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Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river
Garonne The Garonne (, also , ; Occitan, Catalan, Basque, and es, Garona, ; la, Garumna or ) is a river of southwest France and northern Spain. It flows from the central Spanish Pyrenees to the Gironde estuary at the French port of Bordeaux – ...
in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the
Nouvelle-Aquitaine Nouvelle-Aquitaine (; oc, Nòva Aquitània or ; eu, Akitania Berria; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Novéle-Aguiéne'') is the largest administrative region in France, spanning the west and southwest of the mainland. The region was created by ...
region, as well as the prefecture of the Gironde department. Its inhabitants are called ''"Bordelais"'' (masculine) or ''"Bordelaises"'' (feminine). The term "Bordelais" may also refer to the city and its surrounding region. The city of Bordeaux proper had a population of 260,958 in 2019 within its small municipal territory of , With its 27 suburban municipalities it forms the Bordeaux Metropolis, in charge of metropolitan issues. With a population of 814,049 at the Jan. 2019 census. it is the fifth most populated in France, after
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
,
Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of t ...
,
Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fra ...
and
Lille Lille ( , ; nl, Rijsel ; pcd, Lile; vls, Rysel) is a city in the northern part of France, in French Flanders. On the river Deûle, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Pref ...
and ahead of
Toulouse Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Pa ...
. Together with its suburbs and
exurb An exurb (or alternately: exurban area) is an area outside the typically denser inner suburban area, at the edge of a metropolitan area, which has some economic and commuting connection to the metro area, low housing density, and growth. It s ...
s, except satellite cities of
Arcachon Arcachon ( ; ) is a commune in the southwestern French department of Gironde. It is a popular seaside resort on the Atlantic coast southwest of Bordeaux, in the Landes forest. It has a sandy beach and a mild climate said to be favourable for i ...
and
Libourne Libourne (; oc, label= Gascon, Liborna ) is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the wine-making capital of northern Gironde and lies near Saint-Ém ...
, the Bordeaux metropolitan area had a population of 1,363,711 that same year (Jan. 2019 census), making it the sixth most populated in France, after Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Lille, and
Toulouse Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Pa ...
. Bordeaux is a world capital of wine: many castles and
vineyards A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineyards ...
stand on the hillsides of the Gironde, and the city is home to the world's main wine fair,
Vinexpo Vinexpo is one of the largest exhibitions for wine and spirits professionals from all over the world, held in Bordeaux in uneven years. The first event dates back to year 1981 gathering 524 exhibitors from 21 countries 11,000 professional visitors f ...
. Bordeaux is also one of the centers of gastronomy and business tourism for the organization of international congresses. It is a central and strategic hub for the aeronautics, military and space sector, home to international companies such as Dassault Aviation,
Ariane Group ArianeGroup (formerly Airbus Safran Launchers) is an aerospace company based in France. A joint venture between Airbus and Safran, the company was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Issy-les-Moulineaux. It consists of three core arms: aero ...
, Safran and Thalès. The link with aviation dates back to 1910, the year the first airplane flew over the city. A crossroads of knowledge through university research, it is home to one of the only two
megajoule laser The joule ( , ; symbol: J) is the unit of energy in the International System of Units, International System of Units (SI). It is equal to the amount of Work (physics), work done when a force of 1 Newton (unit), newton displaces a mass through ...
s in the world, as well as a university population of more than 130,000 students within the Bordeaux Metropolis. Bordeaux is an international tourist destination for its architectural and cultural heritage with more than 350 historic monuments, making it, after Paris, the city with the most listed or registered monuments in France. The "''Pearl of Aquitaine''" has been voted European Destination of the year in a 2015 online poll. The metropolis has also received awards and rankings by international organizations such as in 1957, Bordeaux was awarded the Europe Prize for its efforts in transmitting the European ideal. In June 2007, the
Port of the Moon The ''Port de la Lune'' (Port of the Moon) is the name given to the harbour of Bordeaux, dating to the Middle Ages, because of the shape of the river crossing the city. It is represented by a crescent on the coat of arms of Bordeaux, and by three ...
in historic Bordeaux was inscribed on the
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage List A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
, for its outstanding architecture and urban ensemble and in recognition of Bordeaux's international importance over the last 2000 years. Bordeaux is also ranked as a Sufficiency city by the
Globalization and World Cities Research Network The Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) is a think tank that studies the relationships between world cities in the context of globalization. It is based in the geography department of Loughborough University in Leicestershire ...
.


History


5th century BC to 11th century AD

Around 300 BC, the region was the settlement of a
Celtic tribe Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages ** Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Fo ...
, the Bituriges Vivisci, named the town Burdigala, probably of Aquitanian origin. In 107 BC, the
Battle of Burdigala The Battle of Burdigala (the Roman name for Bordeaux, with stress on the 'i') was a battle of the Cimbrian War that occurred in the year 107 BC. The battle was fought between a combined Germanic-Celtic army including the Helvetian Tigurini unde ...
was fought by the Romans who were defending the
Allobroges The Allobroges (Gaulish: *''Allobrogis'', 'foreigner, exiled'; grc, Ἀλλοβρίγων, Ἀλλόβριγες) were a Gallic people dwelling in a large territory between the Rhône river and the Alps during the Iron Age and the Roman period. ...
, a
Gallic tribe The Gauls ( la, Galli; grc, Γαλάται, ''Galátai'') were a group of Celtic peoples of mainland Europe in the Iron Age and the Roman period (roughly 5th century BC to 5th century AD). Their homeland was known as Gaul (''Gallia''). They spo ...
allied to Rome, and the
Tigurini The Tigurini were a clan or tribe forming one out of four '' pagi'' (provinces) of the Helvetii. The Tigurini were the most important group of the Helvetii, mentioned by both Julius Caesar and Poseidonius, settling in the area of what is now th ...
led by
Divico Divico was a Celtic king and the leader of the Helvetian tribe of the Tigurini. During the Cimbrian War, in which the Cimbri and Teutons invaded the Roman Republic, he led the Tigurini across the Rhine to invade Gaul in 109 BC. He defeated a Roma ...
. The Romans were defeated and their commander, the
consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states throu ...
Lucius Cassius Longinus, was killed in battle. The city came under
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
rule around 60 BC, and it became an important commercial centre for
tin Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn (from la, stannum) and atomic number 50. Tin is a silvery-coloured metal. Tin is soft enough to be cut with little force and a bar of tin can be bent by hand with little effort. When bent, t ...
and
lead Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cu ...
. During this period were built the amphitheatre and the monument ''Les Piliers de Tutelle''. File:Bordeaux - Pilliers de Tutelle.jpg, ''Les Piliers de Tutelle'' File:Bordeaux - Palais Gallien 2.jpg, The Roman amphitheatre In 276, it was sacked by the
Vandals The Vandals were a Germanic people who first inhabited what is now southern Poland. They established Vandal kingdoms on the Iberian Peninsula, Mediterranean islands, and North Africa in the fifth century. The Vandals migrated to the area betw ...
. The Vandals attacked again in 409, followed by the
Visigoths The Visigoths (; la, Visigothi, Wisigothi, Vesi, Visi, Wesi, Wisi) were an early Germanic people who, along with the Ostrogoths, constituted the two major political entities of the Goths within the Roman Empire in late antiquity, or what is ...
in 414, and the
Franks The Franks ( la, Franci or ) were a group of Germanic peoples whose name was first mentioned in 3rd-century Roman sources, and associated with tribes between the Lower Rhine and the Ems River, on the edge of the Roman Empire.H. Schutz: Tools, ...
in 498, and afterwards the city fell into a period of relative obscurity. In the late sixth century the city re-emerged as the seat of a county and an archdiocese within the
Merovingian The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from the middle of the 5th century until 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the Franks and northern Gauli ...
kingdom of the Franks Francia, also called the Kingdom of the Franks ( la, Regnum Francorum), Frankish Kingdom, Frankland or Frankish Empire ( la, Imperium Francorum), was the largest post-Roman barbarian kingdom in Western Europe. It was ruled by the Franks duri ...
, but royal Frankish power was never strong. The city started to play a regional role as a major urban center on the fringes of the newly founded Frankish
Duchy of Vasconia A duchy, also called a dukedom, is a medieval country, territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess, a ruler hierarchically second to the king or queen in Western European tradition. There once existed an important difference between " ...
. Around 585 Gallactorius was made
Count of Bordeaux The Count of Bordeaux (Latin ''comes Burdagalensis'') was the ruler of the city of Bordeaux and its environs in the Merovingian and Carolingian periods. The names of the counts are scarcely known until the ninth century, when they start to take on ...
and fought the Basques. In 732, the city was plundered by the troops of Abd er Rahman who stormed the fortifications and overwhelmed the Aquitanian garrison. Duke Eudes mustered a force to engage the
Umayyads Umayyads may refer to: *Umayyad dynasty, a Muslim ruling family of the Caliphate (661–750) and in Spain (756–1031) *Umayyad Caliphate (661–750) :*Emirate of Córdoba (756–929) :*Caliphate of Córdoba The Caliphate of Córdoba ( ar, خ ...
, eventually engaging them in the
Battle of the River Garonne The Battle of the River Garonne, also known as the Battle of Bordeaux,Matthew Bennett ''The Hutchinson Dictionary of Ancient & Medieval Warfare'' 1579581161 1998 p319 "In 732 a large army of (70,000-80,000) men led by Abd ar-Rahman defeated the Aq ...
somewhere near the river Dordogne. The battle had a high death toll, and although Eudes was defeated he had enough troops to engage in the
Battle of Poitiers The Battle of Poitiers was fought on 19September 1356 between a French army commanded by King JohnII and an Anglo- Gascon force under Edward, the Black Prince, during the Hundred Years' War. It took place in western France, south of Poit ...
and so retain his grip on Aquitaine. In 737, following his father Eudes's death, the Aquitanian duke Hunald led a rebellion to which
Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...
responded by launching an expedition that captured Bordeaux. However, it was not retained for long, during the following year the Frankish commander clashed in battle with the Aquitanians but then left to take on hostile Burgundian authorities and magnates. In 745 Aquitaine faced another expedition where Charles's sons Pepin and Carloman challenged Hunald's power and defeated him. Hunald's son Waifer replaced him and confirmed Bordeaux as the capital city (along with Bourges in the north). During the last stage of the war against Aquitaine (760–768), it was one of Waifer's last important strongholds to fall to the troops of King Pepin the Short. Charlemagne built the fortress of Fronsac (''Frontiacus'', ''Franciacus'') near Bordeaux on a hill across the border with the Basques (''Wascones''), where Basque commanders came and pledged their loyalty (769). In 778, Seguin (or Sihimin) was appointed count of Bordeaux, probably undermining the power of the Duke Lupo, and possibly leading to the
Battle of Roncevaux Pass The Battle of Roncevaux Pass ( French and English spelling, ''Roncesvalles'' in Spanish, ''Orreaga'' in Basque) in 778 saw a large force of Basques ambush a part of Charlemagne's army in Roncevaux Pass, a high mountain pass in the Pyrenees on t ...
. In 814, Seguin was made Duke of
Vasconia The Duchy of Gascony or Duchy of Vasconia ( eu, Baskoniako dukerria; oc, ducat de Gasconha; french: duché de Gascogne, duché de Vasconie) was a duchy located in present-day southwestern France and northeastern Spain, an area encompassing the m ...
, but was deposed in 816 for failing to suppress a Basque rebellion. Under the Carolingians, sometimes the Counts of Bordeaux held the title concomitantly with that of Duke of Vasconia. They were to keep the Basques in check and defend the mouth of the Garonne from the
Viking Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
s when they appeared in c. 844. In Autumn 845, the Vikings were raiding Bordeaux and Saintes, count Seguin II marched on them but was captured and executed. Although the port of Bordeaux was a buzzing trade center, the stability and success of the city was threatened by
Viking Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
and
Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...
incursions and political instability. The restoration of the Ramnulfid
Dukes of Aquitaine The Duke of Aquitaine ( oc, Duc d'Aquitània, french: Duc d'Aquitaine, ) was the ruler of the medieval region of Aquitaine (not to be confused with modern-day Aquitaine) under the supremacy of Frankish, English, and later French kings. As succ ...
under
William IV William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded h ...
and his successors (known as the
House of Poitiers The Ramnulfids, or the House of Poitiers, were a French dynasty ruling the County of Poitou and Duchy of Aquitaine in the 9th through 12th centuries. Their power base shifted from Toulouse to Poitou. In the early 10th century, they contested th ...
) brought continuity of government.


