Garonne river cruise in Bordeaux: which one should you book?
4 min read
The answer first
The four cruises compared here each last 90 minutes and sail along the same riverfront, so the choice is mostly about the boat and what is in your glass. For most people, book the Garonne cruise with a glass of wine and canelé at €19, rated 4.4/5 from 4,210 reviews: its page lists an open bar for the whole cruise and a rooftop deck. Our page for Garonne cruises also lists an evening apéritif cruise and one more wine-and-canelé cruise that are not compared here.
What you see
The river frontage is the Port de la Lune, which UNESCO inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2007. Between them, the booking pages mention the Pont de Pierre, Place de la Bourse, the Chartrons district, the Chaban-Delmas and Aquitaine bridges, the cathedral and the Cité du Vin. Live commentary is in French and English on all four; if you want to go inside the Cité du Vin afterwards, see our guide to the ticket.
The four cruises
- Cruise with wine and canelé (€19). On the Maddalena from 186 Quai Richelieu. The page describes a choice of wine, hot drink or soft drink with a canelé, an open bar throughout, a rooftop with a 360-degree view and an air-conditioned room for 150 people. It sails even with a single passenger.
- Guided river cruise (€15). Starts at 186 Quai Richelieu, at the pontoon close to the Pont de Pierre, with commentary on the architecture along the river. The list on the page shows the single word “Drinks”, so ask the operator, Croisières Burdigala, what is served.
- Cruise with commentary, wine and canelé (€19). Boarding the Sirius at the Ponton d’Honneur at 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM or 5:00 PM according to the page, with one canelé and one glass of wine or soft drink. Information on your phone is offered in Spanish, German, Dutch, Italian, Chinese and Japanese.
- Guided cruise on the electric boat (€15). The page says it is the only boat in Bordeaux with electric propulsion, with air conditioning, a shade sail on the upper deck, a complimentary canelé and a bar open during the cruise. Boarding is 30 minutes before departure at the Ponton d’Honneur, opposite 24 Quai Richelieu. It is run by Les Bateaux Bordelais, the same company as the Sirius cruise above.
Practical points
Apart from the Sirius cruise, the pages show starting times only when you check a date. Arrive early: the electric-boat page asks you to be at the meeting point half an hour ahead, and one reviewer there found only an empty shed at the meeting point and suggested going straight to the boat ramp. One reviewer of the Sirius cruise described the tasting as a glass of wine and a tiny pastry. Treat any of these as a drink on the water, not a tasting.
Who it suits
- Couples and first-time visitors who want a sit-down overview before they walk the old town.
- Wheelchair users: the pages for all four cruises mark them as wheelchair accessible; confirm access with the operator before booking.
- Anyone short of time: it is 90 minutes and easy to fit between other plans, such as the old town on foot.
It suits less well anyone who wants vineyards and cellars. For that, look at wine tastings in the city or an excursion.
Side by side
| Tour | Duration | Price per person |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise with wine and canelé | 1.5 hours | €19 |
| Guided river cruise | 1.5 hours | €15 |
| Cruise with commentary, wine and canelé | 1.5 hours | €19 |
| Guided cruise on the electric boat | 1.5 hours | €15 |
Our recommendation
For most people, book the cruise with wine and canelé: same length as the others, with the open bar and the most reviews of the four. If you want the electric boat, take the last one in the list. All cruises are listed on our page for Garonne cruises in Bordeaux.
