Going Places Bordeaux

A visit to Bordeaux

September is the perfect time to visit Bordeaux. The sunny, warm weather is perfect for exploring this French city that befits a Disney-themed princess set. Luckily I had a local guide (and her dog) to show me around this charming destination. I happily abandoned maps and GPS tools, whilst we strolled the cobbled streets. I loved walking around Bordeaux. There are wide swathes of paths for walking and cycling along the river Garonne, and there is limited traffic in the town center. The historic old city of Bordeaux is on the UNESCO world heritage list. The majestic buildings in the old city serve as wonderful facades for their charming shopfronts. I stayed at the Mama Shelter hotel, conveniently located in the old city. Bordeaux was the first stop on a road trip to the south of Spain, so check back soon for our Going Places guide to Madrid.

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Le Local

14 rue Saint Colombe

Le Local is one of the most beautiful food shops I have ever visited. Crates of colorful, local produce displayed against the framework of the stunning original architectural features of the building, and neat rows of speciality goods line the walls.

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Amour de Fleurs

40 rue Sainte Colombe

The day we visited Amour de Fleurs we were lucky to witness the owner changing the shopfront decor from summer to fall.

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La Garconnière

34 cours d’Alsace-et-Lorraine

Behind a facade with dramatic soaring windows, is menswear lifestyle shop, La Garconnière. This beautifully designed store has a coffee shop, delicatessen, and barbershop, as well as men’s clothing and accessories.

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Coutume

79 rue Notre Dame

Coutume is a modern hardware store with goods for the home and garden. The shop, with distinctive graphics, is divided into sections such as table, office, bathroom, kids and garden.

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More Shops

Behind Bordeaux’s wonderful shopfronts there is a variety of interesting shops to explore. There are flowers shops, food shops, art and antique stores, and children’s shops. There is lots of great coffee shops, bars and restaurants. We visited Sip, for our morning coffee, and had a memorable evening meal at Echo, both pictured below.