With the arrival of Spring, any excuse is good to spend your days outside! In Bordeaux, there’s plenty to do between the parks, the guiguettes, the old town, Darwin and so on! But sometimes it’s good to get out of the ordinary and do something a little original with family, friends or your loved one! So, if you’ve already had your fill of terraces and are looking for a change of scene, here’s a non-exhaustive list of the best picnic spots in Bordeaux. Are you more of a right bank or left bank team?
1. Les Platanes des Quais
The “apéro quais” is sacred! On summer evenings, the quayside teems with skaters, students and families with wicker baskets and well-stocked coolers. In the shade of the Platanes des Queyries, you can enjoy 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. You can go there during golden hour, try your 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 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, it’s one of the most Instagrammable places you’ll ever come across 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. Le Jardin Public
Once again, we’re desperately seeking the shade of the plane trees for a cool picnic, but in a more classic version! The 11-hectare green lung of Bordeaux offers 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! Just a few kilometers from Bordeaux, lies a veritable urban beach on the shores of Lake Bègles! Ideal for picnics on a real wooden table, 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… Indeed, the setting is as bucolic as you could wish, 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