Bordeaux holidays

Bordeaux’s pitched inland, around an hour’s drive from a seaside beach. If you’d rather stay local, a bunch of lakeside spots of sand have got you covered.

Le Moulleau – a neighbourhood in the seaside town of Arcachon around an hour’s drive away – comes with a string of sandy beaches. They’re joined by a promenade, which is home to ice-cream parlours, shops and cafés.

Plage de la Hume is another big player on Arcachon’s beach scene, although it doesn’t see as many footprints as some of the other beaches around the town. To get here, you’re looking at around an hour’s drive from Bordeaux’s centre spot. It’s a huge name on France’s oyster farming scene – you can sample them in the eateries that sit alongside the sand.

Capucins Market is pitched on the edge of the old town, and open seven days a week. You can pick up near enough anything from the stalls at this place – from spices to sweets and fruit to fresh fish.

If you can spare the space in your suitcase, it’s well worth taking home a bottle or two of Bordeaux’s finest. Head to a wine merchant in the Alles de Toury area in the centre if you’re unsure on which tipple suits your taste.

If you can spare the space in your suitcase, it’s well worth taking home a bottle or two of Bordeaux’s finest. Head to a wine merchant in the Alles de Toury area in the centre if you’re unsure on which tipple suits your taste.

The restaurants and bars that line the Garonne River are a great spot for chilled-out evenings. As you’d expect, their wine menus often shine a spotlight on the region’s best reds.

Plenty of Bordeaux’s neighbourhoods line up a list of clubs and bars. The Saint-Pierre comes with a trendy bar-and-café scene, while the Golden Triangle Quarter is the place to head for chic wine bars.

Croissants, crepes and pain-au-chocolates are all readily available in Bordeaux. But, if you fancy trying something that you can’t find in your local shop, try a puits d’amour. This bite-sized pastry is made with choux dough, cream and soft meringue.

Reds head up Bordeaux’s wine scene, but if you’re not a fan of the dark stuff there are sweet white varieties to go for, too.

This fish is caught from the Gironde estuary, which is pitched towards the north of the city. It’s usually served in a dish that includes ham, leeks and red wine, which are all simmered for hours.

Duck’s another favourite dish in Bordeaux. Michelin-starred restaurants usually feature it in foie gras – a traditional French delicacy that’s often paired with fruit chutneys.

This dessert comes with a crunchy shell which is filled with rum-infused custard. It’s got a spot on the shelves in practically every bakery around the city.