Traveling to Bordeaux, France? No trip is complete without sampling delicious baked goods from some local boulangeries! Here’s a look at what to order at boulangeries, and I share our personal Bordeaux boulangerie crawl itinerary.
There’s something magical about waking up in Bordeaux and following the irresistible scent of warm butter and freshly baked bread drifting down cobblestone streets. It’s everywhere!
On our recent trip to France, Alain and I spent a week in the southern city of Bordeaux. You can read all about our suggestions for Top Things to Do in Bordeaux.
We were especially excited to try all of the baked goods at local boulangeries that we could. And it truly feels like there’s a boulangerie on every corner; there are at least several in each neighborhood.
Step inside, and you’re instantly enveloped in the warm aroma of golden, buttery croissants, crusty baguettes, and flaky pastries still warm from the oven. It’s like a little slice of French heaven.
During our recent trip to France, we fell into the rhythm of it all. The daily ritual of stopping into the neighborhood boulangerie for your bread. Exchanging smiles with the baker and several “Bonjour!”s with fellow customers. Then tucking a warm baguette under your arm as you head home.
We both totally fell in love with boulangerie life in this beautiful French city. And if you visit Bordeaux, I hope you, too, will enjoy this good life.
Table of Contents
What’s a boulangerie?
The word boulangerie translates to “bakery.” It’s where you’ll find heavenly loaves of freshly baked bread. They open early and often close by mid-afternoon/
French boulangeries hold a sacred place in daily life. Here, baking isn’t just a craft—it’s a proud tradition. Every baguette, pain au chocolat, and brioche is shaped by hand, baked that morning, and made with simple, high-quality ingredients that honor centuries-old techniques.
What to order at Bordeaux boulangeries
While you should absolutely try a boulangerie’s specialty item that other bakeries may not offer, there are a few French classics that you shouldn’t leave without trying.
- Baguette – The quintessential French loaf with a crisp golden crust and soft, airy interior. Every boulangerie makes baguettes. One of my favorite parts of the day is watching everyone — young, old, men, women, in sweatpants and in business suits – walking around town with their daily baguette under their arm. It’s perfect for breakfast with butter and jam or alongside cheese and wine during apéro later in the day.
- Croissant – Buttery, flaky, and delicately layered, this crescent-shaped pastry is a breakfast staple that melts in your mouth with every bite. We found that most boulangeries sell traditional butter croissants, chocolate croissants, and almond croissants, among more creative combinations.
- Pain au chocolat – Similar to a croissant but usually shaped in a square instead of crescent and filled with rich dark chocolate, this is the ultimate indulgence for morning coffee or an afternoon pick-me-up.
- Canelé de Bordeaux – A Bordeaux specialty with a caramelized crust and tender, custardy center flavored with rum and vanilla (check out the best place to ry canelés further down in the post!).
- Brioche – A soft, slightly sweet bread made with eggs and butter. Brioche is often shaped into golden rounds or loaves.
- Éclair – A light choux pastry filled with silky pastry cream and filled with glossy icing, eclairs are equal parts elegant and indulgent. I think Alain ate an eclair almost every day we were in France — they’re SO good! We usually get chocolate and a coffee eclair, but they come in so many flavors. The boulangerie down the street from our AirBnB in Bergerac sold beautiful pink and purple cassis violet eclairs.
- Chausson aux pommes – A buttery puff pastry turnover filled with warm, spiced apple compote. It’s like an apple hand pie, offering all the cozy flavors of a French apple pie in handheld form.
- Pain aux raisins – Swirls of buttery pastry dotted with plump raisins and pastry cream, often enjoyed warm with a café crème.
Bordeaux boulangerie crawl
Being super foodies who are both obsessed with baked goods, I put together our own Bordeaux Boulangerie Crawl. There are boulangeries in every neighborhood, so I found some of the best in the Saint-Michel neighborhood, which is where our AirBnB was located.
I mapped them out according to proximity to one another, as well as hours of operation. Some opened early (6:30 am – 7:30 am) and a couple opened later in the morning (between 9:00 and 10:00am).
We visited five boulangeries, and it took us just about 3 hours total. When visiting boulangeries, you want to take your time. Order some coffee to go with your morning pastry and take a seat. It’s a fun excuse to enjoy some great people watching, as many boulangeries are located in popular squares.
La Boulangerie Saint-Michel
As luck would have it, in researching the best boulangeries in Bordeaux, one that consistently came up also happened to be less than a 5-minute walk from our Bordeaux AirBnB.
La Boulangerie Saint-Michel is located right down the street from the Saint-Michel Cathedral, and facing the neighborhood’s main square. There’s usually a short line that moves fairly quickly. They focus on breads, but also have some pastries and sandwiches.
