About 59km, and roughly 50 minutes by direct train, with trains running regularly throughout the day.
Discover Authentic Bordeaux & Arcachon Bay: A Local Travel Guide by Mercure
At Mercure, we believe you shouldn't need a guidebook to feel like you belong somewhere. That's the idea behind Discover Local: since 1973, every Mercure hotel has been built around its neighbourhood, not just dropped into it — from the décor on the walls to the flavours on the menu. Step into any Mercure and our teams are on hand with the kind of tips you won't find in a guidebook: the market stall locals queue for, the bar where nobody speaks English, the walk that skips the crowds. They live here. They know. Discover Local isn't a generic city guide — it's a short, honest list of the restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods our own hotel teams actually recommend to guests, updated as the city changes around us. Below, you'll find our picks for Bordeaux & Arcachon Bay, an interactive map to help you find your way, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most. So — where will Discover Local take you?
Our map pins local favourites such as Darwin, the Chartrons street art trail and the Palais Gallien.
Top 5 Things to Do in Bordeaux & Arcachon Bay
Bordeaux
Place de la Bourse mirrors itself in the water on the quayside, one of the city's most-photographed corners. It's a wine capital first, but the food scene around it has caught up fast.
Arcachon
A seaside town split into four distinct districts, each named after a season. Oyster shacks line the harbour, and the train from Bordeaux takes under an hour.
Cap Ferret
A pine-covered peninsula built on oysters — over 300 independent farmers work this bay. Wooden cabanes tchanquées dot the shoreline, some doubling as informal tasting spots.
Dune du Pilat
Europe's tallest sand dune, at 109 metres. Climb it for a view over the bay on one side and pine forest stretching out on the other.
Andernos-les-Bains
A quieter bay-side town with a long pier and its own oyster huts, popular with cyclists following the bay's coastal paths.
Explore Bordeaux & Arcachon Bay's Best Local Spots with Our Interactive Map
What's on the map in Bordeaux & Arcachon Bay
We've mapped local spots around Bordeaux and Arcachon Bay, from alternative Bordeaux to woodland lakes.
Bordeaux culture
Darwin
On the Right Bank, a former military barracks reborn as Darwin: skateparks, street art, green start-ups, an organic bistro, a thrift shop, a bookshop and a coffee roastery. Come for the Sunday brunch.
Right Bank, Bastide · Alternative hub · Perfect for brunch and culture
Chartrons street art tour
Near the port, the old trading district of Chartrons is alive with street art. Tours by the Pôle Magnetic association leave from its gallery, on foot or by bike (minimum ten people).
Chartrons · Guided tour · Made for street art
Palais Gallien
The ruins of a 2nd-century amphitheatre that once held 20,000 spectators – the oldest in Bordeaux. Join a guided tour and meet Roman Burdigala.
City centre · Roman ruins · Ideal for history
Specimen
A downtown boutique run by some twenty local makers: ceramics, textiles, prints, toys and jewellery, plus a gallery for guest artists.
City centre · Craft collective · Perfect for original gifts
Cité Frugès Le Corbusier
A UNESCO-listed housing estate in Pessac by Le Corbusier, one of the first modernist complexes of workers' homes. Colour and concrete, side by side.
Pessac · Architecture · Made for design lovers
Librairie Mollat
Founded in 1896, France's largest independent bookshop. Lose an hour – or three.
City centre · Bookshop · Great for book lovers
Marché des Capucins
'The belly of Bordeaux': fruit, cheese, fish and local specialities, with counters to eat at. Oysters at 10am? You're in good company.
Capucins · Market · Perfect for brunch
Cave de l'Intendant
A wine shop built around a spiral staircase, lined with bottles over several floors. Climb and choose.
City centre · Wine shop · Made for wine lovers
Boulangerie Grain
An artisan bakery known for natural sourdough – and the best chocolatine in Gironde in 2024.
City centre · Bakery · Ideal for breakfast
Frida
A restaurant, wine and cocktail bar in old Bordeaux, with Mediterranean-inspired plates to share.
Old town · Restaurant · Great for an evening out
Marché de la Benauge
A neighbourhood market of seasonal produce on the Right Bank.
La Bastide · Market · Perfect for a picnic
Parks & lakes
Lac Bleu, Léognan
Thirty minutes from Bordeaux, a lake of clear water and white sand in an 18-hectare pine wood, ringed by hiking loops. 25 minutes from our Mercure Bordeaux Aéroport.
Léognan · Lake · Ideal for walks
Parc de Majolan
A listed 'Remarkable Garden' from the late 19th century, with a lake, artificial caves, a rock bridge and paths through exotic plants. 10 minutes from our Mercure Bordeaux Lac.
Blanquefort · Historic park · Perfect for a romantic stroll
GR Bordeaux Métropole
France's first metropolitan long-distance trail, linking parks and natural spaces across 17 communes over 160 km.
Greater Bordeaux · Hiking trail · Made for walkers
Parc des Coteaux
Twelve parks strung along the Right Bank hillsides, looking out over the Garonne.
Right Bank · Park · Great for views
Arcachon Bay
Pescatourisme, Arcachon Bay
Head out on the bay with local fishermen and learn how they work.
Arcachon Bay · Fishing trip · Perfect for curious minds
Arcachon fish auction
Step into the criée to watch the fish auction and meet the people behind the bay's seafood.
Arcachon · Visit · Ideal for food lovers
FAQ
The bay produces oysters year-round, but many visitors time trips for cooler months when the harvest is traditionally considered at its best. Local oyster huts are open across most of the year regardless.
At 109 metres, it's the tallest sand dune in Europe, and the view from the top takes in the Cap Ferret peninsula, the pine forest and the Banc d'Arguin reserve in one sweep.
A former military barracks on the Right Bank turned alternative hub, with an organic bistro, skatepark, shops and a popular Sunday brunch.
In the Chartrons district; Pôle Magnetic runs guided tours on foot or by bike from its gallery.
Yes. The Lac Bleu in Léognan, 30 minutes from the centre, has clear water, white sand and hiking loops.
Where to Sleep in Bordeaux & Arcachon Bay
See our Mercure hotels across Bordeaux & Arcachon Bay, ideally placed to explore these picks.