Bordeaux ( bor-DOH, French: ; is a city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, southwestern France. A port city, it is the capita…Bordeaux ( bor-DOH, French: ; is a city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, southwestern France. A port city, it is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture of the Gironde department. Its inhabitants are called "Bordelais" or "Bordelaises". The term "Bordelais" may also refer to the city and its surrounding region.