Moon Phase Bordeaux

Moon Phase Bordeaux: New Moon

On Saturday, October 10, 2026, the moon in Bordeaux is a New Moon with 0% illumination. Moon age: 29.1 days.

Illumination
0%
Moon Age
29.1d
Next Full Moon
Oct 26
Distance
--
☽ Moonrise
8:04 AM
↑ Highest
—
☾ Moonset
7:09 PM

Bordeaux, France-current-moon-phase-today

☽ Best Places to View the Moon in Bordeaux, France

Bordeaux sits at roughly 44.84°N on the Garonne River in southwestern France, the ninth-largest city in France with around 268,000 residents. Much of its historic urban area forms the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Bordeaux, Port of the Moon," inscribed in 2007, a name that refers to the crescent-shaped bend the Garonne makes as it curves through the city — and could hardly suit this page better. Between a royal square with its famous reflecting pool, a Gothic cathedral, and a museum devoted entirely to wine, Bordeaux gives a genuinely fitting set of places to watch the real thing overhead.

1

Place de la Bourse & Miroir d'eau

An 18th-century royal square developed between 1730 and 1755, its symmetrical façades facing the Garonne across from the Miroir d'eau, a shallow reflecting pool installed in 2006 that alternates between a mirror-like sheet of water and a fine mist. Illuminated after dark, it's one of the most photographed spots in the city and an easy, central option for an evening out.

2

Pont de Pierre

A stone bridge over the Garonne commissioned by Napoleon and inaugurated in 1822, giving a view back toward the Basilica of Saint-Michel and the riverside quays. Its position over the river gives photographers an unusually open view compared with the surrounding streets.

3

Cité du Vin

A contemporary museum devoted to wine and wine culture, its distinctive swirling architecture standing out along the riverbank. It's best treated as a daytime or early-evening stop, since it generally closes by 18:00–19:00 depending on the season — check current hours if you want to combine an exhibition or tasting with your visit.

4

Place des Quinconces

The largest square in Europe at around 12 hectares, home to the Monument aux Girondins and its fountain. Its open expanse gives a wide sightline over the city, making it an easy stop for an ordinary evening.

5

Cathédrale Saint-André & Tour Pey-Berland

A Gothic cathedral recognized as part of the UNESCO-listed Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France, standing beside its separate bell tower. The surrounding old town gives a historic, easy-to-walk setting for an evening near the cathedral's towers.

6

Chartrons District

A former merchants' quarter along the river, its historic trading houses now home to antique shops, galleries, and restaurants. Its riverside quays give a quieter alternative to the busier Place de la Bourse for a walk along the water.

◉ Best Times for Moon Photography

🌕 Full Moon ±1 day — the Garonne riverbank and Place des Quinconces both give an open sightline over water or open ground
❄ Dec–Feb — mild, wet winters typical of Bordeaux's oceanic climate
🌙 Mar–May & Sep–Nov — comfortable evenings for a walk along the quays or through Chartrons
☀ Jun–Aug — warm summer evenings typical of this part of southwestern France
🥶 Winters are generally mild, with freezing temperatures uncommon and rain a regular feature

📷 Quick Photography Tips

🎯A tripod helps at open spots like the Garonne riverbank and Place des Quinconces, more exposed than the streets of the old town
🪞The Miroir d'eau, in its mirror phase, can double a moonrise reflection right in front of Place de la Bourse — a genuinely unusual composition
🍷Check current opening hours for the Cité du Vin, since it closes well before a typical late evening
🔋Damp air near the river can affect gear over a long evening outdoors — carry a cloth to wipe down equipment
🕐 Timezone

Bordeaux runs on Central European Time (UTC+1), shifting to Central European Summer Time (UTC+2) for daylight saving time, from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.

🌐 Other Locations

For the moon phase in any other city worldwide, visit our Dynamic Moon Phase Calculator for instant lunar data tailored to wherever you are.

Enjoy the moon over Bordeaux — a city whose UNESCO World Heritage name, "Port of the Moon," refers to the crescent-shaped bend of the Garonne through its historic centre.

The moon phase today in Bordeaux, France is shown in detail above — complete with exact illumination percentage, moonrise/set times, and the best viewpoints to see it. For the moon phase today in any other city or location worldwide, visit our Dynamic Moon Phase Calculator on the home page.

◐ While Actually There

Bordeaux's UNESCO name isn't a coincidence dreamed up for tourism purposes — "Port of the Moon" describes the actual crescent-shaped bend the Garonne makes as it passes through the historic centre, a shape sailors and mapmakers noticed long before the city thought to make it official. It's a rare case of a place naming itself, quite literally, after the same shape this page is all about.

The Miroir d'eau takes that theme and runs with it in its own way. Installed in 2006 directly across from the 18th-century Place de la Bourse, the shallow pool alternates between a mirror-like sheet of water and a fine mist — a modern addition that somehow fits naturally beside a square built more than 250 years earlier.

None of it requires much beyond checking the Cité du Vin's hours, since it closes well before a typical late evening. Place de la Bourse, Place des Quinconces, and the riverside quays are all straightforward for an ordinary evening without much advance planning.

"Bordeaux's UNESCO name, 'Port of the Moon,' isn't poetic license — it's the actual crescent shape the Garonne carves through the city."

