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Bordeaux may be made up of 'arrondissements'
like Paris, but people tend to talk about the city in terms of quarters
(quartiers). Each quarter has a name and encompasses a relatively  precise
area, often flanked by two main roads or streets. Let's start with the
oldest one, which is often considered the most beautiful of Bordeaux's
quarters.
Saint Pierre
Right in the heart of Bordeaux, the St Pierre quarter is the historic
centre of the town. It's made up of beautiful little streets, some of
which are still paved. Saint Pierre is Bordeaux's culinary capital, with a
large amount of restaurants to suit every taste and pocket ' something for
gourmets and gourmands. The Place du Parlement is home to some wonderful
architecture and a decorative fountain. Also in the area is the Eglise
Saint Pierre, built in the XVth and XVIth centuries on the site of the
former Gallo-roman port.
Chartrons
This very attractive quarter, set on the banks of the Garonne, used to be
very busy and wealthy thanks to the wine trade. Here, merchants and
businessmen rubbed shoulders with sailors and labourers. Its name comes
from the Chartreux convent, built in the XVIIth century, and it used to be
the centre both of the town and of Anglo-Saxon and protestant life. With
the decline of river-trade, the quarter emptied, becoming a calm
residential area with antique shops. A section of the quarter is today
known as the 'village des antiquaries' or antique-shop village. In this
area visitors can take in the Musée des Chartrons, and nearer the banks
of the Garonne theCroiseur Colbert. Not far from here is the magnificent
centre of Contemporary art, CAPC.
Saint Eloi
This focal point of this quarter is, of course, the Grosse Cloche, just
next to the Eglise Saint Eloi. Bordeaux's main shopping street (2kms
long!) ' the rue Sainte Catherine - is near here. The Grosse Cloche links
the Saint Michel, Victoire and Saint Pierre quarters ' it's a sort of
crossroads for the oldest, pre-medieval quarters and the areas that were
modernised from the XVIIth century onwards.
Saint Michel
Separated from the St Pierre quarter by the cours Victor Hugo, the St
Michel quarter is by far the liveliest and most colourful area in town.
Spaniards, Portuguese, North Africans and French live happily side-by-side
and visitors can enjoy food and drink from a variety of cultures, often at
very reasonable prices. Built around the Saint Michel basilica, a Gothic
church erected at the end of the XVth century, and the Flèche Saint
Michel, at 114 metres the highest monument in Bordeaux, this popular
quarter has a young vibe. Every Monday morning there is a clothes market
on the square and Saturday mornings see two other large markets: the
Capucins, on rue Elie Gintrac and the one around the flèche Saint Michel.
Sunday morning is reserved for bric-a brac and antiques. Guaranteed to be
buzzing.
Sainte Croix
Formerly a suburb, this quarter only became part of the city proper in the
XIVth century. The Romanesque church of Sainte Croix, built between the
end of the XIth and XII centuries, stands on the place Renaudel. This
institution remained Benedictine until the Revolution and is now a parish
church. Today the heart of the quarter borders the older, pre-XIIIth
century areas and the zones that were modernised during the XIXth and XXth
centuries.
The station quarter
On arrival in Bordeaux's train station, visitors can immediately admire
the building itself ' the Gare - an enormous hall built in the arc of a
circle. This quarter equals 24hr service par excellence ' this is the
place to buy food, drink and cigarettes, day or night. It's a popular
area, with numerous sex-shops, bars, restaurants and hotels (from basic to
luxurious). Travellers, weary from their train journey can try the Hôtel
Ibis.
Victoire
Centre of student night-life, the Place de la Victoire is one of
Bordeaux's larger squares. Just like a compass, this focal point looks to
the North, South, East and West and as such is a good place from which to
orient yourself. The rue Sainte Catherine starts with the passage under
the Porte d'Aquitaine.
Grands Hommes
This chic, elegant quarter is home to the old Dominican Notre Dame church,
built in 1684. Not far from here are the former place Dauphine (1747), the
Place Gambetta, the Allées de Tourny, a walkway which was done up in 1745
by Tourny, and the cours de l'Intendance, a triumphal way used by many a
King and chief of State. The Grand Théâtre stands on the place de la
Comédie. |