Bordeaux by Night, Bordeaux by Day. Architecture, Shopping, Fromage, and Chocolat.

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Bordeaux by night

Bordeaux, a port city in the northern part of the Aquitaine region, is regarded by the French as highly sophisticated with an abundance of fashionable shops, historic buildings, and chic chocolateries.

The pedestrian-only shopping streets that cut through the historic center are quite fun. Rue St. Catherine at 1.2 km is the longest pedestrian-only shopping street in Europe, but I was more impressed with its neighboring streets, where one can spend hours uncovering chic French designers and enclosed galeries.

If you are in the market for exquisite chocolates and confections, make a point to visit Saunion at 56 Cours Clemenceau. It has been in the same family for generations, and I was absolutely charmed by the experience of choosing a collection of goodies one by one while the shopkeeper carefully fits each piece into a beautiful little box and ties it with a ribbon.

Le Triangle d’Or is centered around the glass-domed Galeries des Grand Hommes, and small streets shoot out from its center like a star. World class boutiques, upscale cafes, and sophisticated home decor stores make this golden triangle the preferred shopping destination for the city’s aesthetes. An excellent fromagerie can also be found here: Jean D’alos (see photos below). When you’re shopped out, take a quick stroll through the Jardin Public, a small but carefully planned gated park near the historic center.

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Place de la Bourse across from the Garonne River

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Outside the Opera hall

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The main shopping area at night

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Tram running through the historic center

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Grand Theater de Bordeaux

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Stock exchange

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Bordeaux stock exchange building

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Motorcycles outside the Theater

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Bordeaux by night

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There is a large population of students in Bordeaux, and therefore a vast amount of bars and restaurants that cater to the crowd

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Bordeaux by night

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Bordeaux neighborhood walk

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In the Jardin Public

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A young boy passing through the Jardin Public

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Streets near the Jardin Public

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In the historic center of Bordeaux

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Le Triangle d’Or. The Galeries des Grand Hommes in the background

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Tres chic shopping streets adjacent to the Galeries

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Inside the glass dome: Bordeaux’s version of a shopping mall

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Aforementioned Saunion, an exquisite chocolaterie

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Inside Saunion

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Decadent chocolates in Saunion

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Confections at Saunion

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Fromage at Jean D’alos in the Triangle d’Or

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At Jean D’Alos

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Dairy at Jean D’Alos

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Fromage and Vin at Jean D’Alos

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Jean D’Alos

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Jean D’Alos

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Belle display at Jean D’Alos

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Jean D’Alos, Bordeaux

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Shopping streets in the historic center

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A galerie off one of the main shopping streets in the city center

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Bordeaux, France

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Streets of Bordeaux

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Streets of Bordeaux

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