Exploring Bordeaux with a disability

The guide for people with disabilities

Are you on the hunt for accessible accommodation, museums, restaurants, river cruises, tourist itineraries, cinemas, concert venues, leisure activities, beaches and wine tourism activities?

Our guide assembles all certified sites with disabled access. It is also full of useful addresses and contact details that will make your stay easier. It’s available at the tourist office and you can flick through it online or download it here.

Parking for persons with reduced mobility 

New parking regulations have been in place in Bordeaux since January 1st 2022, linked to the introduction of the automatic pass checking system (LAPI). Parking remains free for EU disability parking card-holders (CES) or French disability parking card-holders (CMI-S).

In addition to dedicated disabled parking spaces, CES/CMI-S pass-holders can park in any other space for free by registering on Flowbird applications or at parking meters, or by registering on the platform monstationnement.bordeaux.fr. Specific assistance is also available for those who receive a request for undue payment.

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Certification and labels demonstrating high-quality services

The ‘Bordeaux destination pour tous’ label

The city of Bordeaux is multiplying its initiatives to ensure that the tourist experience is a high quality one for all, and for several years now it has been taking action to support people with disabilities. In 2011, Bordeaux was designated as a pilot site for the ‘Destination pour tous’ (“Destination for all”) label. Created by the French ministries for tourism, solidarity and social cohesion, the label is attributed for 5 years to local territories which, having demonstrated capability in developing accessibility for at least two types of disability, commit to expanding their tourist activities and offering more accessible activities.

In 2014, the city of Bordeaux was awarded the ‘Destination pour tous’ label for its efforts made to accommodate persons living with mental disabilities or motor impairments. It was the first city to receive this official certification, and since 2020 the label applies to the whole conurbation.

The ‘Tourisme et handicap’ label

Bordeaux has just added the ‘Tourisme et handicap’ label to this certification, attributed to 44 sites spread across the Bordeaux area. This national label awarded for quality of services was created by the French ministry of tourism for people with disabilities, and identifies holiday sites, accessible leisure activities and cultural activities for people who live with some of the most common disabilities: visual, hearing and mental.

Touring Bordeaux with a disability

This guide, available at the tourist office or online, presents three different itineraries which received ‘Tourisme et Handicaps’ certification in 2007 for their suitability for people with motor impairments or hearing deficiencies.

The circuits:

• Palais Galien, 2 kilometres long,
• Historic centre, 2.6 km long and, finally,
• Jardin botanique - Bastide, 2.8 km, which promotes the riches of the right bank.

The three itineraries are presented with a detailed map and are complete with many useful addresses.

A discovery tour, adapted to persons with reduced mobility

This tour, whose path is drawn within the perimeters of the UNESCO world heritage-listed zone, was created with consideration for those living with motor or sensory impairments. The leaflet is available at the Tourist Office for €1. Additionally, the profits from this initiative have led to the purchase of four “Monopousseurs” (bikes that attach to wheelchairs), available for hire at La Maison du vélo (Phone: 05 56 33 73 75).

Large-print and braille documents

The Bordeaux Tourist Office (L’Office de tourisme de Bordeaux Métropole) lends a large-print paper guide and a braille guide to the visually impaired for free.

Guided tours

• Walking guided tours for everyone take place daily, starting at our tourist office, and persons with a motor impairment can take part from €12. Please phone ahead to book by telephone: 05 56 00 66 24
   
• Private guided tours for pre-arranged groups, led by a tour guide (accompanied if necessary by the association SIGNE for the hearing impaired), are also available. Book ahead with the Bordeaux Tourist Office’s ‘Group Services’.
  
  To book, contact :
   
  • 05 56 00 66 10/12
  • e.bouillon@bordeaux-tourisme.com / c.guerin@bordeau- tourisme.com / c.bardinet@bordeaux-tourisme.com
    
    Association SIGNE - 57 Rue Mouneyra - 33000 Bordeaux - 05 56 51 08 63

Every year, in April, for the French “National Tourism & Disability Days” (‘Journées Nationales Tourisme & Handicap’), the Bordeaux Tourist Office provides a free guided tour for people with motor or visual impairments. To take part, please book ahead by telephone: 05 56 00 66 24.

Four 3D maps of the old neighbourhoods

The local sculptor François Didier was the creator of these three 3D maps of the city. Each one corresponds to a tourist sector; the surrounds of the Hôtel de ville, the area surrounding Place de la Comédie and the Saint-Pierre district.

Designed in direct collaboration with the GIPHP (an association for the inclusion of people with physical disabilities) and UNADEV (the national union for the blind and visually impaired), they allow visitors to gain their bearings and an appreciation of the architecture of the main monuments present in each area using sight (for the visually unimpaired) and touch. They can be found on Place Jean Moulin, Place du Palais, Place de la Comédie (opposite 2 Allées de Tourny) and in front of the Cité du vin.
 

A model of the Bordeaux Grand Théâtre is also available and can be touched in the building’s main hall.

Les points repères en ville pour les personnes en situation de handicap mental

• Clock (Place de la Comédie)
• BLue Lion (Place Stalingrad)
• Turtles (Place de la Victoire)
• 3D Map (Allées de Tourny)
• 3D Map (Place du Palais)
• 3D Map (PlacePey Berland
• Monument des Girondin (Place des Quinconces)
• Fontaine des Trois Grâces (Place de la Bourse)
• Roman monument (Place Camille Jullian)
• Fountain (Gare Saint-Jean)
• Bust of Toussaint Louverture (Quai de Queyries)