Bordeaux During the Age of Enlightenment
During the 18th century, Bordeaux changed dramatically. Port de la Lune was expanded and new streets were created to give it its new appearance, which earned it a place on the World Heritage List.
Place de la Bourse (1728) by Jacques Gabriel IVFondation du patrimoine
Place de la Bourse: a royal masterpiece
In the 18th century, Bordeaux was a very rich trading town. The wines produced in the region were widely exported via its port, to the North of Europe, England and, in particular, Holland. The city nevertheless retained its medieval appearance, surrounded by three rows of ramparts.
Claude Boucher was the first to breach these ramparts by opening a royal square on the river, now known as Place de la Bourse.
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He called upon the King's architect, Jacques Gabriel, and his son Ange-Jacques Gabriel, to build this breathtaking architectural work.
The buildings, in the shape of a crescent moon, are reminiscent of the curve of the Garonne River, known as Port de la Lune.
These buildings have a direct link with commercial activity and the river because they include the Customs House to the south and the Palais de la Bourse—the stock exchange—to the north. This is where all goods entering the city were taxed.
Place de la Bourse (1728) by Jacques Gabriel IVFondation du patrimoine
There is a statue of Louis XV in the center of the Customs House. The bronze used to make it was melted during the Revolution and used to make cannons.
It was replaced in 1869 by this fountain of The Three Graces.
Les mascarons présents sur les façades de la place de la Bourse (1730/1770)Fondation du patrimoine
Above each of the square's archways is a mascaron, or ornamental face carving. Each one depicts the face of someone representative of the city's historic activity.
Among the sailors, winegrowers, and other merchants are the faces of African people, representing the city's role in the slave trade.
However, this trade was not widely practiced in Bordeaux and accounted for less than 5% of the ships that left the port. The direct trade with the West Indies and the wine trade with the countries of Northern Europe was much more prevalent.
Lever de soleil sur le quai Richelieu (c. 1750) by André PortierFondation du patrimoine
Intendant Tourny continued Boucher's work on the quays, which until then, had been a jumble of ancient walls, entryways, wine storehouses, warehouses, and stores.
He decided to undertake a major project to unify the quayside façades, thus giving anyone arriving by river an immediate sense of grandeur and elegance. His favorite architect, Portier, designed this impressive project and erected the façades in front of the original old quayside buildings, rather than having them torn down.
Tourny: Bordeaux city planner
Louis-Urbain Aubert de Tourny took office as Intendant of Guyenne in 1743. He decided to make Bordeaux the most beautiful town in the kingdom. He is shown here with a map in his hand, in the center of the square that was named after him. Expanding the city was also a necessity: Bordeaux was, in the 18th century, the most important port in France. Its population grew from 50,000 inhabitants in 1740 to 115,000 in 1780.
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The main interest of Tourny is to facilitate the daily life and travel of Bordeaux residents who have been quite constrained up to now.
His first decision was to lay out a promenade linking the old town to the Chartrons district, the wine-growing heart of the town where many foreign merchants are based.
This alley now bears, in homage, the name of its founder.
Immeuble XVIIIe des Allées Tourny (c. 1750) by André PortierFondation du patrimoine
Tourny's main priority was to facilitate daily life for the people of Bordeaux and make moving around the city easier for them because, up until then, movement had been rather restricted.
His first decision was to build a promenade linking the old town to the Chartrons district—the winegrowing heart of the city—where many foreign merchants were based.
The promenade was named after him as a tribute to his work.
Cours de l'Intendance, de la place de la Comédie à GambettaFondation du patrimoine
The Cours de l'Intendance is one of Bordeaux's major roads.
This old ditch was filled in during the Middle Ages, and in the 18th century, it became a popular thoroughfare for the bourgeoisie, along which they liked to build private mansions. A mansion of this type is known as a hôtel particulier.
It links the Place Gambetta, built for the wedding of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette, to the Place de la Comédie, built for the founding of the Grand Théâtre in 1773
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Situated on the Cours de l'Intendance, Hôtel Acquart is typical of Bordeaux architecture at the end of the 18th century. It was built by the Bordeaux architect Louis Combes in a typical neoclassical style.
It was also inspired by architectural remnants from the ancient Burdigala, which had been unearthed a few years earlier. It was from these that he replicated the cornice design.
Au bout du Cours de l'Intendance, le Grand Théâtre (1773/1780) by Victor LouisFondation du patrimoine
The Grand Théâtre: a classical gem
Victor Louis was the Parisian architect, commissioned by Richelieu, governor of Guyenne, to construct Bordeaux's Opera House. It was called the Grand Théâtre, and was a jewel in the crown of the city's 18th century architecture.A grand statement of classical architecture was achieved with this building, characterized by its portico of Corinthian columns.
