My weekend in Bordeaux - shopping

For my weekend in Bordeaux I was lucky to bring my friend Armelle. She has a black belt in shopping. Together we made for a dangerous shopping team! Clothes and shoes were our main objectives. Do I need to tell you we succeeded in our mission?

Porte de Dijeaux, this is where the shopping begins after a coffee outside in the sun. We started with the classic shopping area, rue Dijeaux, rue Saint Rémy. My favourites! Then we made the famous rue Sainte Cathérine, the main shopping street and the longest in Europe. About a kilometre I think. Here you find many of the most known brands, but not the small shops.

We also took a stroll along Cours de l'Intendence. It belongs to the famous Golden Triangle, formed by Allées de Tourny, Cours Georges Clémenceau and Cours de l'Intendence. Here you find all the famous brands like Versace, Gucci, Marni, Stella McCartney... Vuitton, Hermès, Saint Laurent...  you get the picture. A lot of fun just looking at the shop windows even if you don't have the money to go inside!

But the best shopping is nowadays found along the quays. It is called Les Hangars or Quai des Marques and consists of a line of harbour warehouse buildings that have been renovated and remade into shops. They sell branded clothes from last year's collection to fabulous prices, but also kitchen equipment, china, shoes and other things. Good to know: it is open on Sundays. Shopping here was so good, Armelle needed some persuasion to stop for lunch... a short break, no more.

If you are interested in art and crafts, the old centre Saint Pierre is a good choice with lots of small shops. Saint Michel is good for antiques and flea market bargains with many small shops held by immigrants, like a bazaar.

If you are unlucky enough to be there on a rainy day, there is plenty of covered shopping! First of all Galéries Lafayette, a high end department store with several floors - actually a must even if it's not raining! You can also try the department stores Marché des Grands Hommes or Centre Commercial Mériadeck.  In Saint Michel you find Passage Saint Michel, like a big covered flea market with antiques and bric-a-brac.

There are also commercial centres by the rocade, the bypass road that makes a circle around Bordeaux. Not so much fun, but practical. I know the ones in Mérignac, Bègles, le Lac but I am sure there are others.