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round trip travel and lifestyle blog

My Weekend Trip to Bordeaux, France

March 1, 2021
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Butterflies in your stomach, your heart racing? Ah yes, the feeling of being smitten. I recently visited Bordeaux for the first time, and this is exactly how I felt: undeniably enchanted by this vibrant city. My college friend Tori and I did a girls’ weekend during our vacances scolaires, and it was just the break I needed. We ate well, we drank well, we laughed well in Bordeaux. You know those destinations that you visit and you say to yourself, One and done, no need to return. Well, my trip to Bordeaux was not one of those. I am itching to return to this delightful city in southwestern France. Heading there, too? Here are 17 things to do in Bordeaux.

Where We Stayed

I can confidently say I’ve never had a better Airbnb experience. Not only was this apartment darling, but the host was also so kind and hospitable. Super host Vincent truly thought of everything! It was located steps away from a cute square with shops and restaurants, but the apartment itself was plenty quiet. Here’s $65 off your first Airbnb booking.

Café Kokomo

The name of this American food joint made me want to croon The Beach Boys. Located in a bubbly square, Café Kokomo serves up burgers, fries, lemonade and more of your American favorites. After a 6-hour train ride, Tori and I were famished. And this hit just the spot after a long journey. The best part of all (okay, close) is that they handed out those gummy hamburger patty candies with our order. You know, the Krabby Patty ones you used to snack on as a kid? Tori and I were obsessed!

Église Notre Dame de Bordeaux

If I had a dime for every church in France with the name “Notre Dame” — oh là là ! Église Notre Dame de Bordeaux dates back to the 1600s and boasts beautiful stained glass and paintings inside. It was truly one of the quietest cathedrals I’ve visited. It’s also near plenty of shops and restaurants, so it’s worth a stop.

Charcuterie night à Bordeaux

Sure, France offers some of the most renowned cuisine in the world, but sometimes you just want a night in while on vacation. Snacking on a charcuterie board for dinner is one of my favorite meals, and in Bordeaux, you have ample local shops where you can select the best cheese, meats and wine.

On your list of things to do in Bordeaux, be sure to add wine tasting because that’s this city’s claim to fame. Due to restrictions, we couldn’t find any wine tastings, so we made our own. We started at L’Oenothèque right across from Église Notre Dame de Bordeaux. We wandered in, and our eyes met rows and rows of Bordeaux wine. The kind shopkeeper helped us pick out a selection of regional wines for our charcuterie night, and she even pointed to where they came from on her map of Bordeaux. Full of character, the wine shop is attached to a small antiques shop. The shop doesn’t have an Instagram and appears to be pretty under the radar. The address is 1 Place du Chapelet. Although there’s not a fuss on the internet, Tori and I were entirely thrilled with our purchases and service.

We asked the lady at the wineshop where we should buy cheese, and she directed us just a couple streets over to Fromagerie Beillevaire. This small but mighty shop is well-equipped for all your cheese needs, to say the least. The woman at the shop helped us find a variety of cheeses, including one that had dried flowers on its rind. And next to the fromagerie, La Boucherie de Paris is where we found our meats to complement our cheese and wine. As far as the best things to do in Bordeaux goes, having your own wine and charcuterie night is an authentic and scrumptious way to travel.

Rue Sainte Catherine

If you’re looking to shop till you drop, Rue Sainte Catherine is the place to be. This long, bustling street has plenty of big name stores to browse and is a must for any shopaholics heading to Bordeaux.

Place de la Bourse and Miroir d’Eau

This famous Bordeaux square sports beautiful architecture and a classic fountain just steps away from the Garonne River. Although it wasn’t in operation when we visited, Miroir d’Eau is another popular site in this square as it reflects the buildings.

Les Quais de Bordeaux

This path lines the Garonne River and is the perfect place for a pleasant walk or bike ride. The scattered gardens along Les Quais de Bordeaux also make it a great spot for picnicking, reading or catching up with a pal. Tori and I had the most pleasant stroll and outdoor lunch along the Garonne River as rollerbladers, bikers and runners whizzed past.

Rue Saint James

While Rue Sainte Catherine is all the hustle and bustle, Rue Saint James is a muted kind of cool. This street is lined with darling boutiques with fun knickknacks, especially at Bon Endroi. It’s all under the watchful eye of La Grosse Cloche, a darling bell tower gracing the street. This was one of my favorite things to do in Bordeaux for its fun shops and under-the-radar vibes.

Only a few steps away from Rue Saint James is a pretty and pink boutique called Panache. Tori and I met the owner of this recently opened storefront and enjoyed looking at all the fun books, trinkets and artsy things along with the studio upstairs. It reminded me of a boutique I’d see in America for its feminine yet irreverent vibes.

