Bordeaux

Cost of living

In 2018, Bordeaux was considered the fourth most expensive city in France. Influenced by the arrival of the high speed rail line, demand for housing continues to increase. Thus, many real estate projects are born.
In 2015, Bordeaux ranked eighth in the study on the “cost of student life” conducted by the UNEF (National Union of Students of France). This represented a monthly expense of 805 euros. But since then, the continuous increase of expenses is more important in Bordeaux than elsewhere. Indeed, the study highlights a 7.71% increase for 2019-2020 compared to the previous year, while it was 2.83% at the French scale (which is already more than double the inflation). This is due to a significant increase in rents, but also in the price of transportation and university catering. From now on, the monthly amount needed for a student is 962 €.
In terms of real estate, Bordeaux remains the most expensive city in France after Paris. Victim of its success, Bordeaux has seen a real estate boom over 5 years, with a 38 % increase in prices. Recently, it has slowed down and stabilized, returning to normal. According to the study of the real estate portal “SeLoger.com“, the price of real estate had know at the end of November 2018 an increase reaching 10,2 %. But this euphoria had then decreased, and the decrease observed in the market since October 2019 and over one year was 1,1 %. Thus, after very high prices in 2016 and 2017, the prices of old property fell considerably from mid-2019. This decline is confirmed in 2021, although the real estate market remains very dynamic with demand 10% higher than available supply.
On average, count on October 2021, a price per m2 for the purchase of €4,751, and €16 for rent.

Safety

Bordeaux is the pleasant, safe city, where it is good to walk quietly and with family or friends.
However and despite its reputation as a bourgeois city, over the year 2019, the crime figures in Bordeaux are on the rise. The positive point is that homicides have decreased (20 cases recorded against 24 in 2018) accompanied by armed robberies (going from 167 to 152). For the rest, the figures confirm the deterioration of the situation: + 16% for sexual assaults (against 12% at the national level); + 9% for voluntary attacks on physical integrity; + 8% for property crimes (theft, vandalism, burglaries, etc…).
The prefecture justifies these figures by an increase in the department’s population, with 20,000 additional inhabitants each year. Another hypothesis that could explain the increase in sexual assaults could be the “Me Too” movement, which frees up the word and allows for the recording of more acts that are often kept silent.

Les Aubiers is one of the hot districts of Bordeaux. Located in the north of Bordeaux, near the lake, we advise you to avoid it in the evening and at night. The same goes for the Cité Chantecrit, a little further south, as well as the Cité Grand Parc further west, although they are less sensitive than the Aubiers.

It should be noted that Bordeaux and the Gironde department ranks 12th among the most dangerous departments in France, while it represents the 7th most populated department.

Finally, here is a table comparing Bordeaux with other major French cities in terms of crime and security:

Employment

Bordeaux holds the French Tech Label which rewards ecosystems that are favorable and dynamic to the digital economy. Indeed, it is the IT and telecommunications activities that represents two specific employment poles for the city. In 2016, the distribution of employment was as follows according to the three different sectors of activity :

• • Primary sector : 1,9 % of employment in Bordeaux

• • Secondary sector : 15,1 % of Bordeaux employment

• • Tertiary sector : 83 % or Bordeaux employment

Its economic dynamism enables it to maintain a very strong attractiveness to managers, particularly Parisians. As of December 31, 2015, Bordeaux had nearly 38 000 companies, and 95 % of which had fewer than 10 employees, and around 400 with more than 50 employees.
The city also hosts headquarters of large companies such Cdiscount, which specializes in e-commerce. However, the number of head offices is much smaller than in Île-de-France, thus limiting the proposal of functions related to head offices such as marketing or communication departments.
Bordeaux wishes to become a pole of European attractiveness. It is currently ranked 39th among European cities, and aims to reach the tp 20 within the next 15 to 20 years. To achieve this, and to accelerate this development, Bordeaux is investing, among other things, in the “Bordeaux Euratlantique National Interest Operation”. It will be a huge business center developed on 738 hectares around the Saint-Jean train station, and planned for 2027. This project follows the launch of the LGV high speed-line, bringing a stronger influence to the city. Moreover, Bordeaux is one of France’s best-equipped cities in terms of business executives (counting more than 30 000).
Attesting to this growing dynamism, Bordeaux created a record of 11 000 jobs in 2017, compared with 9 100 in 2016, according to a URSSAF study.
The employment rate, which corresponds to the number of employed persons in relation to the number of persons of working age, was 60.6% in 2018 for the Bordeaux metropolitan area. The unemployment rate was then 14.5% according to the INSEE.

