Published the 02/25/2020 in Our Best Adresses
Planning a vacation in Bordeaux? Or just here for the weekend? Here is our selection of the unmissable shopping addresses in Bordeaux, plus a few more unknown alternatives. Whether you're searching for vintage, chic or even food and wine, there is a spot for all your needs.
Often cited as the longest pedestrian street in Europe, rue Sainte-Catherine is a 1250-metre shopping street crossing Bordeaux from north to south. The street crosses the historic districts of Bordeaux, so it is hard to miss it if you are passing through Bordeaux. It is on this street that you will find the great classics of shopping, H&M, Sephora, Zara or the Galeries Lafayette, passing by good local addresses such as Michard Ardillier. To the north of the street, don't miss the perpendicular rue Porte Dijeaux, where you will find France's largest independent bookstore, Mollat.
The Galeries Lafayette, the flagship of local shopping, is a must. Michard-Ardillier for shoes and the Mollat bookshop offers a magnificent selection of books. Mollat is heaven for booklovers (francophone, English selection is rather poor).
For a gourmet break, consider stopping at the two great competitors of canelés, Baillardran and la Toque Cuivrée, at the crossroads with the rue de la Merci. For a longer break, stop at the café of the Utopia cinema, located in a former church, Saint-Siméon.
And for souvenirs, we recommend the Comptoir Bordelais, a nice shop where you can find a very nice selection of products, wines and spirits from the region and from all over the world.
Looking for the great French brands? Head for the Cours de l'Intendance and the Grands Hommes districts where you will find beautiful addresses such as Louis Vuitton, Longchamp, Lancel, Maje, Claudie Pierlot... On the gastronomy side, there are some very fine addresses to choose from, with Lafite foie gras or the Maison Jean D'Alos.
For decoration, the Lalique boutique in the Sarget passage is a must.
The well-deserved break: take rue de la Vieille Tour, here you will find two beautiful addresses, Hasnaa chocolate and the white dunes of Pascal.
And as for wine, there's no shortage of addresses in this neighbourhood. We particularly like the Intendant's collimasson cellar at the corner of the Grand Hôtel. The Vinothèque offers a very nice selection of Bordeaux wines, and you can stop by the CIVB wine bar for a tasting of the different appellations.
For gourmet shopping, head to the Capucins market, aka the belly of Bordeaux, where you can find fresh, local products from the region every morning. The first market dates back to 1749, when Intendant Tourny started work on the city. You can find all the specialities of Bordeaux and the region: oysters, meats, truffles, seasonal fruits and vegetables. But the charm of the "Capu" is also all the cultural influences that can be found there, with shops selling products from all over the world. On Saturdays, the market extends over the entire Place Saint-Michel, another unmissable address for lovers of flea markets.
"Capu" is also a concentrate of good addresses, bistros with plenty of character (Au Bistrot) but also an excellent selection of vegetarian restaurants, such as Monkey Mood.
For a lighter shopping experience and a very, very long coffee (or wine) break, head to rue Saint-James. At the foot of the Grosse Cloche, you'll find a small concentration of Bordeaux on 200 meters with an excellent selection of cafés, wine bars but also nice shops. Note the shop of the Collectif Specimen, which brings together about twenty designers from Bordeaux! Perfect at the end of the day. And for a 100% Bordeaux shopping experience, we advise you to follow the path of the creators.
In the heart of the Chartrons district, which has been the most popular district in Bordeaux for a few years now, the Rue Notre Dame is a 500-metre-long street with a magnificent selection of antique shops, as well as beautiful addresses of independent boutiques for original shopping.
Don't miss the Village de Notre Dame, a vast area with several antique dealers in the area. A real gold mine for anybody interested in that. For newcomers, the Coutume or Do you speak français shops offer a selection of nice and original products.
On the gourmet shopping side, head to Micheline et Paulette for a sweet break, with pastries to die for. For lovers of bread and pastries, you should go as far as Pétrin Moissagais though.
On the wine side, the Musée du négoce remains an unmissable address in the heart of this district which has made the reputation of Bordeaux wines.
If you walk along the riverside, you will pass in front of the Quai des Marques, the outlet of Bordeaux. If you've done a little too much shopping at the previous addresses (!!), we recommend Delsey for the purchase of an extra piece of luggage. L'échoppe de la Lune offers a nice selection of local products, perfect to buy some souvenirs before leaving.
For wine lovers, you should pay a visit to the Cité du Vin shop, which offers a wide range of books, accessories and goodies, all about wine. The wine shop of Cité du Vin offers an excellent choice of Bordeaux and World wines for wine lovers. Here you can take a close look at bottles from all over the world, not only Bordeaux or your typical wine countries.
We've now given you some of our favourite Bordeaux addresses, so it's up to you to choose your neighbourhood. Enjoy a shopping trip during a weekend in Bordeaux, and discover the city differently with us during a half-day Bordeaux food tour. And for more articles about Bordeaux and our nuggets, subscribe to our newsletter today.
