Bordeaux CityPass with Museums and Public Transport

Trams, buses and river shuttles across Bordeaux

The backbone of the pass is unlimited public transport on the metropolitan network: four tram lines, the city buses and the river shuttle boats that cross and follow the Garonne. Trams run on clean, modern lines through the historic centre, and in the most protected streets they draw power from the ground rather than overhead wires, so the facades stay free of cables. Line B, for example, links the city centre with the Chartrons quarter and the Bassins à flot docks.

The river shuttles are a pleasant extra: short hops between the left and right banks with wide views of the waterfront. Many visitors ask how to get around Bordeaux without a car; with the CityPass you simply validate the card on each tram, bus or boat and travel as often as you like during its validity, which makes it easy to combine museums in different districts in the same day.

Museum of Fine Arts and Museum of Contemporary Art

The Museum of Fine Arts sits in the gardens behind the 18th-century town hall palace and holds one of the richest painting collections in south-western France, from Renaissance works to the early 20th century. Allow about an hour and a half. Close by, the cathedral square and the town hall gardens make a calm place to rest between visits.

The Museum of Contemporary Art occupies a spectacular former warehouse built in 1824 to store colonial goods unloaded on the quays. Its vast central nave, with stone arches and timber beams, is used for large installations and changing exhibitions, and the building alone is worth the visit. Many municipal museums in Bordeaux close one day a week, usually Monday or Tuesday, so check Bordeaux museum opening hours in the guidebook when planning your days.

Porte Cailhau, the old town gates and towers

The pass also opens several monuments in the medieval old town. Porte Cailhau, built at the end of the 15th century, looks like a castle gate from a storybook, with pointed turrets and a steep roof; inside, small rooms explain the history of the city and its stone, and the top offers a fine view over the river and the Stone Bridge.

Climbing towers is part of the fun in Bordeaux. The free-standing bell tower of the Gothic cathedral and the tall Gothic spire in the south of the old town are among the monuments included, and from the top you see the crescent of the Garonne that gave Bordeaux its name, Port of the Moon. The stairs are narrow and steep, so they suit visitors who are comfortable with many steps.

Bassins des Lumières immersive art

One of the highlights of the pass is entry to the Bassins des Lumières, the immersive digital art centre created inside the former submarine base in the north of the city. The concrete bunker was built during the Second World War, and its four huge water basins now become screens: images and music flow across walls more than ten metres high and are reflected in the dark water below.

A visit takes about an hour to an hour and a half. Reach it by tram line B to the Bassins à flot district, then a short stroll along the docks. The programme of immersive digital art exhibitions changes regularly, and with the CityPass you skip a separate ticket purchase, though you may still need to reserve a time slot on busy days.

Science, nature and the river heritage

For families, the pass includes several museums about science, nature and the sea. The Natural History Museum stands in the Jardin Public, a landscaped 18th-century garden with a pond and lawns where children can play after the visit. Near the Garonne, the science centre offers hands-on exhibitions, and the sea and maritime museum in the docks district tells the story of ships, ports and ocean exploration.

The Bassins à flot area, an old wet dock district reborn with new architecture, is a good half-day out on the pass: combine the Bassins des Lumières, the maritime museum and a ride back on the river shuttle. Some venues may be closed for renovation or on certain days, so the guidebook supplied with the pass is your best reference.

A guided city visit of your choice

Every CityPass includes one guided visit of Bordeaux, chosen from the tourist office programme. You can pick a guided cruise on the Garonne, which shows the UNESCO-listed waterfront from the water, or a ride on the electric mini-train through the historic centre with commentary, among other guided options.

These visits are booked at the tourist office once you have your pass, subject to availability, so it is worth reserving on the day you collect it. Is the Bordeaux CityPass worth it? If you plan to visit several museums and use public transport over two or more days, the longer passes usually work out well, and they remove the need to queue for separate tickets at each venue.