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The historic centre and the St. Michel district
As Bordeaux's town centre is quite small, you can see a lot of monuments and interesting sights in only a few hours. All trips can be made on foot.
The first recommended tour begins at the Place de la Bourse (formerly the Place Royale), at the foot of the Fountain of the Three Graces. Here you can begin by visiting the Musée national des douanes. After the museum, take the Rue Philippart until you reach the Place du Parlement, then take the Rue du Parlement St. Pierre where you will find the Eglise St-Pierre. This is the historic center of the city.
The Rue Bahutiers (former manufacturers of safes) will bring you to the Cours Alsace and Lorraine. Just before this avenue, turn left and you will catch a glimpse of the Porte Caihlau. The quays of the Pont de Pierre on your right. By taking the Rue Ausone just in front of the Porte Cailhau, you will cross the avenues Alsace and Lorraine. At the junction of the avenues and the Rue Ausone, you will find the Rue de la Porte Saint Jean, which looks onto the Rue de la Roussselle (at number 23 and 25 you will find the family home of Michel de Montaigne). Continue down this street until you reach the Cours Victor Hugo to find the Porte de Bourgogne, looking onto the quays and the Pont de Pierre. By crossing this avenue, you will enter the St. Michel quarter, take the Rue Fusterie until the Place Duborg, where you turn right in the direction of the Place Canteloup. From one of the café terraces on this square, you can admire the spire (Flèche St Michel) and the basilica of the Flèche St-Michel.
After a few minutes rest, take the Rue Saint Francois until you come to the Rue du Mirail. On your right you will see the Grosse Cloche. By turning left at the Cours Victor Hugo, you will cross the rue Sainte Catherine. At the avenue Pasteur on your right you will find the Musée d'Aquitaine.
By continuing through the Cours Pasteur, you will come across the magnificent Cathédrale St-André and the town hall. You can go around the town hall by turning left and taking the Rue Elisée Reclus. You will now be on the Cours Albret; turn right and you will come to the town hall's garden and the Musée des Beaux Arts. By following the avenue (which veers to the right), you will go back up to the Place Gambetta (formerly the Place Dauphine). On your right, you will immediately see the Porte Dijaux. Go under the Porte and continue straight ahead until the Place de la Bourse. Here you will arrive at your starting point.
Le Marché des Grands Hommes, la Cité Mondiale et le Croiseur Colbert
Start on the steps of the Grand Théâtre, where you will find the Place de la Comédie. Then take the Rue Mautrec, which runs perpendicular to the Allées de Tourny. You will arrive in front of one of the most beautiful churches in Bordeaux: the Eglise Notre Dame. Then take the Rue Diderot, which will bring you straight to the Marché des Grands Hommes, a glass shopping arcade with large metal columns. The rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau will bring you to the end of the Allées de Tourny, where you will turn right in the direction of the Cours Verdun. On your left, you will see the Public Gardens. There are many points of interest here, including the Botanical Gardens.
When you have finished a tour of the gardens, take the Cours Verdrun to the Rue Sicard, which is on your right. You will soon come across the Place du Marché des Chartrons, a pretty market hall in glass, metal and stone.
By continuing down the Rue Sicard, you will find the Saint Louis church with its neo-gothic architecture. Take the Rue Notre Dame where you will turn right, and then turn into the Passage Beaujau on the left. A completely different architecture awaits you: The Cité Mondiale. From here you can already see the quays, and if you so desire, you can visit the Croiseur Colbert.
For a longer tour, continue along the Rue Sicard to St Louis Church with its neo-gothic architecture, then take the Rue Notre Dame and turn left until you come to the Rue Borie. Turn left and you will find yourself in front of the Musée des Chartrons. On coming out of the museum take the Rue Borie on your left and go down towards the quays where you can visit the Croiseur Colbert.
When you are on the quays opposite the Croiseur Colbert, turn right until you are standing opposite the two Quinconces columns. Cross the quays and pause for a while on the Place des Quinconces, one of the biggest squares in Europe. At the bottom of the square, you will see the Monument aux Girondins et à la République (1894-1902).
Take the Cours du 30 juillet on your left and continue until you come to the Grand Théâtre. You can have a drink on the terrace of one of the cafés, which are about fifty metres from your starting point.
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