What to do in Bordeaux?
Bordeaux is a city rich in history, culture and gastronomy, with many activities. Here are some suggestions:
Explore the historic city centre: Bordeaux's city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers historic buildings and pedestrian streets to explore. Don't miss the Place de la Bourse, St Andrew's Cathedral and Rue Sainte Catherine, the longest pedestrianised shopping street in Europe.
Play an Urban Escape Game: it's the best way to discover the city centre! A fun team activity to do with family or friends to visit Bordeaux in a different way. A journey through the city and its highlights, well thought-out riddles to keep young and old busy and fun guaranteed!
Discover wine: Bordeaux is world-famous for its wine and offers numerous tastings in the surrounding cellars and vineyards. You can also visit the Musée du Vin et du Négoce.
Walk along the Garonne: The Garonne River runs through Bordeaux and offers beautiful walks along the water. You can also take a boat for a cruise on the Garonne.
Visit museums: Bordeaux has many museums to explore, including the Musée des Beaux-Arts, the Musée d'Aquitaine and the CAPC, the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Sample the local cuisine: Bordeaux is known for its fine cuisine, including seafood, duck and cheese. Be sure to visit the local markets, restaurants and wine bars.
Enjoy the nightlife: Bordeaux has a lively nightlife with many bars, pubs and clubs to suit all tastes.
Explore the surrounding area: the area around Bordeaux also offers some great excursions, including the medieval village of Saint-Emilion and the Dune du Pilat, the highest dune in Europe.
Monuments or buildings not to be missed in Bordeaux
First of all, you can't miss the Place de la Bourse, one of the most iconic places in the city. It's a beautiful square surrounded by 18th century buildings, with the famous Miroir d'eau just opposite. If you're lucky, you might even see a musical fountain that puts on a light and water show in the evening.
The Cathedral of Saint Andrew is another of Bordeaux's iconic monuments. It is an impressive gothic cathedral that has been built for over 200 years! Don't forget to climb the 232 steps to get a panoramic view of the city from the Pey-Berland tower next to the cathedral.
The Porte Cailhau is another must-see building. This monumental gateway from the late 15th century once served as the main entrance to the city. Today, it is an important symbol of Bordeaux's history and a remarkable Renaissance monument.
Then there is the Tour de la Grosse Cloche. It is one of the most famous monuments in Bordeaux. This stone tower from the Middle Ages was once used to announce the time of the city. Today, it is open to the public and you can climb to the top to enjoy a 360° view of the city.
Finally, don't miss the Pont de Pierre, which links the two banks of the Garonne. This stone bridge is an architectural feat, built in the 19th century under Napoleon Bonaparte! It is an ideal place to take a walk to admire the quays and the historic buildings of Bordeaux.
Where to have fun in Bordeaux?
This city is full of fun activities for all tastes. Whether you're more of a lounging-with-a-glass-of-wine type or a dancing-all-night type, there's bound to be something to suit you!
If you're more of a chill person, you can sit on the quays of the Garonne and enjoy the view of the stone bridge while sipping a glass of red. But if you're ready to go wild, the Place de la Victoire is the place for you! There are plenty of bars and nightclubs and you can make friends in no time. Be careful not to end the evening on a tram bench though!
If you're more into music, the Rocher de Palmer is a popular concert hall located in Cenon, a neighbouring town of Bordeaux, which offers many different styles, so you'll find something to suit your taste. There are world music, jazz, rock and pop concerts all year round. And if you want to discover local artists, there are plenty of small bars and open stages where you can listen to live music.
Now for the real fun: urban escape games! If you're looking for a challenge, this is the perfect activity for you and your friends. Gather some friends and try to solve the riddles and "escape" from the city before the time runs out. Several scenarios are available in Bordeaux, there is really something for everyone. Have a look at the catalogue. But don't blame us if you end up arguing with your friends about who is right and who is wrong!
Finally, you can't leave Bordeaux without tasting the local wines in the city's wine bars. But be careful, it can go to your head! Especially if you decide to go on a wine bar tour afterwards... Don't abuse the wine tasting, we don't want you to get Bored-eaux. 🤪
Where to go for a walk in Bordeaux?
There are so many nice places to walk around, you'll be spoilt for choice!
First of all, you can't miss the Place de la Bourse and the water mirror. It's the perfect place to take stylish pictures and show off on Instagram.
Then head to rue Sainte-Catherine for some shopping. It's the biggest pedestrian street in Europe, so you'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to spending your money.
And if you're hungry, there are plenty of snack bars and fast food to fill your stomach. But be careful, if you abuse the burgers, you'll have trouble walking to the end of the street!
If you want to be romantic, go for a walk in the Saint-Pierre district. It's the perfect place to stroll hand in hand with your crush. The small cobbled streets and old buildings have a real charm. But be careful where you put your feet, the cobblestones slip a bit when it rains!
Finally, you can finish your walk on the quays of the Garonne. It's the perfect spot to admire the sunset over the city. But if you're afraid of heights, don't lean out too much on the pontoons. You never know, after drinking a little too much Bordeaux...
And the coolest way to combine all this in one walk: go on an adventure with Coddy. With an urban Escape Game you play and you visit! And you can be sure that you'll pass by the city's must-sees and discover it in a very original way.
Activities to do in Bordeaux for young people
First of all, if you want to move your body, go to the Rock School Barbey. It's the place to be if you want to hear local bands or more famous artists.
If you're more in the mood to take it easy, go for a walk in the public garden. It's a quiet and peaceful place where you can have a picnic, read a book or play pétanque, football, badminton or whatever.
Otherwise, head to the city centre. Install the Coddy app on your smartphone, gather your mates and let yourself be guided. Choose to fight zombies, investigate or discover Crazytopia and go on an adventure through the streets of Bordeaux. Solve all the riddles in the allotted time and try to finish first in the ranking!
