Why Go on a Walking Tour of Bordeaux: My Tips & Advice

ByStephanie Rytting Posted on
Rows of tan and brown houses with dirty walls and black balconies with people walking down the large sidewalk

When planning my trip to Bordeaux, I realized that even though I know quite a bit about French history and culture in general, I didn’t know hardly anything about the history of Bordeaux itself or the region roundabout.

And just looking at many of the sites on my list of places to visit, I could tell there was so much history and backstory to the city that I wanted to learn about, and so I started looking at doing a walking tour.

I did quite a bit of research into the different walking tour options in Bordeaux, and I really believe I landed on a fantastic option.

I ended up booking a 1.5 hour *private* walking tour of the city with a local.

This is the tour we did (spoiler alert: it was fantastic)

Of course, I loved that the tour was private (only our group) and that it was also surprisingly very affordable.

In this guide, I’m sharing why you should consider doing a walking tour in Bordeaux, what our tour was like, some of the main sites you’ll see, and a few helpful tips.

So, why do a Bordeaux walking tour

People standing in front of a rock formation in the city with an arch in the middle of it leading to the apartments

Learn About Bordeaux’s Rich History: A walking tour is a great introduction to Bordeaux, where you’ll learn quite a bit about the history and culture of the city.

Bordeaux was first established over 2000 years ago by the Roman Empire, who introduced vineyards and wine production to the region. In the Middle Ages Bordeaux was controlled by England, and the English had a noticeable impact on the history and architecture of the city.

Many of the buildings in Bordeaux today are 18th-century neoclassical style, with grand and ornate facades, when the city was incredibly wealthy and flourishing from the wine trade.

I loved the architecture of Bordeaux – it was one of my favorite parts of visiting the city.

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Become Familiar With Getting Around: As you walk all around the city, you’ll get a good feel for how the city is laid out.

A street with buildings lit up by the sun with small cafes with black balconies and people walking on the pedestrian street

Easily Experience the Highlights: If you are staying for several days in Bordeaux (which I’d recommend), it’s a helpful orientation for the rest of your stay. Conversely, if you just have a day in Bordeaux, it’s an excellent way to experience a lot in a short amount of time.

For our walking tour, we met up with Hugo, a local guide and Bordeaux native who has lived here all his life, and whose family has lived in the Bordeaux region for generations.

He was super friendly and chatty and great to hang out with for an hour and a half as he walked us around the city.

As we walked, he shared an intriguing and engaging mix of historical facts and interesting stories and anecdotes about the different spots and points of interest in Bordeaux.

A small castle tower at the end of an alley with people taking pictures in the gateway and looking at the cafes and little shops

We learned a lot about why Bordeaux is designed the way it is, as well as the significance behind many of the monuments, buildings, gates, districts, and squares.

Plus, we got several great local recommendations for places to eat and visit, and any questions we had were happily answered.

Overall, this was a fantastic experience in Bordeaux and was an extremely good value.

When should you do a walking tour?

I’d highly, HIGHLY recommend booking your walking tour for the first day in Bordeaux. This way you get an overview of the city’s history to lay the foundation for the rest of your trip, plus you get a feel for the layout of Bordeaux.

You don’t actually visit any monuments or sites (e.g. you don’t go into any churches, go up in the towers, etc), but you can easily go back and actually enter some of the attractions to have a deeper experience with the different historical sites.

Plus, you’ll have time to benefit from the local restaurant recommendations that you receive, as well as get any other recommendations for your visit during the tour.

>>Check rates and availability for this private walking tour here

These are some of the places you’ll visit on this walking tour:

This is not a comprehensive list and of course, you’ll learn WAY more about each of these places on your tour, but this is a quick overview of what to expect:

A yellow and grey ornate building wrapping around the courtyard with a small water pool in the middle with the clouds reflecting.

Place de la Bourse is THE most iconic square in Bordeaux and is distinctive for its architecture, the reflecting pool in front of it, and that it is a “3-sided square” open to the river.

Grand Theatre of Bordeaux is one of the most upscale locations in the city. It is the location of the Opera House, of course, but also the Intercontinental Hotel – THE place to stay in Bordeaux.

An opera house with twelve ornate stone pillars and statues at the top of the rectangular buildings with colorful banners everywhere

Rue Sainte Catherine is the longest shopping street in Europe, and is 2km long. 

Golden Triangle is a small neighborhood where the bourgeoisie lived for generations and was the place to live and be seen during the 18th century.

Canelé is Bordeaux’s signature dessert with the most fascinating backstory, and is a must-try in the city. It has a distinctive rigged exterior, which is chewy and caramelized, and a soft, dense interior.

A woman stands in front of a tan brick wall with tall towers at the top with a gateway leading to the other side of the city

6 gates in Bordeaux, which used to be the entrances to the city. Ramparts (city walls) used to connect the gates and surround Bordeaux, but were taken down to allow the city to expand. The gates were all built at different times over many centuries. 

Librairie Mollat: The oldest bookstore in France. This bookstore is massive (it fills almost an entire street block) and has books in dozens and dozens of languages and topics.

A wide stone alley with tall stone buildings with picnic tables on either side and different lit up cafes

Quartier Saint Pierre: This is the oldest district of Bordeaux and is just south of the Triangle d’Or – the newer, luxury neighborhood in the city. The Old Quartier is made up of many little squares – you’ll stumble through one of these charming squares every few minutes. 

Overall, Is a Walking Tour of Bordeaux Worth It?

I definitely think so, particularly this tour we went on. I went with my 10-year-old daughter and her attention was captured the entire time, and she was able to ask lots of questions. I liked that it wasn’t too long (just 1.5 hours), that it was private (just our group), and that it was very affordable.

I really like that I feel like I have such a better understanding of Bordeaux and the significance of many different places in the city. I think this is an easy and meaningful activity to add to any Bordeaux itinerary.

Stephanie is obsessed with everything having to do with France, and she's visited the country 10 times (including a 3 month stint when she lived in Paris). She draws on her extensive knowledge of the country to bring you detailed and helpful guides, from the perspective of a fellow traveler.