12th century to 15th century, the English era

From the 12th to the 15th century, Bordeaux flourished once more following the marriage of Eléonore, Duchess of
Aquitaine Aquitaine ( , , ; oc, Aquitània ; eu, Akitania; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Aguiéne''), archaic Guyenne or Guienne ( oc, Guiana), is a historical region of southwestern France and a former administrative region of the country. Since 1 Janu ...
and the last of the
House of Poitiers The Ramnulfids, or the House of Poitiers, were a French dynasty ruling the County of Poitou and Duchy of Aquitaine in the 9th through 12th centuries. Their power base shifted from Toulouse to Poitou. In the early 10th century, they contested th ...
, to Henry II Plantagenêt,
Count of Anjou The Count of Anjou was the ruler of the County of Anjou, first granted by Charles the Bald in the 9th century to Robert the Strong. Ingelger and his son, Fulk the Red, were viscounts until Fulk assumed the title of Count of Anjou. The Robertians ...
and the grandson of Henry I of England, who succeeded to the English crown months after their wedding, bringing into being the vast
Angevin Empire The Angevin Empire (; french: Empire Plantagenêt) describes the possessions of the House of Plantagenet during the 12th and 13th centuries, when they ruled over an area covering roughly half of France, all of England, and parts of Ireland and W ...
, which stretched from the
Pyrenees The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to C ...
to Ireland. After granting a tax-free trade status with England, Henry was adored by the locals as they could be even more profitable in the wine trade, their main source of income, and the city benefited from imports of cloth and wheat. The belfry (Grosse Cloche) and city cathedral St-André were built, the latter in 1227, incorporating the artisan quarter of Saint-Paul. Under the terms of the
Treaty of Brétigny The Treaty of Brétigny was a treaty, drafted on 8 May 1360 and ratified on 24 October 1360, between Kings Edward III of England and John II of France. In retrospect, it is seen as having marked the end of the first phase of the Hundred Years ...
it became briefly the capital of an independent state (1362–1372) under
Edward, the Black Prince Edward of Woodstock, known to history as the Black Prince (15 June 1330 – 8 June 1376), was the eldest son of King Edward III of England, and the heir apparent to the English throne. He died before his father and so his son, Richard II, suc ...
, but after the
Battle of Castillon The Battle of Castillon between the forces of England and France took place on 17 July 1453 in Gascony near the town of Castillon-sur-Dordogne (later Castillon-la-Bataille). Historians regard this decisive French victory as marking the end o ...
(1453) it was annexed by France.


15th century to 17th century

In 1462, Bordeaux created a local parliament. Bordeaux adhered to the
Fronde The Fronde () was a series of civil wars in France between 1648 and 1653, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War, which had begun in 1635. King Louis XIV confronted the combined opposition of the princes, the nobility, the law cour ...
, being effectively annexed to the
Kingdom of France The Kingdom of France ( fro, Reaume de France; frm, Royaulme de France; french: link=yes, Royaume de France) is the historiographical name or umbrella term given to various political entities of France in the medieval and early modern period. ...
only in 1653, when the army of
Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Ver ...
entered the city.


18th century, the golden era

The 18th century saw another golden age of Bordeaux. The
Port of the Moon The ''Port de la Lune'' (Port of the Moon) is the name given to the harbour of Bordeaux, dating to the Middle Ages, because of the shape of the river crossing the city. It is represented by a crescent on the coat of arms of Bordeaux, and by three ...
supplied the majority of Europe with coffee, cocoa, sugar, cotton and indigo, becoming France's busiest port and the second busiest port in the world after London. Many downtown buildings (about 5,000), including those on the quays, are from this period. Bordeaux was also a major trading centre for slaves. In total, the Bordeaux shipowners deported 150,000 Africans in some 500 expeditions.


French Revolution: political disruption and loss of the most profitable colony

At the beginning of the
French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
(1789), many local revolutionaries were members of the
Girondists The Girondins ( , ), or Girondists, were members of a loosely knit political faction during the French Revolution. From 1791 to 1793, the Girondins were active in the Legislative Assembly (France), Legislative Assembly and the National Convention ...
. This Party represented the provincial bourgeoisie, favorable towards abolishing aristocracy privileges, but opposed to the Revolution's social dimension. In 1793, the Montagnards led by Robespierre and
Marat Marat may refer to: People *Marat (given name) *Marat (surname) **Jean-Paul Marat (1743-1793), French political theorist, physician and scientist Arts, entertainment, and media *''Marat/Sade'', a 1963 play by Peter Weiss * ''Marat/Sade'' (fil ...
came to power. Fearing a bourgeois misappropriation of the Revolution, they executed a great number of Girondists. During the purge, the local Montagnard Section renamed the city of Bordeaux "Commune-Franklin" (Franklin-municipality) in homage to
Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin ( April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the leading inte ...
. At the same time, in 1791, a
slave revolt A slave rebellion is an armed uprising by enslaved people, as a way of fighting for their freedom. Rebellions of enslaved people have occurred in nearly all societies that practice slavery or have practiced slavery in the past. A desire for freed ...
broke out at Saint-Domingue (current
Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...
), the most profitable of the French colonies. Three years later, the Montagnard Convention abolished slavery. In 1802, Napoleon revoked the manumission law but lost the war against the army of former slaves. In 1804, Haiti became independent. The loss of this "Pearl" of the West Indies generated the collapse of Bordeaux's port economy, which was dependent on the colonial trade and trade in slaves. Towards the end of the
Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...
of 1814, the
Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish people, Anglo-Irish soldier and Tories (British political party), Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of Uni ...
sent William Beresford with two divisions and seized Bordeaux, encountering little resistance. Bordeaux was largely anti-
Bonapartist Bonapartism (french: Bonapartisme) is the political ideology supervening from Napoleon Bonaparte and his followers and successors. The term was used to refer to people who hoped to restore the House of Bonaparte and its style of government. In thi ...
and the majority supported the
Bourbons The House of Bourbon (, also ; ) is a European dynasty of French origin, a branch of the Capetian dynasty, the royal House of France. Bourbon kings first ruled France and Navarre in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Spani ...
. The British troops were treated as liberators.


