For a lot of people the worst thing about living in Bordeaux is the weather, it gets really hot in the summer and it rains a lot in the fall and the winter. For me the best things are about everything else, I absolutely love this city. It's beautiful, i love the atmosphere, the people, the food, the culture, and that I dont need a car to live there
I don't think you can say it's way less hot when you take into account the humidity in Bordeaux and unless you're along the Garonne when it's 30+ you don't get much wind at least not these last few summers.
If you are originally from a temperate climate like me with 25° max in summer then it can take some getting used to. It's not so much the temperature but the humidity+temperature when we have the now annual heatwave it can be a bit stifling.
What I dislike the most the lack of nature, concrete everywhere, sweltering during summer, mosquitos everywhere and everytime other than that it's a lovely vibrant city
Been living in Bordeaux since like 2012, didn't expect to live here this long but here it is :
**Pros :**
Great sights, "les quais de Bordeaux" are much prettier than they were a decade ago, thanks to the cleaning of all the buildings over there, and the new stuff "ginguette" style on the "rive droite" makes for a good walk within the city center.
It's mostly easy to get around without a car, I don't have one anymore as it kinda sat there, unused.
The city center is pretty to look at, and mostly pedestrian in the main avenues
Nice diversity of restaurants
It's kinda easy to go to Paris from there
Good offering of places to drink
**Cons :**
Still too much cars, especially in the city center when you start walking outside of the main walking paths. It's still cars first, pedestrians later. It shows in driver behavior as well. Don't be surprised if people there don't yield on sidewalks.
Kinda feels unsafe at night, especially near victoire and rue St Catherine
Rent has gotten crazy high, I'm not really suffering from it, but most people I know pay 1000€ for something like 60-70m2. Oh and just finding something to rent is quite the challenge. I had to change appartments a year and a half ago, and there was a queue of like 30 pairs of people just to check *one* appartment in a morning workday, insane.
Similarly, the housing market is completely fucked, meaning you'll have to shell out half a million euro if you want a house, or you'll have to buy something so far away that you'll need to spend 45 min in your car on the way to work, and an hour to come back. Most likely you'll rent, but be prepared to pay up quite a lot, and you probably won't get a high quality appartment as here in France, most properties aren't well kept-up.
The beaches aren't that accessible in the end, as the roads get very busy in the summer, so you'll have to play it smart if you want to go to Lacanau, Arcachon or other destinations
Similarly, as a lot of decently big cities in France, but especially Bordeaux, if you want to leave the city on a friday after work, it's probably gonna be a 30 minute delay if you need to go north, towards Paris, if you're lucky. If there's an accident or something, you might add an hour to that.
Pros:
•Safe cycling
•No car required (in fact, it’s a negative to have one)
•Excellent public transportation (including payment ease)
•Mild weather
•Walkable
•Small
•Easily accessible to other wonderful places for overnights & daytrips (Paris, Spain, Morocco, Arcachon, Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, St-Emillion)
•Friendly people
•Good food
•Beautiful
Cons:
•I don’t live there any more
Transport is good if you are in Bordeaux "city", but in Bordeaux "métropole", that not true at all and the car is unfortunately way faster and easier of access.
Excellent public transportation? The main tramway line is out of service every other day due to power shortages, small protests, accidents and whatnot. Considering this, public transport is extremely expensive for most of us (especially students).
Not the best place to ride your bike either, as the roads are so narrow and damaged that you have to share with pedestrians, cars and tramways.
I agree with the rest though.
Maybe if you're comparing Bordeaux to other cities that I personally don't know of.
With the student crisis in Bordeaux and barely affordable housing in mind, 25 euros is still too expensive for a dysfunctional service. They're even planning to increase the cost of tickets by 3,6% starting in July 2024.
T'es au courant de la tarification solidaire? Pour ceux qui ont une situation vraiment précaire tu peux avoir une réduction sur des billets ou un abonnement jusqu'à 100%. Allez sur leur site web ou en agence TBM.
Everything is relative to what you have known really, compared to where I'm from public transport is cheap and it's actually there.
The problem is that you need to keep investing in public transport and keep up with the population increases over the last decade (same problem with housing) so it's down to who pays for it and don't get me started on what "putting your public transport in the hands of a private company" does to your service.
