FESTIVALS, HOLIDAYS AND OTHER ANNUAL EVENTS IN Bordeaux

There are a number of festivals, holidays and other events celebrated in Bordeaux each year. The main ones are listed below.

On the first of May, it is customary to offer a sprig of lily-of-the-valley to close ones. Many vendors occupy the pavement on that occasion!

Commemorates the Allied victory in Europe that ended World War II on this day in 1945. Various ceremonies are held around town.

Also celebrated internationally as World Music Day, for this festival many free concerts featuring all types of music are held in the streets and at various venues across Bordeaux.

A wine trail stretching for over a mile in central Bordeaux, this incredible event is an opportunity for various animations, concerts and other shows along the banks of the Garonne River!

With music, dance, theatre and street arts, this programme of over 500 events (more than half of which are free), jointly organized by over 200 of the region's towns and cities, is perfect for outings with family members or friends.

This holiday celebrates both the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789, the key event marking the beginning of the French Revolution. It plays as a symbol of the end of the privileges enjoyed by the clergy and the aristocracy. In Bordeaux, this anniversary is commemorated each year with a fireworks display over the Garonne River between the Pont de Pierre and the Place de la Bourse. Wonderful!

This celebration, still very popular in Bordeaux, is marked by the faithful with religious ceremonies. Expect fireworks over the Garonne River. The best spot to enjoy them is assuredly on the riverbanks.

The aim of the European Heritage Days is to open up numerous sites and monuments, many of which are normally closed to the public, such as castles and private collections. A great opportunity for a lovely stroll through the city to admire architectural treasures!

On this day, French citizens gather at war memorials to commemorate the signing of the 1918 Armistice officially bringing an end to the First World War.

On the night of December 31^st, the atmosphere is particularly festive on the streets of Bordeaux, with families and friends celebrating the new year.

CLIMATE AND WEATHER IN Bordeaux

Month	Min. Average Temperature (°C/F°)	Max. Average Temperature (°C/F°)	Average Rains (MM)	Best Time to Travel
January	3/37	10/50	87/3.4	Not the best period to go
February	3/37	12/54	71/2.8	Not the best period to go
March	5/41	15/59	65/2.6	Not the best period to go
April	7/45	17/63	78/3.1	Good period to go
May	11/52	21/70	80/3.1	Good period to go
June	14/57	25/77	62/2.4	Good period to go
July	16/61	27/81	50/2.0	Good period to go
August	16/61	27/81	56/2.2	Good period to go
September	13/55	24/75	84/3.3	Good period to go
October	10/50	20/68	93/3.7	Good period to go
November	6/43	14/57	110/4.3	Not the best period to go
December	4/39	11/52	106/4.2	Not the best period to go

Bordeaux Mérignac Airport

The Bordeaux Mérignac Airport is located in the town of Mérignac, about
10 kilometres (6 miles) west of Bordeaux.

• One terminal

• By car
  • Accessible via exit 11b of the Bordeaux ring road.
  • 5 parking facilities available at the airport:
    • Drop-off area: free for the first 10 minutes
    • P0 Comfort: located only a few minutes away from the terminal
      by foot. 340 spots available, from EUR 27 for 12 hours.
    • P1 Proxi: located only a few minutes away from the terminal by
      foot. 369 spots available, from EUR 23 for 12 hours.
    • P2 Flexi: located only a few minutes away from the terminal by
      foot. 3006 spots available in the outside lot, from EUR 21 for
      12 hours.
    • P4 Long-term: located 10 minutes away using the terminal free
      shuttle. 3424 spots available in the outside lot, from EUR 15
      for 12 hours.
  • Several car rental companies have counters at the airport, on
    Level 0 in the connecting wing between halls A and B.

• By shuttle bus (30'Direct)
  • A shuttle bus service connects the airport to Bordeaux's
    Saint-Jean train station in 30 minutes and operates 7/7. Buses leave
    every hour from the airport (outside hall B, exit 11) between 8 a.m.
    and 11 p.m. Buses leave every hour from the train station between 6
    a.m. (7 a.m. on weekends) and 9 p.m. A one-way ticket costs EUR 8.00
    and a round-trip ticket is available for EUR 12.30.
• By bus (Liane 1+)
  • This bus line offers a direct link between Saint-Jean train
    station and the airport via central Bordeaux and Mérignac, for EUR
    1.70 per person each way.
• By taxi
  • Taxis are available just outside the airport. The fare to Bordeaux
    is about EUR 30 (night fare is about EUR 45).

• Services: shops, bars and restaurants, valet parking,
  free Internet access (Wi-Fi), etc.
• Telephone: +33 (0)5 56 34 50 50
• Website: https://www.bordeaux.aeroport.fr/en

• Customers with a Paris connexion and an Air France flight number (from
  Orly) must visit the Train + Air desk at the Bordeaux Saint-Jean station
  24 hours to 20 minutes before departure: train tickets will be issued to
  them upon presentation of a valid airplane ticket.
• You will find all necessary information on the website: https://www.airfrance.fr/FR/en/common/resainfovol/avion_train/reservation_avion_train_tgvair_airfrance.htm
• The Bordeaux Saint-Jean TGV station is located at 1 rue Charles
  Domercq, 33800 Bordeaux. It is open every day from 4:00 a.m. to 1:00
  a.m. (4:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. on Friday):
  
  • Access via public transportation: tramway (line C), intercity buses
    (TransGironde), mainline coaches, city buses (Lianes 9, Lianes 1,
    Lianes 10, Lianes 11).
  • Access via private transportation: drop off area,
    self-service car sharing, rental car companies, taxis, parking lots,
    bike rentals.
• For all necessary information about the Train + Air desk, please visit https://www.garesetconnexions.sncf/fr/gare/frboj/bordeaux-saint-jean/services/espace-vente

GETTING AROUND Bordeaux

As is the case for most large French cities, public transport is the best way to get around, although using a bicycle is perhaps the most enjoyable!

