Stories · France
3 days in Bordeaux
The story I wish I had read before going.
My first time in Bordeaux, I tried to see everything and mostly saw queues. Now I do it differently: a few places a day, the right ones, in the right order. Here is my 3-day thread.
Day 1 · The icons
Early in the morning, meet me at Grosse Cloche. Take the time to walk all the way around it; the best views are rarely at the entrance. Travellers give it 4.6 out of 5 (6,581 reviews) and I won’t argue with them. To get organised: the public-transport route; skip-the-line book your visit, otherwise also check Tiqets.
Around noon, head to Rainbow Crosswalk. You’ve seen it a hundred times in pictures; in person it is bigger, closer, more alive. Practical: how to get there, and if you’d rather skip the queue, book your tickets or compare on Tiqets.
For lunch, trust the rooms full of locals rather than the menus translated into six languages.
Later, I make my way to Bordeaux World Heritage. The audio guides are worth it; otherwise, follow a group and steal three anecdotes on the way. To get organised: here is the route by public transport; skip-the-line get your tickets in advance, otherwise go through Tiqets.
In the evening, let go: a terrace, a walk, and Bordeaux does the rest.
Day 2 · With the family
In the morning, it’s Eclipso Bordeaux. The kids will still be talking about it weeks later. So will the adults, though they admit it less. 4.8 out of 5 across 2,359 reviews: few places are this unanimous. To get organised: how to get there; skip-the-line get your tickets in advance, otherwise compare on Tiqets.
Late morning, head to Musée des Arts décoratifs et du Design. Give it a good two hours, and leave before you are full: that is the secret to wanting to come back. Practical: here is the route by public transport, and if you’d rather skip the queue, book your visit or also check Tiqets.
Lunch without a plan: the first noisy room you pass is often the right one.
In the afternoon, I make my way to Porte Dijeaux. It’s the kind of place that makes you go quiet for a moment, even when you thought you knew it all. To get organised: here is the route by public transport; skip-the-line get your tickets in advance, otherwise compare on Tiqets.
Keep the evening free. Bordeaux is a city that tells itself better at night.
Day 3 · Museums and culture
To start, I make my way to Musée National des Douanes. I always pick two or three rooms rather than seeing everything. You walk out light. To get organised: how to get there; skip-the-line book your tickets, otherwise compare on Tiqets.
Then, I make my way to Miroir d'eau. Take the time to walk all the way around it; the best views are rarely at the entrance. 4.5 out of 5 across 16,667 reviews: few places are this unanimous. Practical: how to get there, and if you’d rather skip the queue, get your tickets in advance or go through Tiqets.
Lunch without a plan: the first noisy room you pass is often the right one.
After lunch, I make my way to Place de la Bourse. This is the breath of the trip. Even one hour changes the day. Travellers give it 4.7 out of 5 (20,473 reviews) and I won’t argue with them. Practical: here is the route by public transport, and if you’d rather skip the queue, book your visit or go through Tiqets.
In the evening, let go: a terrace, a walk, and Bordeaux does the rest.
If you’re still hungry
I still have a few up my sleeve: Bassins des Lumières, Base sous-marine, Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux, Basilique Saint-Michel, Opéra National de Bordeaux - Grand-Théâtre and Monument aux Girondins. Your call.
My advice
Walk. Then take public transport: that is where you see the city live.
Book the busiest places the day before: queues have ruined more than one morning.
Keep a little local cash: the best addresses are often the least equipped.
There. The rest is yours: the detours, the encounters, the café that becomes your own.
A Triovol story · written by someone who would go back tomorrow
Opening hours, prices and closures change: a quick look at the venue’s website before you go avoids bad surprises.