L’Entrecôte

4 Cours du 30 Juillet

The restaurant that every guide book in Bordeaux will tell you to visit is this famous little bistro that sits beside the impressive Grand Theatre. L’Entrecote’s charm is that they only have one dish; steak with salad and chips. It is not a concept that I’ve seen in England, where the only preference you can specify is the cooking of your meat and the colour of your wine, but this seems to work brilliantly in France.

The grand interior with mirrored walls juxtaposes in an intriguing way the bright yellow and green awnings outside that could easily signal a post-club burger bar. However, you may struggle to get a peek through the window as a result of the permanent queue that winds around the corner every evening. Even a visit at 10.30pm had us waiting for a good 20 minutes before we could get through the door.

The popularity means one thing; that the food is absolutely delicious, and it is. Reasonably priced wine, delicious steak cooked to perfection and so many chips that you can no longer see the white of your plate all make this restaurant an absolute must for anybody visiting the city. 

Queue around the corner!

Croisière Burdigala

If you fancy being a tourist, why not head down to the Quai Richelieu and jump on a guided tour of the Garonne River? This boat trip that lasts an hour and a half is the perfect way to travel alongside the banks of the river and marvel at the beauty of Bordeaux. 

Going under the Pont de Pierre

With views of the stunning Place de la Bourse and its mirror of water opposite (miroir d’eau) which leads to a trip as far as the station and beyond via an unused bridge designed by Eiffel himself, you really do get a quick insight into the rich history of this city. The boat then does a u-turn and heads along the banks to the other end of town while a lovely guide tells you a bit about the sights you see around you. 

I’ve actually had the chance to do the trip twice at different times of the day, and I would say it was far better in daylight. Although delightfully romantic at night, the darkness renders much of the guiding useless as you cannot actually see what is being talked about. However, if you’re there just for a pretty boat ride, perhaps you won’t mind.