Bordeaux

Bordeaux Travel Guide (Nouvelle Aquitaine, France)

A HISTORICAL HUB AWAITS, combine the best of culture and wine

With a history dating back to the 8th century and capital moving more or less 14.5 billion euros each year, it comes as no surprise that Bordeaux is famed as the world’s major wine industry. Home to the world’s main wine fair, Vinexpo, as well as a wine museum, Cité du Vin, this city attracts wine professionals from around the world and can easily be described as the wine capital of the world.

The historic part of the city is on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2007 as “an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble” of the 18th century. The city is celebrated for its Gothic Cathédrale Saint-André, 18th- to 19th-century mansions and notable art museums such as the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux. Our small group Bordeaux sightseeing day tours offer a personalised tour which will lead you to all the major wine producing regions that surround the beautiful city of Bordeaux. 

WHICH DAY TRIPS, WINE TOURS OR SHORE EXCURSIONS, should you take in Bordeaux?

So you have set your mind up and are seriously considering visiting Bordeaux. Wholly revitalized since its so-called “Sleeping Beauty” days, Bordeaux is now one of France’s liveliest cities. A capital of art and architecture, culture and wine in France, the city is located at just over 2 hours from Paris by high speed TGV train that links both the Paris Bordeaux central train stations.

Classified as a UNESCO world heritage site in 2007, Bordeaux France is separated by the Garonne river into right and left banks and today there are endless ways to discover all that Bordeaux has to offer.

If you’re curious about the city’s restored architecture, recent feats of urban planning and the history of this formerly rundown town, join us on a Bordeaux guided walking tour or a biking tour. Led by one of our certified tour guides, they will be eager to show you the essential Bordeaux sites to suit your interests.

The most famous landmarks include the historical Golden Triangle, the Cathedral of Bordeaux as well as Place de la Bourse and most popular miroir d’eau or water mirror. A trip to Bordeaux is also a great occasion to participate in a wide variety of activities.

These include river cruises, a wine tasting bordeaux class, gourmet walking tours, cheese and wine pairing activity, a bordeaux bike wine tour or a visit to the brand new la Cité du Vin - City of wine museum. Here learn about the wines of the world and end your tour with a glass of wine. We at Ophorus can adapt to your wishes and organize all these activities for you.

Bordeaux city center is also a shopping mecca with streets such as rue Sainte Catherine, or stylish Cours de l’Intendance where you will find all the high end designer clothes, bags and jewelry shops. The area is also dotted with modern or more local wine bars where locals are keen on tasting some of the latest vintages.

For more information concerning the main attractions and landmarks you can always head out to the Office de tourisme de Bordeaux where there is a convenient city pass that can be bought on site.

Come and meet our team of knowledgeable expert guides

What we consider to be the most important factor for a successful experience is the personality, knowledge and expertise of your guide. That is why all our tours from Bordeaux are conducted by professional, expert guides that speak impeccable English.

All of them hold at minimum the WSET level 2 diploma in wines (perfect for the wine tours) and many are also French certified guides, licensed to carry out guided visits in monuments. This will come in handy for those who wish to visit the underground monuments of St Emilion for example.

Travel in style in one of our comfortable, secure and fully equipped vehicles

As a fully licensed transport company, we are also very proud to transport our clients in recent, fully equipped vehicles that have been chosen for their comfort and are particularly adapted for a private day tour from Bordeaux. All our vehicles are equipped with a small microphone p/a system so that your guide can make commentaries during driving time if ever you have questions about landscape, architecture or wine. We also include complimentary bottles of water on all our private tours.

Discover the most famous appellations and visit top rated wineries

If you are thinking about a trip to Bordeaux, there is a very strong chance that it will be to experience the local wines. There are several wine appellations that constitute the Bordeaux vineyards. The most famous are without a doubt the Saint Emilion and Medoc wine regions. Usually referred to as the Right Bank and Left Bank, both these regions offer great opportunities to visit Grand Cru wineries or more traditional ones.

We at Ophorus suggest that you make the most out of your stay in Bordeaux by taking a full day wine tour to at least one of these regions. While the Medoc wine area is famous for its ‘Route des Chateaux’ and prestigious names such as Chateau Margaux or Chateau Latour, the medieval village of Saint émilion will surely be a highlight if you head to the Saint Emilion wine region and famous wineries here include Chateau Cheval Blanc, Chateau Le Pin or Petrus.

Our full day private wine tours typically include a pick up and drop off at your hotel or housing in and around Bordeaux (circle of 30kms). We will have arranged at least 3 winery visits for you and your party, selecting some of the most prestigious classified growth chateaus but also traditional family owned wineries known for high quality of the wines they craft.

Looking for other options, discover our private tours beyond the Bordeaux wine region

If you are staying a few days in Bordeaux, then why not treat yourself to another amazing local destination or experience. At Ophorus, our travel specialists have designed unique travel programs to some of the most outstanding locations in the area. In town, you might be happy to take part in a Bordeaux cycling tour.

If you are looking for a radical change of landscape, then we suggest that you take a full day guided day trip from Bordeaux to Arcachon bay. This beautiful area is known for its fabulous oysters and seafood, but the main feature of the day will be Europe’s largest sand dune – Dune du Pilat. A climb up the Dune is a must if you want to admire one of the most beautiful views on the bay.

Other great options include a full day trip from Bordeaux to the nearby Cognac or Armagnac wine regions. Both these areas produce outstanding Brandy’s and we have a large selection of either famous distillery visits or more traditional and family owned ones. If you are really looking for sightseeing opportunities out of Bordeaux, then the Dordogne region or the Basque country are ideal options.

On our full day Dordogne day trip from Bordeaux we will take you to the brand-new Lascaux IV museum where you will admire the most perfect reproduction of the original Lascaux cave paintings. Then the tour moves on to the Dordogne valley that is lined with incredible medieval castles or breathtaking villages such as Beynac or La Roque Gageac.

Our full day Basque country day trip from Bordeaux will take you to magical Biarritz, the pearl of the Atlantic. Reach the classy resort of Biarritz and enjoy a walking tour with your guide. Spend some time in Saint Jean de Luz, a traditional fishing town where the Sun King Louis XIV – probably heard of him if you visited Versailles – married the infant of Spain Maria-Theresa in 1660.

A visit to some of the traditional Basque villages such as Sare, Aïnhoa or Espelette is a must if you really want to appreciate the strong local culture and traditions.

We offer over 25 tours in Bordeaux and sometimes it’s hard to know which one to choose. Below, we’ve put together our favorites in order to make your choice a bit easier.