Bordeaux--Getting Around and Seeing the Sights

It's easy to get around Bordeaux:

You can take a tram--€1.60/ticket (good for travel up to 1 hour), €6.70 for 5 tickets, €12.90 for 10 tickets. You can also get a day pass for €4.60. Be sure to validate your ticket on the tram or bus.

You can rent a bike--€1.60/day to access it. The first 30 minutes is free. After that, it is €2/hour.

You can rent an electric car. We saw these all over town but couldn't figure out how to rent them.

You can also walk. With the exception of the Cite du Vin, the major sites are within a 30-minute walk.

Eglise Sainte Croix was located just 5 minutes from our hotel. 

Cathedrale St. Andre (Bordeaux Cathedral), a Unesco World Heritage Site, is in the center of town. 

Tour Pey-Berland, a 50m high belfry, is next door.

There are numerous sculptures all over town. This one is dedicated to the wine industry.

Cite du Vin is located a 50-minute walk from the center. It's easy to take the tram or ride the ferry. This is a huge building devoted to exploring the area's wine industry. Admission price of €20 includes wine tasting in the panoramic tasting space on the 8th floor.

Pont Chaban-Delmas is located not too far from the Cite du Vin. The bridge lifts to allow boating traffic to pass underneath. This is Europe's largest lift bridge.

Along the Garonne River, you'll find shops and restaurants.

I liked this sculpture by Jaume Plensa. He's the same Spanish artist whose works I saw recently in New Orleans and Venice. 

Bordeaux is known for canele--a pastry with a soft center and caramelized exterior. We came upon La Toque Cuivree on rue Sainte-Catherine, the largest pedestrian street in Europe. 

Place de la Bourse with Le Miroire d'Eau in front. Unfortunately, there was no water in the shallow pond so no reflections from the "world's largest reflecting pool."

One of 3000 sculpted heads that adorn facades and fountains in Bordeaux. They're called mascarons!

Bordeaux is a popular stop for River Cruising in France.

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Grosse Cloche--18th century bell above a former dungeon for juveniles. 

Gare de Bordeaux-Saint Jean

Shops in the lower level of the station. It came in handy when there was a train strike and our scheduled departure was cancelled. We had to wait an hour for the next train.

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