DAY 1: on the right bank, from the Bassin des Lumières to the Place de la Bourse
DAY 2: on the left bank, from Place Pey-Berland to Darwin Éco-Système
Day 1, with children under 12 years old
For a 1st day of visit with children under 12 years old, we suggest you stay on the left bank of the Garonne. This is where the largest and most historic part of the city is located. This route starts at the Bassin des Lumières and ends at the Place de la Bourse. It can obviously be done in the other direction.
- The Pools of Enlightenment
- Alternative to the Pools of Lights
- For lunch
- The Museum of Bordeaux
- To taste
- The alleys of Tourny
- For dinner
- City Pass 48 hours or 72 hours
- Travel time on this route
The Pools of Lights (opens at 10am)
- It is the new must-see site in Bordeaux, the largest digital art center in the world.
- Works by artists are projected, in movement, to music, playing with the architecture of the place
- Fun for young and old, who will be enchanted by the movement of the works on the walls, on the floor, or on the water.
Our advice when leaving the Bassins de Lumières
Stroll around the pools near the Cité du Vin. You will see different works on the way such as the Flying Saucer of the basin by the artist Suzanne Treister and also Street Art works at the locks.
If you don’t want to do the Bassins de Lumières, two proposals:
The Marine Sea Museum
The Mer Marine Museum is located right next to the Bassin des Lumières. This museum has permanent exhibitions on the history of navigation with its pirates, explorers and great heroes. This museum also aims to raise visitors’ awareness of the fragility of the oceans. Guided tours are offered for children. SEE ON A MAP
CAP Sciences
CAP Sciences, an interactive exhibition centre with activities dedicated to science. Several spaces of the place are entirely designed for young people, with various workshop proposals (photography, molecular cuisine, eco-citizen, etc.). Address: VIEW ON A MAP
Kid-Friendly lunch break at the Halles de Bacalan
It is a covered market revisited with a
twenty stalls of different producers, craftsmen and traders.
Picnic Break at the Public Garden
A very pretty landscaped and planted park where it is good to walk and take a lunch break when the weather is nice
The Museum of Bordeaux – Science and Nature (opens at 10:30 am)
It is the natural history museum of Bordeaux. It will fascinate young and old alike with its incredible zoological collections. You can’t miss Miss Fanny, an Asian elephant who spent the end of her life in Bordeaux, as well as the skeleton of a blue whale, the largest mammal that ever lived!
If you prefer Contemporary Art, another option “CAPE TOWN”
It is the museum of contemporary art in Bordeaux.
Workshops for children and teenagers are often organised there.
It is open from 11 am to 6 pm and closed on Mondays and public holidays.
Full price: €7. This museum is free for children under 18 years old
Gourmet break
- Taste the famous canelés of the Toque Cuivrée (very good value for money)
- Also the Dunes Blanches from Pascal. Her little puffs are absolutely delicious.
The Allées de Tourny and the historic centre of Bordeaux
- For toddlers, the merry-go-round
- The little train to visit the historic center without getting tired
- Shopping on rue Saint-Catherine and rue Porte Dijeaux
- Take a look at Mollat, the largest independent bookstore in France
- From the Place Camille Jullian to the Place du Palais, where you can visit the Porte Cailhau, a medieval vestige of the city walls.
To dine in Bordeaux and eat an ice cream
We suggest the Saint-Pierre district or Saint-Rémi Street. There are many restaurants and the atmosphere in the evening is really nice.
To eat an ice cream, several ice cream parlours on the Place du Parlement
The 48-hour or 72-hour City Pass
- Access to 20 museums, attractions, and monuments
- Unlimited access to public transport (tram, bus, river shuttle, park and ride)
- Access to the tourist bus, the little train or a guided walking tour
- Plenty of discounts on cruises and winery tours
- Free guided tour of Saint-Émilion (only with the 72-hour pass)
Estimated transport time from the Bassins de lumières to the Museum of Bordeaux
- 32mn with bus line 4
- 33mn with Tram line C
- 40mn walk
Discover Bordeaux in a fun way
Gourmet walk in historic Bordeaux
Gourmet walk in the Chartrons district
When Street Art seduces the Chartrons (guided tour)
The Escape Game “The secrets of Bordeaux”
Bordeaux’s little electric train
Visit the center of Bordeaux without getting tired! The explanations in the audio guide are suitable for young audiences, but comprehensive enough for adults too.
Little train fare: 10€ per adult; offers and freebies for children at different times of the year.
Bus fare: 14€ per adult; €5 children 5 to 12 years old
Fun option: Shopping at the Bord’Eau Village Skate park on the Quai des Chartrons
From the quays, head towards the Chartrons district, more particularly the village of
Antique dealers on Rue Notre-Dame: quiet and picturesque, this is the ideal area for strolling and
Family. If you want to discover more of the Chartrons, consider booking a visit
guided tour of Street Art and the history of the neighborhood.
– Head to the Allées de Tourny with its famous merry-go-round. If the children don’t want to
to take a tour of it, maybe a small tour of the city by bus or little train will do the trick!
The explanations in the audio guide are adapted to young audiences, but comprehensive enough for
adults too. Little train fare: 10€ per adult; offers and free services for children at different times of the year.
year.
Bus fare: 14€ per adult; €5 children 5 to 12 years old
Shopping option
the many franchised stores on Rue Sainte Catherine and the
rue de la Porte Dijeaux. Take a look at Mollat, the largest independent bookstore in
France. Don’t miss the Promenade Sainte Catherine, an open-air shopping centre in
heart of Bordeaux. You will find the Lego store, a wonder
guaranteed even for the older ones!
Otherwise, stroll in front of the Grand Théâtre, discover the largest shopping street
d’Europe, the rue Sainte-Catherine, set off in the small streets of the historic centre… Room
Camille Jullian at the Place du Palais, where you could visit the Porte Cailhau, a medieval vestige of the
city walls.
Gourmet break
Gourmet break with the canelés of the Toque Cuivrée, very good value for money! You absolutely have to try the Dunes Blanches from Chez Pascal, your taste buds will thank you. Finish your walk on the quays, at the level of the water mirror: a spectacular point to admire the
Place de la Bourse, very photogenic and the ideal place to take a souvenir photo in
Family.