19th century, rebirth of the economy

From the Bourbon Restoration, the economy of Bordeaux was rebuilt by traders and shipowners. They engaged to construct the first bridge of Bordeaux, and customs warehouses. The shipping traffic grew through the new African colonies.
Georges-Eugène Haussmann Georges-Eugène Haussmann, commonly known as Baron Haussmann (; 27 March 180911 January 1891), was a French official who served as prefect of Seine (1853–1870), chosen by Emperor Napoleon III to carry out a massive urban renewal programme of n ...
, a longtime prefect of Bordeaux, used Bordeaux's 18th-century large-scale rebuilding as a model when he was asked by Emperor
Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was the first President of France (as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte) from 1848 to 1852 and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870. A nephew ...
to transform the quasi-medieval Paris into a "modern" capital that would make France proud.
Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...
found the town so beautiful he said: "Take
Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, ...
, add
Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,
, and you have Bordeaux". In 1870, at the beginning of the Franco-Prussian war against
Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an em ...
, the French government temporarily relocated to Bordeaux from Paris. That recurred during
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and again very briefly during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, when it became clear that Paris would fall into German hands.


20th century

During World War II, Bordeaux fell under
German occupation German-occupied Europe refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were wholly or partly occupied and civil-occupied (including puppet governments) by the military forces and the government of Nazi Germany at various times between 1939 an ...
. In May and June 1940, Bordeaux was the site of the life-saving actions of the Portuguese consul-general, Aristides de Sousa Mendes, who illegally granted thousands of Portuguese visas, which were needed to pass the Spanish border, to refugees fleeing the German occupation. From 1941 to 1943, the
Italian Royal Navy The ''Regia Marina'' (; ) was the navy of the Kingdom of Italy (''Regno d'Italia'') from 1861 to 1946. In 1946, with the birth of the Italian Republic (''Repubblica Italiana''), the ''Regia Marina'' changed its name to ''Marina Militare'' ("M ...
established
BETASOM BETASOM (an Italian language acronym of ''Bordeaux Sommergibile'' or ''Sommergibili'') was a submarine base established at Bordeaux, France by the Italian '' Regia Marina Italiana'' during World War II. From this base, Italian submarines participa ...
, a submarine base at Bordeaux. Italian submarines participated in the Battle of the Atlantic from that base, which was also a major base for German
U-boats U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare rol ...
as headquarters of 12th U-boat Flotilla. The massive, reinforced concrete U-boat pens have proved impractical to demolish and are now partly used as a cultural center for exhibitions.


21st century, listed as World heritage

In 2007, 40% of the city surface area, located around the
Port of the Moon The ''Port de la Lune'' (Port of the Moon) is the name given to the harbour of Bordeaux, dating to the Middle Ages, because of the shape of the river crossing the city. It is represented by a crescent on the coat of arms of Bordeaux, and by three ...
, was listed as World heritage sites. Unesco inscribed Bordeaux as "an inhabited historic city, an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble, created in the age of the Enlightenment, whose values continued up to the first half of the 20th century, with more protected buildings than any other French city except Paris".


Geography

Bordeaux is located close to the European
Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
coast, in the southwest of France and in the north of the Aquitaine region. It is around southwest of Paris. The city is built on a bend of the river Garonne, and is divided into two parts: the right bank to the east and left bank in the west. Historically the left bank is more developed because when flowing outside the bend, the water makes a furrow of the required depth to allow the passing of merchant ships, which used to offload on this side of the river. But, today, the right bank is developing, including new urban projects. In Bordeaux, the Garonne River is accessible to ocean liners through the Gironde estuary. The right bank of the Garonne is a low-lying, often marshy plain.


Climate

Bordeaux's climate was last officially classified as a temperate
oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
(
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''Cfb''), although in more recent temperature records, from 1991 to 2020, it has warmed to become a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
(
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''Cfa''). In the
Trewartha climate classification The Trewartha climate classification (TCC) or the Köppen–Trewartha climate classification (KTC) is a climate classification system first published by American geographer Glenn Thomas Trewartha in 1966. It is a modified version of the Köppen ...
system it was classified as temperate oceanic or ''Do'' climate, but more recent temperature numbers have shown it to have eight months greater than and classify it as subtropical (''Cf''). Winters are cool because of the prevalence of westerly winds from the Atlantic. Summers are warm and long due to the influence from the Bay of Biscay (surface temperature reaches ). The average seasonal winter temperature is , but recent winters have been warmer than this. Frosts in the winter occur several times during a winter, but snowfall is very rare, occurring only once every three years. The average summer seasonal temperature is . The summer of 2003 set a record with an average temperature of . February 1956 was the coldest month on record with an average temperature of −2.00 °C at Bordeaux Mérignac-Airport.


Economy

Bordeaux is a major centre for business in France as it has the sixth largest metropolitan population in France. It serves as a major regional center for trade, administration, services and industry.


Wine

The vine was introduced to the Bordeaux region by the Romans, probably in the mid-first century, to provide wine for local consumption, and wine production has been continuous in the region since. Bordeaux wine growing area has about of
vineyard A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineya ...
s, 57
appellations An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication primarily used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown, although other types of food often have appellations as well. Restrictions other than geographical boun ...
, 10,000 wine-producing estates (châteaux) and 13,000 grape growers. With an annual production of approximately 960 million bottles, the Bordeaux area produces large quantities of everyday wine as well as some of the most expensive wines in the world. Included among the latter are the area's five ''premier cru'' (
First Growth First Growth (french: Premier Cru) status is a classification of wines primarily from the Bordeaux region of France. The best of the best wines were assigned the highest rank of Premier Cru; only five wines, Château Lafite Rothschild, Châtea ...
) red wines (four from
Médoc The Médoc (; oc, label= Gascon, Medòc ) is a region of France, well known as a wine growing region, located in the ''département'' of Gironde, on the left bank of the Gironde estuary, north of Bordeaux. Its name comes from ''(Pagus) Medull ...
and one,
Château Haut-Brion Château Haut-Brion () is a French wine, rated a ''Premier Grand Cru Classé'' ( First Great Growth), produced in Pessac just outside the city of Bordeaux. It differs from the other wines on the list in its geographic location in the north of ...
, from
Graves A grave is a location where a dead body (typically that of a human, although sometimes that of an animal) is buried or interred after a funeral. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as grave ...
), established by the
Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 The Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 resulted from the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris, when Emperor Napoleon III requested a classification system for France's best Bordeaux wines that were to be on display for visitors from ...
: Both red and
white wines White wine is a wine that is fermented without skin contact. The colour can be straw-yellow, yellow-green, or yellow-gold. It is produced by the alcoholic fermentation of the non-coloured pulp of grapes, which may have a skin of any colour. Whi ...
are made in the Bordeaux region. Red Bordeaux wine is called
claret Bordeaux wine ( oc, vin de Bordèu, french: vin de Bordeaux) is produced in the Bordeaux region of southwest France, around the city of Bordeaux, on the Garonne River. To the north of the city the Dordogne River joins the Garonne forming the ...
in the United Kingdom. Red wines are generally made from a blend of grapes, and may be made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc,
Petit verdot Petit Verdot is a variety of red wine grape, principally used in classic Bordeaux blends. It ripens much later than the other varieties in Bordeaux, often too late, so it fell out of favour in its home region. When it does ripen it adds tannin, ...
,
Malbec Malbec () is a purple grape variety used in making red wine. The grapes tend to have an inky dark color and robust tannins, and are known as one of the six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wine. In France, plantations of Malbec are n ...
, and, less commonly in recent years,
Carménère The Carménère grape is a wine grape variety originally planted in the Médoc region of Bordeaux, France, where it was used to produce deep red wines and occasionally used for blending purposes in the same manner as Petit Verdot. A member of t ...
. White Bordeaux is made from Sauvignon blanc,
Sémillon Sémillon is a golden-skinned grape used to make dry and sweet white wines, mostly in France and Australia. Its thin skin and susceptibility to botrytis make it dominate the sweet wine region Sauternes AOC and Barsac AOC. History The Sémil ...
, and
Muscadelle Muscadelle is a white wine grape variety. It has a simple aroma of grape juice and raisins like grapes of the Muscat family of grapes, but it is unrelated. DNA analysis has indicated that Muscadelle is a cross between Gouais blanc and an unid ...
. Sauternes is a sub-region of Graves known for its intensely sweet, white,
dessert wine Dessert wines, sometimes called pudding wines in the United Kingdom, are sweet wines typically served with dessert. There is no simple definition of a dessert wine. In the UK, a dessert wine is considered to be any sweet wine drunk with a meal ...
s such as
Château d'Yquem Château d'Yquem () is a '' Premier Cru Supérieur'' ( Fr: "Superior First Growth") wine from the Sauternes, Gironde region in the southern part of the Bordeaux vineyards known as Graves. In the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, Ch ...
. Because of a wine glut (
wine lake The wine lake refers to a perceived overproduction of wine in the European Union, particularly around 2005–2007. The EU's Common Agricultural Policy contained a number of subsidies for wine producers, leading to a supply glut; this surplus forc ...
) in the generic production, the price squeeze induced by an increasingly strong international competition, and
vine pull schemes Vine pull schemes are programs whereby grape growers receive a financial incentive to pull up their grape vines, a process known as ''arrachage'' in French. A large program of this kind was initiated by the European Union ( EU) in 1988 to reduce t ...
, the number of growers has recently dropped from 14,000 and the area under vine has also decreased significantly. In the meantime, the global demand for first growths and the most famous labels markedly increased and their prices skyrocketed. The
Cité du Vin The Cité du Vin is a museum as well as a place of exhibitions, shows, movie projections and academic seminars on the theme of wine located in Bordeaux, France. Construction Architects The architects were Anouk Legendre and Nicholas Desmazi ...
, a museum as well as a place of exhibitions, shows, movie projections and
academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...
seminar A seminar is a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some parti ...
s on the theme of wine opened its doors in June 2016.


