Bordeaux: Docks of the Left Bank

The route begins in the historic heart of Bordeaux, near the cathedral, where the contemporary Supreme Court designed by Richard Rogers offers a striking contrast to the surrounding medieval fabric. Nearby, in Pey-Berland Square, the remodeling carried out by Patxi Mangado and Atelier d’Architecture King Kong showcases a thoughtful and elegant reinterpretation of public space within one of the city’s most emblematic sites. From there, the walk continues toward the Quai de la Douane and the iconic Place de la Bourse, where Michel Corajoud’s famous Water Mirror creates a poetic dialogue with the 18th-century façades. This stop also provides an opportunity to observe the Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as the interior renovation of the historical Palace of the Stock Exchange, a project completed by Pike, Lajus, and Pueyo.

The route then leads toward the lively Place de la Comédie, reimagined by Olivier Brochet along with Emmanuel and Christine Lajus Pueyo, from which the exceptional façade of Victor Louis’s Grand Théâtre can be admired in all its classical magnificence. Continuing through the expansive Quinconces Square, the path arrives at the CAPC Museum of Contemporary Art, housed in a former colonial goods warehouse and exemplary of sensitive cultural reuse. The visit then follows the riverfront to discover the rehabilitation of the port warehouse H14, an impressive exercise in industrial transformation, and concludes at the Seeko’o Hotel, a contemporary architectural landmark that marks the northern entrance to the refurbished quays.