Bordeaux · With kids

The natural history museum at 5 Place Bardineau inside the Jardin Public, holding over a million specimens with a room set aside for the youngest visitors. Tuesday to Sunday 10.30am–6pm April to September and to 5.30pm in winter, closed Mondays. €6, or €8 with the temporary exhibition.

Hands-on science in Hangar 20 on Quai de Bacalan, with a play space for 3–6s, a food-science lab for 6–12s and workshops for 8–14s. Tuesday to Friday 2pm–6pm and weekends 2pm–7pm in term time, 11am–7pm on weekdays during the Zone A school holidays, closed Mondays.

In the Bourgailh forest about 20 minutes out of town: €19.50 for adults, €16.50 for 3–11s, free under three, parking free. Bus 77 stops at Zoo de Pessac about 900 metres from the gate. The snack bar runs daily only in the school holidays, otherwise Wednesdays and weekends.

Two catamarans work the Garonne between Bordeaux, Bègles and Lormont as part of the ordinary transport network. Any TBM ticket covers it, or the crew sell a €2 ticket on board — a boat ride for the price of a tram, and the quickest way to restart a tired child.

The Bordeaux CityPass bundles unlimited TBM travel for 24, 48 or 72 hours with entry to a list of museums, the Muséum among them. It is worth it only if you are genuinely doing two or more paid sites a day; with small children who need a slower pace, single tickets usually win.