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Bordeaux

Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in southwest France. The city is among the world’s major wine industry centers. The historic part of the city is on the UNESCO World Heritage List as “an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble” of the 18th century. Bordeaux is also an upscale place- a city for luxury shopping, drinking, and eating. It sits in the center of the world famous wine region that bears its name and thus tourists come here come to eat, drink, experience wine, and be merry. Just like the Napa Valley in California or the Hunter in Australia, prices here reflect that spending reality.

Costs in Bordeaux

• Hostel Prices: Bordeaux doesn’t have any hostels. That’s how upscale it is. The cheapest places to stay are budget hotels.
• Budget Hotel Prices: Prices for rooms begin at 35 Euro per night for two people. The average cost for a double room is around 50 Euro per night.
• Average Cost of Food: Bordeaux has some amazing food. It has tons of traditional restaurants including La Tupina and Le Petit Commerce, two of the best. When opting for a “sit down” dinner you should budget between 18-40 Euros depending what you get and how much wine you drink. There are many places to have cheap sandwiches for about 5 Euro and, of course, there’s always McDonalds.
• Cost of Internet: 3-4 Euros per hour though most of the hotels have free wi-fi.
• Transportation Costs: The city of Bordeaux has an extensive and modern public transportation system which includes buses, trams, a free city center electric bus and a water shuttle.  The system as a whole is referred to as the TBC. 1 journey €1.40; 5 journeys €5.20; 10 journeys €10.30; 1 day pass €4.10 and 7 day pass €10.10.

Things to Do in Bordeaux

• Wine Tours – Probably the reason in general you have decided to visit this location. You can take full day tour or half day tours and venture outside of the immediate areas of Bordeaux.
• Go to Old Town Bordeaux - Home to one of the largest 18th century architectural urban areas in all of Europe, it’s a beautiful way to spend a day. And because of its amazing buildings and level of preservation, it has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Two famous destinations are the Grand Théâtre was built in 1780 andnthe infamous Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux. It was impressive to see, though the recent cleaning effort got rid of its old, Gothic charm.
• Visit Rue Sainte-Catherine – For the walker and the shoppers, this is a shopping street that is 1.2 km long filled with great shops, restaurants, and cafes. It is the longest shopping street in Europe.
• Day trip to Dune de Pyla – This sand dune is located about a hour outside Bordeaux in Pyla Sur Mer, a resort town where many of France’s well to do “summer.” The Dune de Pyla is the largest sand dune in Europe and is the result of winds eroded one shore of the bay and blowing it over the other. The dune provides great views but is a pain to walk up, though really fun to run down!
• Go to the Museums – If you like learning something on your visit, Bordeaux has several very renowned museums. There is the Vinorama, a talking wax museum that chronicles the history of Bordeaux wine, or the Bordeaux Wines Museum, which exhibits the history of the city’s wine merchants.
• Hit the Streets – If you want a glimpse of art or history in Bordeaux, however, all you need to do is walk through the city’s streets. Many buildings in Vieux Bordeaux have retained their charm and character over time. If you’re looking for historical views of the city, you can walk through the Quartier Saint-Eloi. If you continue along the Victor Hugo Avenue, you can see the Porte de Bourgogne, a huge stone arch that was once one of the entrances to the city. Another interesting place to walk around is the Palace Royale. Built in 1755, this building is a fine example of French classical architecture.
• Musee D’Art Contemporain – Definitely worth a visit if you are interested in Modern Art. The Richard Long slate line-up on the roof is a permanent feature. The museum is closed on Mondays.
• Les Quais – The Quays of Bordeaux follow the shores of the Garonne—they used to be a harbor, but have been renovated for visitors. Walking here is great, because you have amazing views of the landscape and the unique Aquitaine bridges. There are also many nightclubs here.
• La Victoire – This used to be the center of suburbia, in ancient Bordeaux—it is now one of the most popular areas of the city. Many young people hang out here at night, as there are lots of bars and clubs.
• Victory Arch – In the center of La Victoire is this amazing piece of Roman architecture. It is a great example of the Roman roots here.

Budget Tips for Bordeaux

• No Hostels: Bordeaux has no hostels, just cheap hotels. You won’t find anything less than 40 Euros per night.
• Explore on Foot: Walking around Bordeaux is a great way to experience the architecture and people watch. Bordeaux is small so save money on the trams and walk.
• Cheap Wine: Grab a cheap bottle of Bordeaux from one of their numerous wine shops on the street and have a glass while walking around to see monuments and historic buildings. You can find good bottles for 5 Euros.
• Hit Museums in the Morning: Bordeaux wine museums are oddly cheaper in the morning.
• Discount Passes: Score discounts on museums by asking about discounted prices for foreigners, students or different rates for different times of the day.
• Ride for Free: Rarely do you see a conductor checking tickets on the city trams. But if you get caught without a ticket, it’s a 50 Euro fine!

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