Others

The
Laser Mégajoule Laser Mégajoule (LMJ) is a large laser-based inertial confinement fusion (ICF) research device near Bordeaux, France, built by the French nuclear science directorate, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique (CEA). Laser Mégajoule plans to deliver ...
will be one of the most powerful lasers in the world, allowing
fundamental research Basic research, also called pure research or fundamental research, is a type of scientific research with the aim of improving scientific theories for better understanding and prediction of natural or other phenomena. In contrast, applied resear ...
and the development of the
laser A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word "laser" is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". The fir ...
and plasma technologies. Some 20,000 people work for the aeronautic industry in Bordeaux. The city has some of the biggest companies including
Dassault Dassault Group (; also GIM Dassault or Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault SAS) is a French group of companies established in 1929 with the creation of Société des Avions Marcel Bloch (now Dassault Aviation) by Marcel Dassault, and led by son Ser ...
,
EADS Sogerma Stelia Aerospace (stylized STELIA Aerospace) is an aerospace company headquartered in Toulouse, France. It specializes in the design and manufacture of aerostructures, pilot seats and premium class passenger seats, mainly for the commercia ...
,
Snecma Safran Aircraft Engines, previously Snecma (''Société nationale d'études et de construction de moteurs d'aviation'') or Snecma Moteurs, is a French aerospace engine manufacturer headquartered in Courcouronnes and a subsidiary of Safran. It ...
,
Thales Thales of Miletus ( ; grc-gre, Θαλῆς; ) was a Greek mathematician, astronomer, statesman, and pre-Socratic philosopher from Miletus in Ionia, Asia Minor. He was one of the Seven Sages of Greece. Many, most notably Aristotle, regarded ...
, SNPE, and others. The
Dassault Falcon The Dassault Falcon is a family of business jets, manufactured by Dassault Aviation. July 2017 saw the 2,500th Falcon delivered – a Falcon 900LX – since the first Falcon 20 was handed over to a customer in 1965. The fleet has accumula ...
private jets are built there as well as the
military aircraft A military aircraft is any fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionary armed service of any type. Military aircraft can be either combat or non-combat: * Combat aircraft are designed to destroy enemy equipm ...
Rafale The Dassault Rafale (, literally meaning "gust of wind", and "burst of fire" in a more military sense) is a French twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Equipped with a wide rang ...
and Mirage 2000, the
Airbus A380 The Airbus A380 is a large wide-body airliner that was developed and produced by Airbus. It is the world's largest passenger airliner and only full-length double-deck jet airliner. Airbus studies started in 1988, and the project was annou ...
cockpit, the boosters of Ariane 5, and the
M51 SLBM The M51 SLBM is a French submarine-launched ballistic missile, built by ArianeGroup, and deployed with the French Navy. Designed to replace the M45 SLBM (In French terminology the MSBS – ''Mer-Sol-Balistique-Stratégique'' "Sea-ground-Strategic ...
missile In military terminology, a missile is a guided airborne ranged weapon capable of self-propelled flight usually by a jet engine or rocket motor. Missiles are thus also called guided missiles or guided rockets (when a previously unguided rocke ...
. Tourism, especially
wine tourism Enotourism, oenotourism, wine tourism, or vinitourism refers to tourism whose purpose is or includes the tasting, consumption or purchase of wine, often at or near the source. Where other types of tourism are often passive in nature, enotourism ca ...
, is a major industry. Globelink.co.uk mentioned Bordeaux as the best tourist destination in Europe in 2015. Access to the
port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
from the Atlantic is via the Gironde estuary. Almost nine million tonnes of goods arrive and leave each year.


Major companies

This list includes indigenous Bordeaux-based companies and companies that have major presence in Bordeaux, but are not necessarily headquartered there. *
Arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...
*
Groupe Bernard A group is a military unit or a military formation that is most often associated with military aviation. Air and aviation groups The terms group and wing differ significantly from one country to another, as well as between different branches ...
*
Groupe Castel Castel Group (French Groupe Castel) is a French beverage company. It was established in 1949 by Pierre Castel, who continues to run the company as a family-owned concern. Castel is the largest French wine producer and owns the biggest French an ...
*Cdiscount *Dassault Group, Dassault *Jock (company), Jock *Marie Brizard et Roger International, Marie Brizard *McKesson Corporation *Oxbow (surfwear), Oxbow *Pernod Ricard, Ricard *Sanofi-Aventis, Sanofi Aventis *Smurfit Kappa *
Snecma Safran Aircraft Engines, previously Snecma (''Société nationale d'études et de construction de moteurs d'aviation'') or Snecma Moteurs, is a French aerospace engine manufacturer headquartered in Courcouronnes and a subsidiary of Safran. It ...
*Solectron *Thales Group


Population

In January 2019, there were 260,958 inhabitants in the city proper (commune) of Bordeaux. The commune (including Caudéran which was annexed by Bordeaux in 1965) had its largest population of 284,494 at the 1954 census. The majority of the population is French, but there are sizable groups of Italians, Spanish people, Spaniards (Up to 20% of the Bordeaux population claim some degree of Spanish heritage), Portuguese people, Portuguese, Turkish people, Turks, Germans. The built-up area has grown for more than a century beyond the municipal borders of Bordeaux due to the small size of the commune () and urban sprawl, so that by January 2019 there were 1,363,711 people living in the overall metropolitan area (''aire d'attraction'') of Bordeaux, only a fifth of whom lived in the city proper. Largest communities of foreigners :


Politics


Municipal administration

The Mayor of the city is the environmentalist Pierre Hurmic. Bordeaux is the capital of five cantons and the Prefecture of the Gironde and Aquitaine. The town is divided into three districts, the first three of Gironde. The headquarters of Urban Community of Bordeaux Mériadeck is located in the neighbourhood and the city is at the head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry that bears his name. The number of inhabitants of Bordeaux is greater than 250,000 and less than 299,999 so the number of municipal councilors is 65. They are divided according to the following composition:


Mayors of Bordeaux

Since the Liberation of France, Liberation (1944), there have been 6 mayors of Bordeaux: *Rally for the Republic, RPR was renamed to Union for a Popular Movement, UMP in 2002 which was later renamed to Les Republicains, LR in 2015


Elections


Presidential elections of 2007

At the 2007 presidential election, the Bordelais gave 31.37% of their votes to Ségolène Royal of the Socialist Party against 30.84% to Nicolas Sarkozy, president of the UMP. Then came François Bayrou with 22.01%, followed by Jean-Marie Le Pen who recorded 5.42%. None of the other candidates exceeded the 5% mark. Nationally, Nicolas Sarkozy led with 31.18%, then Ségolène Royal with 25.87%, followed by François Bayrou with 18.57%. After these came Jean-Marie Le Pen with 10.44%, none of the other candidates exceeded the 5% mark. In the second round, the city of Bordeaux gave Ségolène Royal 52.44% against 47.56% for Nicolas Sarkozy, the latter being elected President of the Republic with 53.06% against 46.94% for Ségolène Royal. The abstention rates for Bordeaux were 14.52% in the first round and 15.90% in the second round.


Parliamentary elections of 2007

In the parliamentary elections of 2007, the left won eight constituencies against only three for the right. It should be added that after the partial 2008 elections, the eighth district of Gironde switched to the left, bringing the count to nine. In Bordeaux, the left was for the first time in its history the majority as it held two of three constituencies following the elections. In the first division of the Gironde, the outgoing UMP MP Chantal Bourragué was well ahead with 44.81% against 25.39% for the Socialist candidate Beatrice Desaigues. In the second round, it was Chantal Bourragué who was re-elected with 54.45% against 45.55% for his socialist opponent. In the second district of Gironde the UMP mayor and all new Minister of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and the Sea Alain Juppé confronted the General Counsel PS Michèle Delaunay. In the first round, Alain Juppé was well ahead with 43.73% against 31.36% for Michèle Delaunay. In the second round, it was finally Michèle Delaunay who won the election with 50.93% of the votes against 49.07% for Alain Juppé, the margin being only 670 votes. The defeat of the so-called constituency "Mayor" showed that Bordeaux was rocking increasingly left. Finally, in the third constituency of the Gironde, Noël Mamère was well ahead with 39.82% against 28.42% for the UMP candidate Elizabeth Vine. In the second round, Noël Mamère was re-elected with 62.82% against 37.18% for his right-wing rival.