📍 49 Rue des Faures, 33000 Bordeaux, France
Hours: daily from 7:00 am to 7:30 pm
Learn more at the La Boulangerie Saint-Michel website.
Cafe Michel MaBelle
Just a short 2-minute walk from La Boulangerie Saint-Michel is Michel MaBelle.
The first plant-based pastry shop in Bordeaux, Michel MaBelle (yes, like the Beatles song) is an adorable and popular boulangerie that sells a nice selection of tempting sweet pastries as well.
You can grab one of the tables outside to watch the bustling action of the neighborhood. Or, if those are full (as they were when we arrived), there are quite a few indoor tables as well.
The charming interior is decorated with mostly second hand furniture, and is definitely a soft, relaxing, trendy vibe. This is one of my favorite spots to grab an espresso, an almond croissant, and soak up the morning energy.
Two locations:
📍15 rue Maucoudinat•St Pierre
📍33 rue Gaspard Philippe•St Michel
Hours: open daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Learn more at the Michel MaBelle website.
Bakery Art Gallery (BAG)
About a 10-12 minute walk from Michel MaBelle is BAG (Bakery Art Gallery). This multi-purpose building is home to Bordeaux’s first 100% gluten-free and organic bakery and pastry shop. It shares space with a contemporary art gallery, publishing house, and stores.
A popular stop for locals and tourists alike, there was a line that reached outside the door when we arrived. But once you order, there are plenty of tables both indoors and out on their private outdoor terrace.
The breads, cakes and biscuits are made with Chambelland rice flour from organic farming. Breads come in three sizes: Anton, Luna and Ingot. In addition to the classic French pastries, they also offer a selection of salads, sandwiches, and both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages.
A great deal is to go for either the Breakfast Bag or the Lunch Bag.
THE BREAKFAST BAG €9.90 includes freshly squeezed orange juice, tea or coffee, luna plain or chocolate chips, butter and jam.
THE LUNCH BAG €17.90 includes your choice of sandwich or quiche, a dessert of the day or cake, tea or coffee or infused water.
📍 24 rue du Mirail, 33000 Bordeaux
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 7:00 am – 9:00 pm
Learn more at the BAG (Bakery Art Gallery) website.
Cassonade
The final stop in our Bordeaux boulangerie crawl is in central Bordeaux, just about a 15-minute walk from BAG.
Famously touted as THE best place to get a classic Bordeaux cannelés, Cassonade (which translates to “brown sugar”) is a charming small boulangerie just down the street from Grosse Cloche.
Here, the classic French cannelés are baked in authentic copper molds. They’re made with organic, natural ingredients. Cassonade makes them in four flavors: Classic, Vanilla, Vegan, and Sugar-Free.
From here, it will probably be lunch time (more food!). You can find several places for lunch in this area. Just be sure to plan your lunch for between 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm. Most restaurants won’t open for lunch until noon, and many close at either 2:00, 2:30, or 3:00 for a break before dinner opening between 5:30 and 7:00pm.
📍 53 Rue Saint James, Bordeaux
Hours: Tuesday to Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Friday to Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Learn more at the Cassonade website.
There are SO many boulangeries to choose from in Bordeaux. Each is unique in its own way, and honestly, I haven’t been to one that I didn’t enjoy. You can almost always find a high quality baguette, croissant, and eclair at any boulangerie you choose. And, I haven’t had an espresso I didn’t enjoy in France. You can’t go wrong!
Marlynn’s Tip
My tips for creating your own Bordeaux boulangerie crawl
There are SO many amazing boulangeries in Bordeaux. You can create your own based on which neighborhood you are staying in. Here are my tips for creating your own Bordeaux boulangerie crawl:
- Do your research beforehand so that you can plan out the morning.
- Plot out each boulangerie on a map, noting the walking distance between each.
- Make a list of each boulangerie’s specialty/specialties, if any, so you can remember to try it when you’re there.
- Wear comfortable walking shoes and stretchy pants or a flowy dress/skirt.
- Remember to hydrate throughout.
- Always greet the staff with “bonjour,” order your food and drinks with a “s’il vous plait,” and leave with an “au revoir.” Even if you don’t speak French, these little bits of French go a long way and are appreciated.
Bordeaux boulangerie FAQs
A boulangerie is essentially a bakery that makes a variety of breads and bread products.
A pâtisserie, on the other hand, is a sweet wonderland specializing in delicate desserts. Think éclairs, macarons, and tarts crafted by a trained pastry chef.
Now, a boulangerie may also have pastries that you would find in a pâtisserie. However, a shop that’s labeled only as a pâtisserie is usually devoted to sweet pastries and doesn’t also make bread.
France does not have the same tipping culture as countries such as the United States. Workers in France are paid fair wages, and a tip is not expected. However, it is acceptable to leave small change or round up your bill if you’d like to leave a little something after you order.
More France travel
Follow on Instagram