The Grand Théâtre was built between 1773 and 1780, on the site of the Gallo-Roman forum on which the Piliers de Tutelle temple used to stand. This had been destroyed in the 17th century.
It was this edifice that Victor Louis was seeking to resurrect in his work. He produced a temple dedicated to the arts. Above its portico, there are female statues representing the nine muses as well as the three goddesses Juno, Minerva, and Venus.
Hôtel particulier (1774/1777) by Victor LouisFondation du patrimoine
Victor Louis also worked on the entire urban block that separates the Grand Théâtre from the Garonne River, along the Cours du Chapeau-Rouge.
This private mansion, located at the corner of the Cours du Chapeau-Rouge and the quay, was acquired by the Boyer-Fonfrède family. It was particularly renowned for its majestic staircase, which was admired and praised by all his contemporaries, including the German emperor Joseph II, who visited Bordeaux in 1777.
Hôtel de Ville de Bordeaux appelé Palais Rohan (c. 1775) by Richard-François BonfinFondation du patrimoine
While the bourgeois families liked to show off their social success by investing in private mansions that directly overlooked the streets, aristocratic families preferred to build their residences around courtyards and gardens.
The most prestigious building of this type was the Palais Rohan, built at the start of 1771 for Ferdinand Maximilien Mériadec de Rohan-Guéméné, Archbishop of Bordeaux.
Today, it is the city hall.
Hôtel Victoria: a sublime example of privately commissioned architecture in the 18th century
Hôtel Victoria, located at 33 rue Paul-Louis-Lande, is another prime example of this type of private mansion built around courtyards and gardens. It was built for David Victoria, a Bordeaux merchant and property owner in Saint-Domingue who traded mainly in rum and indigo.
Façade sur cour de l'Hôtel Victoria (c. 1790)Fondation du patrimoine
Built between 1787 and 1791, the building has a very complex decor. It contradicts the trends of the time and takes its inspiration from Greek and Baroque styles.
Its original shutters, in the shape of fish scales, are unique in this region.
The entire Hôtel Victoria has been listed as a historical building since 2014.
David Victoria spent very little time in it, and it was mainly inhabited by his wife. Upon her death, the mansion was sold to Father Bienvenu Noailles, founder of the Sainte-Famille de Bordeaux, who turned it into a home for young girls.
This institution grew over the centuries, gradually acquiring neighboring buildings—numbers 29 and 31—on the street, which had been built in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Cour de l'Hôtel Victoria (c. 1790)Fondation du patrimoine
The welcoming spirit of the building continues today, as the current owners of the premises, the Fondation Habitats Jeunes Le Levain, have been using it to house young workers since the 1970s.
The passageway that was used to store and sell rum in the 18th century was converted into housing, as were all the other buildings.
The entire Hôtel Victoria was renovated in 2019 and turned into very high-standard apartments.
This mammoth project was supported by the French cultural heritage foundation known as the Fondation du Patrimoine.
Escalier de l'Hôtel Victoria (c. 1790)Fondation du patrimoine
The superb 18th century monumental staircase now serves three floors and provides access to 47 renovated apartments as well as 18 new apartments located in a building that was constructed during the renovation.
Espace de convivialité de l'Hôtel Victoria (c. 1790)Fondation du patrimoine
The vaulted area, overlooking the garden, was formerly a shop and has now been transformed into a communal space.
The young residents of the building were invited to participate in architecture and heritage workshops so that they could be involved in its renovation. This allowed them to better understand the rich heritage of the building and give their opinions on its development.
Cuisine réaménagée de l'Hôtel Victoria (c. 1790)Fondation du patrimoine
Although all the apartments have kitchenettes, there is also a large communal kitchen that can be used for events and for residents to get together socially.
Contemporary art has also been introduced to the property, with each floor having been decorated with a fresco by the Bordeaux street artist, Matth Velvet.
The murals depict significant events in the lives of the residents, events that made them the adults they are today.
Détail de la façade d'entrée de l'Hôtel Victoria (c. 1790)Fondation du patrimoine
But the intimate history of the place still remains, as evidenced in this decorative detail of numerous heart-shaped designs that were probably commissioned by the often-absent David Victoria for his wife.
They now watch kindly over the young occupants of the residence.
Rencontre avec Isabelle Garcia à l'Hôtel Victoria de BordeauxFondation du patrimoine
Video meeting with Isabelle Garcia, Director of the Association Habitats Jeunes Le Levain, who talks about the history and renovation of the Hôtel Victoria.
Many thanks to Isabelle Garcia, Director of the Association Habitats Jeunes le Levain, as well as to Agathe Corre and the Bordeaux Tourist Office for their time and invaluable help in creating this content.
If you would like to support the restoration of the Hôtel Victoria, please visit this link.
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