Month guide · Bordeaux · France
Bordeaux in May
What May is really like in Bordeaux: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Captaintapas, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
May is one of the best months to visit Bordeaux. Expect average highs of 21°C (70°F), lows of 11°C (52°F), about 10 rainy days and roughly 14.8 hours of daylight. Warm, green and pleasant for walking and vineyard visits; public holidays create busy long weekends.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 21°C (70°F) / 11°C (52°F)
- Rainy days
- About 10
- Daylight
- About 14.8 hours
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in May
May is the 5th-warmest month in Bordeaux: days average 21°C (70°F) against a yearly average high of 19°C (66°F), and nights fall to about 11°C (52°F). Rain falls on roughly 10 of its 31 days. Compared with April (18°C (64°F)), May is warmer; by June highs climb to around 25°C (77°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 06:33
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 21:23
- Daylight
- About 14.8 hours
Spring (March–May). Mild days, blossom in the Jardin Public and vineyards coming into leaf; showers are common and April brings the wine trade's en primeur tastings.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 3 for crowds (the peak is June at 4) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in June). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in May
- Foire Internationale de Bordeaux — large trade and consumer fair (usually May)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in May
With frequent rain, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Museum · Bassins à Flot
La Cité du Vin
Allow at least two hours for the permanent tour before heading up to the belvedere, and arrive by tram B (stop La Cité du Vin).
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Rainy day
- Views
- Food
- Architecture
Architecture · Triangle d'Or and Quinconces
Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux
Victor Louis's neoclassical theatre, opened in 1780, has a portico of twelve Corinthian columns topped by statues of the nine Muses and three goddesses.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
- After dark
Museum · Victoire
Musée d'Aquitaine
Start upstairs with the 18th-century port rooms if your time is short; they connect most directly to what you see on the quays.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
Gallery · Chartrons
CAPC musée d'art contemporain
Bordeaux's contemporary art museum occupies the Entrepôt Lainé, an 1820s warehouse built to store colonial goods such as coffee, cocoa and sugar.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
What to pack
For highs near 21°C, lows near 11°C and 10 wet days: light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Bordeaux?
One of the best months to visit Bordeaux, with a notable event on the calendar. The other best months are June and September–October. Compare every month.
Bordeaux in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Bordeaux?
It is one of the best months to visit Bordeaux. Warm, green and pleasant for walking and vineyard visits; public holidays create busy long weekends.
+How warm is Bordeaux in May?
Average highs are around 21°C (70°F) and lows around 11°C (52°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Bordeaux in May?
Expect rain on about 10 days of the month.