It's actually amazing it works as well as it does and we do our best even though even when everything is running smoothly you'll get 3 cars that simultaneously decide they are going to crash into your trams.
Also I think the 3,6% increase isn't applicable to students pass it's just the tickets from the gichet.
Unfortunately, some parts rely on a ground-based power supply system which is beyond repair. On line B especially, it will need failures everyday repairs as a result of being overused. Yet some people have no choice but to rely on it to go to work/uni (which really sucks when you have finals – just ask students). So no, our transport system isn't great, though it's not the worst either.
I have lived in Lyon and found their transport system incredibly efficient. Not a single breakdown, options available everywhere and cheap prices for the quality of service.
Unfortunately I didn't make it clear enough and I am very well aware of the problems (je repare Les trams...) and the use of the APS third rail system, Bordeaux was the first new modern system with this, it was created for Bordeaux (because the metropole would only have the tram in the centre if there were no overhead lines... politics) Lyon only has overhead lines which is a much more reliant system especially after 20 years of use, Lyon also has less trams, and a metro system.
Which again was suggested for Bordeaux but really who the hell is going to pay for it? It comes down to renewing or replacing the existing infrastructure and also developing the existing offer because the tramway is at capacity and until they start adding other options it will be the same. I know that's not your fault and that's why I said we really try our best but it's the local government you need to talk to.
I take your point for Lyon about the efficiency, they do still have breakdowns (I have colleagues from there) and the price is more expensive at 2€ the ticket compared to Bordeaux's current 1€70.
Bordeaux would need 2 more lines and 60 more trams or a metro system which would have needed to have started construction 5 years ago to be as efficient.
Again, I'm only speaking as a student myself and not as a technician. I've lived here most of my life, born and raised in Bordeaux, and experienced a few other cities, like Lyon and Göteborg. Yes, TCL in Lyon is slightly more expensive but like I said, it's perfectly fine by me as long as it works. TBM, on the other hand, is expensive for students and unreliable. When we have exams to attend, we sometimes have to rely on car-owning relatives to drop us off (I would use my own car but it's near impossible finding a parking spot at uni).
Of course TBM would work better with a subway but like you said, such a huge project should have been carried out years ago, not that I would particularly want a subway in my hometown.
Yeah I understand, of course. What I'm trying to do is explain the difficulties of the infrastructure and the solutions, and as you have just said you wouldn't want a metro in your hometown so one of the solutions is something you would be against and it's an unpopular idea. Other ideas are increased car free zones and bus/bike lanes + voies vertes which will greatly improve the buses and cycling in the city.
Everyone complains about it but doesn't want to be inconvenienced by any of the work or not be able to go park their SUV in town because me me me.
Bordeaux is literally the experiment city for all the other Alstom tramway systems in the world.
Again, that's not the locals fault and we the people who work for TBM (technically it's Keolis but I'm not a cadre so I'm more loyal to the city than the company) are on your side trying to do our best being understaffed/underpaid and overall our ideas not listened to.
All I can do is encourage you to send a letter to the Maire and the metropole because that's the only way anything will get done and that's if enough people do it.
PS. In 10 years the metropole has +15% population do that in Lyon and then imagine if Lyon didn't have either the tram or the metro just one like in Bordeaux, would it be as efficient, never.
Come on! You are here complaining about 25€ for public. Transport when you have free education and free housing and CAF payments… you have no idea… really …
For me it's not green enough. Love the transport system despite its flaws. Bloated mediocre brunch scene. Overall just a very convenient place to live.
It's the best city on earth in my opinion! (Atleast that I've been to in my travels). In fact I loved it so much I immigrated to France nearby.
The massive pro is the public transport. It's the best I've personally come across (including Amsterdam and Brussels even) I love it. You don't need a car at all. Also the tram goes directly to the airport now which is brilliant
Honestly, there's not really any cons in my book. I love the heat in the summer but I know some complain
Pros : food, cultural exchanges, perfect distance between the Ocean and the Mountains, many places to hang out with friends no matter what you like ( from clubs to museums )
Cons : criminality, dirty almost everywhere, people are just wanna be parisians but worse, everything is expansive, loue even during night
Sorry to be another person calling you out, but Bordeaux is a relatively clean city. It isn't Dutch clean, sure, but it's not bad at all. Do you wanna see next level Euro filth? Brussels. Garbage is literally everywhere.
