Car Hire Bordeaux
Car Hire France » Car Hire Bordeaux
Bordeaux Geography
Situated near the Atlantic coast and with the river Garonne running through its heart, Bordeaux is the capital of the Aquitaine region. The city is of course best known for its red wine with nearly 10,000 chateaux and 57 appellations. Bordeaux is full of historic monuments that have been included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. From the Gambetta Square in the heart of the city to the vineyards you will enjoy a drive in and around Bordeaux.
Bordeaux History
Bordeaux was founded in the 3rd century B.C. by a celtic trice coming from North of French. During hundreds of years Barbarians have invaded the city several times until Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry II of England in 1152. Bordeaux stood under English domination for 300 years until the war ended at Castillon la Bataille in 1453 when the city returned to France. At the beginning of the 14th century wine export reached a peak with volumes never surmounted until 1950!
During the 18th century, the port of Bordeaux expanded the commerce and trade with the colonial islands. This was a period of modernization for the city as well. The 19th century was however less wealthy for the city as the Phylloxera destroyed millions of vines. Then Bordeaux slightly recovered thanks to weaponry at the beginning of the 20th century.
Jacques Chaban-Delmas and Alain Jupp», successively mayors of Bordeaux, helped the city growing and being recognized as both a high tech and cultural city.
Car Hire Bordeaux
Car hire with Auto Reservation Plus to tour wine country and visit some prestigious chateaux in the Medoc region for example. Luxury car hire Bordeaux gives you the chance to experience a nice drive through the chateaux and vineyards of one of the most beautiful region. Driving to the West you will find the biggest sand dune in Europe - the Pyla dune - as well as long beaches. Cheap car rental will let you free to enjoy beautiful towns on the seaside such as Arcachon, specialised in oyster production. You will also enjoy the Landes Forest and all these places are less than one hour from Bordeaux.
Bordeaux Information
Getting to Bordeaux
By plane
Bordeaux Merignac Airport is located only 30 minutes from the city centre. Most of the flights are domestic but there are also a few international flights from and to European airports such as London, Amsterdam or Madrid.
By train
Gare Saint Jean is the main station. It is situated 4km from the city centre and well connected with other France cities. You can go to Bordeaux by Eurostar and Rail Europe.
By bus
Located near the train station, the bus station is well connected with other European cities thanks to Eurolines.
Bordeaux Tourist Information Offices
You can find three tourist information offices in Bordeaux: one is located at the airport, the other one is at the train station and the last one is in the city centre (12 Cours du 30 Juillet).
Bordeaux places/events not to be missed
Wine is not the only attraction in Bordeaux - even if wine tours are not to be missed - do not forget Bordeaux is also the city of Montaigne, culture and rich history. You can find some great museums there such as the Aquitaine Museum, which explains the history of Bordeaux and its region; also is Bordeaux's Natural History Museum worth a visit. You will enjoy the architecture of buildings from the Place de la Bourse (also known as Place Royale) with its impressive fountain to the Esplanade des Quinconces, one of the biggest squares in Europe. And if you are interested in doing a bit of French shopping go to the Rue Sainte Catherine, you won't regret it.
Annual Events in Bordeaux
Wine Festival (late June)
Chateaux tours and wine tasting
|
