Situated on the banks of the glistening Garonne, Bordeaux, la belle endormie of southwestern France, has woken up! In recent years this formerly half-forgotten city has been transformed into a lively, modern metropolis, but one which hasn’t lost its traditions or identity. Modern coffee shops and chic bars spill onto the winding cobbled streets of the medieval town centre. Bustling markets simmer beneath the city’s many towering, gold-leafed cathedral spires. Equally, if it’s the good life you seek, Bordeaux offers this as only the French-est of French cities can with delicious food, great wine, and perfect summer weather.
Located in the centre of the city is the Jardin Public, a leafy park with botanical gardens. On a hot day, pack a picnic and nestle yourself beneath one of the trees in the arboretum with a book. In summer the park also hosts Bordeaux Open Air, showcasing international electronic music in a series of massive, free raves.
During WW2, Bordeaux was used by the Germans as a strategic position for their naval operations in the Atlantic. Base sous-marine, originally built to house Nazi U-boats, has now been repurposed as a modern art gallery and event space. It is not one to be missed!
Cross to the east bank and visit Darwin. This disused railway depot transformed into a modern cultural hub with a fantastic restaurant, a coffee shop serving locally roasted coffees, an organic supermarket, frequent flea-markets, street art exhibitions and even a skatepark! An perfect industrial antidote to the medieval metropole back across the waters.
Found on the Garonne’s banks, the miroir d’eau is the world’s biggest reflective water pool. In summer, the ‘mirror’ slowly fills and drains, firing a cloud of vapour out of the ground at the end of every cycle. A perfect evening spot for enjoying a bottle of local wine, alfresco, in the chaleur of the southern French sun.
Bordeaux has, on average, one restaurant per 200 residents and is also internationally famous for its great food, but I recommend you take some money and go to a really nice restaurant at least once! One of my favorites is "Chez Boulan" – if you like fish – promise me you will go there! The freshest oysters in town, fresh from Cap Ferret! It's worth every cent!On the other side of Darwin, right at the river, you can find a cool place for a sundowner – Les Chantiers de la Garonne – they also serve some good food (mostly fresh fish) and play some nice music paired with a beach-like atmosphere.
If you are looking for markets in Bordeaux, check out Marché des Capucins, Marché des Chartrons, Les Halles de Bacalan and Marché on the docks.
Like most French cities, Bordeaux is rammed full of cute little bars and cafes, all of which are perfect for a little evening apéro with friends. In the town centre it’s a sort of ‘pick a square, any square’ situation. Bordeaux, however, is world famous as the capital city of wine and there are plenty of stunning winebars where you can sample some seriously delicious, often regional, plonk. One of my favorite pubs in town is "Houses of Parliament" which is located at Place du Parlement.You haven't been to Bordeaux if you didn't drink loads of wine though! So here are some super cool wine bars that you should definitely check out: Le Wine Bar, Le Bar à Vin, Aux quatre coins du vin. Generally it's harder to find a bad wine bar in Bordeaux than a good one – so just follow your nose!"The Cock and Bull" on Rue Duffour Dubergier has the best beer in Bordeaux. The nightlife in Bordeaux is definitely cool – all bars close at 2am though, so you better either go to one of your mates’ for an after, or continue your night in of the clubs that Bordeaux has to offer.
There isn’t a huge amount for clubbing in Bordeaux, but the scene is definitely growing. IBOAT is the classic Bordeaux venue, but for something a little different (and, frankly, a lot classier) try Le Wooosh with its cocktail bar on the ground floor and club in the basement. If you manage a sunny day and it's also a wednesday then I highly recommend going to “Darwin" on the other side of the River. It's an ecological place that also has a skatepark and serves it's own homebrew beer. Every wednesday from 7pm-11pm they play some good electro and techno tunes in a super cool outside location – great for meeting new people!For latin music go to Calle Ocho on Rue Piliers de Tutelle.
One thing Bordeaux does have going for it is a really lively and fast-growing jazz scene. This is largely focussed around a bar in the Saint-Michel area called Quartier Libre. They have a wicked jam on every Wednesday night from around 9:30pm which is worth going to. Check their programme for other great gigs from local artists.
Since the construction of the high speed rail link to Paris (under 2 hours) it has become increasingly difficult to find a flat in Bordeaux. While there is the odd place here and there, it is one of the most cut-throat housing markets in Europe at the moment, with advertisements for rooms on cartedescolocs.fr, appartager.com and leboncoin.fr often receiving upwards of 500 responses each, if they are actually real, which they often aren’t. Moving here requires a little flexibility, ingenuity, and… well… a lot of luck.
Aside from renting a full-time AirBnB (an increasingly popular choice among Erasmus students), there is the option of university halls. These, however, aren’t really in Bordeaux, but in neighbouring (and not very nice) Pessac. Looking over the river is an option, and one which many end up taking.
If you’re planning on staying in France long term then CAF is your budget’s best friend. This benefit system offered by the government enables students to claim money to help pay their monthly rent, and the amount each student receives depends on how much that costs. Thanks to French bureaucracy, the process is quite long and can be complicated. So, to ensure things run smoothly, make sure you have the following: your passport, an official copy of your birth certificate, a RIB number (you’ll need a French bank account for this), proof of your address/tenancy and a large helping of patience. Download the app to upload your documents or make yourself an appointment at your city’s CAF office.
First of all – get yourself a "Drivy" account! Just download the app from the app store and register. It makes your life for day trips so much easier. A car like a Renault Twingo costs 20-50€ per day – so the best way to do it is to grab some friends and share the costs. The cars are spread all over the city and you can access them via the app. The keys are placed somewhere in the car but that's further specified in the instructions. If you’re in France for an extended period of time, you need a Carte Avantage Jeune from SNCF (national railway) in your wallet. It costs 49€ for the year, but you’ll make this back with rapid speed for it gets you 30% off every train journey across the country and 25% off international tickets, meaning you can hop across the border into Spain or Italy on your travels. All you need is a passport-style photo at the ready, and you’re good to go. If you have a habit of losing things, fear not: the card is available to add to your phone wallet, so you can never leave it at home.
That said, one way to go is to buy a bike on a site like leboncoin.fr. You should find something pretty cheap there. Bordeaux is one of the most cycle friendly cities in Europe with cycle lanes everywhere, and everywhere is super quick on two wheels!
The TBM transport system in Bordeaux covers buses, tramways, bikes and boat. You can get your tickets via their official app or in stations.
For tickets, we suggest going for the City Pass, which gives you unlimited access to the TBM network and over 20 museums, including the Cité du Vin. If you are looking for long-term subscriptions (monthly or annually) then go to a TBM agency or on their website and apply. We suggest going for the Pass Jeune Annuel, which gives you access to all public transport & the option of using e-bikes in the city for around 20 € a month. See the link for more.
To get to the airport and to the centre, you must take tramway A!
If you are looking to meet new people and practise your French in Bordeaux then check out a number of Facebook groups like: Erasmus Bordeaux or Bordeaux Tribe Up. You can also check out BlaBla, MeetUp.
When studying and living in France, it may be worth setting up a bank account. This will allow you to avoid paying bank charges and also it may be necessary for accommodation, rental agreements and other formalities. Some of the main French banks are Banque Populaire, BNP Paribas, Société Générale.
