Bordeaux grew rich on wine and river trade, and in the 18th century it rebuilt itself in pale limestone along a bend of the Garonne. Behind the long riverside façades, a medieval quarter of narrow lanes survives. Here are the facts and stories that make the city special.
10 fun facts about Bordeaux
- The Port of the Moon: the Garonne curves through the city in a crescent, which gave the old harbour its nickname. In 2007 UNESCO listed 'Bordeaux, Port of the Moon' as a World Heritage Site, covering most of the historic city.
- A pool two centimetres deep: the Miroir d'eau, opened in 2006 opposite the Place de la Bourse, is a granite slab under a thin film of water that mirrors the square. Every so often it disappears in a cloud of artificial mist.
- Three times the capital of France: the French government withdrew to Bordeaux in 1870–71, in 1914 and again in June 1940, each time as enemy armies advanced on Paris.
- A royal wedding: Eleanor of Aquitaine married the future King Louis VII of France in Saint-André Cathedral in 1137, when she was about 13.
- A bell tower that stands apart: the Pey-Berland Tower was built between 1440 and 1500 beside the cathedral rather than on it, so that the vibration of the bells would not damage the church. Its 230 steps lead to one of the best views over the rooftops.
- A theatre that inspired Paris: the Grand Théâtre by Victor Louis opened in 1780. Twelve columns line its front, topped by statues of the nine Muses and three goddesses, and Charles Garnier is said to have studied it before designing the Paris Opera.
- A gate for a victory in Italy: the Porte Cailhau, built at the end of the 15th century, celebrated King Charles VIII's victory at Fornovo in 1495.
- A very long shopping street: Rue Sainte-Catherine runs for more than a kilometre through the centre and is one of the longest pedestrian shopping streets in Europe.
- A lift bridge for tall ships: the Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas, opened in 2013, raises its central deck so that cruise ships and sailing ships can reach the city. When it opened it was the longest vertical-lift bridge in Europe.
- A museum shaped like swirling wine: La Cité du Vin, opened in 2016 in the old docks district of Bacalan, is devoted to wine cultures around the world and ends with a tasting room at the top.
Three hundred years under the English crown
In 1152 Eleanor of Aquitaine, newly divorced from the French king, married Henry Plantagenet, who two years later became Henry II of England. Her duchy, with Bordeaux at its heart, came with her. For three centuries the city's light red wine sailed to England, where it became known as claret, and Bordeaux merchants grew rich on trade privileges. It ended in 1453, when the French defeated an English army at Castillon, east of the city, in the last battle of the Hundred Years' War. The English taste for claret outlived the defeat.
Saint-Pierre, explained
Saint-Pierre is the oldest part of Bordeaux, on the site of the Roman town of Burdigala. Its narrow streets run between the river and the cathedral and open onto small squares such as Place du Parlement and Place Saint-Pierre, where café terraces fill on warm evenings. Look up at the façades: many carry carved stone faces, called mascarons, a signature of 18th-century Bordeaux.
What to eat in Bordeaux
- Canelé: a small cake with a dark caramelised crust and a soft custard centre, flavoured with rum and vanilla. Legend credits nuns who used egg yolks left over from clarifying wine with egg whites.
- Entrecôte à la bordelaise: rib-eye steak with a sauce of red wine, shallots and bone marrow.
- Arcachon Bay oysters: eaten the local way with small grilled sausages on the side and a glass of dry white wine.
- Lamproie à la bordelaise: lamprey slowly stewed in red wine with leeks, an old local speciality for the curious.
- Wine by the glass: many bars pour a range of Bordeaux, from Saint-Émilion reds to sweet Sauternes, so you can compare several in one evening.
Good to know before you go
- The Miroir d'eau is usually switched off in winter, so come in the warmer months to see the reflections and the mist.
- Saint-Émilion, a wine village on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1999, is an easy day trip by train.
- The Dune du Pilat near Arcachon, the tallest sand dune in Europe, makes a good day out on the Atlantic coast.
- Trams link the station, the old town and La Cité du Vin, and in the historic centre they run without overhead wires, so you rarely need a car.
Explore Bordeaux with World City Trail
Our Bordeaux scavenger hunt turns these sights into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around three hours, with about 49 minutes of walking, and leads through the Saint-Pierre district to the Cathedral of Saint-André.
At each stop you solve a puzzle and hear a short story, at your own pace. You can start whenever you like.
Play the Bordeaux scavenger hunt →
Facts checked in October 2026.