What to do for free in Bordeaux?

Visiting a city can be expensive if you indulge in all the activities on offer. Rest assured, you can also walk around and enjoy without spending a penny like in Bordeaux, a city in Gironde in the west of France. A city of art and history, it is a UNESCO world heritage site and offers you many opportunities to save money, especially if you are a family on a small budget. Reserve your wallet for a good restaurant during your stay and smile, we'll explain what you can do for free in Bordeaux.

Opening image: Towfiqu barbhuiya / Unsplash

Photo credits in the ALT

Visit a park or garden without paying in Bordeaux

Go for an outdoor walk with family or friends to enjoy Bordeaux's nature without breaking the bank. A green city that boosts biodiversity, Bordeaux offers an incredible setting when you want to escape without leaving the city. Public garden and its playgrounds, Parc de l'Ermitage on the banks of the Garonne or Parc aux Angéliques and its paths along the banks of the quays, you have enough to walk for a few hours before having toured the green spaces. The advantage is that you can have a picnic, a meal without spending anything surrounded by greenery, or go jogging in the paths, a free sport that simply requires energy.

Visit Darwin, an eco-district in Bordeaux

On the right bank of the city, discover an unusual and special place where a friendly and relaxed atmosphere reigns. The Darwin eco-district is the meeting place for Bordeaux residents looking to escape for an afternoon or a day in an eco-citizen center where an exhibition center, a skate school, and product stores coexist. organic and local and numerous activities organized all year round. To visit it, you don't need to spend a euro. You can move freely through the aisles and shops to soak up the atmosphere, and leave with your wallet full. That said, you can be tempted by a concert, a conference or a sports gathering which sometimes only costs a few euros.

Walking without money in the streets of Bordeaux

Put on your shoes, put on your coat and set off to explore Bordeaux with the simplest and most economical means of transport, your feet! Visit the Saint-Michel district steeped in history, the Chartrons district with its Bordeaux architecture, admire the monuments along the streets and wade in the reflecting pool when the weather permits. The advantage of being on foot is that the visit is free and you have time to look at everything.

Go to the market in the morning in Bordeaux

The streets of the city come alive all year round to the rhythm of the markets which take place in different districts of Bordeaux every day of the week. Every morning, artisans and traders brighten up the Saint-Michel district, or the Chartron district to delight the eyes and taste buds with local products and specialties. Combine pleasure with tradition, stroll through the aisles to appreciate the golden color of the cannelés , the fruity smell of red wine and the passionate speech of a producer. And all this, without losing a penny! The pleasure of the ride is as precious as spending lavishly. In winter, don't miss the magic of Christmas and its special end-of-year celebration atmosphere.

Explore the exceptional heritage of Bordeaux for free

Bordeaux is a city rich in monuments and stories, told through its many buildings that you can admire without paying to look at them. Near the town hall, look up at the majestic Saint-André Cathedral where an association offers a free guided tour. Right next door, observe the Pey-Berland Tower, the cathedral bell tower which offers a panoramic view of the city. Continue to the Grand Théâtre where 12 Corinthian columns and 12 stone statues have adorned the building for more than 3 centuries. Big bell in the heart of the city, Saint-Michel basilica, Saint-Seurin basilica or Palais Gallien, you will love walking through the Bordeaux monuments.

Do a Tèrra Aventura in Bordeaux

A fun and friendly activity, the Tèrra Aventura circuits can be found on the application and allow you to travel around Bordeaux during a well-organized treasure hunt. You are not going to pay anything, just spend a few neurons to solve the puzzles imposed to advance on the course based on the correct answers. Activate your brain and prepare for adventure, you must find cute little characters called Poï'z. Rue Sainte-Catherine, rue Saint-Rémi, place Tourny or place de la Bourse, it's up to you to wander happily through Bordeaux.

Go around the bridges and around the quays without paying in Bordeaux

Bordeaux, crossed by the Garonne, is lined with numerous quays accessible all year round and without contribution for a pleasant stroll along the water. Quai des Salinières, quai de Brazza or quai des Queyries, they come together and form a 7 km loop thanks to the installation of bridges. You have the choice of taking the circuit on foot if you like to walk, by bike if you have brought one (you can rent one on site, or take a self-service bike) or even on rollerblades. Put your hands in your pockets and walk the platforms, it's a pleasant and economical activity.

Take a tour of Lake Bordeaux

We move a few kilometers away from the city center to reach Lake Bordeaux, located 25 minutes away if you take the tram. A real resource point for the people of Bordeaux, you can swim there in summer or walk around if you are motivated. The circuit is quite simple and allows you to make a pleasant loop on foot or by bike, a route which takes you to the Bruges Marshes national reserve, spread over 265 hectares. With 69 different habitats, the place is ideal for the evolution of fauna and flora, where 3500 animal or plant species delight in taking advantage of this unique site. Discover another side of Bordeaux without breaking the bank, go for a walk.

Discover street art in Bordeaux

We set off again to discover a very special exhibition open to all, street art. Focus on the walls and open your eyes wide during your Bordeaux trip, works are exhibited all over the city. The Darwin hangar is a gold mine for lovers of this street art, which can also be found by surprise on the wall of the CHU Pellegrin with the giant little girl or on the very colorful wall in Bacalan. Guided tours are organized to understand the works and the will of the artists, but you can also discover them without paying, just for pleasure when you walk through the neighborhoods.

You can breathe, you are not ruined ! The visit ends without having spent a single penny, enough to offer you a small end-of-stay reward before returning. And if you come back to Gironde, you may have a little more budget to explore the parts of the city that are not given. Otherwise, you now know everything you can do for free in Bordeaux.

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