Photo Credit: Travel Addicts
There’s nothing better than a leisurely picnic with friends – especially with great French meats, cheeses, and wine – and when you’re in the city of Bordeaux , there is an endless amount of all of the above to try.
These are some of the best places in Bordeaux to stop for a while and savor the day with an impromptu picnic with wine :
Jardin Public
Photo Credit: Bordeaux Tourism & Conventions
This beautiful park in the center of Bordeaux offers a serene setting with well-maintained gardens, wrapping around a winding central pond. The park features wrought iron bridges, stately terraces surrounding spacious green lawns, a museum of natural history, and historic carousel, among many amenities.
With large expanses of grass, benches, and shaded areas beneath the trees, it’s an ideal spot to relax with a picnic and a bottle of Bordeaux wine right in the heart of the city.
Parc Bordelais
Photo Credit: Patrice Lengrai
Parc Bordelais is both the largest and oldest green park in the city of Bordeaux, featuring many fun activities for children (as well as the child in all of us) as well as ample green space.
The main feature of this park is its extensive diversity and number of trees – many over a hundred years old – and plant life, all gathered on verdant lawns around the park’s central stream.
Parc Palmer
Photo Credit: Erik Schiegg
Located a bit outside the city center, Parc Palmer in Cenon offers a more secluded setting, notable for its sloping views of the Garonne river.
It has ample green spaces, wooded areas, sports facilities, and an outdoor amphitheater, providing a peaceful, scenic environment for a wine picnic.
Place des Quinconces
One of the largest city squares in Europe, Place des Quinconces offers plenty of open space surrounded by historic architecture such as the Monument aux Girondins, the rostral columns guarding the Garonne, and statues of philosophers Montaigne and Montesquieu.
It’s a popular spot right in the heart of Bordeaux for locals and visitors alike to gather, often with seasonal fairs and events as well, making it a vibrant location for a wine picnic.
Quai des Chartrons
Photo Credit: City Seeker
This historic quay in the northern part of Bordeaux, along the Garonne River, was important to the region as a main shipping point for wine to other countries. This is evidenced by its being lined with the beautiful former estates and wine warehouses of 18th-century wine merchants, which have in modern times been converted to trendy boutiques, wine shops, markets, diners, and cafes.
This promenade belongs to the associated Chartrons district, a chic neighborhood where you can grab some local cheese (keep an eye out for Tomme des Pyrénées, Barousse, Ossau-Iraty, local cheeses made near the border with Spain that are a must-try), a baguette, and, of course, a bottle of Bordeaux wine, and then find a spot along the quay to savor your picnic.
Wine Picnic in Bordeaux – FAQs
Is it legal to have a picnic with wine in Bordeaux in public?
Alcohol is not permitted for sale or consumption to anyone under 18 years of age in France.
Many places may allow for the consumption of alcohol, at least in practice, even if not by law, as long as there is no public intoxication or public disturbance.
However, there are specific areas, parks, certain hours, or all of the above in which public drinking is NOT permitted, depending on local laws.
We’ve confirmed with a local agency that Jardin Public currently allows for a picnic with wine.
For other locations, and with any place you may choose, be sure to check with the local prefecture on whether your choice of picnic spot allows for the public consumption of alcohol, and/or take note of all posted rules and signs, as rules often change.
What’s the best area in Bordeaux for a picnic?
If you want expansive areas and ample green space, Jardin Public or Parc Bordelais are great choices.
For a picnic with a view of the river, Parc Palmer offers a more secluded setting, while Quais des Chartrons is a prime urban setting for riverside picnicking.
And for a lively, more urban experience, Place de Quinconces is historic and optimal for its large amount of space highly accessible by transit lines, in the heart of the city.
What should I bring for a wine picnic in Bordeaux?
Have a light blanket handy if you feel like sitting on the grass – there are ample benches in most parks if not. And of course, bring your provisions, or have a tote or basket handy to pick some up along the way from one of the many city merchants or marketplaces.
While you might often opt for nice glasses with stems, wine picnics are the perfect time to use stemless tumblers (unbreakable ones are even better!). Also pack a few cloth napkins to keep it environmentally friendly.
What are the best months for exploring and picnicking in Bordeaux?
Though close to the ocean, Bordeaux features more temperate, generally warmer seasons than other maritime areas. It often rains in the summer, and is busiest with tourists in July and August – which are also the warmest months. September and October are among the best times to visit, with the mildest weather and slightly less tourists.
Bordeaux: Home of the Best French Wine from Villa Pereire
Amidst the vineyards of Bordeaux, a wine picnic unfolds as a pleasant moment of pause and enjoyment, especially while surrounded by the rich history of this world-renowned winemaking region.
Home to our premium red Bordeaux and Bordeaux Blanc, as well as our namesake, Pereire Beach in Arcachon Bay, parks like Parc Bordelais or Jardin Public in the city of Bordeaux proper make for the perfect setting to indulge in excellent French wines and create lasting memories.
