Bordeaux
Bordeaux in the rain
Winter brings 12 or 13 rain days a month. The Cité du Vin, the Musée d'Aquitaine, the Musée des Beaux-Arts, the Musée national des Douanes, the Bassins des Lumières, the Capucins hall and the cathedral are all indoors, so a wet day is easy to fill. Keep the quays, the Place de la Bourse and the Jardin Public for a dry spell.
- Stops under a roof: 9
Data checked on November 3, 2026
A rainy day, stop by stop
A day built only from stops that are under a roof, in an order that keeps the walks short.
Day 1
Bacalan and the north quays · Cathedral and museums
2 stops · 5 h 30 of visits · 0 min on foot
Open this day's route in Google Maps-
10:00 am1:30 pm
La Cité du Vin
A museum about wine and the world's wine cultures. The standard ticket covers the permanent exhibition and the Belvédère at the top of the building.
Allow two to three hours, as the museum itself advises, and check the late January closure if you travel in winter.
From 1 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 it opens 10:00 to 18:00 on weekdays and Sundays, and 10:00 to 19:00 on Saturdays. It closes at 16:00 on 24 December and is closed on 25 December. From 3 April it opens every day from 10:00 to 19:00, and it closes for a week in late January.
Source: La Cité du Vin, checked November 3, 2026
- Too far to walk in comfort (about 57 min on foot). Take public transport.
- Lunch break
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2:53 pm4:53 pm
Saint-André Cathedral and Pey-Berland Tower
The cathedral of Bordeaux, with the Pey-Berland Tower, a separate bell tower that visitors can climb, standing beside it.
Plan the cathedral around the midday break, since it closes from 12:00 to 14:00 Tuesday to Saturday. The tower keeps its own hours.
The cathedral is open Monday 14:00 to 19:00, Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 19:00, and Sunday 9:30 to 12:15 and 14:00 to 18:00. The hours can change with events. The tower is open every day from October to May 10:00 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 17:30, and from June to September 10:00 to 18:00. It is closed on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December.
Source: Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux, checked November 3, 2026
Every stop under a roof
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La Cité du Vin
A museum about wine and the world's wine cultures. The standard ticket covers the permanent exhibition and the Belvédère at the top of the building.
Source: La Cité du Vin, checked November 3, 2026
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Saint-André Cathedral and Pey-Berland Tower
The cathedral of Bordeaux, with the Pey-Berland Tower, a separate bell tower that visitors can climb, standing beside it.
Source: Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux, checked November 3, 2026
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Grand Théâtre
The opera house of Bordeaux on Place de la Comédie, designed by Victor Louis and opened in 1780. Its facade has twelve Corinthian columns.
Source: Opéra National de Bordeaux, checked November 3, 2026
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Porte Cailhau
A medieval city gate built between 1493 and 1496, 35 metres high, with exhibitions inside and a climb to the top.
Source: Porte Cailhau, checked November 3, 2026
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Musée d'Aquitaine
The history museum of Bordeaux and Aquitaine, with a permanent exhibition that runs from prehistory to the early 21st century.
Source: Musée d'Aquitaine (Ville de Bordeaux), checked November 3, 2026
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Bassins des Lumières
A digital art centre in the former submarine base at the Bassins à flot, where immersive shows are staged.
Source: Bassins des Lumières, checked November 3, 2026
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Marché des Capucins
The food market of the south of the centre, on Place des Capucins, in a covered hall with an open-air market outside.
Source: Ville de Bordeaux, checked November 3, 2026
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Musée des Beaux-Arts
The city's fine arts museum, in two wings on Cours d'Albret, with temporary exhibitions in the Galerie on Place du Colonel Raynal.
Source: Musée des Beaux-Arts (Ville de Bordeaux), checked November 3, 2026
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Musée national des Douanes
The national customs museum, in the Hôtel des Fermes on Place de la Bourse.
Source: Musée national des douanes, checked November 3, 2026
Rainy days by month
Climate averages: Météo-France, station Bordeaux-Mérignac, normales 1991 à 2020.