Municipal elections of 2008

In 2008 municipal elections saw the clash between mayor of Bordeaux, Alain Juppé and the President of the Regional Council of Aquitaine Socialist Alain Rousset. The PS had put up a Socialist heavyweight in the Gironde and had put great hopes in this election after the victory of Ségolène Royal and Michèle Delaunay in 2007. However, after a rather exciting campaign it was Alain Juppé who was widely elected in the first round with 56.62%, far ahead of Alain Rousset who has managed to get 34.14%. At present, of the eight cantons that has Bordeaux, five are held by the PS and three by the UMP, the left eating a little each time into the right's numbers.


European elections of 2009

In the European elections of 2009, Bordeaux voters largely voted for the UMP candidate Dominique Baudis, who won 31.54% against 15.00% for PS candidate Kader Arif. The candidate of Europe Ecology José Bové came second with 22.34%. None of the other candidates reached the 10% mark. The 2009 European elections were like the previous ones in eight constituencies. Bordeaux is located in the district "Southwest", here are the results: UMP candidate Dominique Baudis: 26.89%. His party gained four seats. PS candidate Kader Arif: 17.79%, gaining two seats in the European Parliament. Europe Ecology candidate Bove: 15.83%, obtaining two seats. MoDem candidate Robert Rochefort: 8.61%, winning a seat. Left Front candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon: 8.16%, gaining the last seat. At regional elections in 2010, the Socialist incumbent president Alain Rousset won the first round by totaling 35.19% in Bordeaux, but this score was lower than the plan for Gironde and Aquitaine. Xavier Darcos, Minister of Labour followed with 28.40% of the votes, scoring above the regional and departmental average. Then came Monique De Marco, Green candidate with 13.40%, followed by the member of Pyrenees-Atlantiques and candidate of the MoDem Jean Lassalle who registered a low 6.78% while qualifying to the second round on the whole Aquitaine, closely followed by Jacques Colombier, candidate of the National Front, who gained 6.48%. Finally the candidate of the Left Front Gérard Boulanger with 5.64%, no other candidate above the 5% mark. In the second round, Alain Rousset had a tidal wave win as national totals rose to 55.83%. If Xavier Darcos largely lost the election, he nevertheless achieved a score above the regional and departmental average obtaining 33.40%. Jean Lassalle, who qualified for the second round, passed the 10% mark by totaling 10.77%. The ballot was marked by abstention amounting to 55.51% in the first round and 53.59% in the second round. ''Only candidates obtaining more than 5% are listed''


2017 elections

Bordeaux voted for Emmanuel Macron in the 2017 French presidential election, presidential election. In the 2017 French legislative election, 2017 parliamentary election, La République En Marche! won most of the constituencies in Bordeaux.


2019 European elections

Bordeaux voted in the 2019 European Parliament election in France.


Municipal elections of 2020

After 73 years of right-of-centre rule, the ecologist Pierre Hurmic (Europe Ecology – The Greens, EELV) came in ahead of Nicolas Florian (The Republicans (France), LR/LaREM).


Parliamentary representation

The city area is represented by the following List of constituencies of the National Assembly of France, constituencies: Gironde's 1st constituency, Gironde's 1st, Gironde's 2nd constituency, Gironde's 2nd, Gironde's 3rd constituency, Gironde's 3rd, Gironde's 4th constituency, Gironde's 4th, Gironde's 5th constituency, Gironde's 5th, Gironde's 6th constituency, Gironde's 6th, Gironde's 7th constituency, Gironde's 7th.


Education


University

During Antiquity, a first university had been created by the Romans in 286. The city was an important administrative centre and the new university had to train administrators. Only rhetoric and grammar were taught. Ausonius and Sulpicius Severus were two of the teachers. In 1441, when Bordeaux was an English town, the Pope Eugene IV created a university by demand of the archbishop Pey Berland. In 1793, during the
French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
, the National Convention abolished the university, and replace them with the École centrale in 1796. In Bordeaux, this one was located in the former buildings of the college of Guyenne. In 1808, the university reappeared with Napoleon. Bordeaux accommodates approximately 70,000 students on one of the largest campuses of Europe (235 ha). The University of Bordeaux is divided into four: *The University Bordeaux 1, (Maths, Physical sciences and Technologies), 10,693 students in 2002 *The University Bordeaux 2, Bordeaux Segalen (Medicine and Life sciences), 15,038 students in 2002 *The University Bordeaux 3, Michel de Montaigne (Liberal arts, Humanities, Languages, History), 14,785 students in 2002 *The University Bordeaux 4, Montesquieu (Law, Economy and Management), 12,556 students in 2002 *Institut d'études politiques de Bordeaux, Institut of Political Sciences of Bordeaux. Although technically a part of the fourth university, it largely functions autonomously.


Schools

Bordeaux has numerous public and private schools offering undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Engineering schools: *Arts et Métiers ParisTech, graduate school of industrial and mechanical engineering *ESME-Sudria, graduate school of engineering *École d'ingénieurs en modélisation mathématique et mécanique *École nationale supérieure d'électronique, informatique, télécommunications, mathématique et mécanique de Bordeaux (ENSEIRB-MATMECA) *École supérieure de technologie des biomolécules de Bordeaux *École nationale supérieure des sciences agronomiques de Bordeaux Aquitaine *École nationale supérieure de chimie et de physique de Bordeaux, École nationale supérieure de chimie et physique de Bordeaux *École pour l'informatique et les nouvelles technologies *Institut des sciences et techniques des aliments de Bordeaux *Institut de cognitique *École supérieure d'informatique *EPSI, École privée des sciences informatiques Business and management schools: *The Bordeaux MBA (International College of Bordeaux) *IUT Techniques de Commercialisation of Bordeaux (business school) *INSEEC Business School (Institut des hautes études économiques et commerciales) *KEDGE Business School (former BEM – Bordeaux Management School) *Vatel Bordeaux International Business School *E-Artsup *Institut supérieur européen de gestion group *Institut supérieur européen de formation par l'action Other: *French National School for the Judiciary, ''École nationale de la magistrature'' (National school for the judiciary) * * * (EFAP) * (CNAM) * (law school)


Weekend education

The ''École Compleméntaire Japonaise de Bordeaux'' (ボルドー日本語補習授業校 ''Borudō Nihongo Hoshū Jugyō Kō''), a Hoshuko, part-time Japanese supplementary school, is held in the ''Salle de L'Athénée Municipal'' in Bordeaux.欧州の補習授業校一覧(平成25年4月15日現在)


. Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Retrieved on 10 May 2014. "Salle de L'Athénée Municipal Place St. Christoly, 33000 Bordeaux, FRANCE"


Main sights


Heritage and architecture

Bordeaux is classified "City of Art and History". The city is home to 362 ''monuments historiques'' (only Paris has more in France) with some buildings dating back to Roman times. Bordeaux,
Port of the Moon The ''Port de la Lune'' (Port of the Moon) is the name given to the harbour of Bordeaux, dating to the Middle Ages, because of the shape of the river crossing the city. It is represented by a crescent on the coat of arms of Bordeaux, and by three ...
, has been inscribed on World Heritage Site, UNESCO World Heritage List as ''"an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble"''. Bordeaux is home to one of Europe's biggest 18th-century architectural urban areas, making it a sought-after destination for tourists and cinema production crews. It stands out as one of the first French cities, after Nancy, France, Nancy, to have entered an era of urbanism and metropolitan big scale projects, with the team Gabriel father and son, architects for King Louis XV of France, Louis XV, under the supervision of two intendants (Governors), first Nicolas-François Dupré de Saint-Maur then the Marquis de Tourny. Saint-André Cathedral, Saint-Michel Basilica and Saint-Seurin Basilica are part of the World Heritage Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France. The organ in Saint-Louis-des-Chartrons is registered on the French monuments historiques.


