Where to stay · Bordeaux · France
Where to stay in Bordeaux
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Captaintapas, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Saint-Pierre. Medieval lanes, café squares and wine bars between Place de la Bourse and the cathedral. Best alternatives — families: Chartrons; budget: Saint-Michel.
Key facts
- First visit
- Saint-Pierre
- Families
- Chartrons
- Budget
- Saint-Michel
- Nightlife
- Saint-Pierre
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Saint-Pierre | Medieval lanes, café squares and wine bars between Place de la Bourse and the cathedral |
| Families | Chartrons | Old wine-merchant quarter with antiques, brunch cafés and a Sunday quay market |
| Couples | Saint-Pierre | Medieval lanes, café squares and wine bars between Place de la Bourse and the cathedral |
| Budget | Saint-Michel | Basilica spire, grocers from around the Mediterranean and good-value eating |
| Luxury | Triangle d'Or and Quinconces | Grand boulevards, luxury boutiques and the Grand Théâtre |
| Nightlife | Saint-Pierre | Medieval lanes, café squares and wine bars between Place de la Bourse and the cathedral |
| Food lovers | Saint-Pierre | Medieval lanes, café squares and wine bars between Place de la Bourse and the cathedral |
| Solo travellers | Saint-Michel | Basilica spire, grocers from around the Mediterranean and good-value eating |
| Shopping | Triangle d'Or and Quinconces | Grand boulevards, luxury boutiques and the Grand Théâtre |
| Quiet stays | Chartrons | Old wine-merchant quarter with antiques, brunch cafés and a Sunday quay market |
Bordeaux neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, food lovers and nightlife
Saint-Pierre
Saint-Pierre is the oldest part of Bordeaux, a tight grid of narrow streets behind the riverfront around Place du Parlement and Place Saint-Pierre. The Porte Cailhau gate, the Grosse Cloche and the Miroir d'Eau are all within a few minutes' walk, and the squares fill with restaurant terraces from spring to autumn. Apartments and boutique hotels in old stone buildings are the usual places to stay.
- Good
- Walk to almost every central sight; Dense choice of restaurants and wine bars; Riverfront and Miroir d'Eau on the doorstep
- Watch out
- Terrace noise late into the evening; Many old buildings have stairs and no lift
- Nearby
- Place de la Bourse, Porte Cailhau, Place du Parlement, Grosse Cloche
$$$$ · Best for luxury, shopping, first-timers and couples
Triangle d'Or and Quinconces
The Golden Triangle is the elegant block framed by Cours Clemenceau, Cours de l'Intendance and the Allées de Tourny, with the Grand Théâtre at its tip and the vast Esplanade des Quinconces beside it. It holds the city's grandest hotels, designer shops and classic brasseries, and the tourist office and several tram lines are on its edge.
- Good
- Most polished, central base; Excellent tram connections; Calm streets at night
- Watch out
- Highest hotel prices in the city; Restaurants are pricier than in Saint-Michel or Victoire
- Nearby
- Grand Théâtre, Esplanade des Quinconces, Cours de l'Intendance, Allées de Tourny
$$$ · Best for families, couples, food lovers and quiet stays
Chartrons
North of the centre, Chartrons grew up around the warehouses and townhouses of the wine négociants who shipped Bordeaux's barrels abroad. Rue Notre-Dame is lined with antique dealers, delis and cafés, the Jardin Public is on its western edge, and on Sunday mornings the Marché des Quais spreads along the river. Tram B runs along the quays to the centre and on to the Cité du Vin.
- Good
- Neighbourhood feel with good cafés; Near the Jardin Public for children; Short tram ride to both the centre and the Cité du Vin
- Watch out
- Fewer hotels than the centre; Quiet on weekday evenings
- Nearby
- Rue Notre-Dame, Jardin Public, CAPC, Marché des Quais
$ · Best for budget, food lovers and solo travellers
Saint-Michel
Gathered around the Gothic Basilique Saint-Michel and its free-standing 114-metre spire, Saint-Michel is the most multicultural part of central Bordeaux, with North African and Portuguese grocers, kebab and couscous restaurants and weekend bric-à-brac stalls on the square. The Marché des Capucins is a few streets south, and the riverfront is a short walk east.
