Season guide · Bordeaux · France
Bordeaux in summer
June–August: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Prométhée33, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Long, warm evenings on the quays and at the Miroir d'Eau, with occasional heatwaves; the coast at Arcachon gets crowded in August. Expect highs up to 27°C (81°F) and lows around 14°C (57°F), with about 22 rainy days across June–August. June is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- June–August
- Temperatures
- 14°C (57°F) to 27°C (81°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 22
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in summer
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 25°C (77°F) | 14°C (57°F) | 8 | 15.6 h | 4/5 |
| July | 27°C (81°F) | 16°C (61°F) | 7 | 15.3 h | 4/5 |
| August | 27°C (81°F) | 16°C (61°F) | 7 | 14 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 26°C (79°F) against a yearly 19°C (66°F), and 22 of the year's roughly 118 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in summer
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- June: Fête de la Musique — free street concerts (21 June)
- June: Bordeaux Fête le Vin — wine festival on the quays (held in June in some years; check dates)
- July: Bastille Day — fireworks over the Garonne (14 July)
Make the most of the weather
Garden · Chartrons
Jardin Public
Pick up pastries on Rue Notre-Dame or Cours de Verdun and picnic on the lawns, which are open to sit on.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
Landmark · Saint-Michel
Pont de Pierre
Built between 1810 and 1822 on Napoleon's orders, the brick-and-stone bridge was for decades the only crossing of the Garonne in the city.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- After dark
- History
Experience · Riverfront quays
Garonne river cruise and BatCub shuttles
Ride the BatCub from Quinconces to Stalingrad on the right bank for a cheap mini-cruise, then walk back across the Pont de Pierre.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Views
- Couples
- Outdoors
Museum · Bassins à Flot
La Cité du Vin
Opened in 2016 in a swirling gold-toned building on the Garonne, the Cité du Vin is a museum of world wine culture rather than a Bordeaux tasting room.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Rainy day
- Views
- Food
- Architecture
Religious site · Hôtel de Ville
Cathédrale Saint-André and Tour Pey-Berland
The cathedral is free; pay separately for the tower and climb it in the morning for clearer light over the river.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Views
- Iconic
Day trips in summer
- Médoc wine route (About 1 hour by car to Pauillac) — The D2 road runs north through Margaux, Saint-Julien, Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe, past some of the most famous names in wine.
- Arcachon (About 50 minutes by train) — A seaside resort on the Arcachon Bay with a long beach, the Ville d'Hiver quarter of 19th-century villas on the hill and oyster villages around the bay.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is summer a good time to visit Bordeaux?
Yes: June is among the best months. Long, warm evenings on the quays and at the Miroir d'Eau, with occasional heatwaves; the coast at Arcachon gets crowded in August.
+What is the weather like in Bordeaux in summer?
Highs of up to 27°C (81°F) and lows around 14°C (57°F), with about 22 rainy days over the season.