The Brooklyn
of Bordeaux is
Les Chartrons.

See the 24 venues →Where to stay
Natural wine Markets Vintage Galleries Coffee culture Waterfront
The case for Les Chartrons

Les Chartrons is the coolest neighborhood in Bordeaux for natural wine bars, Rue Notre Dame antique dealers, and Sunday quayside market runs.

Les Chartrons is a former wine merchant quarter where 18th-century stone warehouses now hold natural wine bars and specialty coffee roasters. Rue Notre Dame anchors it all, lined with antique dealers, small-batch everything, and locals who treat Sunday market shopping like religion. It feels like Bordeaux loosened its tie.

Every Sunday, the Marché du Quai des Chartrons lines the Garonne with 70 stalls, where florists, booksellers, local food producers and craftspeople turn the riverbank into the neighborhood's weekly gathering place.
Close contenders

Other cool neighborhoods in Bordeaux.

Saint-Michel

Saint-Michel has the best flea market in the city and North African food that makes the long communal tables worth fighting for. Louder, cheaper, realer.

Bassins à Flot

Bassins à Flot is old submarine docks turning into loft apartments and galleries. The Cité du Vin is here. Still more construction cranes than people, but new residential blocks and retail are filling in fast.

La Bastide

La Bastide sits across the Garonne and finally has a reason to visit beyond the view back. Weekend markets, new restaurants, and rents that still make sense.

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Three sides of the neighborhood

Where to go in Les Chartrons.

01
Stay in Les Chartrons

Les Chartrons is where to sleep if you want Bordeaux without the tourist noise.
02
Eat & Drink in Les Chartrons

Rue Notre Dame is the artery - Chez Dupont for duck confit and a deep wine list, Pickles for precise seasonal cooking, La Pelle for a sharp espresso between the two.
03
Do & Shop in Les Chartrons

Sunday mornings here have a specific ritual: oysters at the Marché des Quais by 10am - the Arcachon oyster seller does a glass of white for five euros - then a slow walk through the CAPC's soaring colonial warehouse.
All 24 spots mapped out

Les Chartrons, corner to corner.

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Our 24 top picks

The Les Chartrons guide.

Practical info

Good to know.

The boring numbers that decide whether you stay three days or four.

CurrencyEUR
LanguageFrench
Cost level $$$Moderate to expensive
Best monthsMay, June, and September
Local time UTC+2
Plug type EU plug · 230V/50Hz
Emergency112
Local tip
The oyster guy at Marché des Quais on Sunday sells Arcachon oysters with a glass of white for five euros. Get there before 11.
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Head to head

How does Bordeaux stack up?

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Common questions

Things to know about Les Chartrons.

What is the Brooklyn of Bordeaux?
The Brooklyn of Bordeaux is Les Chartrons. Les Chartrons is a former wine merchant quarter where 18th-century stone warehouses now hold natural wine bars and specialty coffee roasters. Every Sunday, the Marché du Quai des Chartrons lines the Garonne with 70 stalls, where florists, booksellers, local food producers and craftspeople turn the riverbank into the neighborhood's weekly gathering place.
What is the coolest neighborhood in Bordeaux?
Les Chartrons is widely considered the coolest neighborhood in Bordeaux. Les Chartrons is a former wine merchant quarter where 18th-century stone warehouses now hold natural wine bars and specialty coffee roasters. Rue Notre Dame anchors it all, lined with antique dealers, small-batch everything, and locals who treat Sunday market shopping like religion. It feels like Bordeaux loosened its tie.
Where should I stay in Les Chartrons, Bordeaux?
The best boutique hotels in Les Chartrons include Une Chambre Chez Dupont, Guest house L'Esprit des Chartrons, and Hôtel Notre Dame. Ten rooms above one of Rue Notre-Dame's most reliable restaurants, in a renovated 18th-century building fifty metres from the river.
Is Les Chartrons in Bordeaux safe at night?
Yes. The neighborhood is residential, walkable at all hours, and well-lit along the quays and main streets. Pickpocketing on the tram (especially line C, which runs through Les Chartrons) is the main concern - keep phones and wallets out of back pockets. The area north toward the train station gets quieter and less polished after dark but isn't dangerous.
Is Bordeaux expensive?
Bordeaux sits at the pricier end, and Les Chartrons runs boutique: expect 150 to 280 euros a night in season. Book January or February for rates 30 to 40 percent below June. Service is included by law, so skip big tips and just round up.
When is the best time to visit Bordeaux?
Come in May, June, or September, when Bordeaux holds steady between 18 and 25°C with little rain and that long river light across the quays in early evening. July and August can climb to 35°C and locals clear out, so terraces stay busy but galleries cut their hours. If you can time it, the June wine festival on the quays runs every other year.

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