What to do in Portets

The vast Place des Quinconces stretches for about 30 acres (120,000 square meters) across the center of Bordeaux, making it an ideal venue for concerts and festivals. Explore the tree-lined square and admire its ensemble of monuments, which are dotted around the edges of the plaza. Take in views of the adjacent Garonne River.

Place de la Bourse is an elegant city square, bordered by grand, palatial buildings and facing the Garonne River. Marvel at the perfect symmetry of the square and surrounding buildings, designed to reflect the king's power and bring Bordeaux into modernity.

Bordeaux’s Rue Sainte-Catherine (Saint Catherine Street) stretches as far as you can see from one end to the other. It is one of Europe’s longest commercial pedestrian streets, measuring 0.8 miles (1.2 kilometers) long. Walk freely along this street filled with people. It is closed to vehicles, apart from an occasional delivery van. Be sure to explore the many side streets that offer unique and interesting stores and places to eat.

East of Bordeaux is St. Émilion, a picturesque Girondin town dominated by the Église Monolithe (Monolithic Church), a medieval church with a distinctive bell tower. The church was given its name because it was made out of a single block of stone, although the bell tower was added later. Explore the site and climb to the top of the tower for views over the quaint village and surrounding vineyards.

Admire the exquisite French building, the Grand Theater of Bordeaux, home of the Bordeaux National Opera. This 18th-century architectural masterpiece fits well in a city of historic stone buildings and greets visitors with its row of statues of mythological figures sitting atop a row of Corinthian stone pillars. It is also the venue for many other acclaimed performances throughout the year.