With deconfliction, reopenings and the sun coming out… any excuse is good to spend your days outside. What’s more, as soon as you’re out of the office, you’re improvising all kinds of long after-work parties. In short, any plan that includes the word “apéro” is considered, even on a Monday! If you’ve already had your fill of terraces and would like a change of scenery, here’s a non-exhaustive list of the best picnic spots in Bordeaux. Team right bank or left bank?
1. Les Platanes des Quais
the “apéro quais” is sacred! On summer evenings, the quayside is teeming with skaters, students and families with wicker baskets and well-stocked coolers. In the shade of the Platanes des Queyries, a haven of peace in a green setting between the Place des Quinquonces and the banks of the Garonne, far from the hustle and bustle of the Left Bank. We go there during golden hour, improvise a tightrope walk by trying our hand at slacklining between two trees, enjoy the breathtaking view over the city, and sip a few beers or a rosé for a refreshing drink.
Quai Louis XVIII, 33000 Bordeaux
2. Les Bassins à Flot
The dynamic Bassins à Flot district, the most fashionable of the moment, is the perfect place for a picnic. With its feet in the water but in the heart of an industrial urban setting, between the Base Sous-Marine, La Dame and the Cité du Vin, this is one of the most Instagrammable places you can visit at 360°. For all Bordeaux aesthetes looking for a meeting place as atypical as it is romantic, this is the perfect option!
Rue Lucien Faure, 33000 Bordeaux
3. The Public Garden
Once again, we’re desperately seeking the shade of the plane trees for a cool picnic, but in a more classic version! The 11 hectares of this green lung of Bordeaux offer an incomparable sense of freedom and change of scenery. Families, joggers and couples have all understood: this is THE spot for a lunch on the grass worthy of a Manet painting.
Cours de Verdun, 33000 Bordeaux
4. Bègles Plage
Looking for a secluded spot away from the hustle and bustle of the city? We’ve found THE place to be for you! Just a few kilometers from Bordeaux lies a veritable urban beach on the shores of Lake Bègles! Ideal for picnics on real wooden tables, self-service barbecues, refreshments at the refreshment bar and why not take a dip?
Avenue Pierre Mendès France, 33130 Bègles
5. The Barails Ecological Reserve
Head for the city’s largest green space! It’s the HQ of the most romantic… The setting is perfectly bucolic, with hollyhocks, peonies and vines… It’s an idyllic spot for a Charles Ingals-style picnic, with its checkered tablecloths and woven baskets. With friends or family, it’s also the perfect opportunity to explore the 6 km of small paths through the woods. A little digestive stroll?
Avenue de Pernon, 33000 Bordeaux
Read about Bordeaux Secret:
👉Château Boutinet’s tapas tours are back this summer!
👉Château Pape Clément opens an ephemeral terrace in its courtyard!
© Cover photo: Shutterstock