The Wedding Atlas · France · Bordeaux
Getting Married in Bordeaux
Wine estates and medieval stone, reached from London by a short flight. Bordeaux became a serious wedding destination only in the last decade. The fast train from Paris takes about two hours, and the airport has direct flights from London, Edinburgh and Manchester. A long regeneration programme reshaped the city, and its eighteenth-century centre is now among the best preserved in France.
Part of the Bordeaux destination guide.
- Best months
- June, September, and October
Where to marry
Where to Get Married in Bordeaux
Saint-Émilion and the Libournais
The best-known zone, centred on a UNESCO-listed hilltop village on a limestone plateau. Many classified estates around it take events, and summer dates are in very high demand.
Médoc
The left-bank appellation running north along the Gironde estuary. The châteaux of Pauillac, Saint-Julien and Margaux are grander than those of Saint-Émilion, with eighteenth and nineteenth-century main houses and formal gardens.
Graves and Pessac-Léognan
South of the city, with more varied, older buildings and quieter estates. Closeness to the city lets guests combine a country wedding with an urban programme.
Bordeaux city
The UNESCO-listed centre, the Place de la Bourse, the wine museum and the Chartrons riverside give strong urban options, either for a city wedding or a reception paired with a country ceremony.
Find your area
Bordeaux on the map
Bordeaux
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A Wedding in Bordeaux
Wine estates and medieval stone, reached from London by a short flight
The wine country splits into distinct landscapes. Saint-Émilion to the east is a medieval hilltop village ringed by classified estates. The Médoc, north of the city, is flat pine country broken by grand châteaux. The Graves and Pessac-Léognan zone lies just south of the city, with older buildings and smaller estates.
The wine estate is the venue type this region owns outright: a working vineyard, a chai (barrel hall) used for dinner, formal gardens and rooms in the château. Most estates supply their own wine through the catering.
Choosing a setting
Choosing a wedding setting in Bordeaux
Wine château
The defining Bordeaux venue: a classified or grand cru estate with a working vineyard, a chai for dinner, a formal garden and a main house for exclusive hire. Wine is usually part of the catering offer.
Domaine or estate
A smaller wine property without a grand cru rating. It is more agricultural in feel and usually easier to book, with the same chai and garden format on an intimate scale.
City venue
Eighteenth-century town houses, converted industrial buildings in Chartrons and private dining rooms in the main city hotels.
The season
When to get married
September and October are the months planners choose most. The harvest starts in mid-September, the vineyards turn from green to gold, and weather is warm and settled with lighter supplier competition than in high summer. June is the best choice before the harvest, with long evenings and gardens at their fullest.
Getting there
How guests arrive
Bordeaux airport has direct flights from London, Edinburgh, Manchester and most large European cities. Saint-Émilion estates are a short drive from the city, and the Médoc châteaux a longer one to the north.
Bordeaux-Mérignac (BOD). Direct services from London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol and major European hubs, with a tram into the city. It is the practical gateway for UK guests.
Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG). Linked to Bordeaux by the fast train. It matters for intercontinental guests who cannot fly straight in.
Bergerac Dordogne Périgord (EGC). A small airport north-east of Saint-Émilion with few UK routes. It suits guests from eastern England or those adding a Dordogne trip.
Where guests stay
Under one roof, or nearby
Accommodation runs from wine-estate lodgings to restored merchant townhouses in the city and boutique châteaux around Saint-Émilion and the Médoc.
Graves wine-spa estate
A wine-spa hotel set within a Graves wine estate, with vinotherapy treatments, several restaurants and rooms and villas among the vines.
Saint-Émilion village stays
Small hotels, limestone cave restaurants and vineyard guesthouses within walking distance of the monolithic church and the leading estates.
Bordeaux city centre
Hotels on the UNESCO waterfront and in the Golden Triangle suit city celebrations with day trips into the wine country.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Bordeaux
The table draws on the Atlantic coast, the Garonne and Dordogne rivers and a long habit of dining around wine. Good ingredients count for more than elaborate technique.
Entrecôte à la Bordelaise
Rib steak with a sauce of bone marrow, red Bordeaux, shallots and tarragon, the region's defining meat dish.
Huîtres du Bassin d'Arcachon
Oysters from Arcachon Bay with a clean, mineral taste, eaten raw with rye bread and cold white Graves, often at wedding aperitifs.
Cannelé de Bordeaux
A small fluted pastry with a caramelised crust and a soft rum-and-vanilla custard centre, made in the city since the eighteenth century.
Good to know
Before you book
Getting there
The airport has direct flights from London and Edinburgh. The fast train from Paris stops at the central station, so guests can also come by Eurostar and an onward train.
Classification and access
The 1855 classification remains the reference for left-bank estates, while Saint-Émilion has its own, revised from time to time. Many classified estates offer private tours and tastings, booked directly and well ahead.
Harvest timing
Harvest usually runs from late September to mid-October. It is the most atmospheric period, but venues and guesthouses fill early, so rooms should be secured far in advance.
Right bank and left bank
The Médoc appellations are flatter and more formal. The right bank (Saint-Émilion, Pomerol) is hillier and more intimate, and arguably better for small celebrations. Both lie within an hour of the city.
People who work in France
Planners, photographers and other wedding professionals based in France.
Julien AlvarezChef Pâtissier, Ladurée
Katerina MeyvialFounder and wedding planner, Katerina Meyvial Wedding & Event Planner
Audrey-Maria CadioFounder, Wedding Planner and Lead Designer, Dream Paris Wedding
Jean Pierre SebaghFounder and director, Les Cigales
Alex ZnaharchukDirector and Filmmaker, Znaharchuk StudioQuestions couples ask
Before you decide
Can a wedding be held at a Saint-Émilion wine estate?
Yes. Several estates take exclusive-hire bookings, usually for a full weekend, and the village has a town hall for civil ceremonies. A planner who knows the area is needed to reach the better properties.
Can UK guests reach Bordeaux easily?
Yes. The airport has direct scheduled flights from London, Edinburgh, Manchester and Bristol, and the flight is short.
When is the best season for a Bordeaux wedding?
September and October, which experienced planners prefer for the harvest and the gold landscape. June suits couples who want long daylight and green vineyards. July and August work but are hot and in peak demand.
What is a chai, and why does it matter?
A chai is the barrel hall of an estate, usually a long stone building with rows of barrels held at a steady temperature. Many estates open it for the wedding dinner, and stone, barrels and candlelight make a dining room found only in wine regions.
Where do wedding guests stay around Bordeaux?
Accommodation runs from wine-estate lodgings to restored merchant townhouses in the city and boutique châteaux around Saint-Émilion and the Médoc. Small hotels and vineyard guesthouses in Saint-Émilion village are within walking distance of the monolithic church and the leading estates. Hotels on the UNESCO waterfront and in the Golden Triangle suit city celebrations with day trips into the wine country.
Meet Aura
A planner who has read every venue in Bordeaux
Tell Aura the setting, the season and the size of your day. She shortlists the venues and professionals that fit, and explains why.
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This guide draws on the venues' own published details, official sources and the knowledge of our editors. Entry and legal information can change, so confirm it with the authority that will marry you before you book.