- Good
- Some of the best-value food in the city; Strong local character; Close to the Capucins market
- Watch out
- Can feel scruffy late at night; Fewer mid-range hotels
- Nearby
- Basilique Saint-Michel, Marché des Capucins, Pont de Pierre
$$ · Best for budget, nightlife and solo travellers
Victoire
Place de la Victoire, with its triumphal arch and university buildings, is the hub of Bordeaux's student life. Bars around the square and along Cours Pasteur stay busy late, food is inexpensive, and Rue Sainte-Catherine leads straight north to the Grand Théâtre in about 20 minutes on foot. The Musée d'Aquitaine is on Cours Pasteur.
- Good
- Cheap drinks and food; Lively every night of the week; Tram B on the square
- Watch out
- Noisy until late; Little architectural charm compared with Saint-Pierre
- Nearby
- Place de la Victoire, Musée d'Aquitaine, Rue Sainte-Catherine, Marché des Capucins
$$ · Best for families, nightlife and culture
Bassins à Flot
The old wet docks in the north of the city have been rebuilt with modern apartments, hotels and restaurants around the water. The Cité du Vin, the Bassins des Lumières in the wartime submarine base and the Cap Sciences centre are all here, and the Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas lift bridge crosses the Garonne nearby. Tram B links it to the centre in about 15 minutes.
- Good
- Newer hotels with more space; Walk to the Cité du Vin and Bassins des Lumières; Waterside restaurants
- Watch out
- Lacks historic atmosphere; A tram ride from the old town
- Nearby
- Cité du Vin, Bassins des Lumières, Cap Sciences, Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas
$$ · Best for budget, quiet stays and solo travellers
La Bastide
Across the Pont de Pierre, La Bastide was an industrial and railway district and is now a mix of housing, parks and reused buildings. The Darwin complex in the former Niel barracks has a skatepark, organic food hall and street art, the Jardin Botanique sits by the river, and the quays give the classic view back across the Garonne to Place de la Bourse. Tram A crosses the bridge to the centre.
- Good
- Best views of the left-bank skyline; Lower prices; Riverside paths for walking and cycling
- Watch out
- Fewer restaurants in the evening; Some streets feel empty after dark
- Nearby
- Darwin, Pont de Pierre, Jardin Botanique de la Bastide, Quai des Queyries
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Saint-Pierre | $$$ | Place de la Bourse, Porte Cailhau, Place du Parlement, Grosse Cloche |
| Triangle d'Or and Quinconces | $$$$ | Grand Théâtre, Esplanade des Quinconces, Cours de l'Intendance, Allées de Tourny |
| Chartrons | $$$ | Rue Notre-Dame, Jardin Public, CAPC, Marché des Quais |
| Saint-Michel | $ | Basilique Saint-Michel, Marché des Capucins, Pont de Pierre |
| Victoire | $$ | Place de la Victoire, Musée d'Aquitaine, Rue Sainte-Catherine, Marché des Capucins |
| Bassins à Flot | $$ | Cité du Vin, Bassins des Lumières, Cap Sciences, Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas |
| La Bastide | $$ | Darwin, Pont de Pierre, Jardin Botanique de la Bastide, Quai des Queyries |
Getting to your hotel
Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport is about 12 km west of the centre. Tram A runs from the airport to the city centre in roughly 40 minutes, and an express shuttle bus runs to Gare Saint-Jean. A taxi takes about 20–40 minutes depending on traffic.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Bordeaux for first-time visitors?
Saint-Pierre. Saint-Pierre is the oldest part of Bordeaux, a tight grid of narrow streets behind the riverfront around Place du Parlement and Place Saint-Pierre.
+Where should families stay in Bordeaux?
Chartrons: Neighbourhood feel with good cafés.
+Which area of Bordeaux is best for a budget stay?
Saint-Michel ($): Basilica spire, grocers from around the Mediterranean and good-value eating.