10 Things to Do in Bordeaux in May

French cities are characterized by a very wide cultural agenda that intensifies in late spring and throughout the summer. In fact, the best plans in Bordeaux take place during May, June and July. Do you want to know them?

I recommend you to continue reading this publication in which I have compiled the 10 best activities whether you are traveling with friends, family or with the little ones of the house.

The world of opera is one of France's cultural heritages, and cities create events for the youngest to have access to this type of activities. Just in the month of May, a weekend event called Tous À L'opéra is organized. This is a festival where there are rehearsals, lectures and performances, as well as educational workshops and activities for both children and teenagers, at the Bordeaux opera house.

The specific venue for the official concerts is the Grand-Théâtre and most of the activities are free of charge. However, some special concerts may also cost around €8.

This is such an important event for the culture of this region that it is usually part of the itinerary of a three-day visit to Bordeaux for those who know it. You should also know that if your trip to the city does not coincide with this date, you can visit the headquarters of the National Opera of Bordeaux, as it is part of the list of monuments to which you have access if you buy your Bordeaux City Pass.

Bordeaux is known for having one of the most important wine industries in the world. In fact, the area has different appellations that stand out for growing different types of grapes and developing an innovative wine process, a benchmark of undisputed quality.

And in May, it is an ideal time to book a St-Emilion excursion and explore the region, as during the weekends of this month an open-door event is organized, where you can get to know the wineries free of charge with a pass that includes free tastings and guided tours through the facilities.

As the specific conditions of these open house weekends change every year, as well as the number of wineries that add experience, my recommendation is to opt for the best Bordeaux wine tours if your budget allows.

• Prices: when it comes to tours along the different wineries of Medoc or St-Emilion the price is usually around 100 € per person.
• Duration: this type of guided tours usually last about five and a half hours.

La Guinguette chez Alriq is one of the most loved commercial establishments by the inhabitants of Bordeaux. It is a tapas and pizza bar located at the northern end of the Parc Aux Angeliques, on the western bank of the Garonne River. The place stands out for the excellent views it offers of both the river and the buildings of the city center at the other end.

May marks the beginning of its reopening for the summer season. For this reason, a series of concerts by local artists of considerable importance to the Bordeaux music scene is organized throughout the month. So going to this place to enjoy the sunset while you know its gastronomic proposal is one of the most authentic experiences you can live during the month of May. Especially because it is the ultimate representation of what is a neighborhood tavern on the banks of the river that crosses from one end of the city to the other.

Another possibility to enjoy French cuisine is to book a gastronomic tour of Bordeaux in which you will learn about the main culinary offerings of the country.

May is a month that is characterized by having the ideal weather to enjoy nature without having to deal with the tourist influx that begins to occur during the rest of the summer season. For this reason, another of the best activities you can do in this city is to participate in some of the best day trips from Bordeaux. Especially if it is one that takes you directly to the Atlantic coast of the south of the country.

The town of Arcachon is a place that I recommend especially for its proximity to a nature reserve that has the largest sand dunes in Europe. The best way to get there is to book an excursion to Arcachon from Bordeaux. This way, you won't have to worry about logistics.

Although the truth is that, along the coast, you will find other cities and tourist destinations that deserve to be known, among which Soulac-sur-Mer and the city of Royan stand out.

During one weekend in May, two evenings of concerts are organized in and around the Cathedral. Book a guided tour of Bordeaux and you will be able to find the place and be informed with more details of this activity.

The specific dates of these concerts change every year and the exact time of the concerts as well. The only thing that remains the same is the fact that there are always two sessions for each of the days and that they are held both on Friday and Saturday in order to give more options to enjoy one of the most beautiful architectural spaces of the city.

The music is in the hands of the symphony orchestra of the city and the entrance is free. So this plan is highly recommended if you are interested in enjoying the music and the beautiful lighting that annually characterizes these classical music concerts.

• Duration: the concerts usually last 1 hour and 45 minutes for each session and you must take into account that there are two performances each day of the event.
• Location: Pl. Pey Berland, 33000 Bordeaux, France.