By bus and tram

Bordeaux's bus and tram network is unique in France:

• Eight municipalities served
• Four tram lines along major thoroughfares from 5 a.m. to 12.55 am., with one tram every 6 minutes on weekdays and every 10 to 15 minutes at night and on weekends.
• 80 bus lines throughout the city and its suburbs (operating from 5 a.m. to midnight or 1 a.m. with 3,000 bus stops)
• Mobibus, a service for mobility-impaired passengers
• Four BatCub ferry stations along the Garonne
• EUR 1.70 for a ticket card with a single trip and EUR 13.70 for a ticket card offering 10 trips (each trip covers a travel time of up to 60 minutes on any of Bordeaux's buses, trams or BatCub ferries)

City Pass

In partnership with Bordeaux's tourist office, the public transport authority offers this pass, which combines unlimited access for one person to all mass transit options in the city, with free admission to more than 20 museums over the period covered by the pass.

• EUR 29 (1 day)
• EUR 39 (2 days)
• EUR 46 (3 days)

By bicycle

Bordeaux is an excellent city to explore by bicycle. Many bike parking stations are available. More than 1,700 bikes provided by the VCub bike-sharing network are distributed across 167 stations in Bordeaux. Monthly or annual subscribers can use the network's bikes for free for 20 consecutive hours!

• EUR 1.70 for 24 hours
• EUR 7.70 for 7 days
• EUR 11.00 for 1 month

By car

Rental cars are a good option if you wish to leave the city to explore the region's vineyards.

Visitor information

Upon your arrival in Bordeaux, you can get in touch with local tourism professionals for further information and to help organise your stay.

Offers practical information and useful recommendations (accommodation, restaurants, public transport, festivals, cultural events, etc.).

• Address: 12 cours du 30 juillet, 33080 Bordeaux Cedex
• Telephone: +33 (0)5 56 00 66 00
• Website: https://www.bordeaux-tourism.co.uk/?_wrapper_format=html

Medical information

In order to travel in the best conditions and for your health and safety, we invite you to check all information regarding preventive measures and best practices to be respected, available on the official website of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs: https://www.gouvernement.fr/info-coronavirus

Your comfort, well-being and health are at the heart of Air France's concerns, and we want to help you prepare for your trip in the best way possible. Find out more about the measures taken to ensure safe travelling on our website: https://www.airfrance.fr/FR/en/common/page_flottante/information/coronavirus.htm#notre-engagement-sanitaire

See your doctor before you travel. It is also recommended to take out insurance covering medical expenses and repatriation before your trip. Bordeaux counts several hospitals and medical institutions, as well as quality medical practitioners and health specialists.

There are no vaccination requirements for visitors to France. For more information, contact Air France's international vaccination centre:

• Address: 38 quai de Jemmapes, 75010 Paris
• Website: www.vaccinations-airfrance.fr
• Telephone: +33 (0)1 43 17 22 00
• To make a vaccination appointment:
  • online (click here)
  • call the centre at +33 (0)1 43 17 22 00

There are no specific food safety risks. French government authorities promote good hygiene practices and put in place strengthened control procedures for sites especially frequented by tourists during the summer months.

Tap water is safe to drink in Bordeaux.

Administrative formalities

Entry requirements for France

As a general rule, a visa is required to enter France. Foreign nationals in the two categories listed below are not required to carry a visa for stays of 90 days or less:

• Citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or the Swiss Confederation
• Citizens or nationals of some foreign countries.

For stays of more than 90 days, a long-stay visa is required.

Travellers from all other countries must be in possession of a visa, regardless of the length of their stay. Visa applications must be submitted to the nearest French Embassy or French Consulate in the country of permanent residence well in advance of departure.

Pour plus d'informations, consultez le site internet du ministère français des Affaires étrangères : https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr

Useful addresses

Directory of foreign embassies and consulates in France

Annuaire des représentations étrangères en France

Pour connaître les coordonnées de l'ambassade ou du consulat de votre pays, consultez l'annuaire mis à disposition par le ministère français des Affaires étrangères : https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr

Conseils aux voyageurs

Pour voyager sereinement en France, consultez les informations et recommandations du ministère des Affaires étrangères de votre pays de résidence.

Essential phrases

Good to know

+33

+ phone number (without 0)

0 : 00
of time difference with
Budapest

Start of daylight saving time: last Sunday in March
End of daylight saving time: last Sunday in October

BANKS

Usually open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

GOVERNMENT OFFICES

Usually open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

230 V / 50 Hz

Tipping
In Bordeaux like elsewhere in France, a service charge is always included in the bill. If you are particularly pleased with the service, you may certainly leave a few extra euros on the table. But this additional tip is neither expected nor necessary.