✓ Your Bordeaux Moon Chase Checklist

Before You Go

  • Check the moonrise time and phase on this page for each night of your stay
  • Check current opening hours for the Cité du Vin if you want to combine it with your visit
  • Check current opening hours for Cathédrale Saint-André and Tour Pey-Berland if you want to go inside, not just view the exterior
  • Check whether the Miroir d'eau is in its mirror or misting phase if you want a specific reflection shot
  • Check the forecast for rain, which is a regular feature of Bordeaux's oceanic climate

What to Bring

  • A light rain layer regardless of season — Bordeaux's oceanic climate brings rain year-round
  • A tripod, useful at open spots like the Garonne riverbank and Place des Quinconces
  • Comfortable shoes for walking between Place de la Bourse, Chartrons, and the cathedral
  • A warm layer for winter evenings, even though freezing temperatures are uncommon
  • A cloth to wipe down camera gear after time near the river

On the Night

  • Arrive 20–30 minutes before moonrise at open spots like Place des Quinconces or the Garonne riverbank
  • Shoot RAW and bracket exposures, especially where the illuminated Place de la Bourse mixes with moonlight
  • Watch for wet or slippery quays after rain, especially along the riverbank
  • Confirm current transport options if visiting the Cité du Vin, since it sits a little further from the centre
  • Watch for changing weather conditions, particularly during unsettled periods
The Cité du Vin and Cathédrale Saint-André both run on their own posted hours — check current times before building an evening around either.
The moon over Bordeaux shares the sky with a city whose very name refers to a lunar crescent, a reflecting pool that doubles the view, and a Gothic cathedral standing over centuries of history. Use the phase calendar on this page, check Cité du Vin and cathedral hours before you go, and let the Miroir d'eau do some of the reflecting for you.

? Bordeaux Moon Phase — Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the moon phase today in Bordeaux?

The moon phase today in Bordeaux is a New Moon with 0% illumination. The next full moon is in 17 days, on Oct 26. Moonrise is at 8:04 AM and moonset at 7:09 PM.

Q. Where is the best place to view the moon in Bordeaux?

Place de la Bourse and the Miroir d'eau form the most photographed riverside spot, with the 18th-century square facing the Garonne and a shallow reflecting pool in front of it. The Pont de Pierre gives an open view over the river and back toward the Basilica of Saint-Michel, while the Chartrons quays offer a quieter stretch of the waterfront. Place des Quinconces, at around 12 hectares the largest square in Europe, gives a wide open sightline over the city, and the area around Cathédrale Saint-André and Tour Pey-Berland adds a Gothic old-town setting. The Cité du Vin is better treated as a daytime or early-evening stop.

Q. Where does the moon rise and set in Bordeaux, and how high does it climb?

At about 44.8°N, Bordeaux's moonrise and moonset points swing across the horizon each month, from roughly northeast to southeast for rising and northwest to southwest for setting. A winter full moon culminates high in the south, at roughly 70° above the horizon, while a summer full moon stays low, peaking near 20°. The historic centre sits on the west bank of the Garonne, so the quays and Place de la Bourse generally look east across the river, which is the direction of a rising full moon, while a setting moon drops behind the city. Check the azimuth for your date and exact spot, since the river's crescent-shaped bend changes the direction the waterfront faces.

Q. Is light pollution a problem for moon observing in Bordeaux?

The moon is bright enough to observe and photograph from almost anywhere in Bordeaux, so light pollution rarely limits the lunar disc itself. It does wash out earthshine on a thin crescent and any faint sky detail. The illuminated Place de la Bourse, the quays and the old town all carry substantial artificial lighting, so Bordeaux is a light-polluted site rather than a dark-sky one, best suited to moon-over-city and moon-over-river compositions.

Q. What camera settings and phases work best for moon photography in Bordeaux?

For a full moon, start with Looney 11 (f/11, ISO 100, 1/100 s) and refine using your histogram, since it is a baseline rather than a guarantee. The moon is much brighter than the illuminated Place de la Bourse and the river, so shoot RAW and bracket or blend exposures to keep both crater detail and the lit foreground. A full moon rises around sunset, which suits an evening at the quays, and a waxing gibbous is useful for blue hour while the foreground is still lit. A 200–400 mm lens helps isolate the moon against the skyline across the Garonne, with a tripod for bracketing and manual focus on the moon using magnified live view.

Q. How does Bordeaux's oceanic climate affect moon viewing?

Bordeaux has a mild oceanic climate with regular rain and cloud, so a clear lunar window can be shorter than the forecast suggests and conditions can change quickly. Damp air near the Garonne can also soften lunar contrast and leave dew on lenses over a long evening. The Miroir d'eau alternates between a still mirror phase and a misting phase, so a moon reflection in the pool needs the mirror phase, calm air and the pool sitting between you and the moon. Check local forecasts for cloud, rain and visibility before heading out, and carry a lens cloth to wipe down equipment.

Q. Can I shoot the moon at Bordeaux's viewpoints after dark?

Access varies by site. The Cité du Vin generally closes by 18:00–19:00 depending on the season, so it suits daytime or early evening rather than a late moonrise. Cathédrale Saint-André and Tour Pey-Berland keep their own posted hours, so confirm them if you want to go inside rather than photograph the exterior. Place de la Bourse, Place des Quinconces and the riverside quays are open urban spaces, though quays can be wet or slippery after rain. Check whether the Miroir d'eau is in its mirror or misting phase if you want a specific reflection.

Q. Does this page work for cities besides Bordeaux?

This page is set up specifically for Bordeaux, France. For the moon phase in any other city or location worldwide, use the Dynamic Moon Phase Calculator on the moonphase.today home page.