Must see attractions | French in Bordeaux

When you study French in Bordeaux, you’ll be living in a city that is home to over 360 monuments and it is classified as the “City of Art and History”.

Some buildings date back to Roman times and with the biggest 18th-century architectural urban areas, Bordeaux is the ideal destination for tourists and students. Bordeaux is a port city located in the southwest part of France. It is considered to be the 6th largest city with a population of over 700,000 inhabitants. Once you arrive in Bordeaux, you will definitely want to explore the city and practise your French skills in everyday situations. When you study French in Bordeaux, be sure to visit some of these recommended sites.

Place des Quinconces - One of the largest city squares in Europe with a size of approx. 126.000 square meters! Aside from the white-marble statues of Montaigne and Montesquieu, you should definitely check out the triumph of the Republic, towards the large theatre; triumph of the Concorde, towards Chartrons and many more.

Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux - One of the largest neoclassical theatres built in the 18th century. Today the theatre is home to the Opéra National de Bordeaux, as well as the Ballet National de Bordeaux which has many international dancers such as Igor Yebra from Spain and Kase Craig from New Zealand.

Pont de Pierre - Or “stone bridge” in English, is a large bridge in Bordeaux that connects the left bank of the Garonne River and the right side, the Avenue Thiers.

Saint-André Cathedral - Commonly known as the Bordeaux Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Cathedral, seat of the Archbishop of Bordeaux.

Rue Sainte-Catherine - The longest pedestrian street of France with a length of 1.2 km. Also, this street is the main shopping street in Bordeaux.

Jardin Botanique de la Bastide - A municipal botanical garden located along the right bank of the Garonne. The garden is open daily, free of charge.

Musée des Beaux-Arts - Also known as the fine arts museum, it is one of the finest painting galleries in France where you can see paintings from Tiziano, Veronese, Rubens, Van Dyck, Delacroix, Matisse and Picasso

When you study French in Bordeaux you should definitely make time to join a winery tour in the countryside. France Langue, our recommended French language school in Bordeaux, arranges regular activities and events for students, including wine tours. When going on a winery tour, be sure to visit one of these small towns:

St Emilion - A town just 40-minute drive west of Bordeaux, built as an amphitheatre with decent wines to sample.

Médoc - A place where the really famous Bordeaux wine châteaux (Latour, Margaux, Mouton-Rothschild) comes from.

Arcachon - Recommended to those who are not so bewitched by wine, but want to get away from the city crowds, enjoy seafood and relax.

These are our best recommendations of things to see and do while you’re staying in Bordeaux, of course, there are many, many more attractions and events to take in. In addition to improving your French, you will be sure to enjoy a cultural and gastronomic experience unlike any other.

Bon séjour!