(in
Gascon:
Bordèu) is a
port city on the
Garonne River in southwest
France, with one million inhabitants in its
metropolitan area at a 2008 estimate. It is the
capital of the
Aquitaine region, as well as the
prefecture of the
Gironde department. Its inhabitants are called
Bordelais.
The Bordeaux-
Arcachon-
Libourne metropolitan area, with a population of 1,010,000, is the seventh
largest metropolitan area in France. The city is among the world's major wine industry centres.
Bordeaux wine has been produced in the region since the eighth century. The historic part of the city is on the
UNESCO World Heritage List as
"an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble" of the 18th century.
History
thumb|left|Coins of the [[Bituriges Vivisci, 5th-1st century BCE, derived from the coin designs of
Greeks in pre-Roman Gaul.
Cabinet des Médailles.]]
Between 30,000 and 20,000 years ago the area of Bordeaux was inhabited by the
Neanderthal, whose remains have been found at a famous cave known as Pair-non-Pair, near Bourg sur Gironde, just north of Bordeaux. In historical times, around
300 BC it was the settlement of a
Celtic tribe, the
Bituriges Vivisci, who named the town
Burdigala, probably of Aquitainian origin. The name Bourde is still the name of a river south of the city.
The city fell under
Roman rule around
60 BC, its importance lying in the commerce of
tin and
lead towards Rome. Later it became capital of
Roman Aquitaine, flourishing especially during the
Severan dynasty (third century). In 276 it was sacked by the
Vandals. Further ravage was brought by the same Vandals in 409, the
Visigoths in 414 and the
Franks in 498, beginning a period of obscurity for the city.
thumb|left|upright|[[Merovingian dynasty|Merovingian tremisses minted in Bordeaux by the Church of Saint-Etienne, late 6th century.
British Museum.]]
In the late
sixth century, the city reemerged as the seat of a county and an archdiocese within the
Merovingian kingdom of the Franks. The city fell into obscurity as royal power waned in southern Gaul in the late
seventh century. The city was plundered by the troops of
Abd er Rahman in 732, after he had defeated
Duke Eudes and before he was killed during the
Battle of Tours on October 10.
Under the
Carolingians were appointed a series of
Counts of Bordeaux who served to defend the mouth of the
Garonne from the
Vikings. Eventually, the city was inherited by the
Dukes of Gascony in the late
tenth century.
From the 12th to the 15th century, Bordeaux regained importance following the marriage of Duchess
Eleanor of Aquitaine with the French-speaking Count Henri Plantagenet, born in
Le Mans, who became, within months of their wedding, King
Henry II of England. The city flourished, primarily due to wine trade, and the
cathedral of St. André was built. It was also the capital of an independent state under
Edward, the Black Prince (1362-1372), but in the end, after the
Battle of Castillon (1453) it was annexed by France which extended its territory. The
Château Trompette (Trumpet Castle) and the
Fort du Hâ, built by
Charles VII of France, were the symbols of the new domination, which however deprived the city of its richness by halting the wine commerce with England.
In 1462, Bordeaux obtained a parliament, but regained importance only in the 16th century when it became the center of the distribution of sugar and slaves from the
West Indies along with the traditional wine.
Bordeaux adhered to the
Fronde, being effectively annexed to the Kingdom of France only in 1653, when the army of
Louis XIV entered the city.
The 18th century was the golden age of Bordeaux. Many downtown buildings (about 5,000), including those on the quays, are from this period.
Victor Hugo found the town so beautiful he once said: "take
Versailles, add
Antwerp, and you have Bordeaux".
Baron Haussmann, a long-time prefect of Bordeaux, used Bordeaux's 18th century big-scale rebuilding as a model when he was asked by Emperor
Napoleon III to transform a then still quasi-medieval Paris into a "modern" capital that would make France proud.
The French government was relocated from Paris to Bordeaux very briefly during
World War II, when it became apparent that
Paris would soon fall into German hands. The French capital was soon moved again to
Vichy.
From 1940 to 1943, the
Italian Royal Navy (
Regia Marina Italiana) established,
BETASOM a submarine base at Bordeaux. Italian submarines participated in the
Battle of the Atlantic from this base.
Geography
Bordeaux is located close to the European
Atlantic 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. In Bordeaux, the
Garonne River is accessible to
ocean liners. The left bank of the Garonne is a low-lying, often marshy plain.
Climate
Bordeaux's climate is usually classified as an
oceanic climate (
Köppen climate classification Cfb); however, the summers tend to be warmer and the winters milder than most areas of similar classification. Substantial summer rainfall prevents it from being classified as a
Mediterranean climate.
Winters are mild 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 21-22 °C or 70-72 °F). The average seasonal winter temperature is , recent winters tend to be much higher than this. The average summer seasonal temperature is , but every summer in the decade beginning 2001 has been above this, including the summer of 2003 the hottest summer ever recorded at .
