Bordeaux Old Town
In the Bordeaux Old Town district – called Saint Pierre – you will find a unique atmosphere: it is the place where the inhabitants used to gather and where all the ships used to arrive, together with their merchandise.
Facing the Garonne river and the port, the Bordeaux Old Town is full of important historic buildings, along with museums and beautiful sights. First of all, there, you can find the iconic Place de la Bourse, with the most famous sight of Bordeaux, the Water Mirror. This 3,450-square metre reflecting pool was built in 2006: it is made of granite and it is covered by 2 cm of water.
In the Bordeaux Old Town, you can visit the magnificent Cathedral: it is a Roman Catholic church dedicated to Saint Andrew, where you can still see an old Roman wall in the nave, along with the beautiful Marcadé Collection, a series of paintings, sculptures, objects and liturgical vestments. It was consecrated by Pope urban II and today it is the seat of the archbishop. Some architectural elements are worth a visit: the Door of Arrows, the Gargoyles, the North Rose Window and the Choir. Outside the impressive church, you will also find the gothic Tower Pey-Berland, a quadrangular building which used to protect the cathedral from the vibration of the bells.
In the Bordeaux Old Town, you cannot miss the Museum of Fine Arts, one of the largest art galleries outside Paris. The collections focus on French and Dutch painters and consist of paintings, sculptures and drawings. There, you can enjoy some of the best pieces of art by Tiziano, Delacroix, Seurat, Rubens, Matisse and Picasso.
However, do not forget to have a break and relax! In Saint Pierre, you can eat in one of the small bars, restaurants and bistros spread around the district and, above all, you can enjoy the cosy and warm atmosphere of the ‘real’ Bordeaux!
Additional sightseeings in Bordeaux
