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Bordeaux Sights and Landmarks Guide, France

One of the five largest cities in France, Bordeaux has the largest university campus in the country and is best known for its wines. It is popularly known as ‘Little Paris,’ but does not have a modernized cityscape because the quality of the soil on which the city is built does not allow for the construction of tall buildings. As a result, much of the city retains its original architecture and it is quite sprawling in its area, exceeding even the size of Paris in terms of its ground space.

Les Quais is one of the most popular districts for finding a great night club, taking a leisurely walk, or enjoying a beautiful ferry ride on the River Garonne, on which the city is built. The Pedestrian Center is the best place for shopping, and finding unusual souvenirs with cultural significance. The town center is a lovely pedestrian area where rollerblading is popular, and it’s a good way to see the city. It’s pretty safe to rollerblade down the streets in the city center, since no cars are allowed there.

Some of the cultural and historical attractions in Bordeaux include the Aquitaine Bridge, the Victory Arch, and the Musee D'Art Contemporain. The museum of art is not very large, but has an interesting collection. The Aquitaine Bridge is definitely a must see as it is an architectural marvel, and you can get lovely photographs of the bridge spanning the river. The Victory Arch is in the La Victoire district and is a fine example of Romanesque architecture.

Bordeaux also has a lovely public park which is a great place to relax and enjoy the atmosphere, or take a picnic basket along and look at the ducks. There is also a tranquil botanic garden.

Since Bordeaux is practically synonymous with exquisite wines, don’t miss out on sampling the many delightful wineries in the area. Most are just outside city limits and the most well known ones include Chateau Petrus, Château Mouton Rothschild, Château Margaux and Château Lafite-Rothschild. There are several wine festivals in the region during summer, so check them out if you’re there at the time since it’s an experience like no other. Red wines are the specialty of Bordeaux, which is also known for several unusual pastries. While French cuisine is ample in the city, it also has several fine Asian and Arabian restaurants.