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Discovering Bordeaux by bicycle

Discovering Bordeaux by bicycle
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Discovering Bordeaux by bicycle
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Craig Adams aime Bordeaux et La Réole.

 

Itinerary 1: Palais Gallien, Saint Seurin, Pey Berland, and the Grosse Cloche

The Palais Gallien amphitheatre is listed as a Historical Monument and could accommodate 15,000 people. A few arcades and seating rows are still standing, and can be seen from rues du Palais Gallien, Albert-Barraud, and Emile Fourcand.

The Saint-Seurin Basilica is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and is Bordeaux’s oldest church (6th century). Its 11th -century crypt contains the tomb of Saint Fort, Merovingian sarcophagi, and a vast Christian necropolis with tombs dating from the 4th to the 18th century.

Consecrated by Pope Urban II in 1096, Pey-Berland Cathedral was the scene of Eleanor of Aquitaine’s marriage to the future King Louis VII of France in 1137. The Pey-Berland Tower (231 steps) stands apart from the rest of the building, and provides some of the finest panoramic views of the city and its surroundings.

The Grosse Cloche , belfry of the former town hall and made up of two 40-metre towers, is one of medieval Bordeaux’s most important monuments and is depicted on the city’s coat of arms.

 

Itinerary 2: Art Deco Bordeaux, the “échoppes”, the CAPC and the submarine base

Art Deco Bordeaux

In the 1930s and 40s, the Art Deco style gained a fair degree of popularity in Bordeaux, as can be seen by the modern design of the Bourse du Travail, the “Judaïque” swimming pool and the Chaban-Delmas Stadium.

The “Echoppes”

Town cottages built of Gironde stone and typical of Bordeaux housing. Originally designed as working-class homes, they have gradually been turned into comfortable middle-class residences.

Jewish quarter, Saint-Seurin, Public Gardens …

The Bordeaux submarine base

Built during the Second World War, it is now a venue for temporary exhibitions and a wide range of other events. A cultural area is available to theatre and dance companies for rehearsals.

Good to know

From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the first Sunday of every month, the city centre is reserved exclusively for pedestrians, cyclists and rollerbladers.

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