From Spa Wine Baths and Wine Tours, The Ultimate Luxury Bordeaux Guide.
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Bordeaux, located in France’s Southwestern region, is famously known as one of the premier wine regions in France and the world. Home to not only to the romantic French country landscape and rolling vineyards for miles but a lively city and fantastic food. If you’re planning a trip to France, then you must put Bordeaux on your itinerary. It’s one of the best places to visit for wine lovers. Whether it’s three days in Bordeaux for a long weekend, or a week, these tips for visiting Bordeaux will provide plenty of inspiration from luxury to budget.
What’s so uniquely wonderful about Bordeaux is that unlike Paris, it has countryside and city attractions. Most people assume the Bordeaux region of France is all countryside. On the contrary, Bordeaux is also an upscale place – a city for luxury shopping, drinking, and eating.
The Old Town in City Center is now on the UNESCO World Heritage List. You’ll find medieval buildings, old watchtowers, cobblestone streets, and iconic French architecture in town. Bordeaux is, for sure, a place you can drop some serious dough and is expensive. However, this blog post highlights travel and budget tips for your next bucket list trip to Bordeaux so you can be fully prepared!
Best Time to Visit Bordeaux
Chances are if you’re visiting Bordeaux, it’s because you want an authentic hands-on wine lovers experience. Your very own Eat Pray Love journey, maybe? If so, I recommend harvest time in early September. The weather is still warm during the day and cooler at night, plus September ends the high season so places won’t be overcrowded. If you’re in luck, you’ll be able to see grapes being hand-picked and experience the winemaking process for yourself. If you can’t make it in September, not to worry, you can still tour the vineyards and sample wines at any time of the year. The summer months of June- August can be very hot and very crowded. On the other hand, the Christmas season is an excellent time to attend to explore the markets and festivities as well.
How Many Days Do You Need In Bordeaux?
You can spend weeks exploring the left and right bank, the winemaking regions separated by an estuary, and two rivers. However, Bordeaux’s three-day itinerary will give you a good highlight of what the area has to offer. When planning your itinerary, I recommend checking out the blog post “Plan A Stress-Free Trip With Google Maps Trip Planner.” It’s a step by step guide on how to create custom maps and itineraries within Google maps. It’s fantastic for international travel, and you can download your custom map if you’re somewhere without data or wifi. Having a well thought out itinerary will save you time and money on transportation in the long run.
Read More: Plan A Stress-Free Trip With Google Maps Trip Planner
Getting to Bordeaux and Getting Around
There are a few ways of getting to Bordeaux from within France, as listed below. If you’re flying from the United States, there are no direct flights. Your best bet is to fly into Paris and connect to a domestic flight that will bring you straight to Bordeaux.
Airplane
How far is Bordeaux from Paris? Flying from Paris (Charles De Gaulle) to Bordeaux (Bordeaux-Merignac Airport BOD) is super easy and only takes around an hour and twenty minutes on Air France. This is the quickest way to get around different parts of France. Book tickets well in advance, and you’ll find affordable deals around $100 one way. If you don’t have a lot of time and want to see as much as you can, I highly recommend this option.
Some of my favorite resources for finding cheap flights are Momondo and Skyscanner.
Train
Traveling by train via the TGV from Paris train station (PARIS MONTPARNASSE 1 ET 2) to (BORDEAUX ST JEAN) will take around three hours, but if you have the time and want to see the French countryside, I highly recommend it. Book your tickets in advance. Train tickets are like airline tickets; the prices fluctuate, and you will get the best deal if you buy them ahead of time. You can book train tickets up to 90 days in advance of your trip. Train tickets can cost anywhere from 30-200 euros depending on when you purchase them.
Rome 2 Rio is a great resource that allows you to see how to get from point A to point B the best and cheapest way possible. It will give you all the bus, train, plane, or boat routes to get you there and how much they cost.
Rent a Car
Have some wiggle room in your Bordeaux itinerary? Rent a car. The drive from Paris to Bordeaux is around six to seven hours. If you have time and want to discover charming smaller towns along your drive, then this is the perfect option for you.
Uber
Are there Ubers in Bordeaux? Yes!! Within Bordeaux city there are. You can take one from the airport, around the city, and even into the countryside. Just be cautious that once you’re in the countryside there are n Ubers available, so you’ll have to find a way t call a taxi back.
Public Transportation
Bordeaux has it’s own public transportation system. Buy a Bordeaux city pass, and get unlimited access for your selected period of time (tramway, bus, and river shuttle.
Where To Stay In Bordeaux
Airbnb
The city of Bordeaux is anything but a sleepy little town. It’s full of nightlife, restaurants, cafes, and breathtaking architecture. You won’t have any trouble finding something to do here. I stayed in an Airbnb that was a 10-minute walk from everything I needed and right above a bakery. That’s right, wake up to the smell of fresh baguettes in the morning!
The apartment is a classic and elegant Parisian one bedroom. The host even leaves a book for you to write in and see other guests’ recommendations, which I found very helpful.
Never stayed at an Airbnb? Get $65 off your first stay.
For more of the French countryside stay, check out the Chateaus in Saint Emilion and Martillac, France. When looking for accommodations, I use Expedia.com. They constantly provide the cheapest and lowest rates for some of the best hotels.
Chateau Hotel & Spa Grand Barrail
Located in Saint-Émilion 40 minutes from Merignac Airport (BOD).
ROUTE DE LIBOURNE D243 – 33330 SAINT-ÉMILION – FRANCE|TEL: +33 5 57 55 37 00
Hotel Les Source de Caudalie
Located in Martillac 30 minutes from Merignac Airport (BOD).