Economy
Wine
Bordeaux has about of
vineyards, 57 appellations, 10,000 wine-producing châteaux and 13,000 grape growers. With an annual production of approximately 850 million bottles, Bordeaux 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) red wines (four from Médoc and one, Château Haut-Brion, from Graves), established by the
Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855:
The first growths are:
*In 1855 Mouton-Rothschild was ranked a Second Growth. In 1973, it was elevated to First Growth status.
Both red and
white wines are made in Bordeaux. Red Bordeaux is called
claret 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,
Malbec, and, less commonly in recent years,
Carménère. White Bordeaux is made from
Sauvignon blanc,
Sémillon, and
Muscadelle.
Sauternes is a subregion of
Graves known for its intensely sweet, white,
dessert wines such as
Château d'Yquem.
Because of the wine glut (
wine lake), the price squeeze caused by increasingly strong international competition, and
vine pull schemes, the number of growers has recently dropped from 14,000 and the area under vine has also decreased significantly.
Others
The
Laser Mégajoule will be one of the most powerful lasers in the world, allowing
fundamental research and the development of the lasers and plasmas technologies. This project, carried by the French Ministry of Defence, involves an investment of 2 billion euros. In 2009, the 600 experiments programmed each year with the Laser Mégajoule will begin. The "Road of the lasers", a major project of
regional planning for the optical and lasers industries, will be born. Therefore, the area of Bordeaux will shelter the most important concentration of optical and laser experts in Europe.
20,000 people work for the aeronautic industry in Bordeaux. The city has some of the biggest companies including
Dassault,
EADS Sogerma,
Snecma,
Thales, SNPE, and others. The
Dassault Falcon private jets are built there as well as the
military aircraft Rafale and
Mirage 2000, the
Airbus A380 cockpit, the boosters of
Ariane 5, and the
M51 SLBM missile.
Tourism is a major industry, especially concerning
wine-making.
The port lies on the Atlantic ocean and the
Gironde estuary. Almost 9 million tons of goods arrive and leave each year. The Port is a nice area to sit and relax, a good place to tour if ever visiting.
List of major companies in Bordeaux
This list includes both companies based in Bordeaux and outside companies with major operations in the city.
Demographics
In the 1999 census, there were 215,363 inhabitants in the city (
commune) of Bordeaux. The 2005 census showed a significant increase, as this figure reached 230,600 inhabitants. In 2007, there were 660,000 inhabitants in the
Communauté Urbaine de Bordeaux. The majority of the population is
French, but there are sizable groups of
Italians,
Spaniards,
Portuguese,
Turks,
Germans and
North Africans. The built-up area has grown swiftly in recent years and
urban sprawl is now a problem.
Education
University
The university was created by the archbishop
Pey Berland and was abolished in 1793, during the
French Revolution, before reappearing in 1808 with
Napoleon I. 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 (Physical sciences and Technologies), 10,693 students in 2002
- The University Bordeaux 2 (Medicine and Life sciences), 15,038 students in 2002
- The University Bordeaux 3 (Liberal Arts, Humanities, Languages, History), 14,785 students in 2002
- The University Bordeaux 4 (Law, Economy and Management). 12,556 students in 2002
Schools
Bordeaux has numerous public and private schools offering undergraduate and postgraduate programs.
Engineering schools:
- École d'ingénieurs en modélisation mathématique et mécanique
- École supérieure de technologie des biomolécules de Bordeaux
- École nationale d'ingénieurs des travaux agricoles de Bordeaux
- Institut des sciences et techniques des aliments de Bordeaux
- École supérieure d'informatique
- École privée des sciences informatiques
Business and management schools:
- IUT Techniques de Commercialisation of Bordeaux (Business School)
- Bordeaux école de management (Bordeaux Management School)
- Institut des hautes études économiques et commerciales
- École de commerce européenne
Other:
- École du service de santé des armées
- École d'architecture et de paysage de Bordeaux
- École des beaux-arts de Bordeaux
- École française des attachés de presse et des professionels de la communication (EFAP)
- Conservatoire national des arts et métiers d'Aquitaine (CNAM)
thumb|Place de la Boursethumb|The church of St Pierrethumb|Façade of the Church of the Holy Crossthumb|Palais Gallienthumb|Place de la Boursethumb|[[Édouard Manet|Edouard Manet:
Harbour at Bordeaux, 1871]]
right|thumb|Rue Sainte-CatherineMain sights
Bordeaux is classified "City of Art and History". The city has been inscribed on
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, to have entered an era of
urbanism and metropolitan big scale projects, with the team Gabriel father and son, architects for King
Louis XV, under the supervision of two intendants (Governors), first
Dupre de Saint Maur then the
Marquis (Marquess) de Tourny.
Buildings
Main sights include:
- Saint-André Cathedral, consecrated by Pope Urban II in 1096. Of the Original Romanesque edifice only a wall in the nave remain. The Royal Gate is from the early thirteenth century, while the rest of the construction is mostly from the 14th-15th centuries.
