Monuments, wine, districts, museums, day trips to the vineyards or the Bassin: everything I recommend to my guests to make the most of Bordeaux, mostly on foot from the house.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the “Port of the Moon”, Bordeaux has it all: honey-coloured stone façades, 18th-century squares and revamped quays along the Garonne. The historic centre is easy to explore on foot, and the tram does the rest.
The house is 3 minutes from tram lines A and F, 12 minutes from the cathedral and a quarter of an hour from rue Sainte-Catherine. Here are my favourite places and tips, the ones I share every morning over breakfast.
My ancestor Victor Rich designed the Monument aux Girondins, so it is the first place I recommend. For everything else, just ask me. After years of selling French wine abroad, I have a few good addresses to share. Guillaume, your host at Les Séraphines.
Six places not to miss on a first visit, all within walking distance of the house. Times given are approximate.
25 min on foot Garonne quays
The Bordeaux postcard view: a royal 18th-century square facing the Garonne, reflected in one of the largest reflecting pools in the world.
My tip. Come at sunset, when the mist kicks in: the light is magical.
12 min on foot Pey-Berland district
The Gothic cathedral, a stop on the Camino de Santiago routes, and its freestanding bell tower, the Pey-Berland Tower, with views over the whole city.
My tip. Climb the tower at the start of your visit to get your bearings from above.
22 min on foot Place des Quinconces
A column and monumental fountains honouring the Girondin deputies, on one of the largest squares in Europe. Its architect, Victor Rich, is your host's ancestor.
My tip. Walk around the bronze fountains: the details of the sea horses are fascinating.
17 min on foot Place de la Comédie
A masterpiece by the architect Victor Louis, with its colonnade and twelve statues. It still houses the Opéra National de Bordeaux.
My tip. Book a guided tour or a show to see the auditorium and its ceiling.
20 min on foot Saint-Pierre and Saint-Éloi
A relic of the medieval ramparts, the Grosse Cloche opens onto the lanes of old Bordeaux, the Porte Cailhau and the lively squares of the Saint-Pierre district.
My tip. Get lost in the streets around Place du Parlement, perfect for a drink on a terrace.
30 min on foot Saint-Michel district
Its spire is one of the tallest in France. All around, a lively, cosmopolitan district with its market and flea markets.
My tip. Come on a Sunday morning for the market, then stroll back along the quays.
You cannot come to Bordeaux without talking about wine. Having sold French wines abroad for years, it is a subject I can talk about for hours: ask me for my favourite wine shops and wine bars.
An immersive journey through the wines of the world, ending with a tasting overlooking the Garonne. About 30 min by tram.
To taste Bordeaux appellations by the glass, with a few oysters from the Bassin.
Saint-Émilion, the Médoc or the Graves are less than an hour away: see the day trips below.
Canelés, entrecôte bordelaise, Arcachon oysters: I will tell you where I like to go.
Each district has its own mood; here is what I like about them.
30 min on foot or by tram
The old wine merchants' district: antique dealers, flea markets, designer boutiques and the quayside market on Sunday mornings.
20 min on foot
The medieval heart of the city: cobbled lanes, squares with terraces and restaurants for every budget.
30 min on foot
Down-to-earth and cosmopolitan, around its Gothic spire. Close by, the Capucins covered market, the belly of Bordeaux.
Around the house
Our neighbourhood, quiet and residential, between the Hôtel de Région and the centre. Handy for getting everywhere by tram.
Bordeaux has plenty of museums, several of them a few minutes from the house. A good idea for a rainy day.
Raining? La Cité du Vin, the Bassins des Lumières, the Musée d'Aquitaine or the Capucins market: enough to fill a whole day under cover.
The history of Bordeaux and its region, from prehistory to today, including the story of the port and of wine.
20 min on foot
European painting from the 15th to the 20th century, in the gardens of the Hôtel de Ville.
12 min on foot
The Museum of Decorative Arts and Design reopened in April 2026 after three years of works, in a historic townhouse and a former prison.
15 min on foot
Immersive digital exhibitions projected inside the basins of the former submarine base.
35 min by tram
An immersive museum with a tasting belvedere, in spectacular architecture.
30 min by tram
Contemporary art in a former warehouse for colonial goods, with an impressive nave.
25 min on foot
My ideal plan for a first weekend, to adapt to what you feel like doing. Starting and ending at the house.
Local produce and tips for the day.
A panoramic view to start with.
A stroll through old Bordeaux.
Place du Parlement or nearby.
Then Place des Quinconces and the Monument aux Girondins.
Before dinner and a glass of Bordeaux.
Tram A to Hôtel de Ville, then tram B.
The tour and a tasting at the belvedere.
The up-and-coming district by the water.
An hour of immersion in digital art.
Antique shops, boutiques and a coffee on the quays.
By tram, for one last quiet evening.
Vineyards, ocean, great wines: Bordeaux is an ideal starting point. Travel times are approximate, from the house.
≈ 40 min A medieval village listed by UNESCO, a monolithic church, great wines. Reachable by TER regional train from Saint-Jean station.
≈ 1 hr The tallest dune in Europe, the villas of the Ville d'Hiver, and oysters enjoyed looking out over the Bassin.
≈ 45 min Margaux, Pauillac, Saint-Julien: the classified great growths and their châteaux, to be visited by appointment.
The Roger Lapébie greenway towards the Entre-deux-Mers, the Canal des Deux Mers: the house is Accueil Vélo labelled, with a private garage.
The house is at 26 rue Séraphin, on a very quiet street in the centre, a 3-minute walk from tram lines A and F (Saint-Bruno Hôtel de Région stop). Here are approximate travel times to the main sights.
See the rooms| Place | Approx. time |
|---|---|
| Tram lines A and F, Saint-Bruno Hôtel de Région | 3 min on foot |
| Musée des Beaux-Arts | 12 min on foot |
| Saint-André Cathedral | 12 min on foot |
| Rue Sainte-Catherine | 15 min on foot |
| Grand Théâtre | 17 min on foot |
| Place de la Bourse and the Miroir d'eau | 25 min on foot |
| La Cité du Vin (tram A + B) | 30 min |
| Saint-Émilion (train) | ≈ 1 hr door to door |
| Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport (by car) | 25 min |
On the first day, explore the historic centre on foot: cathedral, Saint-Pierre, Place de la Bourse, Grand Théâtre, quays. On the second day, take the tram to La Cité du Vin, wander through the Chartrons, then finish at the Bassins des Lumières. The detailed plan is further up.
La Cité du Vin, the Bassins des Lumières, the Musée d'Aquitaine, the Musée des Beaux-Arts, the MADD or the Capucins covered market can all be visited under cover.
TER trains link Saint-Jean station to Saint-Émilion in about 40 minutes. You then walk to the village through the vines.
The Miroir d'eau, the Jardin Public, the Bassins des Lumières or a boat trip on the Garonne go down well with children. The Dune du Pilat makes an ideal day out.
The city centre, between Mériadeck and the cathedral, lets you do everything on foot or by tram. The house is 3 minutes from tram lines A and F and 12 minutes from the cathedral.
Five rooms with private bathroom and breakfast included.
The whole house for a group of up to 15 people.
Fresh, local, homemade produce.
Private garage and advice for cyclists.
Five guest rooms in the heart of the city, a homemade breakfast to start the day well, and a host who knows Bordeaux inside out.