Bordeaux
5
Day Itinerary •
France
Five days in Bordeaux and Aquitaine lets you explore the full extraordinary range of southwestern France. From the world's greatest wine landscape to the wild Atlantic coast, from prehistoric cave paintings to the extraordinary Basque culture of Bayonne and Biarritz, this is a region of extraordinary diversity that rewards every extra day. This route covers the complete hidden Aquitaine. The UNESCO city of Bordeaux, the legendary Medoc and Saint-Emilion wine country, the Arcachon basin oysters and Europe's highest dune, the extraordinary Basque city of Bayonne with the finest ham and chocolate in France, and the wild Basque coast from Biarritz to the Spanish border.
Best Time To Visit
May to June or September to October
Getting There
Fly into Bordeaux (BOD)
Getting Around
Rental car essential throughout
Budget Per Day
Approx 90 to 150 euros per person per day
Difficulity
Easy, walking and driving
DAY 1
BORDEAUX CITY
MORNING
BORDEAUX, THE PORT OF THE MOON
The largest UNESCO World Heritage urban area in France. The Place de la Bourse reflected in the Miroir d'Eau is the iconic image. The Quartier Saint-Pierre and Rue du Parlement Saint-Pierre contain the finest medieval and Renaissance buildings. The Grosse Cloche 15th-century belfry still rings above the old city. Drive: 15 min walk to Cite du Vin
MIDDAY
CITE DU VIN AND DARWIN ECOSYSTEM
The Cite du Vin is the most extraordinary wine museum in the world, a swirling decanter-shaped building with 10 thematic galleries and a panoramic tasting bar at the top. Entry approx 22 euros. The Darwin Ecosystem in a converted military barracks is the finest alternative cultural space in southwestern France. Drive: 15 min walk to market
AFTERNOON
MARCHE DES CAPUCINS AND HIDDEN BORDEAUX
Bordeaux's finest food market beloved by the city's chefs. Extraordinary canned sardines, local foie gras, jambon de Bayonne and Aquitaine cheeses. Find the extraordinary hidden patios and 18th-century courtyards behind the neoclassical facades.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Porte Cailhau is a magnificent 15th-century city gate built to celebrate Charles VIII's victory at Fornovo. The view from the top over the Garonne and the Pont de Pierre is one of the finest in the city. Entry approx 4 euros.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Caffe du Commerce, Bordeaux Most beloved traditional cafe. Coffee and croissant. | Lunch: La Tupina, Bordeaux Most celebrated traditional restaurant. Duck, foie gras and Bordeaux wines since 1968. Book ahead. | Dinner: Le Pressoir d'Argent Two Michelin stars. Gordon Ramsay's French flagship. Book months ahead.
DAY 2
MEDOC WINE ROUTE
MORNING
THE MEDOC, THE GREATEST WINE LANDSCAPE ON EARTH
Drive the Route des Chateaux past Chateau Margaux, Chateau Latour, Chateau Mouton-Rothschild and Chateau Petrus. Most Grand Cru chateaux offer tours and tastings by appointment. The landscape of low gravelly hills and the Gironde estuary is extraordinary in the September harvest. Drive: 30 min drive to Pauillac
MIDDAY
PAUILLAC AND THE ROTHSCHILD CHATEAUX
Pauillac is the finest wine commune in the Medoc, home to three of the five First Growth chateaux. The Musee du Vin in Mouton-Rothschild contains one of the most extraordinary wine label art collections in the world, with labels designed by Picasso, Miro, Chagall and Dali. Entry approx 8 euros. Drive: 1 hour drive to Blaye
AFTERNOON
BLAYE CITADELLE, THE VAUBAN FORTRESS OVER THE GIRONDE
The Citadelle de Blaye on the right bank of the Gironde is a UNESCO World Heritage Vauban fortress of extraordinary scale and beauty. The views over the Gironde to the Medoc vineyards are extraordinary. The surrounding Cotes de Blaye wine appellation produces excellent value Bordeaux. Entry to the citadel is free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Chateau Pichon Baron in Pauillac is one of the finest Grand Cru chateaux to visit, with excellent tours and tastings by appointment. The view across the Gironde is extraordinary.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe in Margaux village Coffee in the most celebrated wine village before the chateau visits. | Lunch: Le Lion d'Or, Arcins The finest traditional bistrot in the Medoc. Local lamb, oysters and Medoc wine. | Dinner: Restaurant in Pauillac harbour Several excellent restaurants on the Gironde waterfront. Fresh fish and Premier Cru wines.
DAY 3
SAINT-EMILION AND ARCACHON
MORNING
SAINT-EMILION, THE MEDIEVAL WINE TOWN
The underground Eglise Monolithe carved entirely from limestone in the 12th century is the largest monolithic church in Europe. Entry by guided tour approx 8 euros. The Chateau Ausone and Chateau Cheval Blanc vineyards begin at the village walls. Drive: 1 hour drive to Arcachon
MIDDAY
DUNE DU PILAT, EUROPE'S HIGHEST DUNE
The 110-metre dune gives extraordinary views: Atlantic on one side, vast Landes pine forest on the other. The dune moves several metres inland every year, slowly engulfing the forest. Free to visit. Drive: 20 min drive to Cap Ferret
AFTERNOON
CAP FERRET OYSTERS AND VICTORIAN ARCACHON
A dozen freshly opened Arcachon oysters with Entre-Deux-Mers wine at a plastic table on the waterfront costs approximately 12 euros. The finest lunch in France. The Ville d'Hiver neighbourhood of extraordinary Victorian villas in the pine forest above Arcachon is unlike anywhere in France.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Ile aux Oiseaux in the Arcachon basin has two wooden oyster huts on stilts, the iconic image of the basin. Accessible by boat from Arcachon.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Logis de la Cadene, Saint-Emilion The finest restaurant in Saint-Emilion. Book ahead. | Lunch: Oyster shack, Cap Ferret Dozen oysters with Muscadet. The finest affordable lunch in France. | Dinner: Chez Yvette, Arcachon Most beloved seafood restaurant since 1936.