Buildings

Main sights include: * ''Place de la Bourse'' (1735–1755), designed by the Royal architect Jacques Gabriel as landscape for an equestrian statue of Louis XV, now replaced by the ''Fountain of the Three Graces''. * ''Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux, Grand Théâtre'' (1780), a large neoclassical theater built in the 18th century. * ''Allées de Tourny'' * ''Cours de l'Intendance'' * ''Place du Chapelet'' * ''Place du Parlement'' * ''Place des Quinconces'', the largest square in France. * ''Monument aux Girondins'' * ''Place Saint-Pierre'' *''Pont de pierre (Bordeaux), Pont de pierre (1822)'' * ''Bordeaux Cathedral, Saint Andrew's Cathedral'', consecrated by Pope Urban II in 1096. Of the original Romanesque edifice only a wall in the nave remains. The Royal Gate is from the early 13th century, while the rest of the construction is mostly from the 14th and 15th centuries. * ''Tour Pey-Berland'' (1440–1450), a massive, quadrangular Gothic tower annexed to the cathedral. * ''Église Sainte-Croix'' (Church of the Holy Cross). It lies on the site of a seventh-century abbey destroyed by the Saracens. Rebuilt under the Carolingians, it was again destroyed by the Normans in 845 and 864. It is annexed to a Benedictine abbey founded in the seventh century, and was built in the late 11th and early 12th centuries. The façade is in Romanesque architecture, Romanesque style * The Gothic ''Basilica of St. Michael, Bordeaux, Basilica of Saint Michael'', constructed between the end of the 14th century and the 16th century. * Basilica of Saint Severinus of Bordeaux, Basilica of Saint Severinus, the most ancient church in Bordeaux. It was built in the early sixth century on the site of a palaeochristian necropolis. It has an 11th-century portico, while the apse and transept are from the following century. The 13th-century nave has chapels from the 11th and the 14th centuries. The ancient crypt houses sepulchres of the Merovingian family. * ''Église Saint-Pierre'', gothic church * ''Église Saint-Éloi'', gothic church * ''Église Saint-Bruno'', baroque church decorated with frescoes * ''Église Notre-Dame'', baroque church * ''Église Saint-Paul-Saint-François-Xavier'', baroque church * ''Palais Rohan, Bordeaux, Palais Rohan'', former mansion of the archbishop, now city hall * ''Palais Gallien'', the remains of a late second-century Ancient Rome, Roman amphitheatre * ''Porte Cailhau'', a medieval gatehouse of the old city walls. * ''La Grosse Cloche'' (15th century), the second remaining gate of the Medieval walls. It was the Bell tower, belfry of the old Town Hall. It consists of two circular towers and a central bell tower housing a bell (instrument), bell weighing . The watch is from 1759. * ''Great Synagogue of Bordeaux, Grande Synagogue'', completed 1882 * ''Sainte-Catherine Street (Bordeaux), Rue Sainte-Catherine'', the longest pedestrian street of France * ''Darwin ecosystem'', alternative place into former military barracks * The
BETASOM BETASOM (an Italian language acronym of ''Bordeaux Sommergibile'' or ''Sommergibili'') was a submarine base established at Bordeaux, France by the Italian '' Regia Marina Italiana'' during World War II. From this base, Italian submarines participa ...
submarine base File:Le Palais Gallien vestige gallo-romain à Bordeaux.jpg, Remains of the Roman amphitheatre File:Cathédrale St André Bordeaux 3.jpg, Bordeaux Cathedral, Saint Andrew's Cathedral File:Bordeaux Porte Cailhau R02.jpg, Porte Cailhau File:Grand Théâtre Bordeaux.jpg, Grand Théâtre File:Bordeaux Notre-Dame R01.jpg, the church Notre Dame File:151 - Le Pont de Pierre - Bordeaux.jpg, Pont de pierre (Bordeaux), Pont de Pierre File:Bordeaux - Basilique Saint-Michel - Vue générale.jpg, Basilica of St. Michael, Bordeaux, Basilica of Saint Michael File:Puerta de Burdeos.JPG, Grosse cloche File:026 - Hôtel de ville Place Pey-Berland - Bordeaux.jpg, Palais Rohan (town hall) File:FacadeSainteCroixBordeauxsoir.jpg, Église Sainte-Croix File:Bordeaux Place du Parlement R01.jpg, Place du Parlement File:Synagogue Bx 5.jpg, The Grand Synagogue File:Façades de deux ouvrages Art Déco du Quartier Lescure (Bordeaux).jpg, Facades of the Art déco district File:Darwin - Magasin général.jpg, Darwin district File:Basesousmarine.JPG, Submarine Pen


Contemporary architecture

*Cité Frugès de Pessac, ''Cité Frugès'', district of Pessac, built by Le Corbusier, 1924–1926, listed as UNESCO heritage *Fire Station, ''la Benauge'', Claude Ferret/Adrien Courtois/Yves Salier, 1951–1954 *Mériadeck district, 1960-70's *''Tribunal d'instance, Court of first instance'', Richard Rogers, 1998 *CTBA, wood and furniture research center, A. Loisier, 1998 *Hangar 14 on the ''Quai des Chartrons'', 1999 *The Management Science faculty on the Bastide, Anne Lacaton/Jean-Philippe Vassal, 2006 *The ''Jardin botanique de la Bastide'', Catherine Mosbach/Françoise Hélène Jourda/Pascal Convert, 2007 *The Nuyens School complex on the Bastide, Yves Ballot/Nathalie Franck, 2007 *Seeko'o Hotel on the Quai de Bacalan, King Kong architects, 2007 *Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, Matmut Atlantique stadium, Herzog & de Meuron, 2015 *
Cité du Vin The Cité du Vin is a museum as well as a place of exhibitions, shows, movie projections and academic seminars on the theme of wine located in Bordeaux, France. Construction Architects The architects were Anouk Legendre and Nicholas Desmazi ...
, XTU architects, Anouk Legendre & Nicolas Desmazières, 2016 *MECA of Bordeaux, MECA, Maison de l'Economie Créative et de la culture de la Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Bjarke Ingels, 2019 File:Bordeaux Meriadeck.JPG, Mériadeck district File:Bordeaux Palais de Justice 23.JPG, Court of first instance File:Seeko'o Hotel, Bordeaux, July 2014 (03).JPG, Seeko'o hotel File:Cite du vin Bordeaux 2017 (37500642606).jpg,
Cité du Vin The Cité du Vin is a museum as well as a place of exhibitions, shows, movie projections and academic seminars on the theme of wine located in Bordeaux, France. Construction Architects The architects were Anouk Legendre and Nicholas Desmazi ...
File:RB 20200222 Bordeaux-11.jpg, MECA of Bordeaux, MECA


Museums

*Musée des beaux-arts de Bordeaux, ''Musée des Beaux-Arts'' (''Fine arts museum''), one of the finest painting galleries in France with paintings by painter such as Tiziano, Paolo Veronese, Veronese, Rubens, Van Dyck, Frans Hals, Claude Lorrain, Claude, Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin, Chardin, Eugène Delacroix, Delacroix, Renoir, Seurat, Odilon Redon, Redon, Matisse and Picasso. *''Musée d'Aquitaine'' (archeological and history museum) *''Musée du Vin et du Négoce'' (museum of the wine trade) *''Musée des Arts Décoratifs et du Design'' (museum of decorative arts and design) *''Musée d'Histoire Naturelle'' (natural history museum) *''Musée Mer Marine'' (Sea and Navy museum) *''
Cité du Vin The Cité du Vin is a museum as well as a place of exhibitions, shows, movie projections and academic seminars on the theme of wine located in Bordeaux, France. Construction Architects The architects were Anouk Legendre and Nicholas Desmazi ...
'' *''CAPC musée d'art contemporain de Bordeaux'' (modern art museum) *''Musée national des douanes'' (history of French customs) *''Bordeaux Patrimoine Mondial'' (architectural and heritage interpretation centre) *''Musée d'ethnologie'' (ethnology museum) *''Institut culturel Bernard Magrez'', modern and streetart museum into an 18th-century mansion *Cervantez Institute (into the house of Francisco Goya, Goya) *:fr:Cap Sciences, ''Cap Sciences'' *''Centre Jean Moulin'' File:Beaux arts bordeaux.jpg, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux, ''Musée des Beaux-Arts'' File:Musée Aquitaine.JPG, ''Musée d'Aquitaine'' File:Hôtel de Lalande - Musée des arts décoratifs et du design de Bordeaux.jpg, ''Musée des Arts Décoratifs et du Design'' File:CAPC janvier 2018.jpg, ''CAPC musée d'art contemporain de Bordeaux'' File:Musée du vin et du négoce de Bordeaux (3).jpg, ''Musée du vin et du négoce de Bordeaux''


Memory of slavery

Slavery was part of a growing drive for the city. Firstly, during the 18th and 19th centuries, Bordeaux was an important Slave Trade, slave port, which saw some 500 slave expeditions that cause the deportation of 150,000 Africans by Bordeaux shipowners. Secondly, even though the "Triangular trade" represented only 5% of Bordeaux's wealth, the city's direct trade with the Caribbean, that accounted for the other 95%, concerns the colonial stuffs made by the slave (sugar, coffee, cocoa). And thirdly, in that same period, a major migratory movement by Aquitanians took place to the Caribbean colonies, with Saint-Domingue (now
Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...
) being the most popular destination. 40% of the white population of the island came from Aquitaine. They prospered with Plantation economy, plantations incomes, until the Haitian Revolution, first slave revolts which concluded in 1848 in the final abolition of slavery in France. A statue of Modeste Testas, an Ethiopian woman who was enslaved by the Bordeaux-based Testas brothers was unveiled in 2019. She was trafficked by them from West Africa, to Philadelphia (where one of the brother coerced her to have two children by him) and was ultimately freed and lived in Haiti. The bronze sculpture was created by the Haitian artists Woodly Caymitte. A number of traces and memorial sites are visible in the city. Moreover, in May 2009, the Museum of Aquitaine opened the spaces dedicated to "Bordeaux in the 18th century, trans-Atlantic trading and slavery". This work, richly illustrated with original documents, contributes to disseminate the state of knowledge on this question, presenting above all the facts and their chronology. The region of Bordeaux was also the land of several prominent abolitionism, abolitionists, as Montesquieu, André-Daniel Laffon de Ladebat, Laffon de Ladébat and Elisée Reclus. Others were members of the Society of the Friends of the Blacks as the revolutionaries Jean-Baptiste Boyer-Fonfrède, Boyer-Fonfrède, Armand Gensonné, Gensonné, Marguerite-Élie Guadet, Guadet and Jean-François Ducos, Ducos. File:Bordeaux place de la Bourse mascaron visage africain.JPG, African face Mascaron (architecture), mascaron on the place de la Bourse. File:Détail de la fresque du Grand-Théâtre de Bordeaux.jpg, Allegory of Bordeaux and her wealth, including two African slaves, ceiling of the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux, Grand-Théâtre de Bordeaux. File:Salles consacrées à l'esclavage au Musée d'Aquitaine, Bordeaux.jpg, Spaces dedicaded to slave trade, Musée d'Aquitaine. File:Statue-fétiche Fon-Musée d'Aquitaine (1).jpg, Fon people, Fon fetish, Musée d'Aquitaine. File:Buste en bronze de Toussaint Louverture, Bordeaux.jpg, Bronze bust of Toussaint Louverture. File:Statue de Modeste Testas, quai des Chartrons, Bordeaux.jpg, Bronze Statue of Modeste Testas, Ethiopian woman enslaved by two Bordeaux plantation owners.


