built at the end of the 16th century and since then it offers imposing views of the city.
The other nearby church is that
of Sainte Croix
, both Romanesque and Neo-Romanesque.
It functioned for a long time as an abbey of a Benedictine convent and was built on the remains of a necropolis in the 11th and 12th centuries.
A walk through the
poetic hanging garden of the walls
is also appreciated
, which recalls certain paintings by romantic painters from the 19th century.
From here you can see the whole neighborhood: the Sainte Croix church, the Capuchin market… It is a beautiful walk away from the tumult of the city, with the opportunity to see the remains of the 14th century wall.
The counterpoint is
La Méca (acronym for Maison de l'Économie Créative et de la Culture en Aquitaine)
, the spearhead of the new district of
Belcier
and which draws attention above all for its architecture.
It is a concrete arch installed on the banks of the Garonne, designed by the Danish
Bjarke Ingels
.
This new
18,000 square meter
cultural center
houses a multimedia library, show space and art gallery.
And it brings together two cultural institutions (one dedicated to books and cinema, the other to the performing arts), as well as the Regional Fund for Contemporary Art (Frac), open to the public, with a restaurant in a large cement room.
The success of La Méca has encouraged the opening of other spaces, such as
La Halle Boca
, under the Debat-Ponsan vault, built in 1938, which housed the city's slaughterhouse for decades.
Halle Boca has various catering offers around a central area with large tables.
In this neighborhood,
gourmets
have their own street, the so-called
“Rue Gourmande”,
which is actually the Rue Porte-de-la-monnaie.
It all started in 1968 with
the Tupina
, by chef
Jean Pierre Xiradakis
, a symbol of the region's cuisine.
Today it remains a landmark to enjoy the regional dishes of yesteryear.
Sculpture of the Turtles in the place de la Victoire, in Bordeaux.
Simon Dack ALAMY
Victoire and the Cappuccinos: oysters, tapas and restaurants
Situated where the old 14th century wall once stood, south of the historic Saint Michel area,
place la Victoire
has become a very lively neighborhood, taken over by students who appreciate its large number of bars and pubs.
But it is known above all for the Capuchin market, the largest in the city, where Bordeaux people come to have oysters and tapas during the day and to dine in its restaurants when night falls.
The heart of the neighborhood is the
Place de la Victorie
, an esplanade dominated by a triumphal arch, the Aquitaine Gate, and its extension, the Rue de Sainte-Catherine, the main pedestrian and commercial artery of the city that leads to the Place from the Comédie and the Grand Théâtre, just over a kilometer away.
In this same area is also the
Bordeaux synagogue
, considered one of the most beautiful in France, and currently declared a historical monument.
With a classical floor plan, it is distinguished by the eclecticism of its decoration, with a mixture of Gothic, Moorish and Ottoman references.
An elevated view of the Saint Michel district, with the Capuchin market in the center.
hemis alamy
But the essential visit is
the Capuchin market
, which is open all day on Fridays.
It is famous for its
gourmet
stalls
, highly sought after on weekends, and also because many night owls move around it.
There are three useful points in case you need to regain strength and satisfy nighttime appetites: a pharmacy that is open all night;
Le Cochon Volant
restaurant
, an old poultry meat outlet in front of the market that opens until 2.00, and
Le Bar des Capucins, open
until 4 in the morning (pre-pandemic hours, yes).
Chartrons, the contemporary art district
North of the historic center, following the riverbank, we will find the old business sector, Chartrons, which today symbolizes the rebirth of Bordeaux and is the
trendy bohemian-bourgeois neighborhood.
Its streets have an elegant and quiet atmosphere that invites you to stroll, among antique shops, galleries, shops and trendy restaurants, not forgetting the quays or the
Marché des Quais
, to eat oysters on Sundays.
The neighborhood owes its name to the Carthusian convent, who settled there at the end of the 14th century.
The area was enriched, initially, thanks to the wine trade, and in the second half of the 18th century, the lucrative business with the colonies, which allowed merchants to build luxurious residences, some of which can still be seen.
The Museum of Contemporary Art occupies a former warehouse in the Chartrons district.
hemis alamy
Here we meet contemporary art at the
CAPC
, which has given much artistic life to the neighborhood and has contributed to the emergence of many galleries.
It is a true showcase of artistic news and proposes several temporary exhibitions a year, colloquia, conferences.
This museum is especially impressive because of its size: a gigantic room (the Lainé warehouse, built in 1824) that was used to store colonial products.
Since the 70s it has been dedicated to the most avant-garde art.