DAY 4
BAYONNE
MORNING
BAYONNE, THE CAPITAL OF BASQUE FRANCE
Bayonne is the most extraordinary city in French Basque Country. The old town divided by the Nive river into the Petit and Grand Bayonne quarters is extraordinary, with half-timbered facades in the traditional red and green Basque colours. The Cathedral of Sainte-Marie has an extraordinary Gothic cloister. The Bayonne ramparts designed by Vauban are the finest in southwestern France. Drive: 15 min walk to ham
MIDDAY
JAMBON DE BAYONNE AND THE CHOCOLATE TRADITION
Bayonne produces the finest dry-cured ham in France, the Jambon de Bayonne IGP, using sea salt from the Adour estuary. The Maison Ibaiona is the finest producer. Bayonne is also the city where chocolate was first introduced to France in the 17th century by Jewish refugees from Spain and Portugal. The chocolatiers of Bayonne still produce extraordinary dark chocolate. The Musee du Chocolat tells the extraordinary story. Drive: 15 min walk to Basque museum
AFTERNOON
THE MUSEE BASQUE AND BASQUE CULTURE
The Musee Basque et de l'Histoire de Bayonne is the finest museum of Basque culture in France, with an extraordinary collection of traditional art, furniture, farmhouses and pelota equipment. Entry approx 6.50 euros. The surrounding streets contain the finest pintxos bars in French Basque Country, serving the Basque version of tapas from 12pm.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The pelota fronton in the heart of Bayonne hosts extraordinary matches of the Basque ball game throughout the summer. The game played at speed against the stone wall is extraordinary to watch. Many games are free to spectate. The sport is the fastest ball game in the world and entirely unique to the Basque Country.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Caffe in Bayonne old town Coffee in the extraordinary half-timbered city. Watch Bayonne come alive. | Lunch: Pintxos bars, Petit Bayonne Work the bars of the Petit Bayonne quarter. Pintxos and Txakoli wine from 12pm. | Dinner: Chez Etxola, Bayonne Outstanding traditional Basque restaurant. Local tuna, piperade and Irouleguy wine.
DAY 5
THE BASQUE COAST
MORNING
BIARRITZ, THE EXTRAORDINARY ATLANTIC RESORT
Biarritz is one of the finest seaside towns in France. The Grande Plage is extraordinary but the hidden Biarritz is the Rocher de la Vierge, a sea stack connected to the promenade by a metal bridge with extraordinary views of the wild Atlantic. The Musee de la Mer with its aquarium is in an extraordinary Art Deco building on the cliffs. The surf culture of Biarritz, which introduced surfing to Europe in the 1950s, is entirely alive in the surfboard shops and beachside cafes. Drive: 20 min drive to Saint-Jean-de-Luz
MIDDAY
SAINT-JEAN-DE-LUZ, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BASQUE TOWN
Saint-Jean-de-Luz is the finest and most beautiful Basque fishing town on the French coast. The magnificent Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste is the largest and finest Basque church in France, where Louis XIV married Maria Theresa of Spain in 1660 in one of the great ceremonies of French history. The harbour and the extraordinary Maison Louis XIV on the main square are extraordinary. Drive: 30 min drive to Hendaye
AFTERNOON
HENDAYE AND THE SPANISH BORDER
Hendaye at the Spanish border has the longest beach in the Basque Country, a 3km arc of sand with extraordinary views of the Pyrenees behind and the Spanish coast ahead. The Chateau d'Abbadie above the town, a Neo-Gothic castle built by the eccentric explorer Antoine d'Abbadie in 1879, has extraordinary views over the entire Basque coast from the Spanish border to Biarritz.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Col d'Ibardin mountain pass above Hendaye is the most dramatic coastal pass in the Pyrenees, with extraordinary views over the entire Basque coast from France into Spain. The drive from Hendaye to the top takes 20 minutes. Free and entirely unknown to the beach tourists below.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Caffe de la Grande Plage, Biarritz The most beautiful cafe terrace on the finest beach in southwestern France. | Lunch: Chez Maya, Saint-Jean-de-Luz Most celebrated traditional Basque restaurant. Fresh tuna from the harbour, piperade and Irouleguy wine. | Dinner: Final dinner in Bayonne or Biarritz One last pintxo crawl in Petit Bayonne or fresh tuna in Biarritz. The finest ending to Aquitaine.
Where To Stay
Bordeaux, Night 1 Hotel de Seze, beautiful 18th-century hotel in the UNESCO city. Approx 120 to 200 euros per night. Saint-Emilion or Arcachon, Night 2 to 3 Hostellerie de Plaisance or villa in Arcachon. Approx 100 to 250 euros. Bayonne or Biarritz, Nights 4 to 5 Hotel du Palais, Biarritz (historic palace on the beach). Approx 130 to 300 euros per night.
Top Tips
1. Grand Cru chateau visits must be booked in advance. Most require appointments at least a week ahead.
2. Cap Ferret oyster shacks open from 10am. Arrive early as the freshest oysters sell out fast.
3. Saint-Emilion monolithic church tours are the only way inside. Book at the tourist office on arrival.
4. The Dune du Pilat is best at sunrise or sunset. The midday light is flat and it can be very crowded.
5. Bordeaux restaurants close between lunch and dinner. Book La Tupina at least a week ahead.
6. Entre-Deux-Mers white wine is extraordinary value and the finest match for Arcachon oysters.
Total Budget
85 to 140 euros/day