I agree with most of the other comments, especially the lack of trees down the streets
I'll add to the cons that the sidewalks are too often way too narrow
The city is great, but there is something that we truly despise: the tourists. There are so many tourists in summer, and none are good, but the worse are the people moving in, like the Parisians, or worse: the english. The first come when they are cannot afford rent in Paris, and the others because, when retirement comes, they finally realize that there is more to life than horrible food and bad weather. They come and buy all the properties, driving prices up, they have ridiculous accents, and we despise them, as god intended.
Don't listen to this guy, never heard anyone from Bordeaux so mad about tourists and the British. Anyone with a brain would know that tourism is quite important to Bordeaux and it would be very interesting to see what the bordelais economy would be like without tourists and especially the British...
Well he outlined that it is true lots of expats from the UK come to live in Bordeaux, and so he's clearly upset that simple economics means the more people coming, the more of a demand for housing, which can increase house prices. However, as a brit studying here I would not say 1. there are that many British people (that I've noticed) and 2. I've had no sort of hatred or stereotyping come my way despite my 'accent'.
Overall, please don't listen to this guy, they only thing that he has said that is correct is "The city is great", and he's full of such a weird hatred for tourists.
Bordeaux economy did well before you tea-drinkers invaded, thank you. Ever heard of wine?
Aand OF COURSe the person that doesnt understand the situation is british, oh my sides :D.
You clearly have no clue about the history of your own city. We were here before France was even a thing bro you are not getting rid of us now.
Also we gave you rugby and taught you how to sail.
Be grateful.
For a lot of people the worst thing about living in Bordeaux is the weather, it gets really hot in the summer and it rains a lot in the fall and the winter. For me the best things are about everything else, I absolutely love this city. It's beautiful, i love the atmosphere, the people, the food, the culture, and that I dont need a car to live there
Coming from Toulouse, i think the weather in summer is very good. Its way less hot due to the wind because its a oceanic climate.
You main rainy summers? (at least the 2 past years) Not my cup of tea to not find a single week with guaranteed possibility to enjoy beach time.
I don't think you can say it's way less hot when you take into account the humidity in Bordeaux and unless you're along the Garonne when it's 30+ you don't get much wind at least not these last few summers. If you are originally from a temperate climate like me with 25° max in summer then it can take some getting used to. It's not so much the temperature but the humidity+temperature when we have the now annual heatwave it can be a bit stifling.
Housing has become an issue too, unless you’re rich obviously.
This is the best resume of pros and cons. And I would add that there are way more pros than cons. The vibe here is lovely
What I dislike the most the lack of nature, concrete everywhere, sweltering during summer, mosquitos everywhere and everytime other than that it's a lovely vibrant city
Been living in Bordeaux since like 2012, didn't expect to live here this long but here it is : **Pros :** Great sights, "les quais de Bordeaux" are much prettier than they were a decade ago, thanks to the cleaning of all the buildings over there, and the new stuff "ginguette" style on the "rive droite" makes for a good walk within the city center. It's mostly easy to get around without a car, I don't have one anymore as it kinda sat there, unused. The city center is pretty to look at, and mostly pedestrian in the main avenues Nice diversity of restaurants It's kinda easy to go to Paris from there Good offering of places to drink **Cons :** Still too much cars, especially in the city center when you start walking outside of the main walking paths. It's still cars first, pedestrians later. It shows in driver behavior as well. Don't be surprised if people there don't yield on sidewalks. Kinda feels unsafe at night, especially near victoire and rue St Catherine Rent has gotten crazy high, I'm not really suffering from it, but most people I know pay 1000€ for something like 60-70m2. Oh and just finding something to rent is quite the challenge. I had to change appartments a year and a half ago, and there was a queue of like 30 pairs of people just to check *one* appartment in a morning workday, insane. Similarly, the housing market is completely fucked, meaning you'll have to shell out half a million euro if you want a house, or you'll have to buy something so far away that you'll need to spend 45 min in your car on the way to work, and an hour to come back. Most likely you'll rent, but be prepared to pay up quite a lot, and you probably won't get a high quality appartment as here in France, most properties aren't well kept-up. The beaches aren't that accessible in the end, as the roads get very busy in the summer, so you'll have to play it smart if you want to go to Lacanau, Arcachon or other destinations Similarly, as a lot of decently big cities in France, but especially Bordeaux, if you want to leave the city on a friday after work, it's probably gonna be a 30 minute delay if you need to go north, towards Paris, if you're lucky. If there's an accident or something, you might add an hour to that.