Around the
covered market of Chartrons
, an iron and glass construction turned into an exhibition center, there are alleys full of galleries and artist and artisan workshops, some of them installed in old cellars.
In one of them is the Museum of Wine and Commerce, in an 18th century building, which explains the history of the city's merchant families and the operation of the wine trade.
Bassins à flot and Bacalan, the recovery of the docks
Following the river bank, north of Chartrons, the old port area has been totally transformed thanks to the construction of
the Dhaban-Delmas bridge
, the
Cité du Vin,
the
Bacalan covered market
and the
Bassins de Lumieres,
installed on the old base underwater.
Today you can go to these old industrial docks for a walk, to cultivate yourself or to party on a boat.
The cultural complex La Cité du Vin (The City of Wine), in the new Bassins à Flot district.
hemis alamy
One of the landmarks of the neighborhood, through which visitors come here, is
the Cité du Vin
, inaugurated in 2016. With an original architecture, in a round and dynamic building that adapts to the layout of the Garonne, playing with light and its champagne color and becoming an attraction on its own.
Inside there is a permanent exhibition, workshops and a terrace with panoramic views.
One of its strong points is 35 meters high, on the top floor of the Cité: a circular viewpoint that allows us, with a glass in hand (the entrance includes a tasting), to visualize the industrial history of the neighborhood and its recent metamorphosis .
And even if we are not going to eat or taste the wine, it is worth taking a look, on the ground floor, at the incredible
Latitude 20
cellar
, a space that brings together nearly 800 references from wineries around the world.
Contemporary art has found one of its most original settings in the old underwater base, which was built under Nazi occupation in 1941. Its vast space –more than 45,000 square meters of concrete– houses 11 spaces with contemporary art exhibitions.
A part of the former military compound is a digital art center,
Les Bassins de Lumieres
, with four pools of water that allow simultaneous digital exhibitions to be presented to immerse yourself in the world of great artists (Klimt, Van Gogh, Paul Klee, among others) in a curious visual and sound experience.
A market stall on the Bacalan docks offers oysters to its customers.
JUAN CARLOS MUÑOZ alamy
The
gourmet
getaway
here is aimed at the
covered market of Bacalan,
opposite the Cité du Vin.
Of course, it is recommended to arrive early to find an open bar.
At the
Échoppe des Halles
, near the oyster stand, it is almost obligatory to try the tasty plate of entrecote à la Bordeaux.
Between tapas, oysters, Italian produce and
Landes
foie gras
, there is plenty to choose from.
La Bastide, the Bordeaux of the 21st century
For some years now, the inhabitants of the Bastide –which is also known as the right bank of the Garonne River– have felt closer to the historic center.
And the residents of the left bank are encouraged more and more to cross the river to reach
Quai des Queyries
and enjoy the pleasant walk that runs alongside it and the
magnificent views of the quays.
The Quai des Queyries is undoubtedly the
Bordeaux of the 21st century
, in full swing and constant transformation.
This area, long forgotten, is immersed in an ambitious remodeling plan that has incorporated both the riverside promenade and an 11-hectare botanical garden into the city.
Several people exercise in the Parc aux Angeliques.
Philip Bird ALAMY
Symbol of this recovery is the
parc aux Angéliques
, 3.5 kilometers long next to the right bank of the river, the same one that previously occupied the old port, as evidenced by the remains of the railroad tracks.
The walk ends with some formidable views of the 18th century façades located on the other side of the Garonne.
When planting the trees and the more than 70,000 plants, the scents were also thought, so that they could
perfume
walkers and athletes.
The other green space in the area is the
Botanical Garden
of the Bastide
, which reaches the so-called Cité Botanique, with large greenhouses dedicated to species typical of the Mediterranean ecosystem.
But the neighborhood also has more alternative centers.
Like
Darwin, a hybrid space
where people go to work, consume organic products, play sports or get involved in a sustainable project.
Its spirit can be summed up in the
Magasin Général
dining bistro
, with
eco
and seasonal food, soft sofas to make yourself comfortable, large tables and, above all, tasty burgers.
It works also as a cafe, bakery and grocery store, of course, ecological.
The alternative Darwin center, in Caserne Niel.
Laurent Davoust ALAMY
In the
Fabrique Pola
, an old painting factory, varied talents and knowledge come together: screen printing, sculpture, photography and also a program open to exhibitions, artistic workshops and meetings. And a third space,
La Chiffone Rit
, a kind of
coworking
for artists and artisans who work with recycled materials and offer workshops and exhibitions.
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Faith of errors
OJ