Parks and gardens

*''Jardin public de Bordeaux'', with inside the ''Jardin botanique de Bordeaux'' *''Jardin botanique de la Bastide'' *''Parc bordelais'' *''Parc aux Angéliques'' *''Jardin des Lumières'' *''Parc Rivière'' *''Parc Floral'' File:Bordeaux Jardin Public R02.jpg, ''Jardin public'' File:Jardin botanique de Bordeaux 7.jpg, Jardin botanique de la Bastide, ''Jardin botanique'' File:Bordeaux Quai Louis XVIII R01.jpg, ''Jardin des Lumières'' File:Parc floral de Bordeaux 3298.jpg, ''Parc floral'', Casablanca pavilion


Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas

Europe's longest-span vertical-lift bridge, the Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas, was opened in 2013 in Bordeaux, spanning the River Garonne. The central lift span is and can be lifted vertically up to to let tall ships pass underneath. The €160 million bridge was inaugurated by President François Hollande and Mayor Alain Juppé on 16 March 2013. The bridge was named after the late Jacques Chaban-Delmas, who was a former Prime Minister and Mayor (France), Mayor of Bordeaux.


Shopping

Bordeaux has many shopping options. In the heart of Bordeaux is ''Sainte-Catherine Street (Bordeaux), Rue Sainte-Catherine''. This pedestrian-only shopping street has of shops, restaurants and cafés; it is also one of the longest shopping streets in Europe. ''Rue Sainte-Catherine'' starts at ''Place de la Victoire'' and ends at ''Place de la Comédie'' by the ''Grand Théâtre''. The shops become progressively more upmarket as one moves towards ''Place de la Comédie'' and the nearby ''Cours de l'Intendance'' is where one finds the more exclusive shops and boutiques.


Culture

Bordeaux is also the first city in France to have created, in the 1980s, an architecture exhibition and research centre, ''Arc en rêve''. Bordeaux offers a large number of cinemas, theatres, and is the home of the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux, Opéra national de Bordeaux. There are many music venues of varying capacity. The city also offers several festivals throughout the year. In October 2021, Bordeaux was shortlisted for the European Commission's 2022 European Capital of Smart Tourism award along with Copenhagen, Dublin, Florence, Ljubljana, Palma de Mallorca and Valencia. File:GrandTheatreBordeaux2.jpg, ''Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux'' File:Bordeaux - Théâtre Femina.jpg, ''Théâtre Femina'' File:RB 20200222 Bordeaux-11.jpg, ''MECA, Maison de l’Économie Créative et de la Culture en Aquitaine''


Transport


Road

Bordeaux is an important road and Interchange (road), motorway junction. The city is connected to Paris by the A10 autoroute (France), A10 motorway, with Lyon by the A89 autoroute, A89, with Toulouse by the A62 autoroute, A62, and with Spain by the A63 autoroute, A63. There is a Beltway, ring road called the "Rocade de Bordeaux, Rocade" which is often very busy. Another ring road is under consideration. Bordeaux has five road bridges that cross the
Garonne The Garonne (, also , ; Occitan, Catalan, Basque, and es, Garona, ; la, Garumna or ) is a river of southwest France and northern Spain. It flows from the central Spanish Pyrenees to the Gironde estuary at the French port of Bordeaux – ...
, the Pont de pierre built in the 1820s and three modern bridges built after 1960: the Pont Saint Jean, just south of the Pont de pierre (both located downtown), the Pont d'Aquitaine, a suspension bridge downstream from downtown, and the Pont François Mitterrand, located upstream of downtown. These two bridges are part of the ring-road around Bordeaux. A fifth bridge, the Pont Jacques-Chaban-Delmas, was constructed in 2009–2012 and opened to traffic in March 2013. Located halfway between the Pont de pierre and the Pont d'Aquitaine and serving downtown rather than highway traffic, it is a vertical-lift bridge with a height in closed position comparable to that of Pont de pierre, and to the Pont d'Aquitaine when open. All five road bridges, including the two highway bridges, are open to cyclists and pedestrians as well. Another bridge, the Pont Jean-Jacques Bosc, is to be built in 2018. Lacking any steep hills, Bordeaux is relatively friendly to cyclists. Cycle paths (separate from the roadways) exist on the highway bridges, along the riverfront, on the university campuses, and incidentally elsewhere in the city. Bike lane, Cycle lanes and bus lanes that explicitly allow cyclists exist on many of the city's boulevards. A paid bicycle-sharing system with automated stations was established in 2010.


Rail

The main railway station, Gare de Bordeaux Saint-Jean, near the center of the city, has 12 million passengers a year. It is served by the French national (SNCF) railway's high speed train, the TGV, that gets to Paris in two hours, with connections to major European centers such as
Lille Lille ( , ; nl, Rijsel ; pcd, Lile; vls, Rysel) is a city in the northern part of France, in French Flanders. On the river Deûle, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Pref ...
, Brussels, Amsterdam, Cologne, Geneva and London. The TGV also serves
Toulouse Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Pa ...
and Irun (Spain) from Bordeaux. A regular train service is provided to Nantes, Nice,
Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fra ...
and
Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of t ...
. The Gare Saint-Jean is the major hub for regional trains (Transport express régional, TER) operated by the SNCF to
Arcachon Arcachon ( ; ) is a commune in the southwestern French department of Gironde. It is a popular seaside resort on the Atlantic coast southwest of Bordeaux, in the Landes forest. It has a sandy beach and a mild climate said to be favourable for i ...
, Limoges, Agen, Périgueux, Langon, Gironde, Langon, Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Pau, Le Médoc, Angoulême and Bayonne. Historically the train line used to terminate at a station on the right bank of the river Garonne near the Pont de Pierre, and passengers crossed the bridge to get into the city. Subsequently, a double-track steel railway bridge was constructed in the 1850s, by Gustave Eiffel, to bring trains across the river direct into Gare de Bordeaux Saint-Jean. The old station was later converted and in 2010 comprised a cinema and restaurants. The two-track Eiffel bridge with a speed limit of became a bottleneck and a new bridge was built, opening in 2009. The new bridge has four tracks and allows trains to pass at . During the planning there was much lobbying by the Eiffel family and other supporters to preserve the old bridge as a footbridge across the Garonne, with possibly a museum to document the history of the bridge and Gustave Eiffel's contribution. The decision was taken to save the bridge, but by early 2010 no plans had been announced as to its future use. The bridge remains intact, but unused and without any means of access. Since July 2017, the LGV Sud Europe Atlantique is fully operational and makes Bordeaux city 2h04 from Paris.


Air

Bordeaux is served by Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport, located from the city centre in the suburban city of Mérignac, Gironde, Mérignac.


Trams, buses and boats

Bordeaux has an important public transport system called Transports Bordeaux Métropole (TBM). This company is run by the Keolis group. The network consists of: * 4 Tramway de Bordeaux, tram lines (Bordeaux Tramway Line A, A, Bordeaux Tramway Line B, B, Bordeaux Tramway Line C, C and Bordeaux Tramway Line D, D) * 75 Bus lines in Bordeaux, bus routes, all connected to the tramway network (from 1 to 96) * 13 night bus routes (from 1 to 16) * An Trolleybus, electric bus shuttle in the city centre * A boat shuttle on the Garonne river This network is operated from 5 am to 2 am. There had been several plans for a subway network to be set up, but they stalled for both geological and financial reasons. Work on the Tramway de Bordeaux system was started in the autumn of 2000, and services started in December 2003 connecting Bordeaux with its suburban areas. The tram system uses Alstom APS a form of ground-level power supply technology developed by French company Alstom and designed to preserve the aesthetic environment by eliminating overhead cables in the historic city. Conventional overhead cables are used outside the city. The system was controversial for its considerable cost of installation, maintenance and also for the numerous initial technical problems that paralysed the network. Many streets and squares along the tramway route became pedestrian areas, with Limited-access road, limited access for cars. The planned Bordeaux tramway system is to link with the airport to the city centre towards the end of 2019.


Taxis

There are more than 400 taxicabs in Bordeaux.


Public transportation statistics

The average amount of time people spend commuting with public transit in Bordeaux, for example to and from work, on a weekday is 51 min. 12.% of public transit riders, ride for more than 2 hours every day. The average amount of time people wait at a stop or station for public transit is 13 min, while 15.5% of riders wait for over 20 minutes on average every day. The average distance people usually ride in a single trip with public transit is , while 8% travel for over in a single direction.


