Property for sale in Bouliac, Bordeaux: vineyards and river views

The balcony of Bordeaux

Set on the first hillsides of the right bank, south-east of Bordeaux, Bouliac looks down over the Garonne. People often call it the balcony of Bordeaux, and you only need to walk up to the church to see why: the city, the river and its banks stretch out at your feet.

With just under 4,000 inhabitants, Bouliac has kept the size of a village while being part of Bordeaux Métropole. Saint-Jean station is a little over four kilometres away, and the rocade (Bordeaux’s ring road) runs close by.

A village steeped in history

Bouliac’s history goes back a long way: a cave known as the Ermitage holds traces of the Palaeolithic, and the church stands on the site of a Gallo-Roman villa.

The Romanesque church of Saint-Siméon dates from the 12th century and has been a listed historic monument since 1862. In the 15th century, Pey Berland, then the parish priest before becoming Archbishop of Bordeaux, had it fortified. It’s from the square in front of the church that the view over Bordeaux is at its most striking.

Vines, châteaux and wooded valleys

Bouliac has been making wine since Roman times, and a few Côtes de Bordeaux vineyards still survive between the houses. Several châteaux dot the area, such as Château du Pian and Clos de Tojan.

Walkers will find several hiking trails, including one through the wooded valley of the Pian stream, past an old mill and a former watercress bed. The Loc Boué park is another unspoilt green space.

Le Saint-James, designed by Jean Nouvel

Bouliac is also known for Le Saint-James. Its buildings, designed in 1989 by the architect Jean Nouvel, reinterpret the region’s tobacco-drying barns, set among the vines and facing Bordeaux. This starred establishment, a member of Relais & Châteaux, has made Bouliac’s name well beyond the Gironde.

Why buy in Bouliac

Bouliac offers what so many people are looking for on the doorstep of Bordeaux: nature, peace and space, without giving up the city. You can set off from home for long walks through the valleys and vineyards, and still be in central Bordeaux in no time.

In recent years the village centre has really come to life. Around the Halle Vettiner, you do your shopping at the Friday morning market, stop by the butcher’s or the bakery, and meet for a drink at apéritif time. Bouliac has kept its village soul, with a real life around its square.

The town also has a nursery, a pre-school and a primary school, sports facilities, and several bus lines linking it to Bordeaux.

A sale story: a second home in Bouliac

A few years ago, I sold a house in Bouliac to a couple from Paris looking for a second home. I was more used to seeing buyers like them head for the Bassin d’Arcachon. They wanted Saint-Jean station close by, so they could come down for the weekend, and above all the countryside feel they missed in Paris. They chose a lovely renovated house with a pool, set a little higher up, with an open view. Their first priority: being not so far from Paris after all, and enjoying nature and long walks from Saturday morning onwards.

Here, I pay particular attention to the view over the Garonne and Bordeaux, the size and orientation of the plot, and the quality of construction on the hillsides. A beautiful house in Bouliac with a view is a rare find.

If you’re thinking of settling in Bouliac, or selling a property there, I’d be delighted to talk it over with you.