Bordeaux
Photo: Christophe Eyquem / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Bordeaux is a city base for the surrounding vineyards, with the Cité du Vin and wine bars in town. Wine travelers stop here to learn first, then reach Saint-Émilion, the Médoc, Graves and Sauternes by train, tram or tour.
Bordeaux works as a wine base because the learning, the tasting rooms and the transport to the vineyards are all in one city. You can spend a day on wine without leaving town, then use the next day to head out to the Bordeaux vineyards.
The main stop is La Cité du Vin, which has a permanent exhibition and a Belvédère. It also runs tasting workshops, including an English-language "Bordeaux 360°" workshop on Saturdays.
For a glass in the city center, Le Bar à Vin du CIVB is on the ground floor of the Maison du Vin de Bordeaux, an 18th-century building facing the Grand Théâtre. It serves Bordeaux wines by the glass.
If you want to learn more than a tasting offers, the Ecole du Vin de Bordeaux is also in an 18th-century building in the city center. The CIVB founded it in 1989, and it welcomes anyone who wants to learn about wine.
Visits in the city itself are to wine venues rather than working estates. Estate visits happen out in the vineyards, and the Bordeaux Tourist Office runs guided wine tours from the city center to Saint-Émilion, the Médoc, Graves and Sauternes, in half-day and full-day formats.
The tourist office's full-day Saint-Émilion tour includes a visit and tasting at Château Balestard La Tonnelle, a Grand Cru Classé. As with any tasting, spit if you are trying several wines, and agree on a designated driver if you are driving yourselves.
| Place | Visit | From |
|---|---|---|
| La Cité du Vin | Permanent exhibition and Belvédère, date-stamped adult ticket | €23 ($25) |
| La Cité du Vin | Same ticket with two glasses | €27 ($29) |
| La Cité du Vin | English-language Bordeaux 360° tasting workshop, Saturdays | — |
| Le Bar à Vin du CIVB | Bordeaux wines by the glass, Maison du Vin de Bordeaux | — |
| Ecole du Vin de Bordeaux | Wine learning in a city-center building | — |
| Bordeaux Tourist Office | Full-day Saint-Émilion tour with tasting at Château Balestard La Tonnelle | €99 ($107) |
Children under 18 pay €9 ($10) at the Cité du Vin, and children under 6 are free.
Regional trains to Saint-Émilion leave from Bordeaux Saint-Jean and take about 34 minutes. That makes Saint-Émilion a practical day trip on its own.
For the Médoc, Tram C runs from Blanquefort station to Place de la Bourse in about 30 minutes. The CIVB's car-free itinerary uses it to return from the Médoc.
The Cité du Vin is open every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from April 3 to October 31, 2026. That is the widest window for planning a visit, with no day to avoid.
From November 1, 2026 to January 3, 2027, it is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and Sundays, and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays.
The Cité du Vin has some winter closures. It is closed on December 25 and closes at 4 p.m. on December 24. In 2026 it also has a closure week from January 26 to February 1.
Bordeaux Saint-Jean is the city's main station and the departure point for regional trains to Saint-Émilion, while Tram C connects Place de la Bourse with Blanquefort for the Médoc.
Christophe Eyquem / Wikimedia Commons
A three-star hotel on rue du Temple in central Bordeaux, close to Place des Quinconces and the Garonne riverfront. The front desk is open 24 hours a day, which suits late arrivals.
Best for: City-center stay in Bordeaux without a car
Christophe Eyquem / Wikimedia Commons
The hotel sits in the Chartrons district, on the banks of the Garonne near Place des Quinconces and the Public Garden. It has a rooftop bar-restaurant with city views and is certified with the Green Key eco-label.
Best for: City stays in Bordeaux's Chartrons district
Christophe Eyquem / Wikimedia Commons
The hotel sits in the Saint-Jean district, between old Bordeaux and the Paludate business quarter. It has a bistro, Le Saint Jean, on site, which suits an arrival or departure by train.
Best for: A night near Bordeaux Saint-Jean station
Christophe Eyquem / Wikimedia Commons
A 45-room hotel on a quiet street in the historic center, next to the Grand Théâtre. Gare St Jean is 15 minutes away by streetcar.
Best for: Car-free visitors staying in Bordeaux's old center
Christophe Eyquem / Wikimedia Commons
A former 19th-century wine cellar in the Chartrons district, redesigned by Philippe Starck. It has 97 rooms, a Japanese restaurant, a spa with a heated pool, and a patio.
Best for: Design-minded couples exploring Bordeaux and the Médoc
Vanbasten 23 / Wikimedia Commons
This hotel sits on Place de la Comédie in the center of Bordeaux. It has a Guerlain spa and a rooftop bar with 360-degree city views, so it suits a rest day between vineyard trips.
Best for: City stay in central Bordeaux with a spa
Christophe Eyquem / Wikimedia Commons
A small hotel in Bordeaux's historic center with a heated pool and private spa. Line D stops at Fondaudège–Muséum nearby, and the station is about 20 minutes away by tram.
Best for: Couples wanting a spa stay in central Bordeaux
Regional trains to Saint-Émilion leave from Bordeaux Saint-Jean, the city's main railway station, and take about 34 minutes. That makes Saint-Émilion a workable day trip from the city without a car.
A date-stamped adult ticket for the permanent exhibition and the Belvédère costs €23 ($25), or €27 ($29) with two glasses. Children under 18 pay €9 ($10), and children under 6 are free.
Yes. The Bordeaux Tourist Office runs half-day and full-day wine tours to Saint-Émilion, the Médoc, Graves and Sauternes. You can also take the regional train to Saint-Émilion, or Tram C from Blanquefort back into the city.
Le Bar à Vin du CIVB is on the ground floor of the Maison du Vin de Bordeaux, an 18th-century building facing the Grand Théâtre. It serves Bordeaux wines by the glass.
Bordeaux in Bites / Viator
You walk Bordeaux's old town for 3 hours and stop at an artisanal bakery, a butcher, a cheese shop, and a canelé shop. The second half ends with a pairing at a wine cellar. Tastings are included in the €115 ($124) price.
From €1153 hours
Best for: First-time visitors who want food and wine in town
Last updated
Plan your trip
The direct TGV INOUI from Paris Montparnasse reaches Bordeaux Saint-Jean in 2 hours 4 minutes. Here are the train options, OUIGO fares and luggage rules, and the tram from the station to the city center.
Guide
How to reach Saint-Émilion, the Médoc, the Graves and Sauternes, the Entre-deux-Mers and Blaye from Bordeaux by train, car or tourist office coach, with estate visit terms and fees.
Guide
La Cité du Vin is Bordeaux's museum of wine cultures, with a rooftop Belvédère and tasting workshops. Here are the tickets and prices, opening hours, the tram from the station, and how its tastings and vineyard tours work.