Open-air markets are quite a characteristic event of French culture and, specifically during the month of May, one of the largest of the whole year occurs in the city of Bordeaux. The name of the market is El Gran Brocante and it is a kind of flea market where antique dealers, horticulturists, restaurants and craftsmen come together and you can get the best paintings, antique furniture, gastronomic proposals and garden accessories.

The event is free and the duration of the market is also another very favorable aspect. You can browse the stalls from early in the morning until sunset. The dates of the event change every year, but it usually runs from the third weekend of April to mid-May.

In fact, it is an event so appreciated by collectors and lovers of curiosities and antiques that it is one of those plans that you can not miss if you make a one-day visit to Bordeaux, because the truth is that people from all over the south of France often come to the Quinconces Square to take advantage of the diverse range of objects that are usually on offer at this market.

A couple of kilometers north of the Bordeaux metropolitan area lies the Terres d'Oiseaux. This place is a private nature reserve that is part of the estuary of the mouth of the Garonne River on the Atlantic Ocean and basically stands out as a birdwatching site on one of the most important migratory routes in all of Europe.

Terres d'Oiseaux is also characterized for being an excellent place to enjoy the good weather and nature along the extensive and perfectly conditioned grounds. So another of the best things to do during the month of May is to visit this site during the nature festival held on a weekend at the end of the month. An ideal time to enjoy free bird watching and a tour of the estuary.

The biggest drawback is that you will need to get to this place on your own. Although the fact that you have the chance to kayak the estuary or enjoy a perfect picnic through its grasslands makes it a plan that is still recommended for the rest of the spring and summer. Actually, it is also part of the best things to do in Bordeaux during the month of July, but you would have to pay for that visit.

Every year in May, the Parc des Expositions in Bordeaux becomes the main venue for the Bordeaux International Fair, which is a multicultural event that addresses different current issues such as pollution and economic challenges.

The themes change every year and there are dance and art exhibitions, as well as other very diverse activities. You should know that there are pavilions focused on agriculture and others on technology and robotics. In addition, there are halls focused on gastronomic offerings and clothing innovation.

Keep in mind that the fair usually takes place during the second or third week of May. Therefore, it can fit perfectly into the itinerary of a two-day visit to the city of Bordeaux. You should also know that entering the fairgrounds of the event is free, but what you consume in any of the establishments is on your own.

Circus-style art with mocking and comedic tones are a very characteristic cultural element of French entertainment, and that is why during the month of May in Bordeaux the Les Cogitations Festival is organized where different types of live comedy and sarcastic acts take place and it is definitely one of the most important activities of the season, culturally speaking.

The venue is usually L'entrepot in Lehaillan and depending on the acts and the time you wish to attend it is likely to be an activity for adults or for the whole family. You should also know that admission is completely free for most of the acts.

The duration of the festival is another very interesting detail because it usually extends throughout the first half of May, which means that you will have different opportunities to enjoy this perspective of French comedy.

The smallest town in all of France is located a couple of kilometers southwest of the center of Bordeaux. A place that has become a favorite springtime tourist destination because its narrow streets are filled with flowers specifically at this time of the year. In addition, May is the last month in which you will be able to quietly enjoy this locality, because from this moment on there is a lot of tourism.

Exactly for that reason, during your trip to Bordeaux in the month of May, you should take the opportunity to make a small excursion to this town that meets all the aesthetics of what you can imagine of a French rural village.

In fact, you should also know that this place is considered one of the best things to do in Bordeaux during the month of October because the autumn season is another ideal time of the year to visit the old and handcrafted houses of this village.

During the month of May in Bordeaux the maximum temperatures are likely to be around 23 °C while the minimum temperatures can reach 11 °C especially during the nights. An ideal time to enjoy some of the best things to do in Bordeaux.

The influx of tourists in the city of Bordeaux during the month of May is a little more significant than the first months of the year, but still remains more favorable than the rest of the summer. This means that it is not essential that you book in advance all the tourist services you wish to enjoy.

Prices in Bordeaux during the month of May are still a bit more moderate compared to the summer months. However, it is still a bit more expensive than a trip during the cold winter or autumn months.

During your visit to Bordeaux in May you should not miss footwear that is suitable for walking both in the city and in nature and, above all, a good coat, as there is a good chance that the nights will be cold enough that you will have to wear different layers of clothing.