Cité du Vin and the floating dock
Rising like a decanter above the quays, the Cité du Vin takes visitors on a tour of wine regions from every continent. Sensory exhibits and a panoramic tasting at the Belvédère make it a perfect spot for a curious, relaxed date. Right next door, the Bassin à Flot district has turned former docks into marinas and restaurants, offering a waterside walk away from the busy centre.
Chartrons and the Capucins Market
Once home to wine merchants, the Chartrons district now lines up renovated cellars, antique shops and lively bistros. Rue Notre-Dame is perfect for a coffee on a terrace. To build an appetite, head to the Capucins Market, nicknamed the belly of Bordeaux: fishmongers’ stalls, oyster bars and a glass of dry white shared standing up. A warm, unpretentious lunch.
An escape into the vines
Forty minutes from the centre, Saint-Émilion unfolds its UNESCO-listed slopes, while the Médoc lines up its prestigious châteaux along the D2. To the south, Entre-deux-Mers offers more intimate villages and family-run cellars. On Lyad, people from Bordeaux share their favourite wine growers; a fine chance to find someone to raise a glass with over a great cru.
Date ideas
- Cité du Vin
- Chartrons district
- Capucins Market
- Saint-Émilion
- Médoc
- Floating Dock
- Rue Notre-Dame
- Entre-deux-Mers