Orientation

Bordeaux sits on the west bank of the Garonne River, which flows south to north into the Biscay. The Gare St-Jean train station is at the southern end of the city, a long hike from the centre-ville. To get to town, walk past the sex shops on cours de la Marne until you reach place de la Victoire, the student nightlife quarter. From here, turn right under the arch onto the pedestrian street rue Ste-Catherine. The centre-ville is a straight shot ahead. (You can also take tram C or bus #16 from the train station and get off at pl. de la Bourse.) The heart of the centre-ville is place de la Comédie, instantly recognizable for its opulent Grand Théâtre. Rue Ste-Catherine then turns into cours du XXX Juillet (that’s the number, not a sex shop), where you’ll find the main tourist office right before the tree-filled Esplanade des Quinconces, a large plaza and important public-transportation hub. Back at pl. de la Comédie, you can get to place Gambetta, another one of Bordeaux’s centers, by walking west for a short distance along course de l’Intendance. Rue de la Porte Dijeaux (which turns into rue St-Rémi) runs from the archway at the southeast corner of pl. Gambetta to place de la Bourse, across the street from Bordeaux’s iconic public art installation, the Miroir d’Eau, by the river.