- Tour Pey Berland (1440-1450), a massive, quadrangular tower annexed to the cathedral.
- Église Sainte-Croix (Church of the Holy Cross). It lies on the site of a 7th 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 7th century, and was built in the late 11th-early 12th centuries. The façade is in Romanesque style
- The Gothic basilica of Saint-Michel, constructed in the late 14th-15th centuries.
- Basilica of Saint-Seurin, the most ancient church in Bordeaux. It was built in the early 6th century on the site of a palaeochristian necropolis. It has an eleventh 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.
- La Grosse Cloche (15th century) is the second remaining gate of the Medieval walls. It was the belfry of the old Town Hall. It consists of two 40 m-high circular towers and a central bell tower housing a bell weighing . The watch is from 1759.
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.
Contemporary architecture
- Fire Station, la Benauge, Claude Ferret/Adrien Courtois/Yves Salier, 1951-1954
- CTBA, wood and furniture research centre, 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 Nuyens School complex on the Bastide, Yves Ballot/Nathalie Franck, 2007
- Seeko'o Hotel on the Quai des Chartrons, King Kong architects, 2007
Museums
- Musée du Vin et du Négoce
- Musée des Arts Décoratifs
- Musée d'Histoire Naturelle
- Musée National des Doines
Parks and gardens
Shopping
Bordeaux has many shopping options. In the heart of Bordeaux is
Rue Sainte-Catherine. This pedestrian only shopping street has of shops, restaurants and cafés; it is also the longest shopping street 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, still the most prestigious in France besides Paris
IFA.
Bordeaux offers a large number of cinemas, theatres and is the home of the
Opéra national de Bordeaux. There are many music venues of varying capacity. The city also offers several festivals throughout the year.
Music
Media
Radio stations
These are the
radio stations in Bordeaux.
- Black Box: (Hip-Hop, R&B, Ragga, Funk, Soul, Disco)
- Campus FM: (Alternative Music)
- La Clé des Ondes: (world music)
Newspaper
- Sud Ouest, regional French daily in tabloid format
Television
Nightclubs
Concert rooms
Transport
Road
Bordeaux is an important road and
motorway junction. The city is connected to Paris by the
A10 motorway, with Lyon by the
A89, with Toulouse by the
A62, and with Spain by the
A63. There is a
ring road called the "Rocade" which is often very busy. The building of another ring road is under consideration.
thumb|Pont-de-PierreBordeaux has four road bridges that cross the
Garonne, 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 suspended bridge downstream from downtown, and the
Pont François Mitterrand, located upstream of downtown. These two bridges are part of the ring road around Bordeaux. There is also a steel railway bridge, built in the 1850s by
Gustave Eiffel, and used daily by 100s, including the TGV, a very
high speed train.
Rail
The main
railway station,
Gare de Bordeaux Saint-Jean, near the centre of the city, has 4 million passengers a year. It is served by the French national (
SNCF) railway's high speed train, the
TGV, that gets to
Paris in three hours, with connections to major European centres such as
Lille,
Brussels,
Amsterdam,
Cologne,
Geneva and
London. The
TGV also serves
Toulouse and
Irun from Bordeaux. A regular train service is provided to
Nantes,
Nice,
Marseille and
Lyon. The Gare Saint-Jean is the major hub for regional trains (
TER) operated by the
SNCF to
Arcachon,
Limoges,
Agen,
Périgueux,
Pau and
Bayonne.
Air
Bordeaux is served by an
international airport,
Aéroport de Bordeaux Mérignac, located from the city centre in the suburban city of
Mérignac.
Trams, buses and boats
Bordeaux has an important
public transport system called
Tram et Bus de la CUB (TBC). This company is run by the Connex group. The network consists of:
- 75 bus routes, all connected to the tramway network (from 1 to 96)
- 12 night bus routes (from S1 to S12)
- A boat shuttle on the Garonne river
This network is operated from 5am to 1am
There have been several plans for a subway network to be set up but they were given up for both geological and financial reasons. The
tramway system was started in the autumn of 2000 and commenced service in December 2003, connecting Bordeaux with its suburban areas. It uses the
APS technology, a brand new and exclusive cableless technology developed by French company
Alstom and designed to preserve the aesthetic environment the tramway is surrounded by (although very controversial for its considerable cost of installation and maintenance, but also for the numerous technical problems that paralyzed the network for an unusually long time even if those problems have been resolved). At the same time many downtown streets and squares along the tramway lines became pedestrian areas, with
limited access by cars.
Taxi
There are more than 400
taxicabs in Bordeaux.
Sport
The
Stade Chaban-Delmas is the largest stadium. It can host 35000 spectators.
There are two major sport teams in Bordeaux:
- Bordeaux is the home of one of the strongest cricket teams in France and are the current 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 events.
Miscellaneous
Births
Bordeaux was the birthplace of:
- Damia (1899-1978), singer
International relations
Twin towns - sister cities
Bordeaux is
twinned with:
Partnerships
See also
