Travel to Bordeaux

Travel to Bordeaux

Bordeaux, with its 18th century magnificence, is situated at head of the Garonne estuary and is a good base from which to explore the surrounding areas. Many tourists are attracted to Bordeaux because of its pleasant climate, fine tasting wines and lively atmosphere. The city also has some very good museums and ancient buildings to explore.

Transportation to Bordeaux

The Bordeaux Merignac Airport receives flights from many international destinations. Some of the airlines it handles include Air Transat, BMI Baby, British Airways, FlyBe, Iberia Air, Lufthansa, Tunis Air and several other airlines. Taxi and bus providers offer services to and from the airport and several major car rental companies have kiosks at the airport. Quite a number of rail companies provide services into Bordeaux from major European cities including express and regular train services depending on the place of departure and the rail company. Eurostar provides express services that are moderately priced. Many major roads lead into Bordeaux including the A62, N230, A 630 A10, N89 and the A63. The roads are in good condition and well signposted making it very convenient for buses and cars to use. The most frequently used bus service is provided by Eurolines which travels to and from many European destinations. Once in Bordeaux it is easy to get around by using the local tram and bus service.

What to see

The 12th century Chateau de la Brede is the birthplace of Charles de Secondant, the famous philosopher and Baron of de La Brede. His descendants still live in the chateau but parts of it have been opened for public viewing. Visitors to the chateau can visit his living quarters and the chateaus magnificent gardens. There are several museums to visit and these include the Muse dAquitaine and the Muse des Beaux Arts. The former takes visitors back almost 25,000 years in time with displays of prehistoric artefacts. The Muse dAquitaine has a good collection of paintings by 17th century Dutch, Flemish and Italian artists. The museum itself is housed in a building that is more than 200 years old. One of the most beautiful buildings in Europe is the Grand Theatre that was built by Victor Louis in the 18th century. There are one hour tours that will take visitors around the ornate and vast interior of the theatre. Cite Fruges, designed by the visionary architect Charles Edouard le Corbusier, was built in 1926. It consists of 50 houses that today fall under the protection of the national heritage laws where the homes are not allowed to have major renovations. As such visitors to this area can experience what it was like to live in Bordeaux during the 1920s.

Day trips

If you are up for some adventure do take the train or the bus and head to the west of Bordeaux which eventually meets up with the Atlantic Ocean; where there are several picturesque villages to visit and spend the day. The Ourtins Lake, the largest freshwater lake in France is located here. During summer visitors can swim in the lake. Another interesting area to visit is the city of Arachon. Arachon is best known for its mild climate, fine beaches and the Bassin dArachon; Europes largest sand dune.

Activities and leisure

Bordeaux offers exciting cycling trips to vineyards where tired cyclists can taste some fine Bordeaux wines. The Atlantic Ocean is only 60 kilometres away and experienced cyclists can easily cycle the distance. Once you arrive at the ocean you will can participate in a wide range of water activities for jet skiing, water skiing, swimming and many more. There are also walking, cycling and hiking trips in the Dordogne areas that offer pleasant views of vineyards passing through long shady lanes and small wine villages. Interesting shops in Bordeaux line the pedestranised streets outside the town hall. Wine is the favourite buy for many tourists but the shops also sell all sorts of souvenirs. Visitors can enjoy the night life at Aquitaine with its many clubs, bars and restaurants. This is the usual hangout area of the locals and is reasonably priced and the people are very friendly.

Safety issues

All travellers, irrelevant of their destination, are always advised to watch their belongings and be aware of pick-pockets and petty thieving. Bordeaux is no exception to the rule and has had its share of petty crime during the peak tourist seasons. It would be wise to travel with insurance as this provides security should anything go wrong, especially in a country which uses a foreign language.