Bordeaux: know before you go

Bordeaux-Mérignac airport sits west of the city. Since 6 December 2025, tram line F has run from the terminal into the centre, which makes the airport a cheap ride rather than a taxi question; the older 30'Direct coach still gives a fast, direct link to Gare Saint-Jean. Gare Saint-Jean, the city's rail hub, is a short tram ride south of the centre. Cruise ships berth on the Garonne close to the old town.

The centre of Bordeaux is flat and genuinely walkable: the Saint-Pierre lanes, Place de la Bourse, the Quinconces and the cathedral quarter all sit inside a compact, mostly pedestrian core, and the market quarter is a short walk south of it. The Chartrons run north along the quay, also easy on foot. Bacalan and the Cité du Vin sit further north, and La Bastide is across the river, so those two legs are easier by tram or by walking the bridge. TBM runs trams A, B, C, D and F plus buses, and one ticket works on both. Buy on the TBM app or at tram station machines; buying on a bus costs more. For summer 2026, check the Pont de pierre works before you rely on trams A or E.

Bordeaux adds a nightly tourist tax to your accommodation bill, set per person and rising with the star rating, with a regional surcharge stacked on top since 2024. Cards are taken almost everywhere in the centre, from restaurants to museums, though a few market stalls and brocante dealers prefer coins. ATMs are easy to find on the main shopping streets.

Bordeaux is a safe city and the central streets stay busy and well lit into the evening. The usual city cautions apply: watch your bag around the Saint-Michel market, on trams and around Gare Saint-Jean late at night, and keep to main routes on the quieter right-bank edges after dark. The tourist office is a good first call for any practical problem.

Tap water in Bordeaux is safe to drink, and refilling a bottle is normal in cafés and at public fountains in the warmer months. Summer gets hot enough to matter, so carry water on long quay walks. Pharmacies, marked with a green cross, handle minor needs and are plentiful in the centre.

Mobile coverage is strong across the centre on 4G and 5G, and free Wi-Fi is common in hotels and cafés. The TBM app is the easiest way to buy and validate transit tickets without touching a machine, and the airport coach has Wi-Fi on board.

Say bonjour when you walk into a shop or café and merci, au revoir when you leave; it is the basic transaction, and skipping it reads as rude. At markets, let the stallholder handle the produce and ask rather than grab. The Marché des Capucins, the big covered market, fills in the mornings Tuesday to Sunday and is closed on Mondays; the Chartrons quay market sets up on Sunday mornings with oysters and local produce.

French is the working language of Bordeaux. In the tourist centre, hotels, wine museums and many restaurants have English-speaking staff, but a few words go a long way in markets and smaller cafés. Tram announcements and signage are in French, so keep station names visible on your phone.

Trams are low floor and level with platforms, and buses kneel, so most of the network is step free; the challenge in the old town is cobblestones and narrow lanes. TBM also runs an assisted door to door service for people who need it, and the tourist office can point you to accessible routes and adapted visits.

Book timed entry online for the Bassins des Lumières, which sells out on weekends and in high season. The Cité du Vin is another timed entry site, and its permanent exhibition runs 10:00 to 19:00 daily in the warmer months. Good restaurants, especially the small bistro rooms and oyster counters, and any château or vineyard tour outside the city should be booked before you travel.