Bordeaux Entertainment

Despite having the reputation as a quiet provincial city, Bordeaux has a lively, vibrant nightlife. There are many different ways to spend an evening in this city, from an evening at a pub to a night out at a throbbing disco. Bordeaux’s massive student population helps keep things going in the party category, but there’s also the Grand Theatre, with its schedule of world-class musical and theatrical productions. Pick up a free copy of the regional newspaper, Sud-Quest, to learn about the current events. Bordeaux Plus and Clubs et Concerts also highlight things going on around town and is available at the Tourism Office and some newsstands.

Nightlife

The club scene in Bordeaux is a thriving one, driven primarily by the hoards of students who live in the city. There are quite a few places to go for dancing, drinking and socializing, with a wide range of music on offer. The partying kicks off in earnest on Thursdays and most of the clubs don’t get hopping until 01:00 and often go on until 04:00 or 05:00. The Quay de Paludate, located about 15 minutes from the city centre by bus or taxi, is the main strip for the young and social, with more than a dozen popular bars lining the water. This isn’t the place for hardcore raving, but it does have a good party atmosphere. Theme nights are held at the spacious La Distillerie at the end of the quay. Quay Sud is the place to hang out with Bordeaux’s socially mobile and the Shadow Lounge is a set against a wonderful Baroque backdrop and plays techno and house.

The city really comes alive at night and is chock full of different types of venues. Those seeking a more raucous evening should check out L’Ane Qui Tousse, with its tropical theme dance floors, or Le Plana, which gets packed with rowdy university students looking to unwind. Senechal is another great place for dancing, with its chic 1970s decor. Bordeaux’s friendliest gay bar is Bar de l’Hotel de Ville (BHV); located right in the heart of town, this is where you can catch a drag show on most Sundays. Rockers aren’t left out either, with Le Jimmy and Le Barclay kicking out some serious heavy metal and rock.     

Theatre and music

Bordeaux’s cultural centre is the glorious Grande Theatre, located at the Place de la Comedie. Built in 1780, this magnificent building has been offering theatrical productions for over 200 hundred years. This tradition continues today, with the theatre hosting a busy and diverse performance schedule throughout the year, with everything from opera to plays (tel: +33 05 56 00 85 20). Live music also has a place in Bordeaux, with several venues putting on regular shows. Two of the more trendy and glamorous bars are La Casa Latina, where the salsa, bachata and merengue will transport you to Brazil, and L’Absolute Lounge, which offers live electro-jazz. L’Alligator has blues on Wednesdays nights and the Comptoir du Jazz provides a healthy dose of jazz and blues on the river at the Quay de Paludate. If Irish music is your thing, you’ll love the scene at the Connemara Irish Pub. Le Plana has live jazz on Sundays and other bands on Mondays and Tuesdays.

If you’re feeling lucky, you may want to head over to the Casino de Bordeaux, where the gambling, drinking and people-watching is top notch. The casino has all the usual tables and machines as well as live entertainment on the weekends.

Festivals

Naturally, wine is the focal point of most of the festivals in the Bordeaux region; however, there are plenty of other events to keep you entertained going on throughout the year, from art exhibitions to musical concerts. 

• Bordeaux Fête le Vin is the city’s premier wine event, in which Bordeaux and its surrounding villages put on parades, concerts on the water and lots of wine tastings (June to July).
• Les Grands Crus Musicaux brings some of the world’s greatest musicians to Bordeaux to perform classical works by Bach, Ysaye, Grapelli and others. The concerts, accompanied by wine tastings, are held in various French châteaux around the area (July).
• Bordeaux New Orleans Jazz and Swing Festival brings the sounds of the southern United States to the city, with a number of famous bands performing at the Cour Mably (September).
• International Art Festival of Bordeaux celebrates the works of many contemporary artists from around the world right here in the Bordeaux region (November).
• Bordeaux International Fair happens every year at the city’s massive exhibition centre. Nearly 300,000 visitors come to check out exhibitions on a wide variety of subjects (May).