Bordeaux - A Paradise For Wine Lovers

Capital of Aquitaine, France, Bordeaux is famous for its various wines, which are considered among the best in the world. However, it is also a very nice place to visit... for other reasons. The city itself is one of the 5 biggest cities in France, with a population of about 660,000 people, including suburbs. It is a very lively place, with large student (Bordeaux Campus is the biggest in France) and foreigner communities.

Bordeaux is a historical city with many tourist attractions. The main districts are briefly presented here, which are listed according to their distance from the railway station.

Les Quais -- for a nice walk on the shores of the Garonne, a ride on a ferry boat, a stunning view over the bridges of Bordeaux, or spending good time in the city's night clubs !
La Victoire -- Historical monuments meet student life and bars.
The Pedestrian Center -- If you plan on shopping, or are looking for cultural activities, Bordeaux has a lot to share - and it starts right here.
Gambetta Square -- the rich districts of Bordeaux start north - this part of the town is nicknamed "Little Paris". There are also a lot of things to visit.
Quinconces Square -- A lot of things to see in this area close to the river.
Meriadeck -- The administrative center of Bordeaux, with one of the biggest libraries in France.
Understand
Bordeaux is considered a very tolerant and relaxed place - no one will bother you about your political beliefs, religion, or sexual orientation. The cultural, artistic, and music scenes are very vibrant. The city was ruled by the English for a long time, that is why Bordeaux seems to have an "English flair".

People from Bordeaux sometimes feel jealous of people from Paris, and the city is often referred to as "Little Paris". This rivalry is a hot subject, so you may experience some heated arguments on the subject (who said "flame wars?") during your stay.

Geography
Bordeaux is a flat city, built on the banks of the Garonne River. It is also the largest French city in area and geographically one of the largest in Europe. The Garonne merges a dozen kilometers below the city with another river, the Dordogne River to form the Gironde Estuary, which is biggest estuary in France.

The city center is located west and south of the Garonne. To the east are a few hills - the only ones in the vicinity. These hills mark the beginning of an industrial zone and suburbs. Because it is a flat city, bicycles make excellent modes of transport, especially as the city has more than 17 km of cycle tracks. Bordeaux is among the most economically buoyant cities in France.

There are no skyscrapers in Bordeaux, just a few tall buildings due to the weakness of the subsoil, which explains its sprawl. The center of the town has retained its traditional stone mansions and smart terraces, which is probably the reason behind the city being called "Little Paris".

Modern buildings can be found to the west (administrative center) and south (university) of the city.

 Get in
By plane
Bordeaux's Merignac Airport is located west of the city. It's a regional airport which serves mostly domestic flights, though there are international flights as well connecting Bordeaux to some European "hub" airports like Paris (Orly and Roissy), London (Gatwick) Madrid and Amsterdam.

An express bus runs every 40 minutes to the city center, and makes several stops in the city.

http://www.bordeaux.aeroport.fr/ (In French) 
By train
The main train station (Gare Saint Jean) is located about 4km from the center of town. Several trains per day (around one every two hours) go north (to Paris, about 5 hours, Angoulème, Poitiers), south (to Toulouse, Marseille, Montpellier (about 4 to 5 hours), up to Nice), and east (to Périgueux and Clermont-Ferrand).

Buses and taxis leave from in front of the station. Catch the tramway to go to the inner center.

By car
You can reach Bordeaux by car from north (taking the A10 highway or N10), south (taking the A63 highway), and east. A beltway goes around the city.

If possible, avoid driving between 8-10 AM and 4-7 PM, as the beltway is usually overcrowded.

By bus
The bus station is located just in front of the train station, in the center of the town. Eurolines [1] provide bus service to the city.

Get around
Bordeaux is quite a big city, however most of the interesting attractions are in the town center. It is not recommended anyone to use a car to get around, as it is always a hassle to park it (and car parks are expensive) and there are often traffic jams in the small, old streets of the city.

If you can, use your feet and walk. As most of the town center is a 'pedestrian area', this is a good idea anyway. If you like sports, you can rent roller-skates or a bike (see below) or you can make your way in town using the various bus lines. A small ferry boat permits to go from the western shore of the river to the eastern shore, and vice-versa.

Three efficient tramway lines are also available (A,B and C), tickets cost 1, 20 Euros.