Education

Atmosphere & Culture

Despite its nickname “La Belle Endormie” (= “Sleeping Beauty”), Bordeaux has not ceased to be dynamic for more than twenty years. It is also a city that lives by night, like its Saint-Pierres neighborhood located north-east of the old town. You will find many restaurants and bistros for a lively nightlife !
You can also stroll along the quays of La Paludate, passing by Saint Michel, still on the left bank of the Garonne, and La Victoire, more to the west. Enjoy the many concert bars, clubs and pubs with a warm atmosphere. You will notice many tables on the terrace, marked by the openness of the Bordeaux people to the neighboring southern influences, especially Spanish… Moreover, Bordeaux is also and above all a gastronomic destination of choice ! From foie gras to canelé, from smoked trout to Aquitaine caviar, from goat’s cheese to Ossau-Iraty, your palait will appreciate the Girondin art of living by meeting passionate artisans who are open to sharing their know-how with you.

The cultural heritage of Bordeaux 

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007 as an exceptional urban ensemble, Bordeaux Port de la Lune is revitalizing the city center and many neighborhood that are gradually being restructured to respond to an influx of tourists, as well as residents. The unity of its urban and architectural expression has been highlighted through this nomination. Its classical and neoclassical architecture has not experienced any stylistic interruption during the two last centuries.
The city’s cultural heritage is diverse, with beautiful gardens such as The Bordeaux Botanical Garden : it present a wide diversity of species and offers an interesting ecological and pedagogical environment.

But let’s not forget that Bordeaux owes much of its fortune to its wine as well as its port. In fact, in even years, make way for “Bordeaux fêtes le Vin” (Bordelais wine of course, if we have to say so) within the “Sleeping Beauty”. It’s then time to enjoy it, by taking a tasting pass and follow the wine route on the quays. This event brings together more than 1200 winemakers and merchants, 80 appellations and 10 pavilions spread along the quays, facing the Garonne river. There too, are organized multiple sound and lights shows, coupled with various fireworks on the facade of the city’s monuments.
To follow-up on “Bordeaux fête le vin” and stay in this register, we recommend the “Cité du vin”. You will then embark on a beautiful sensorial adventure through the civilization of wine, its grappe varieties and terroirs. The supports are intuitive and playful, for both adults and children.

Choose your neighborhood in Nantes

The most popular neighborhood is the Quinconces, located near the City Hall, the Grand Théâtre, cafes, bars, as well as the main shops. It is one of the most bourgeois districts of Bordeaux, and therefore expensive. The trees planted in 1818 and whose shape represents a “Quinconce” (quincunx) give the name to the square. With 12 hectares, the Quinconces square is the largest in France. The area is quiet and well served by tram lines B and C. Thanks to a boarding pontoon facing the square, you can use the river shuttles to pass from one bank to the other. If you need to get some fresh air, if you are a fan of soft modes of transportation, running or family walks, you can take advantage of the long pedestrian and bicycle paths along the Garonne.
Then follows the Saint-Christoly district, also located in the city center. It is the oldest district of the city. For more than 700 years, the life of the neighborhood was punctuated by its church Saint-Christoly, which has now disappeared. She gave the neighborhood her name. Today, the area is undergoing a major redevelopment project, with many businesses opening around Place Sainte-Catherine. New housing has also been built.
If you wish to be more quiet, and benefit from a larger accommodation or even a house with a garden at more affordable prices, you can move further from the city center. Thus, the choice between the Left Bank and the Right Bank of the Garonne will depend in particular on the location of your work place, as well as of course the price of the m2. Don’t forget that in Bordeaux traffic jams are common, so make sure you check the public transportation connections in the area where you want to live.
On the west side of Bordeaux, the attractive communes are Mérignac which benefits from the tramway, just like Pessac, or Talence located further south which is young and university city. On the east side, therefore on the right bank, the cities of Floirac, Cenon and Lormont represent interesting alternatives. For a very long time, the left bank alone represented the sure value to settle or invest, while the right bank was neglected. But now, this adage is only ancient story.
Two bridges (Pont Saint Jean and Pont de Pierre) allow you to connect by car or on foot with Bordeaux and its city center. A third bridge is under construction (Simone Veil bridge) and should be inaugurated soon. This immediate proximity to Bordeaux has made it particularly attractive in recent years.
The right bank is well suited to those who prefer to settle more quietly in a trendy area. The Darwin Ecosystem is a very nice alternative place which honors many urban activities (repairing, tinkering with your bike, having a drink, doing your shopping, playing sports…). Plan to walk there one afternoon and you won’t be disappointed.