Lyon and Bordeaux are two of France’s most iconic cities. Both cities give off an authentic French feel and both deserve to be visited. Lyon is known for its beautiful riverfront and its culinary scene, which is considered the gastronomy capital of France. Bordeaux is another beautiful city with incredibly well-preserved historic buildings and is in the Bordeaux wine region which is known around the world for having some of the best wine on the planet. If you are trying to decide between Lyon or Bordeaux, here is the ultimate guide to help you decide which city to visit.
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Lyon or Bordeaux Overview
Lyon
Lyon is the 3rd largest city in France with 513,000 and 2nd largest metro area in France with 2.2 million people living there. The city sits on two major rivers, the Rhône and Saône Rivers. It is known for its rich history dating back over 2000 years. The city is home to some incredible ancient Roman ruins. Lyon has a rich history of being a major center for film, partly because cinematography was invented here in the 1890s. Beautiful buildings, world-class museums, and city parks are found all over Lyon.
Bordeaux
Bordeaux has a population of nearly 260,000 people and a metropolitan area that has nearly 1.2 million which makes it the 6th largest in France. The region around Bordeaux is known around the world for its incredible wine. The area around the city brings in 14.5 billion euros each year due to the wine industry. The city is known for having elegant architecture and a laid-back atmosphere. The city is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Only Paris has more preserved historical buildings in France than Bordeaux. A common saying about Bordeaux is that when you’re here you eat very well and drink even better.
Places to See
Lyon
Vieux Lyon is the Renaissance district of Lyon. It is one of the largest Renaissance neighborhoods in all of Europe.
Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourviere is situated on a hill overlooking the city. Many people believe its more beautiful than the famous Notre Dame of Paris.
Ancient Theatre of Fourvière is an ancient Roman amphitheater. The original section of the amphitheater dates back to 15 BC.
Lyon Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral situated on the banks of the Saone River.
Place Bellecour is one of the largest squares in Europe and the 3rd largest square in France.
Bordeaux
Place de la Bourse is one of the most iconic places in Bordeaux. The buildings around them are known for their classic French architecture.
La Cité du Vin is a museum that is all about wine and is known for its modern design.
Big Bell of Bordeaux is a 40-meter bell tower in the middle of Bordeaux.
Rue Sainte-Catherine is the longest pedestrian street in Europe at 1.2km long.
Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux is a beautiful opera house that opened in 1780.
Food
Lyon
Lyon rivals Paris in a battle of the best French cuisines. The world-renown chef, Paul Bocuse or “the Pope of French cuisine”, was from Lyon. There is no doubt culinary excellence is a staple here. Various forms of grilled chitterling and blood sausages are found throughout Lyon. Quenelles, which are cream dumplings made with flour and eggs, are also very popular here. Lyon’s Main Market also has an incredible array of some of the best merchants in the country.
Bordeaux
Being that Bordeaux has such close proximity to the ocean, seafood is quite popular here. Raw and cooked oysters are popular here. One of the local specialties here is Entrecote a la Bordelaise which is a dish mainly consisting of lamb and beef. People here eat A LOT of meat probably because meat goes well with red wine. Wine governs just about every local cuisine in Bordeaux. As far as snacks or desserts go, macarons are sweet cookies that were first made in the 15th century.
Getting Around
Lyon
Much of Lyon can and should be explored by foot, especially the Vieux Lyon area. Using the public bike-sharing system is another great option. Riding bike along the riverfront or in Parc de la Tête d’Or, one of the largest parks in France, is a way to see the city. You can rent a city bike for less than 1.50 Euros. If you want to take public transport, you can get a 24-hour pass for only 5.80 Euros.
Bordeaux is an easy city to get around. The center of the city is a beautiful area that has a high density of landmarks you can walk to. To get outside of the city center you can use the network or public transportation. You can buy a 24-hour ticket for 5 Euros and a 7-day pass for 14.20 Euros. There is even a ferry that runs along the river that’s part of the network of public transportation. If you want to go see the famous wine country, I would recommend doing one of the many tours that will take you from Bordeaux to the wineries.
Nightlife
With bars, pubs, clubs, and discos, there is a nightlife scene for everyone in Lyon. Many places here have live music most days of the week. Most of the best nightlife can be found in between the two rivers or in the northern half of Vieux Lyon. Most of the best clubs are found along the Saone of Rhone riverfronts.
Bordeaux
Bordeaux has a lot of university students which adds to the liveliness of the nightlife. There are many bars to go bar hopping in the middle of the city. Probably the best area for clubbing is around Quai du Paludate. One of the best clubs you should check out is Discothèque La Plage. Like many cities in Europe, the party scene here typically doesn’t get going until after midnight so make sure you plan accordingly.
Day Trips
Lyon
Grenoble is a city at the foot of the French Alps. It held the Winter Olympics in 1968.
Vienne is a city only 35km south of Lyon. It was once an important center for the Roman Empire. Its top attraction is the Temple d’Auguste et de Livie.
Annecy is a town known for its beautiful Old Town and cobbled streets. It sits at the southern tip of Lake Annecy
Bordeaux
Arcachon is a resort town on the coast only 50km from Bordeaux.
Saint-Emilion is a town in the wine hills near Bordeaux. It is known for its medieval architecture.
Périgueux is a city to the east of Bordeaux. It is known for the Cathedrale St-Front which has five large domes.
From Bordeaux, you could also head south to the beautiful city of Toulouse or even a little further to Montpellier. If you are already in Lyon and want to head to the Mediterranean Sea, you could travel just to the south the explore Marseille or Nice.
Overall
Lyon and Bordeaux are two of the most visited cities in France and for good reason. France is known for having incredible food so Lyon being the gourmet capital of France is something to take note of. Bordeaux has some of the most well-preserved historic buildings in the country and is the gateway to some of the best wine regions in the world. You will want 3 days to explore Lyon and get a taste for the city. You will want 2 days to explore Bordeaux if you are there it is essentially a must to take a day trip to the countryside to see the wine region so you will want an extra day.