Bordeaux in 1 day – My itinerary and tips

Visit Bordeaux in 1 day ? I did it and loved it! With the route I followed, I was able to get an overview of historic Bordeaux and its main monuments.

In this article, I will not only share with you my detailed step-by-step tour, but also my good gourmet addresses that make Bordeaux my favorite city in France !

How to visit Bordeaux in 1 day?

I live 2h30 from Bordeaux and have had the opportunity to stay in this city a good ten times. And with each new visit I discover a new beautiful restaurant, a small market on the corner of a neighborhood or an unusual exhibition… Bordeaux is a small city, but full of curiosities and corners where we love to walk and definitely come back again .

To discover the city of Bordeaux, you have several options, it all depends on your preferences:

This is my classic tour that lasts a whole day and allows you to discover the essentials of the historic center of Bordeaux. Details on the itinerary can be found below:

Visit Bordeaux in 1 day – My detailed itinerary

Here is my route from the historic center of Bordeaux in a day to do visit Bordeaux on foot. This circuit forms a loop that starts from Place de la Bourse and returns to Place de la Bourse (Obviously, since it is a loop!).

Click on “More options” in the map, to follow the GPS

Visit Bordeaux in 1 day – stages of the circuit

Start with the Place de la Bourse

With its water levelThis magnificent square is the landmark of Bordeaux!

It comes from the XNUMX. Bordeaux opened up to the world in the nineteenth century by leaving its medieval walls and building a royal square.

Discover the great theater of Bordeaux

Start my tour with Rue Saint-Remi and then turn right with Rue Sainte Catherine.

Continue straight and on the left Cours de l’Intendance to the Grand Theatre de Bordeaux.

The facade is strongly influenced by Freemasonry and features 12 Corinthian columns corresponding to the sum of the ribs of the Masonic Holy Triangle.

Built at the end of the 18th century .. Built in the nineteenth century by architect Victor Louis, the Grand Theatre, listed as a historical monument, would have inspired the founders of the Opera Garnier in Paris.

Today it is the seat of the Bordeaux National Opera which programs its opera season and performances of the opera ballet.

See the Place des Quinconces and the Girondins monument

From the Place de la Comedie, take the Allees de Tourny and turn left into the Cours du 30 Juillet.

Then turn left on the Allee de Munich, which leads to the square of the Quinconces (the largest square in Europe).

From there you just have to continue until Monument aux Girondins.

It is a set of bubbling bronze fountains and a statue of liberty breaking its chains. It is a posthumous tribute to the Girondins of the Revolution. For anecdote: during the 2. During World War II, the Girondins had the good idea to hide it by burying it to protect it.

Square of the great men

To get there, you have to turn right on Cours de Tournon, then left on Allees de Tourny, right on Rue Condillac, left on Rue Jean Jacques Rousseau and you will arrive Place of the Great Men.

The district Great MenThe magnificent glass roof with the shopping center testifies to a new era of urban planning. For shopaholics, you will find beautiful and very chic boutiques and big brands in this neighborhood.

I don’t dress here because I can’t afford it . but this is where I buy the Famous Bordeaux Canneles.

This small pudding cake with caramelized color and soft heart is part of Bordeaux’s culinary heritage. It smells of vanilla and rum. It gets its name from the fluted copper mold in which it bakes. The house in Baillardran makes them respecting the artisan know-how and has become the benchmark for caneles.

So I usually go to Bailardran at 12 place des grands Hommes, but there are Baillardran boutiques all over Bordeaux .

The Porte de Dijeau

To continue my tour, you have to turn right into Rue Voltaire and then Rue de Grassi, which leads to the door of Dijeau.

This door is a pretty, typical Bordeaux building that deserves a little photo!

Finally the Saint Andre Cathedral!

Then head towards Rue du Temple, turn left onto Rue Vital Carles and continue on Place Jean Moulin.

They arrive at the St. Andre Cathedral. It comes from the XNUMX. It was built in the nineteenth century, but has been renovated since then. This cathedral is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and is associated with the paths of Saint-Jacques de Compostelle.

Now is the time for a well deserved lunch break!

My good restaurant plan in Bordeaux

Opposite the cathedral, at 37 Place Pey Berland, is the restaurant The Museum Bistro.

The location is pleasant (interior with exposed stones and a nice terrace in summer). You can enjoy good traditional and generous cuisine. The prices are completely correct considering the quality of the products.

The little extra of my favorite restaurant is the wine list (more than 50 Bordeaux vintages) with the option to order by the glass!

Stroll through the small streets of Bordeaux

On your way for a little digestive walk…

To continue my tour you have to turn left onto Place Jean Moulin and then right onto Rue des Trois-Conils.

Continue on Place Saint-Projet and turn right into Rue Sainte-Catherine.

Then turn left into Rue des Ayres.

Stop for a good coffee

There, if you like coffee, I advise you to take a short break at VerdeNero. In a cozy and authentic atmosphere, you can taste exceptional coffees roasted on site. For gourmets the homemade pastry makes more than a crack.

Discover the typical doors of Bordeaux

After the good little coffee you have to go straight on to reach the Fernand Lafargue Square.

This small place is very pleasant because it is surrounded by small cafes and restaurants that enliven it all day long.

My route continues to the right on Rue Saint-James and towards Rue Saint-Eloi.

Here is the Great Cloche. It is the symbol of Bordeaux that still appears on the city’s coat of arms. This monument was mainly used as a prison. Later, the judges of Bordeaux rang this bell to signal the harvest, announce important events or alert the population in case of fire.

Continue to turn left onto Cours Victor Hugo, which leads to the Porte de Bourgogne. It is not as popular as other gates of Bordeaux but still listed as a historical monument and worth a visit.

Continue towards Rue des Pontet and turn left into Pl. De Bir Hakeim and go to the quay of Richelieu.

Follow the quay until Rue de la Porte Cailhau on the left, where you have to turn to reach the famous Porte Cailhau. I advise you to return there in the evening because it is beautiful with its night lighting .

This 35 meters high monument was built at the end of the XNUMX. It was built at the end of the XIX century and was part of the city walls.

And finish the route on the Miroir d’eau

From Porte Cailhau, take Quai Richelieu on the left to reach the water level Place de la Bourse.

There you have it, the circle is closed!

Visit Bordeaux – Which hotel?

And if you haven’t booked a hotel for your stay yet, here is a nice accommodation in the city center in the best neighborhoods in Bordeaux :

And for those on a tight budget, discover the following

The circuit I just presented to you is perfect for discovering most of Bordeaux on foot but it is far from complete. A single day is not enough to discover all the riches, museums, parks… of this city. That’s why I suggest you discover my circuit: Visit Bordeaux in 2 days.