Written by Nadège · Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Point Rouge is not, by any stretch, a vegetarian address. The menu at this bar-restaurant on quai de Paludate leans into hare à la royale, scallops, and Iberian pork. When we booked, we asked chef Christophe Girardot to build us an entirely vegetarian dinner, and he took on the challenge without blinking, pulling it off with the same skill he always brings.
We go back a long way with Christophe, and it shows. We’ve known him for years now, so catching up with him and his cooking again was a genuine pleasure for the three of us.
A former wine merchant’s cellar turned nightlife address
Point Rouge occupies the right wing of Château Descas, built between 1890 and 1893 by Jean Descas, a wine merchant who started with nothing. As the story goes, he began his career rolling barrels along the Bordeaux docks before becoming one of the city’s biggest négociants. The cellar he built could hold up to 1.5 million bottles, with a system of lifts and small wagons moving barrels between floors.
Wine trading stopped in the 1970s, and part of the building became a nightclub that defined a whole generation of Bordeaux nightlife before shutting its doors for sixteen years. Point Rouge moved into this wing of the château, keeping something of that spirit alive: an address you don’t stumble upon by accident, just steps from the Conservatoire tram stop.
Polished concrete, arches and low light
Across 500 square metres split into three spaces, a bar, a restaurant, and a more intimate boudoir-style upper floor, the decor mixes polished concrete with the arches typical of Bordeaux architecture. Red, black and stone dominate, with padded banquettes and deliberately low lighting. An electronic soundtrack runs through the meal without ever drowning out conversation, no small feat given the atmosphere of the place.
In the kitchen, Christophe Girardot took over at Point Rouge after running Paradoxe restaurant in Cenon. With Gaël Geffroy, the restaurant’s owner and a friend of over ten years, he usually runs two menus: a tapas-style small-plates menu to share over cocktails, and a gastronomic menu, La Table du Chef.
A fully vegetarian menu, on request
The chef built the menu partly around dishes already on the regular carte, and partly from scratch, like a beetroot tartare treated exactly like a beef tartare would be. Nothing felt thrown together at the last minute; the result had the same precision as the rest of the menu. A standout tomato starter, a main course so good our neighbours were probably jealous, and a dessert built around nectarine, light and fresh.
What we loved…
What our daughter loved
Our daughter loves Christophe’s cooking, and it had been far too long since we’d seen him. Special mention for the mocktails: there were plenty of them, and every one was excellent.
What we loved
What we love, plainly, is the generosity of the chef’s cooking and the warmth and attention he brings to what we’re after. We can’t wait to go back. Right now, Point Rouge sits some distance from central Bordeaux, but we’re hoping the neighbourhood catches up to it soon. The place deserves to be found, and so does Christophe Girardot’s cooking, which keeps surprising us every time.
FAQ: Point Rouge
Does Point Rouge have a vegetarian menu on the regular carte?
No, chef Christophe Girardot’s menu is built around meat and fish. A vegetarian menu can still be requested when booking.
Do you need to give notice for a vegetarian dinner?
Yes, it’s best to flag it at the time of booking, several days ahead if possible, so the chef has time to put together a menu that matches the rest of the carte.
How much does a meal at Point Rouge cost?
Starters run 18 to 21 euros, mains 29 to 32 euros (up to 48 euros for certain signature dishes), and desserts 13 to 14 euros. Small plates to share are around 9 to 10 euros each.
Is Point Rouge also a cocktail bar?
Yes, the menu lists more than a hundred cocktails, around 14 euros each, with real care put into house-made ice.
How do you get to Point Rouge?
The restaurant is on quai de Paludate, just steps from the Conservatoire tram stop, in the Sainte-Croix district.
Practical Information
Details
📍 Address: 1 quai de Paludate, 33800 Bordeaux
🕐 Hours: Monday to Saturday, 6pm to 2am. Closed Sunday.
📞 Contact: +33 5 56 94 94 40
🔗 Booking: pointrouge-bdx.com