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Despite its grand historic centre, Bordeaux is at heart a modern, lively and youthful city that is ideal for leisurely exploration. Hire a car, however, and this graceful city’s real appeal becomes immediately apparent, with world-class vineyards, wild beaches and medieval towns all practically on its doorstep.
Language: French | Currency: Euro (€) | Avg. Flight time: 1 hr 35 mins
The best location for hiring a car in the centre of Bordeaux is the station (Gare St Jean), where you’ll find the likes of Avis, Europcar, Enterprise and Sixt, alongside other local companies. There are also rental offices further into the centre, including on place Tourny.
Just a 20- to 35-minute drive from the city centre, Bordeaux Airport (BOD) is one of the easiest places to pick up a cheap hire car. Most of the major rental companies offer car rental here, including Avis, Hertz, Enterprise and Europcar.
Driving to Bordeaux from the airport is fairly straightforward – take the D1563 east from the airport, which becomes the D106 and then Avenue d’Arès as it gets closer to the centre.
You’ll find the car hire desks outside Arrivals on Level 0 of the terminal building, just beyond baggage claim.
Car rental companies that have desks at Bordeaux Airport in 2022 include:
- Hertz (Tel: +33 825 00 24 00)
- Sixt (Tel: +33 820 00 74 98)
- Enterprise (Tel: +33 556 34 20 68)
- Europcar (Tel: +33 825 74 00 40)
- Avis (Tel: +33 820 61 16 73)
Bordeaux is an easy city to navigate, with well-signposted roads and a relatively straightforward layout. There’s a big outer ring road – largely called the A630 – with arterial roads leading to the inner ring road that runs from Gare St Jean in the south of the city to the Bacalan quarter in the north.
A lot of the roads within this inner ring are one way and much of the historic centre is pedestrianised, which can make driving in Bordeaux for the first time a little tricky. It is easy enough to find your way around, though it is worth bringing a satnav or GPS-enabled smartphone along with you to help.
As one of France’s biggest cities, it’s unsurprising that Bordeaux can suffer from heavy traffic, especially during rush hour periods. You may need a little confidence for tackling the narrow streets of the centre, and do bear in mind that in some places you’ll be sharing the road with the tram system. Other drivers are generally patient and follow the rules of the road.
On-street parking in Bordeaux city centre is usually limited to two hours; if you’re spending the day here, head instead for one of the many public car parks. Alternatively, consider using one of the city’s park and ride services, which link up with the tram network.
St-Émilion
Driving time: 45 minutes
This fortified medieval town boasts a picturesque position on a low hill. The main reason to come here is for the wonderful wine, with tastings offered by many of the renowned local vineyards.
Arcachon
Driving time: 55 minutes
The Côte d’Argent (Silver Coast) boasts one of the longest stretches of beach on the continent. Head to its oldest beach resort, Arcachon, to really experience the area’s seaside charms – fresh oysters, an old-fashioned holiday air, and lovely white-sand beaches.
Phare de Cordouan
Driving time: 90 minutes
The Phare de Cordouan is the oldest lighthouse in France. Getting here is part of the adventure – you may have to scramble over rocks or wade through water, but from the top you’ll enjoy staggering views.
- Be aware that you’re not allowed to overtake a stationary tram if passengers are alighting or disembarking.`
- The use of horns is only allowed in built up areas if there is immediate danger.
- The centre of Bordeaux goes traffic-free on the first Sunday of every month. Park and Ride is your best bet on those dates.
Fair fuel policy
A fair fuel policy (also known as full-to-full or same-to-same) means you’ll only pay for the fuel you use. All car rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket come with a fair fuel policy, so you can book your hire car safe in the knowledge there will be no nasty surprises at drop-off. More information on TravelSupermarket’s commitment to fair fuel policies can be found here.
No hidden fees
All rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket include mandatory fees (for example, one-way and young driver surcharges) in your rental quote at the time of booking, meaning you’ll know the full price of your car hire upfront.
