Bordeaux - the best city in France?

Bordeaux is a magnificent mix of architecture, restaurants and wine in a warm, vibrant atmosphere - it is very underrated and not to be missed - and Domaine Bardon is within on hour of its centre!

Although Bordeaux is well known as the gloabal capital of wine it is often overlooked as a destination falling behind cities like Paris, Lyon or Toulouse. But Bordeaux is a wonderful place to visit offering an impressive array of things to do and see. It has all the charm of an authentic French city, but without the hordes of tourists that Paris is known for .

It's easy to get to Bordeaux from Domaine Bardon - Drive, Tram or Train

How to get there

Drive - outside of rush hour it takes an hour to drive into Bordeaux where you can find several parking options. Note that the centre of Bordeaux is pedestrianised making street parking difficult - its best to head to a public car park that charge by the hour. During rush hour traffic on the ring road around the city can be very slow and best avoided.

Park and Ride - If you want to bypass city center traffic and parking fees Bordeaux has a network of park and ride facilities, where you can leave your car for free on the outskirts of the city and travel in by tram. Recommended park and ride for the gites is Parc-Relais Lauriers (Lormont) - its 45 mins drive from Domaine Bardon and then 20 mins by tram to the old part of the city. Tram tickets are available here.

Train - Direct trains run from Jonzac, 15 mins away, to Bordeaux Saint-Jean. Journey time is 1 hour.

Once in Bordeaux take advantage of the excellent tram network to get around. Info and tickets here or you can buy tickets from machines at most stops.

Three reasons to go

The Architecture

The old city center of Bordeaux is protected as UNESCO World Heritage Site. As such, it is beautifully maintained with a magnificent blend of styles making up an exceptional urban and architectural ensemble.

A walking tour of Bordeaux is the perfect way to take full advantage, especially, as the centre is pedestrinised you are able to walk through various squares and past wonderful churches, majestic buildings, luxury boutiques, exquisite markets and restaurant without any traffic worries.

Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux

Wine and Food

One of the biggest attractions for anyone going to Bordeax is the Wine. The surrounding area is one of the great wine-growing regions and is home to majestic châteaux, medieval cities and villages, and nearly 6,000 wineries. Wine tours outside of the city to areas such as Medoc or Saint-Emilion are easily arranged but there is more than enough wine experiences within Bordeaux that perhaps a tour is not needed.

Cité du Vin, a stunning building, is an interactive museum dedicated to all things wine from around the world that is well worth a visit. There are numerous other wine tasting expiriences throughout the city.

Cité du Vin is next to Les Halles Bacalan, one of the great foodie destinations in Bordeaux featuring a wide selection of gourmet food stalls from about 20 regional producers, artisans, and chefs its a lovely place to have lunch.

 Les Halles Bacalan

On the other side of the city is Marché des Capucins, the city's largest and most famous food market. It's an indoor market with a vibrant, bustling atmosphere and a vast array of stalls selling fresh produce, seafood (especially local oysters), meat, cheese, bread, and prepared foods. You can also find restaurants and bars within the market where locals gather for coffee, lunch, or a plate of oysters with a glass of white wine.

And of course, thoughout the city, there are numerous lovely restaurants, cafes and bakeries serving everything from traditional dishes to the most modern cuisine. It's a real joy to sit on the terrace of one of the many beautiful restaurants and enjoy the atmosphere - Bordeaux has a very good University so the students add a noticible energy to the squares and walkways.

Shopping

Bordeaux offers a fabulous shopping experience, mixing good quality stores, high end fashion with charming local markets and local artisan goods. Two of the main shopping destinations are;

Rue Sainte-Catherine, the city’s primary shopping street, is the longest pedestrian shopping street in Europe at 1.2 kilometers.

La rue des Remparts is a small 250-meter perfectly formed street with so many shops, from well-known names to independent boutiques

La rue des Remparts

Bordeaux really is a wonderful city that we hope you will visit while you stay at Domaine Bardon. Below are a few of our favourite places to eat and drink;

Bar

Café Brun (45 Rue Saint-Rémi, 33000 Bordeaux) - cozy and lovely pub.

Restaurants

LES VAILLANT Père & Fils (4 Pl. Saint-Pierre, 33000 Bordeaux) - A family-run establishment, known for its fresh and delicious dishes. Situated in a picturesque square in Bordeaux, offering views of the historic Saint-Pierre Church.

New York New York (4 Cr Pasteur, 33000 Bordeaux) - traditional brasserie with a warm and friendly atmosphere offering homemade fresh local dishes.

Palatino ( 8 Rue de la Merci, 33300 Bordeaux) - Laid-back Italian restaurant with playful decor offering pasta, great pizzas, grills & desserts.