Alain Juppé, former prime minister of France and long-time mayor of Bordeaux, initiated massive renovations of the city in the 1990’s, bringing the formerly dark and closed city into the 21st century. An efficient and wide-reaching tramway spread over the city, huge restructuring of the quays along the Garonne River, an opening of the Vieille Ville and the cleaning up of many of the medieval buildings have totally transformed Bordeaux into a modern, elegant and bright city. Take a short tour of the new city and enjoy the beautiful Bordeaux architecture.
Start at the Place Quinconces, the largest public square in France. Formerly the home of a medieval fortress demolished in 1820, the Quinconques Square today boasts a 43-metre monument to the victims of the Terror who were guillotined during the French Revolution. Adorned with several dramatic statues of horses representing the Garonne River, the Dordogne River, and the city of Bordeaux, the motto “Liberty Breaking Free from her Chains” expresses the spirit of this proud city today.
From the Quinconces Square, make your way to the Grand Theatre, currently the Bordeaux Opera House, surrounded by arcades and a portico with giant columns, it hosts a lively restaurant and is general meeting place for the Bordelais residents.
Take Tram B a few stops along the Quai des Chartrons to witness the incredible upheaval in this former portuary area, all cleaned up. Several new shops, restaurants, covered markets and chic boutiques nest in the old warehouses where wine barrels once stood. Always the busy center of town as the main center of the wine trade, the Chartrons boardwalk, a few kilometers long, has been remade as a public garden and follows the banks of Garonne and ends up a the Public Gardens, passing in front of the beautiful buildings of the Bourse and the remarkable “mirror of water”.
Innovative design can be found throughout Bordeaux today, expressing its renewal and dynamism while remaining true to its former glory as the center of the French wine trade.
If you plan on visiting, take this Bordeaux Architecture walking tour and enjoy the sites!
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