Bordeaux
Bordeaux for wine lovers: château tours with tasting from 15 euros in Pessac, Léognan and Le Taillan, and the Cité du Vin by the Garonne.
- 1food festival
- 1culinary experience
Food festivals in Bordeaux
Patrick Despoix, CC BY-SA
Culinary experiences in Bordeaux
Megan Mallen, CC BYMap of Bordeaux
Bordeaux sits on the Garonne river, at the centre of one of the world’s best-known wine regions. The city is a good base for visiting châteaux: the ones in this guide are on its edge.
In the city, the Cité du Vin, at 134 Quai de Bacalan, is a museum of wine cultures. Its 23 euro ticket includes a glass of wine at the Belvédère, at the top of the building. South-west of the centre, Château Pape Clément in Pessac sells a tasting from 15 euros and a tour with tasting for 25 euros. Château Malartic-Lagravière, in Léognan, a tour with two wines for 20 euros. North-west of the city, Château du Taillan runs its classic tour for 15 euros.
Every two years, the quays of the Garonne host Bordeaux Fête le Vin, a wine festival with free entry and a tasting pass: from 7 to 11 July in 2027, the same week as the Tall Ships Races.
Practical notes
- Tram line B serves the Cité du Vin.
- Bordeaux Saint-Jean station has high-speed trains to Paris, the fastest in just over two hours.
- Harvest, in September and October, is a busy time at the châteaux: book ahead.