Stone Faces of Bordeaux

This self-guided walk leads you through the historic center of Bordeaux to spot the whimsical and haunting 18th-century stone faces carved above doorways and arches.

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1. Le Bar à Vin

Le Bar à Vin occupies the ground floor of the Maison du Vin de Bordeaux, a flatiron-shaped building from the eighteenth century situated directly across from the Grand Théâtre. This site functions as the headquarters for the Conseil…

2. Opéra National de Bordeaux - Grand-Théâtre

The Grand-Théâtre is marked by a neoclassical portico of twelve colossal Corinthian columns, each topped by a stone statue representing a muse or goddess. Inaugurated in seventeen eighty, this opera house was designed by the architect…

3. Rue de la Devise

The Rue de la Devise is a narrow, storied passage in the oldest part of Bordeaux. While the name might suggest a connection to currency or mottos, it actually derives from the Latin word divisa, meaning a boundary or a limit.

4. Place du Parlement

The Place du Parlement is recognizable by its central fountain and the surrounding eighteenth-century facades, which feature decorative stone heads known as mascarons above the windows. Designed in an Italian style, the square was laid out…

5. Rue Fernand Philippart

Rue Fernand Philippart is recognizable by the classic eighteenth-century stone facades that line the street, many featuring rounded balconies and elaborate wrought-iron work. This narrow thoroughfare sits within the Saint-Pierre district,…

6. Place de la Bourse

Place de la Bourse is defined by its wide, symmetrical limestone façades that sweep along the Garonne riverfront in a grand horseshoe shape. Built between seventeen thirty and seventeen seventy-five, this square marks the moment Bordeaux…

7. Rue de la Rousselle

Rue de la Rousselle is one of the oldest veins of Bordeaux, winding through the city center with a surface often paved in its original cobblestones. Its name is linked to the Gascon word rosseu, referring to a type of bream, a nod to the…

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