Sport

The 41,458-capacity Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux is the largest stadium in Bordeaux. The stadium was opened in 2015 and replaced the Stade Chaban-Delmas, which was a venue for the FIFA World Cup in 1938 and 1998, as well as the 2007 Rugby World Cup. In the 1938 FIFA World Cup, it hosted a violent quarter-final known as the Battle of Bordeaux (football), Battle of Bordeaux. The ground was formerly known as the ''Stade du Parc Lescure'' until 2001, when it was renamed in honour of the city's long-time mayor, Jacques Chaban-Delmas. There are two major sport teams in Bordeaux, FC Girondins de Bordeaux, Girondins de Bordeaux is the association football, football team, playing in Ligue 2, the second tier of Football in France, French football. Union Bordeaux Bègles is a rugby union, rugby team in the Top 14 in the National Rugby League (France), Ligue Nationale de Rugby. Skateboarding, rollerblading, and BMX biking are activities enjoyed by many young inhabitants of the city. Bordeaux is home to a beautiful quay which runs along the Garonne river. On the quay there is a skate-park divided into three sections. One section is for Vert tricks, one for street style tricks, and one for little action sports athletes with easier features and softer materials. The skate-park is very well maintained by the municipality. Bordeaux is also the home to one of the strongest cricket teams in France and are champions of the South West League. There is a wooden velodrome, Vélodrome du Lac, in Bordeaux which hosts international cycling competition in the form of UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics, UCI Track Cycling World Cup events. The 2015 Trophee Eric Bompard was in Bordeaux. But the Free Skate was cancelled in all of the divisions due to the Paris and aftermath. The Short Program occurred hours before the bombing. French skaters Chafik Besseghier (68.36) in tenth place, Romain Ponsart (62.86) in 11th. Mae-Berenice-Meite (46.82) in 11th and Laurine Lecavelier (46.53) in 12th. Vanessa James/Morgan Cipres (65.75) in second. Between 1951 and 1955, an annual Formula 1 motor race was held on a 2.5-kilometre circuit which looped around the Esplanade des Quinconces and along the waterfront, attracting drivers such as Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss, Jean Behra and Maurice Trintignant.


Notable people

File:Ausonius.jpg, Ausonius File:Anthony Frederick Sandys - Queen Eleanor.JPG, Eleanor of Aquitaine File:Richard II King of England.jpg, Richard II of England File:Montaigne-Dumonstier.jpg, Michel de Montaigne File:Sta. Joana de Lestonnac.jpg, Jeanne de Lestonnac, Sainte Jeanne de Lestonnac File:Charles Montesquieu.jpg, Montesquieu File:Rosa Bonheur, 1865, wearing the Legion of Honour.jpg, Rosa Bonheur File:095 Odilon Redon Mon portrait.jpg, Odilon Redon File:Self-Portrait Albert Marquet (1904).jpg, Albert Marquet *Ausonius (310–395), Roman poet and teacher of rhetoric *Jean Alaux (1786–1864), painter *Bertrand Andrieu (1761–1822), engraver *Jean Anouilh (1910–1987), dramatist *Lucien Arman (1811–1873), shipbuilder and politician *Yvonne Arnaud (1892–1958), pianist, singer and actress *Xavier Arnozan (1852–1928), physician *Floyd Ayité (born 1988), Togolese footballer *Jonathan Ayité (born 1985), Togolese footballer *Christine Barbe, winemaker *Jean-Baptiste Barrière (1707-1747), cellist, composer *Gérard Bayo (born 1936), writer and poet, *François Bigot (1703–1778), last "Intendant" of New France *Arnaud Binard (born 1971), actor and producer *Rosa Bonheur (1822–1899), animal painter and sculptor *Grégory Bourdy (born 1982), golfer *Samuel Boutal (born 1969), footballer *Edmond de Caillou (died c. February 1316) Gascon knight fighting in Scotland *Gérald Caussé, Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints *René Clément (1913–1996), actor, director, writer *Jean-René Cruchet (1875–1959), pathologist *Boris Cyrulnik (born 1937), psychiatrist and psychoanalyst *Marie-Louise Damien, Damia (1899–1978), singer and actress *Étienne Noël Damilaville (1723–1768), Encyclopédistes, encyclopédiste *Lili Damita (1901–1994), actress *Frédéric Daquin, (born 1978), footballer *Danielle Darrieux (born 1917), actress *Bernard Delvaille (1931–2006), poet, essayist *David Diop (1927–1960), poet *Jean-Francois Domergue, footballer *Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122–1204), duchess of Aquitaine, queen of France and queen of England *Jacques Ellul (1912–1994), sociologist, theologian, Christian anarchist *Marie Fel (1713–1794), opera singer *Jean-Luc Fournet (1965), papyrologist *Pierre-Jean Garat (1762–1823), singer *Armand Gensonné (1758–1793), politician *Sébastien Gervais (born 1976), professional footballer *Stephen Girard (1750–1831), merchant, banker, and Philadelphia philanthropist *Jérôme Gnako (born 1968), footballer *Randolphe Gohi (born 1969), former professional footballer *Eugène Goossens, fils, Eugène Goossens (1867–1958), conductor, violinist *Anna Hamilton (1864–1935), doctor, superintendent of the Protestant Hospital at Bordeaux (1901–1934) *Adolphe Jacquies (c. 1798–1860), Canadian shopkeeper, printer, trade unionist, and newspaper publisher *Pierre Lacour (1745–1814), painter *Léopold Lafleurance (1865–1953), flautist *Joseph Henri Joachim Lainé (1767–1835), statesman *Jeanne de Lestonnac, Sainte Jeanne de Lestonnac (1556–1640), Roman Catholic saint and foundress of the Sisters of the Company of Mary, Our Lady *Christophe Lestrade (born 1969), former professional footballer *André Lhote (1885–1962), cubist painter *Jeanne Henriette Louis, (1938), professor of North American civilization *Jean-Baptiste Lynch (1749–1835), politician *Lucenzo (born 1983), singer *Jean-Jacques Magendie (1766–1835), officer *François Magendie (1783–1855), physiologist *Bruno Marie-Rose (born 1965), athlete (sprinter) *Albert Marquet, (1875–1947), painter *François Mauriac (1885–1970), writer, Nobel laureate 1952 *Benjamin Millepied (born 1977), dancer and choreographer *Édouard Molinaro (1928–2013), film director, screenwriter *Pierre Molinier (1900–1976), painter, photographer *Michel de Montaigne (1533–1592), essayist *Montesquieu (1689–1755), man of letters and political philosopher *Olivier Mony (1966–), writer and literary critic *Étienne Marie Antoine Champion de Nansouty (1768–1815), general *Elie Okobo, basketball player *Pierre Palmade (born 1968), actor and comedian *Paulinus of Nola, St. Paulinus of Nola (354–431), educator, religious figure *Émile Péreire (1800–1875), banker and industrialist *Sophie Pétronin (born 1945), aid worker and humanitarian *Albert Pitres (1848–1928), neurologist *Hippolyte Pradelles (1824–1913), naturalist painter *Georges Rayet, Georges Antoine Pons Rayet (1839–1906), astronomer, discoverer of the Wolf-Rayet stars, & founder of the Bordeaux Observatory *Odilon Redon (1840–1916), painter *Richard II of England (1367–1400), king *Pierre Rode (1774–1830), violinist *Olinde Rodrigues (1795–1851), mathematician, banker and social reformer *Marie-Sabine Roger (born 1957), writer *Bernard Sarrette (1765–1858), conductor and music pedagogue *Jean-Jacques Sempé (1932–2022), cartoonist *Florent Serra (born 1981), tennis player *Alfred Smith (artist), Alfred Smith, (1854–1932), painter *Philippe Sollers, (born 1936), writer *Wilfried Tekovi, (born 1989), Togolese footballer *Elie Vinet (1509–1587), historian and humanist of the Renaissance


International relationships


Twin towns – sister cities

Bordeaux is Twin towns and sister cities, twinned with: * Ashdod, Israel, since 1984 * Bilbao, Spain * Baku, Azerbaijan, since 1985 * Bristol, United Kingdom, since 1947 * Casablanca, Morocco, since 1988 * Fukuoka, Japan, since 1982 * Kraków, Poland, since 1993 * Lima, Peru, since 1957 * Los Angeles, California United States, since 1968 * Madrid, Spain, since 1984 * Munich, Germany, since 1964 * Oran, Algeria, since 2003 * Porto, Portugal, since 1978 * Quebec City, Quebec Canada, since 1962 * Ramallah, Palestine * Riga, Latvia * Saint Petersburg, Russia, since 1993 * Wuhan, China, since 1998


Partnerships

* Samsun, Turkey, since 2010


See also

*Bordeaux wine regions *Bordeaux–Paris, a formerly professional road bicycle racing annual event *The Burdigalian Age of the Miocene Epoch is named for Bordeaux *Canelé, a local pastry *Communes of the Gironde department *Dogue de Bordeaux, a Dog breed, breed of dog originally bred for dog fighting *French wine *List of mayors of Bordeaux *Operation Frankton, a British Combined Operations Headquarters, Combined Operations raid on shipping in the harbour at Bordeaux, in December 1942, during World War II *Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bordeaux *Girondins * Atlantic history * Triangular trade * History of slavery


References


Bibliography

* *


External links


Bordeaux : the world capital of wine
– Official French website (in English) * {{Authority control Bordeaux, Communes of Gironde Port cities and towns on the French Atlantic coast Prefectures in France World Heritage Sites in France Cities in France Gironde Gallia Aquitania Guyenne Burdigalian, Cities in Nouvelle-Aquitaine