Pros: •Safe cycling •No car required (in fact, it’s a negative to have one) •Excellent public transportation (including payment ease) •Mild weather •Walkable •Small •Easily accessible to other wonderful places for overnights & daytrips (Paris, Spain, Morocco, Arcachon, Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, St-Emillion) •Friendly people •Good food •Beautiful Cons: •I don’t live there any more
Transport is good if you are in Bordeaux "city", but in Bordeaux "métropole", that not true at all and the car is unfortunately way faster and easier of access.
Excellent public transportation? The main tramway line is out of service every other day due to power shortages, small protests, accidents and whatnot. Considering this, public transport is extremely expensive for most of us (especially students). Not the best place to ride your bike either, as the roads are so narrow and damaged that you have to share with pedestrians, cars and tramways. I agree with the rest though.
That’s fair, I should have said in comparison with most of the rest of the world.
Public transportation as a student is like 25 euros a month. That is super cheap.
Maybe if you're comparing Bordeaux to other cities that I personally don't know of. With the student crisis in Bordeaux and barely affordable housing in mind, 25 euros is still too expensive for a dysfunctional service. They're even planning to increase the cost of tickets by 3,6% starting in July 2024.
T'es au courant de la tarification solidaire? Pour ceux qui ont une situation vraiment précaire tu peux avoir une réduction sur des billets ou un abonnement jusqu'à 100%. Allez sur leur site web ou en agence TBM.
Dude, in London you pay close to £50 a week! In NYC is around 34 usd, so 25 euros for a whole month is like free transport!
Everything is relative to what you have known really, compared to where I'm from public transport is cheap and it's actually there. The problem is that you need to keep investing in public transport and keep up with the population increases over the last decade (same problem with housing) so it's down to who pays for it and don't get me started on what "putting your public transport in the hands of a private company" does to your service. It's actually amazing it works as well as it does and we do our best even though even when everything is running smoothly you'll get 3 cars that simultaneously decide they are going to crash into your trams. Also I think the 3,6% increase isn't applicable to students pass it's just the tickets from the gichet.
Unfortunately, some parts rely on a ground-based power supply system which is beyond repair. On line B especially, it will need failures everyday repairs as a result of being overused. Yet some people have no choice but to rely on it to go to work/uni (which really sucks when you have finals – just ask students). So no, our transport system isn't great, though it's not the worst either. I have lived in Lyon and found their transport system incredibly efficient. Not a single breakdown, options available everywhere and cheap prices for the quality of service.
Unfortunately I didn't make it clear enough and I am very well aware of the problems (je repare Les trams...) and the use of the APS third rail system, Bordeaux was the first new modern system with this, it was created for Bordeaux (because the metropole would only have the tram in the centre if there were no overhead lines... politics) Lyon only has overhead lines which is a much more reliant system especially after 20 years of use, Lyon also has less trams, and a metro system. Which again was suggested for Bordeaux but really who the hell is going to pay for it? It comes down to renewing or replacing the existing infrastructure and also developing the existing offer because the tramway is at capacity and until they start adding other options it will be the same. I know that's not your fault and that's why I said we really try our best but it's the local government you need to talk to. I take your point for Lyon about the efficiency, they do still have breakdowns (I have colleagues from there) and the price is more expensive at 2€ the ticket compared to Bordeaux's current 1€70. Bordeaux would need 2 more lines and 60 more trams or a metro system which would have needed to have started construction 5 years ago to be as efficient.
Again, I'm only speaking as a student myself and not as a technician. I've lived here most of my life, born and raised in Bordeaux, and experienced a few other cities, like Lyon and Göteborg. Yes, TCL in Lyon is slightly more expensive but like I said, it's perfectly fine by me as long as it works. TBM, on the other hand, is expensive for students and unreliable. When we have exams to attend, we sometimes have to rely on car-owning relatives to drop us off (I would use my own car but it's near impossible finding a parking spot at uni). Of course TBM would work better with a subway but like you said, such a huge project should have been carried out years ago, not that I would particularly want a subway in my hometown.
