Starting at place du Parlement, the tiny nearby streets are filled with night spots and tapas bars, particularly as you approach place St-Pierre and place Camille-Jullian. Place Gambetta and place de la Victoire swarm with students. Night owls in Bordeaux gravitate toward quai du Paludate, where restaurants, bars, and discos remain open until the wee hours.
One of the most fun drinking spots in Bordeaux remains Calle Ocho, 24 rue des Piliers de Tutelle (www.calle-ocho.eu; tel. 05-56-81-89-99), a red-and-black enclave of Cuban music, photographs, and mojitos. And the last few years have seen a wave of excellent cocktail bars opening, among the best of which are L’Alchimiste, 16 rue Parlement Saint-Pierre (www.lalchimistebordeaux.com) and Le Point Rouge, 1 Quai de Paludate (www.pointrouge-bdx.com).
For a more laidback night on the town, Le Café Populaire, 1 rue Kléber (www.cafepop.fr; tel. 05-56-94-39-06), is a fun place to have a drink and mix with the locals, as is Un Château en Ville, 25 rue Saint-James (www.lestrille.com), a wine shop and bar owned by a local Bordeaux château owner. The best night here is Friday, where they serve up oysters with their Entre deux Mers white wine.
For dancing, try La Plage, 40 quai de Paludate (www.laplage-leclub.fr; tel. 06-82-57-88-37), with its 1970s decor and just-as-classic 25- to 45-year-old crowd. La Dame, Quai A. Lalande (www.facebook.com/ladamebordeaux; tel. 05-57-10-20-50), a restaurant-bar-club in a moored boat in the Bassins à Flot, is another good bet for a late night.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
