Bordeaux

Posted byrkrontheroadPosted inarchitecture, Europe, France, Photography, TravelTags:, , , ,

The heart of this September 2025 Europe trip was a tour across the south of France to visit prehistoric cave paintings (blogs to come). We were to meet early in the morning at the Bordeaux airport and travel from there. So I booked a stay at a hotel near the airport and planned a day before on my own to have time to explore Bordeaux.

Exiting the tram at the Palais de Justice stop, I was struck by this modern structure. Could this be the fine art museum I was seeking? I would later find out that it was built in 1977 by architects Edmond Lay, Pierre Layré-Cassou, and Pierre Dugravier in the Brutalist architecture style at a site where an inner-city neighborhood had been razed.

Musée des Beaux-Arts was a classic building, of course, housed in part of the Palais Rohan. I wandered the 19th and 20th century galleries, a bit disappointed to find so few Impressionist works.

Just a short walk from the museum, I found an outdoor café across from the stately Cathédrale Saint-André, a towering Romanesque cathedral dating to the 11th century. It was a perfect place to people watch while sipping a cappuccino, and listening to conversations in the lyrical French language, so much more understandable to me than Portuguese (I had just flown in from Portugal).

Cathédrale Saint-André

Continuing on through crisscrossed streets, I made my way to the waterfront on the Garonne River. An easy walking path followed the riverside through some notable places.

Place de la Bourse, an iconic city square with 18th-century architecture, was surprisingly empty except for the fountain. I expected to see a hustle and bustle across the square. Perhaps I was in between busy times of the day.

Place de la Bourse

Across from the Place de la Bourse was Miroir d’Eau, Mirror of Water, which alternates, I later found out, between fog and a mirror effect. Unfortunately, I seemed to miss both, but enjoyed watching people wading through the shallow water. If I had done my homework ahead of time, I would have walked around the other side of the pool and waited for the timing to change, looking for the reflection of the Place, or returned at night when the buildings are lit, instead of missing a photographic opportunity. My booking an extra day in Bordeaux had been an afterthought. I did a lot of reading in preparation for the upcoming tour, but didn’t spend much time to research Bordeaux!

Miroir d’Eau

Along the quai

The beautifully ungulating metal structure on the horizon was Cité du Vin, City of Wine. As I approached and it filled my field of vision, I decided this would be my final destination. Anything you want to know about French wines, their history, production, locations, variations, including exhibits on color and smell, are interactively presented in the museum, with a complementary tasting. From there, a tram would take me back to a transfer point and return me to my airport hotel.

Cité du Vin

South of France trip: Saintes, Saint-Césaire, Les Eyzies, Font-de-Gaume cave, Lascaux, Les Combarelles, Pech-Merle caves, L’Aven d’Orgnac, Sarlot, Chauvet, Montpelier, Arles, Marseilles, Cosquer

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Published by rkrontheroad

Writer, photographer, traveler

25 thoughts on “Bordeaux”

  4. For not researching much, you were able to see quite a lot of Bordeaux. I’m not a fan of Brutalist architecture, and I think this one stays in that not crazy about file. Looking forward to the cave tour. Maggie

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  5. It’s been almost a decade since I visited Bordeaux, but I have fond memories of my time there! Wandering the historic, sandy-colored streets was a sight to behold, all the while enjoying the sunny days in the southwest of France (especially in February)! Likewise, I missed out on the Miroir d’Eau, as it was turned off during the winter months (or it was under construction when I went, I’m not sure). And the Cité du Vin opened a few months after I went, so I didn’t get to go! I’m glad you had a wonderful time in Bordeaux, Ruth, and your post makes me want to return sooner than later!

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  6. My cousin went to University in Bordeaux and it is a huge regret of mine that I didn’t get out there to see him – it looks a beautiful city. The architecture is striking, though I prefer the elegant 18th Century period architecture, rather than the 1970s concrete. Looking forward to the caves 🙂

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  8. I love places like  Bordeaux, where you can experience wine culture, stunning architecture ( especially if it’s as impressive and graceful as the building of the Cité du Vin, and vibrant city life. The city would make for a wonderful base to explore the surrounding vineyards and the Atlantic coast. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

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    1. I wouldn’t say there’s an emphasis on modernism… There’s probably more of an emphasis on historic architecture. I’ve chosen to feature the few pieces that attracted me. I’m glad you found that in my post.

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