Place Fernand-Lafargue

This small but mighty square was right around the corner from our Airbnb, and Tori and I loved sitting here to people watch and enjoy ice cream. Honestly, when I think of my time in Bordeaux, I think of Place Fernand-Lafargue. Not because it’s anything that out of the ordinary, but because it’s entirely lively and a peek into la vie quotidienne, or the French way of life. There’s plenty of cafés and shops about this area, and it connects to Rue Saint James.

Place des Quinonces

This beautiful spot in the city is the largest square in all of Europe and is the perfect place for a walk or a picnic. Tori and I briefly walked through it on our last night, and I wish we could’ve spent more time there.

Padang Padang

I am always in search of a good bowl of pad thai, and Padang Padang fit just the bill. It was steps away from our Airbnb, and we saw lots of people on the street munching on Asian food. We had no destination in mind for lunch, and we decided to join the bandwagon. Reasonably priced, my Padang Padang pad thai packed flavor, and I was so bummed that my tummy wasn’t big enough to finish the whole bowl.

Glacerie Dumas

Tori and I stayed in Bordeaux for two nights, and we visited Glacerie Dumas twice. So if that doesn’t paint a picture, I’m telling you it was delightful. The first night I ordered ice cream macaron sandwiches, which pack flavor in such small bites. And the second night I ordered their chocolate ice cream topped with chantilly. They also sell pastries and other sugary sweets, so your sweet tooth will be satisfied.

Les Comptoirs du Magellan

I’m picky when it comes to postcards, and I also have an unhealthy obsession with more wall art than can humanly fit into my room. And Les Comptoirs du Magellan was the perfect store to poke around in. This store has plenty of fun knickknacks and some beautifully designed postcards and wall art. I love finding artwork that portrays the places I visit, and Les Comptoirs du Magellan had so much to pick from.

Arcachon and La Dune du Pilat

Since, when does France have sand dunes? I mean, we know they’ve got a cool tower in Paris, snowy mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. But few realize that the oh-so geographically diverse France is home to the largest sand dune in Europe. And it’s an hour and a half away from Bordeaux.

Gare Saint Jean in Bordeaux has trains running to and from Arcachon throughout the day. It’s a one-hour train ride to the beach village of Arcachon. From the Arcachon train station, take Bus 1 to La Dune du Pilat stop. The bus ride takes another 30 minutes, but I savored every second as the commute is filled with tree-lined streets and expensive homes. It gave me Florida-meets-Beverly Hills-meets-France vibes. Boujee but make it nature and French.

After your commute, you arrive at the park. Follow the trail, and then you will see la dune in all her sandy glory. Be sure to wear good hiking shoes, and check the weather before you go. Tori and I did not do our homework nor take into account how incredibly windy it would be at the top. All that to say, we were pretty darn cold. Wear long pants and long sleeves to protect yourself from blowing sand.

It is no secret that I fell in love with Bordeaux. And I can’t wait to return to find even more things to do in Bordeaux. Happy exploring and wandering!

Craving more French destinations? Here are my favorite villages near Nice to explore.

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Comments

  1. Abbie Lafountaine says

    March 1, 2021 at 11:56 am

    What a lovely trip!

    Reply
    • roundtriptravel says

      March 2, 2021 at 6:43 am

      It truly was! Hope you get to visit soon, Abbie 🙂

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Kristin. I'm a content creator teaching English in southern France. I'm all about exploring new places, practicing my French and sharing blogging tips. Allez-viens!
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Hi, I'm Kristin. I'm a content creator teaching English in southern France. I'm all about exploring new places, practicing my French and sharing blogging tips. Allez-viens!
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Hi, it's been a minute, and I'd love to reintroduc Hi, it's been a minute, and I'd love to reintroduce myself👋

🇺🇸I'm a Missouri girl living in southern France where I teach English to French kiddos and update my blog, Round Trip. I moved here in the height of Covid last fall, and boy, do I have some STORIES that I dish in my brand new magazine (keep scrolling for the dirty deets)

🐝I majored in magazine editing and would love to talk your ear off about the Oxford comma. Oh, and I won the school spelling bee in 7th grade. Yep, I peaked😂

💃I'm a middle child, and I don't let my family forget that. I've always loved the attention, and I suppose that manifests in my addiction to glitter and leopard print.

📖This week I launched Round Trip: The Magazine, a 20-page print + digital experience. It’s jam-packed with articles about how I moved to France during a pandemic, the best French villages to add to your bucket list and how I saved $7,000 to move abroad. I spill the tea on how travel and life abroad has taught me the best lessons about insecurity and confidence, heartbreak and love👀

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(giveaway) What's a magazine launch week without a (giveaway) What's a magazine launch week without a giveaway?!💥 I recently announced my latest project, Round Trip: The Magazine. This 20-page physical + digital magazine is jam-packed with articles on how I made the move to France during a pandemic, the best French villages to visit, how I saved thousands of dollars to travel and the lessons I've learned through travel. And lots, lots more!

