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Major city · France

Bordeaux

Give Bordeaux 2–3 nights: one full day for the old town and riverfront, one for wine, and a half-day for Saint-Émilion or Arcachon.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
EUR
Best months
May–Jun, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (hot, busy), Nov–Feb (wet, grey)
Airport
BOD
Nights
2–3
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • France and Monaco ↗France has run temporary identity checks at its internal Schengen land borders since 2015; carry a passport or EU/EEA national ID on trains and buses from Italy, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg.
  • France and Monaco ↗Nights in France and Monaco draw on the same Schengen 90-in-180-day allowance as the rest of the area; Monaco does not reset or pause it.
  • France ↗France is in the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on official sources; the EU's Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors' fingerprints and photo at the first Schengen border, and further pre-travel authorisation rules are being introduced.
  • France ↗TGV (including the low-cost Ouigo) and Intercités night trains need a seat reservation: a rail pass alone does not let you board.
  • France ↗Paris, Lyon and other large cities run low-emission zones that require a Crit'Air sticker on cars; check before you drive a hire car or your own car into a city.
  • France ↗Carry your passport or national ID card: police can ask for identification, and hotels register foreign guests.

Bordeaux is France's fifth-largest city, on the Garonne in the Gironde. Its 18th-century riverfront and old town are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the surrounding vineyards are the reason many people come. The centre is compact and walkable; most trips use it as a 2–3 night base with one wine day.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Bordeaux, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee at a café counter€1.50–3 (≈ US$2–4)
  • Sit-down mealDinner, mid-range, per person€25–40 (≈ US$30–50)
  • Metro or bus rideTram or bus single ticket€1.80 (≈ US$3) (check)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week€10–20 (≈ US$12–25)
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry€5–14 (≈ US$6–17)
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per person€30 (≈ US$35)
  • Mid-range bedDouble room, 3-star hotel, a night, per room€140 (≈ US$170)
  • High-end bedDouble room, 3-star hotel, a night, per room€260 (≈ US$350)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget €75 (≈ US$90) · Mid €140 (≈ US$170) · High €260 (≈ US$350)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

UNESCO-listed Port of the Moon riverfrontPlace de la Bourse and the Water MirrorWine and the Cité du VinSaint-Émilion day trips
Airports
BOD Bordeaux-Mérignac (15 km west of the centre; Tram F to the city, about 35 min)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Bordeaux: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

11°C

4°C

12 rd

Feb

12°C

4°C

11 rd

Mar

16°C

6°C

11 rd

Apr

18°C

8°C

12 rd

May

22°C

11°C

11 rd

Jun

25°C

15°C

9 rd

Jul

27°C

16°C

7 rd

Aug

28°C

16°C

8 rd

Sep

24°C

13°C

9 rd

Oct

20°C

11°C

11 rd

Nov

14°C

7°C

13 rd

Dec

11°C

4°C

13 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The centre is walkable and largely pedestrianised. Trams and buses (TBM) cover the rest: single ticket €1.80, ten tickets €15.70, day pass €5.50 (2026 estimate). Tram C links Gare Saint-Jean to the centre. The Batcub river bus is part of the same network.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Saint-Émilion

go

Door to door: About 1 h

TER train from Gare Saint-Jean, about 35–45 min, then walk uphill

Book a cellar visit ahead; the village itself is small and steep.

Arcachon and the Dune du Pilat

go

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

TER train to Arcachon, about 50 min, then bus 1 to the dune

A full day; climb the dune early before the crowds and heat.

Médoc châteaux

caution

Door to door: 1–1.5 h

Train to Margaux or Pauillac, then taxi or bike between estates

Estates are far apart and many need booked tastings; a tour or driver is easier.

Soulac-sur-Mer

overnight

Door to door: About 2 h

TER train via Pointe de Grave, about 2 h

Too far for a comfortable return day; sleep one night.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Saint-Pierre / old town

Pedestrian lanes, restaurants and riverfront on foot; noisier at night.

Chartrons

Quiet riverbank district north of the centre, near the Cité du Vin; good for longer stays.

Gare Saint-Jean

Cheapest beds and direct trams and trains; 20–25 min walk from the sights.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
€60–90 (≈ US$70–110) excl. bed
Mid
€110–170 (≈ US$130–200) excl. bed
High
€200 (≈ US$250)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Double room, 3-star hotel1 × 3 nights × €140€420
Food, local transport, entries2 × 3 days × €140€840
Tram from BOD to the centre, one way2 × €2 · check€4
TBM day pass, one day2 × €6 · check€11
Cité du Vin entry2 × €22 · check€44
eSIM, about a week of data2 × €15€30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge€135
Trip total≈ €247 per person per day, bed included€1,484≈ US$1,800

2026 estimate in euros; flights and wine tours excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee at a café counter€1.50–3 (≈ US$2–4)
Lunch menu (plat du jour)€14–20 (≈ US$17–25)
Glass of Bordeaux wine€5–9 (≈ US$6–11)
Dinner, mid-range, per person€25–40 (≈ US$30–50)
Tram or bus single ticket€1.80 (≈ US$3) (check)
Museum entry€5–14 (≈ US$6–17)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week€10–20 (≈ US$12–25)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Bordeaux is generally safe by day and busy at night. The real risks are pickpockets on trams and at Gare Saint-Jean, and bars without posted prices near Place de la Victoire: ask before you sit.
  • Pickpockets work the tram lines and around Gare Saint-Jean; keep bags zipped in front.
  • Some bars near Place de la Victoire post no prices: ask the total before ordering.
  • Summer afternoons hit 30 °C+ with little shade on the quays; plan indoor stops.
  • The A630 beltway jams at rush hour; don't plan to drive into the centre.

Emergency numbers

European emergency number
112
Ambulance (SAMU)
15
Police
17
Fire
18
By text, deaf callers
114

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

BordeauxBordeaux

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

À cette adresse, s'il vous plaîtTo this address, please

Emergency

  • European emergency number112
  • Ambulance (SAMU)15
  • Police17
  • Fire18

Embassy

The US has a consulate in Bordeaux (check the address); most other countries: consulates in Bordeaux or embassies in Paris.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • BOD airport → centre, Tram F: €1.80 (≈ US$3), about 35 min (check)
  • TBM day pass: €5.50 (≈ US$7) (check)
  • TGV Bordeaux → Paris Montparnasse: about 2 h 10 min, from about €40 (≈ US$50) if booked early (check)

Say or show

  • Bonjour — Hello / Good day (bon-ZHOOR)
  • Merci — Thank you (mair-SEE)
  • S'il vous plaît — Please (seel voo PLEH)
  • C'est combien ? — How much is it? (say kom-BYEN)
  • L'addition, s'il vous plaît — The bill, please (la-dee-SYON seel voo PLEH)
  • Où est l'arrêt de tram ? — Where is the tram stop? (oo ay la-REH duh tram)

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Bordeaux. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (hot, busy), Nov–Feb (wet, grey) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for BOD: Tram F times field-checked, taxi fallback, late-arrival rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Quinconces, Place de la Bourse, Saint-Pierre, Saint-Michel.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Cité du Vin, Musée d'Aquitaine, Bassins des Lumières) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Wine-day fixtures: Saint-Émilion and Médoc transport, tasting bookings, return-train cutoffs.

Meanwhile

Back to France

Sources