How to Spend 2 Days in Bordeaux
Two days provides time for sightseeing in the historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and exploring the surrounding wine regions. Here’s how to spend the perfect two days in Bordeaux.
Bordeaux Cathedral (Cathédrale St. André)
Free admission
Daily 2-6 p.m.
Place Pey Berland, Bordeaux, France
The basics
One of the cathedral’s most remarkable features is its freestanding bell tower, though it boasts plenty more interesting features, notably its wrought ironwork by local craftsman Blaise Charlut, located in the middle of the transept. The cathedral’s 14th-century tympanum depicts the Last Judgment in the most dramatic way in prominent Gothic architecture. The cathedral is a popular stop on city tours, though because it’s only open to visitors on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, many only stop to admire it from the outside.
Things to know before you go
- The cathedral is free to enter if you’re visiting for mass, with a small ticket fee for visitors 12 and up at other times.
- Visitors should dress conservatively, with their shoulders covered, and avoid wearing shorts.
- If you come during mass, do not take photos out of respect for worshipers.
How to get there
Bordeaux Cathedral is located in the heart of the historic center of Bordeaux, right by the City Hall (Hôtel de Ville) and Place Pey-Berland. It is accessible on foot, by tram via Route A and B (stop Hôtel de Ville), or by car. Parking in the center of Bordeaux is relatively easy thanks to the many underground parking lots – the most convenient one is the Parking St Christoly/Pey Berland.
Trip ideas
When to get there
The cathedral is open to tourists on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons (except on religious holidays such as Ash Wednesday). You can also visit for mass, although you won't be able to walk around and take pictures and you'll need to come at the beginning and stay until the end.
Bordeaux Hôtel de Ville (Palais Rohan)
Right across from the Cathedral sits the local city hall, known in French as the Bordeaux Hôtel de Ville. Built in 1771, this elegant structure is worth visiting for its neoclassical architecture alone, though it's also home to the Bordeaux Fine Arts Museum, with its impressive collection of art, particularly from France and the Netherlands.
- Bordeaux Hôtel de Ville (Palais Rohan)
- Museum of Aquitaine (Musée d'Aquitaine)
- Bordeaux Museum of Fine Arts (Musée des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux)
- Place Gambetta
- Rue Sainte-Catherine
- Grosse Cloche
- Grand Theatre
- Porte Cailhau
- Port of Bordeaux
- Place de la Bourse (Place Royale)
- Porte de Bourgogne
- Basilica of St. Michael (Basilique St. Michel)
- Quinconces Square (Place des Quinconces)
- Girondins Monument (Monument aux Girondins)
- Quai Louis XVIII