Chemin de Smith Haut Lafitte 33650 Bordeaux-Martillac
Tel: +33 (0)5 57 83 83 83
Where To Eat In Bordeaux
Picnic Lunch: Jean D’Alos Fromagerie is known for its wide selection of cheeses. Pick some up and enjoy a picnic in the public garden.
Dinner: Le Petit Commerce is a local hotspot with great seafood and always a fun crowd.
Cocktails & Dim Sum: Madame Pang is a popular hang-out for young professionals enjoying an after-work drink. The menu uses local produce to create an authentic Chinese menu. Madame Pang uses elements of Bordeaux and China to offer a wide selection of dishes. With its ‘classic’ and ‘deluxe’ dim sum dishes standing out as the proud favorites, it’s hard not to enjoy a dinner here.
Travel Tip:
Ask locals for recommendations on where to eat. They’ll be more than happy to help. You can also ask your lodging for recommendations.
Day 1 In Bordeaux: See The Sights
Purchase a Bordeaux City Pass
There is plenty of things to do in this vibrant city. A budget-friendly way to see Bordeaux City is by purchasing a Bordeaux City pass. You pay based on how many days you’ll want to use it. Starting at 29 euros for 24 hours to 43 euros for 72 hours. For this 3 days itinerary of Bordeaux I recommend buying a 24-hour pass as the other two days are spent outside the city. The Bordeaux City Pass is a great way to see museums and visit historical places all while staying on a budget for a great value price.
The pass includes:
- La Cité du Vin (before 12pm)
- Les Bassins de Lumières
- Unlimited access to tram, bus, river shuttle
- 20 museums and monuments
- 1 guided tour/walking tour
You will get unlimited access to Bordeaux’s public transportation system for your selected period of time (tramway, bus, and river shuttle. Once you have your Bordeaux city pass, you can book your tours at the Bordeaux Tourist Office.
Visit The Water Mirror In Palais De La Bourse
If you’ve never been to Bordeaux before, you must also visit the La Palais de la Bourse. It’s famous for its Water Mirror, a great Instagram spot, and definitely worth spending some time here. The Water Mirror (Miroir d’Eau) is actually the largest reflecting pool in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The water Mirror is only 2 cm deep but it creates a mesmerizing, mirroring effect that reflects Palais de la Bourse and all the other buildings surrounding it.
The water is programmed to have 3 sequences – fog, mirror, and pool, so if you spend at least 20 minutes there you can see it shifting from a mesmerizing mirror to a misty fog and so on. Stop by during sunset for a breathtaking water show.
Go Shopping On Rue Sainte-Catherine
Fun fact, Rue St-Catherine is actually the longest pedestrian shopping street in Europe at 1.2 kilometers long! This street is a shopaholic’s dream, filled with local Bordeaux boutiques and mainstream stores like Zara. This famous street is always filled with people wandering through its dozens of cafes and many shops. Even if you’re not shopping, I still recommend checking it out. There are a ton of cafes and restaurants with amazing food and even better people watching.
Day 2 in Bordeaux
Wine Tasting Day Tours
When visiting the Bordeaux wine region, you must partake in wine tastings. Unlike Reims Champagne, where you have to make individual appointments, I highly recommend doing group tours in Bordeaux. They pick you up in the city and drive you out to the Bordeaux vineyards. It’s an effortless way to see the countryside, and it’s budget-friendly too.
I love using Viator to find things to do all over the world. Bordeaux has some amazing half-day and full-day tours through Viator, I personally went one a day tour of Saint-Émilion.
Day Tour to Saint-Émilion
Visit the UNESCO-listed medieval village of Saint-Emilion. Book a day tour led by a sommelier and tour operator. Enjoy riding electric bikes in a small group from vineyard to vineyard, exploring different Bordeaux wineries. After tasting some Bordeaux wine, enjoy a French picnic outside. It’s a great way to see several vineyards and taste a variety of wines all while learning about Bordeaux wine and the rich history of the land.
Day 3 in Bordeaux
Luxury Spa Day at Les Source de Caudalie
Thirty minutes south of Bordeaux in Martillac stands Les Sources de Caudalie, a luxury hotel and spa. The French skincare brand Caudalie is best known for incorporating the grapes they harvest at Château Smith Haut Lafitte in Bordeaux into their products. In 1999, Caudalie discovered a hot spring 1,500 feet underground, and thus the Vinothérapie Spa was born.
Take an Uber from Bordeaux city. On the way back ask the hotel’s front desk to call you a car, as no Ubers operate near the hotel.
Budget Tip:
Rooms start at around $600 per night. If that’s out of your price range, you can book a half-day at the spa and have dinner for one night’s price.
Book the spa package Source Vital. It’s their least expensive offering but still a bucket list experience. Best of all, you get access to all the spa amenities, including the indoor and outdoor pools and saunas. The package includes a 15-minute bath or wrap, a 20-minute warm oil massage, and a 50-minute Resveratrol lift facial or any other 50-minute facial treatment for 260 euros.
Looking for a one-of-a-kind treatment? Try the famous Crushed Cabernet scrub, Honey and Wine Wrap, Barrel Bath, and Winemaker’s Massage. Your body will thank you as you emerge glowing after your day at the Vinothérapie Spa.
Afterward, head over to dinner at one of Caudalie’s signature restaurants and watch the sunset over the vineyard. For a more casual feel after the spa, I suggest La Table du Lavoir: The Country-Inn.
Read More: Hotel Review Les Sources de Caudalie, Bordeaux France
Bordeaux Overall
So is Bordeaux worth visiting? Absolutely. Bordeaux should be on your travel bucket list. With so much history, culture, and amazing wine there’s something for everyone in this beautiful city.
Read More:
The Ultimate Weekend in Paris
10 Days in France Itinerary with Budget Tips
The Best Day Trip from Paris to Reims
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Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links. I would never recommend anything I don’t personally love.