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😳Here’s a little secret for you: I was terrif 😳Here’s a little secret for you: I was terrified I would fall flat on my face. Now I’m happy and loving every second of life in France, but let’s rewind the clock back to one year ago, shall we?

⏰I was a mess. Last spring, it’d already been several months since I submitted my application to teach English in France. My heart was set on living abroad. And it was shattered as headlines and exclamation points littered the world with this virus called Covid.

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❓I get a lot of questions about my life in France. And for this reason along with the journey to get here, I decided to create something. This week, I'm launching Round Trip: The Magazine. It’s a 20+ page magazine (digital or physical — you pick!) filled with stories, travel tips, language learning ideas, bucket list destinations and beyond. Plus, a password-protected online portal with bonus content.

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(big news!) ☎️Travel called — it wants you b (big news!) ☎️Travel called — it wants you back. The cabin fever is real as we’ve been cooped up in our homes for the past however many months. Whether you’re booking a flight ASAP or wanting to play it safe for a while, many of us have been daydreaming about travel. We miss the thrill of takeoff, the exhilaration of exploration, the elation of discovery.

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Sometimes I just don’t believe my life🙈 Toda Sometimes I just don’t believe my life🙈

Today we took a casual 20ish minute boat ride to a nearby island I can see from my backyard. We hiked up to the ancient fort and danced to music mere feet from ruins — all with views of the Mediterranean Sea and Marseille in all her sunny glory.

I think back to a year ago when my life felt heavy and full of question marks. I think of all the hoops I jumped through and all the doors God opened for me to be here. I think of the daily prayers for answers, long walks to let out the stress and the anxious tears.

And friends, it was all worth it. What a beautiful thing reflection is! What an amazing thing it is to see the pain that was and the joy that is! 

The months leading up to moving to France were absolute mayhem, but oh, I am so beyond glad I didn’t quit when it was hard. Because I am in absolute love with my life in southern France☀️
Been kinda quiet on the socials as of late👀I've Been kinda quiet on the socials as of late👀I've been soaking up the Marseille sunshine with long walks, picnics and the not-so occasional ice cream😋

💪I've also been hard at work. For the past two months, I've been creating my latest project, Round Trip: The Magazine. I've sent out surveys, edited and workshopped this piece for hours upon hours. And I am delighted to say I am all set to launch in APRIL!!

🤔What is this so-called magazine, and why should I care? Alas, in September, I moved to France to teach English — yes, in the middle of a pandemic. It's been quite the wild ride, and along the way, I've been getting lots of questions about my journey here.

I also wanted to take my blog to the next level. As much as I love sharing my travel tips + life abroad peeks on my blog and social channels, I longed to provide a more immersive, intimate experience. Ya know, like a coffee date with your best gal pal?☕

Given that I have a degree in magazine editing, I thought it only fitting to answer the questions, share my stories and dish all the dirty deets in magazine format. And I am sooo stoked for next month's launch!! Want to be first to hear when this magazine drops and to get the pre-sale price? Comment with ⭐and I'll add you to my insiders list.

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🍷😋Best eats + sips in BORDEAUX: 🍦@glace 🍷😋Best eats + sips in BORDEAUX: 

🍦@glaceriedumas_bordeaux Tori and I stayed in Bordeaux for two nights, and we visited Glacerie Dumas twice. Long story short: it was delightful. The first night I ordered ice cream macaron sandwiches. And the second night I ordered their chocolate ice cream topped with chantilly. 

🍜@padang8padang I am always in search of a good bowl of pad thai, and this fit just the bill. My pad thai packed flavor, and I was so bummed that my tummy wasn’t big enough to finish the whole bowl. Reasonably priced and steps away from a darling square. 

🍔@cafekokomo Located in a bubbly square, Café Kokomo serves up burgers, fries, lemonade and more of your American favorites. The best part of all (okay, close) is that they handed out those gummy Krabby Patty candies with our order. AMAZE.

🍇L’Oenothèque: Tor and I decided to make our wine tasting at our Airbnb. We found a wine shop right across from Église Notre Dame de Bordeaux. The kind shopkeeper helped us pick out a selection of regional wines for our charcuterie night, and she even pointed to where they came from on her map of Bordeaux. The shop isn't super active online, so here's the address: 1 Place du Chapelet

What are you craving for your trip to Bordeaux? Save this post for your next trip to southwestern France. Link in bio has more Bordeaux food + activity recs❗

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