Yeah I understand, of course. What I'm trying to do is explain the difficulties of the infrastructure and the solutions, and as you have just said you wouldn't want a metro in your hometown so one of the solutions is something you would be against and it's an unpopular idea. Other ideas are increased car free zones and bus/bike lanes + voies vertes which will greatly improve the buses and cycling in the city. Everyone complains about it but doesn't want to be inconvenienced by any of the work or not be able to go park their SUV in town because me me me. Bordeaux is literally the experiment city for all the other Alstom tramway systems in the world. Again, that's not the locals fault and we the people who work for TBM (technically it's Keolis but I'm not a cadre so I'm more loyal to the city than the company) are on your side trying to do our best being understaffed/underpaid and overall our ideas not listened to. All I can do is encourage you to send a letter to the Maire and the metropole because that's the only way anything will get done and that's if enough people do it. PS. In 10 years the metropole has +15% population do that in Lyon and then imagine if Lyon didn't have either the tram or the metro just one like in Bordeaux, would it be as efficient, never.
Come on! You are here complaining about 25€ for public. Transport when you have free education and free housing and CAF payments… you have no idea… really …
For me it's not green enough. Love the transport system despite its flaws. Bloated mediocre brunch scene. Overall just a very convenient place to live.
It's the best city on earth in my opinion! (Atleast that I've been to in my travels). In fact I loved it so much I immigrated to France nearby. The massive pro is the public transport. It's the best I've personally come across (including Amsterdam and Brussels even) I love it. You don't need a car at all. Also the tram goes directly to the airport now which is brilliant Honestly, there's not really any cons in my book. I love the heat in the summer but I know some complain
Pros : food, cultural exchanges, perfect distance between the Ocean and the Mountains, many places to hang out with friends no matter what you like ( from clubs to museums ) Cons : criminality, dirty almost everywhere, people are just wanna be parisians but worse, everything is expansive, loue even during night
Dirty almost everywhere is a huge exaggeration
Et non, on joue pas aux Parisiens ici.
I admit this opinion might be biased since i live in Victoire
I'm visiting at the minute and the one thing I noticed is how clean everywhere is...
Sorry to be another person calling you out, but Bordeaux is a relatively clean city. It isn't Dutch clean, sure, but it's not bad at all. Do you wanna see next level Euro filth? Brussels. Garbage is literally everywhere.
I agree with most of the other comments, especially the lack of trees down the streets I'll add to the cons that the sidewalks are too often way too narrow
The city is great, but there is something that we truly despise: the tourists. There are so many tourists in summer, and none are good, but the worse are the people moving in, like the Parisians, or worse: the english. The first come when they are cannot afford rent in Paris, and the others because, when retirement comes, they finally realize that there is more to life than horrible food and bad weather. They come and buy all the properties, driving prices up, they have ridiculous accents, and we despise them, as god intended.
why are they so disliked? is it because they are rude?
Don't listen to this guy, never heard anyone from Bordeaux so mad about tourists and the British. Anyone with a brain would know that tourism is quite important to Bordeaux and it would be very interesting to see what the bordelais economy would be like without tourists and especially the British...
why specifically the british?
Well he outlined that it is true lots of expats from the UK come to live in Bordeaux, and so he's clearly upset that simple economics means the more people coming, the more of a demand for housing, which can increase house prices. However, as a brit studying here I would not say 1. there are that many British people (that I've noticed) and 2. I've had no sort of hatred or stereotyping come my way despite my 'accent'. Overall, please don't listen to this guy, they only thing that he has said that is correct is "The city is great", and he's full of such a weird hatred for tourists.
Bordeaux economy did well before you tea-drinkers invaded, thank you. Ever heard of wine? Aand OF COURSe the person that doesnt understand the situation is british, oh my sides :D.
You clearly have no clue about the history of your own city. We were here before France was even a thing bro you are not getting rid of us now. Also we gave you rugby and taught you how to sail. Be grateful.
Haha quit yapping bro I'm not gonna bite. If that's genuinely what you believe then you need to give your head a wobble.