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Getting Around
Bordeaux has an excellent tram network with three main lines covering the city center, waterfront, and train station, making a car unnecessary for most visitors. The TGV high-speed train connects Bordeaux to Paris in just over two hours, which remains one of the great travel bargains in France.
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Cash or Card
Card payment is widely accepted across Bordeaux restaurants, wine shops, and hotels, and contactless payment is standard in most establishments. Cash remains useful for smaller markets, some bakeries, and rural vineyard visits, so keeping 40 to 60 euros on hand is a sensible habit rather than a strict necessity.
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Good to Know
Bordelais culture values restraint and quiet sophistication over loud enthusiasm, and complimenting a wine or a meal with genuine but measured appreciation lands far better than effusive declarations. Arriving even five minutes late to a dinner reservation is considered perfectly acceptable, but showing up early may briefly fluster a small restaurant kitchen still in full swing.
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ATMs
ATMs are easy to find throughout Bordeaux city center, particularly near the Place de la Victoire, along the main shopping streets, and at the Gare Saint-Jean train station. Using a bank-affiliated ATM rather than an independent machine in a tourist area reduces the risk of inflated fees or dynamic currency conversion traps.
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Currency
The euro is the currency of France and is universally accepted throughout Bordeaux, with no need to seek out currency exchange unless arriving with non-European money. Rates from airport exchange bureaus are typically unfavorable, and withdrawing euros from a local ATM on arrival will almost always yield a better effective rate.
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Plugs
France uses Type E outlets with two round pins and a grounding hole, running at 230V and 50Hz. Most modern electronics handle this voltage automatically, but a plug adapter is essential for UK and North American devices.
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Safety
Bordeaux is one of France's safer major cities and the center is generally relaxed and well-lit, though the area around the central train station warrants the usual urban alertness after dark. Pickpocketing can occur in busy tourist zones like the Rue Sainte-Catherine shopping street and during large festival events, so keeping bags zipped and close is a straightforward precaution.
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Airports
Bordeaux-Merignac Airport, known by the code BOD, sits roughly 12 kilometers west of the city center and serves a wide range of European and some long-haul destinations. A dedicated tram extension connects the airport to the city center in around 45 minutes and is by far the most affordable and reliable way to arrive.
