A History of Bordeaux

Bordeaux and Wine

Wine has defined Bordeaux’s history. As far back as the 3rd century BC, when the Romans introduced wine to the region, the Bordeaux’s wines have enjoyed a favorable reputation. However, in the mid-12th century, its path to worldwide wine fame was set forever when King Henry II of England married Eleanor of Aquitaine and thus gained control of the Bordeaux region. Eleanor's marriage to King Henry also ushered in a struggle between France and England for control of the Aquitaine and the vast English territories in France that would last for three centuries. However, for Bordeaux, the marriage brought only good, as the King tried to gain favor with Bordeaux citizens by allowing them, among other concessions, tax-free trade with England. As a result, Bordeaux wine became the cheapest imported wine in England and, unsurprisingly, very popular with the English.

From 1154 to 1453, Bordeaux prospered under English rule, whose continued fondness for the region's red wine, known across the Channel as claret, helped the region gain a worldwide reputation for quality wines. When the French retook Bordeaux in 1453, commerce slumped with the loss of the English wine trade.

Bordeaux Under the French

From 1648 to 1653, the city joined a series of urban rebellions known as Les Frondes, with Bordeaux's the last to be quelled. By the 18th century, the city had acquired new wealth by trading in slaves and sugar. The city’s center was rebuilt by several enthusiastic royal governors, notably Claude Boucher and the Marquis de Tourny. Bordeaux took a triple blow in the 19th century with the end of the slave trade in 1815, a slump in the sugar trade and the 1878 destruction of its vines by phylloxera.

Phylloxera was a huge blow to the region. Millions of vines had to be uprooted and burned as a result of the spread of the tiny, vine-killing bug. The problem could only be fixed by grafting European vines onto the stem of the American vine, which was resistant to phylloxera. This, however, caused the quality of the wine to be somewhat diminished. Nevertheless, Bordeaux's combination of soil, aspect and climate means that it still produces some of the famous white and red wines on the planet.

Modern Bordeaux

The region was also lucky enough to be spared the horror of combat during both World Wars, both of which affected the northeast of the country. Of course many Bordelais lost their lives in the defense of France on both occasions. Resistance activities by the Bordelais exemplified the streak of defiance and independence that have made the region's inhabitants famous. However, they were not spared the shame of France's capitulation to the Nazis. Bordeaux was the venue of the 1940 armistice with Hitler. The city served briefly as the wartime national capital during each of three conflicts with Germany, in 1870, 1914 and for two weeks in 1940.

Today Bordeaux produces more fine wine than any other region in the world. From its 247,000 acres of vineyards, the region typically produces around one-quarter of France's total wine product, of which 75 per cent is red.

Vinorama

A must visit for this capital of wine, the Vinorama is a museum of the history of wine in the Bordeaux region. Created by local artists and craftsmen, this museum depicts the history of wine in the Bordeaux region since Roman times to the 19th Century. The exhibits include costumed performers in reconstituted scenes. There are audio tours in a variety of languages. Wine can be purchased on the premises.

Cathédrale Saint-André

This cathedral has quite some history attached to it. In 1137, the future King Louis VII married Eleanor of Aquitaine here. The exterior wall of the nave dates right back to 1096; most of the rest of the structure was built in the 13th and 14th centuries. This monumental church combines Roman and Gothic styles. The interior, reached via the newly cleaned north portal, is much more attractive than the stained, crumbling exterior. The interior houses numerous treasures including Spanish and Italian paintings and illuminations In accordance with local tradition, the 15th century bell tower stands separate from the church offering an impressive panoramic view of the city

Musée des Beaux-Arts

This museum occupies two wings of the Hôtel de Ville complex, built in the 1770s. Founded in 1801, the museum has a large collection of paintings, including Flemish, Dutch and Italian works from the 17th century. The new south wing exhibits 16th to 18th century French and European collections, including Brueghel de Velours, Titien, Magnasco, and Rubens. The north gallery is dedicated to nineteenth and twentieth century works, including Delacroix, Corot, etc. Three first class Bordeaux painters, Odilon Redon, Albert Marquet and Andre Lhotem are duly represented.

Musée des Arts Décoratifs

Installed in the magnificent Hôtel de Lalande, built in 1779, the Museum of Decorative Arts contains a fantastic collection of faïence, porcelain, silverwork, glasswork, furniture, weapons and the like, dating mainly from the 18th- and 19th-centuries. Each room of the mansion has been faithfully restored in the refined decor of the Louis XV and XVI period. On the first floor, five salons have been filled with Louis XV and Louis XVI style pieces collected at the beginning of the twentieth century from a number of the old mansions in Bordeaux. Also on display are mahogany furniture from Cuba and Enlightenment-era coffee-machines.

Muse des Vins de Bordeaux

This museum relates the storied history of Bordeaux's wine trade as well as displaying a variety of labels, bottles, and agricultural techniques along with the history of their development. The museum is located in an 18th century home in the section of the city that was the home of Bordeaux' wine merchants, called Chartrons.

Saint-Seurin Basilica

The basilica's style is predominantly Romanesque, but many Gothic elements are also present, the result of successive additions to the structure over the centuries. Its history goes back as far as the beginning of Christendom in the 6th Century. On the western façade of the building, superb columns form two archways allowing access to the nave, whose beautiful Romanesque capitals date from the 12th-century. The southern portal displays the Last Judgment. Inside the basilica, the massive pillars in the nave make a striking sight. To the left of the choir, the 15th-century Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Rose is a superb example of flamboyant Gothic ornamentation. Of particular note are the fine sculptures and keystones. The crypt is the oldest part of the basilica, where one can admire some very beautiful Merovingian sarcophagi in marble. Charlemagne is said to have lain down Roland’s ivory horn here after the defeat of Ronceveaux.

Visiting Bordeaux

Bordeaux, which is in the southwest of France, is accessible by high speed train from Paris, about a three and a half hour trip. Bordeaux is also serviced by a local air port and there is bus and train service available from throughout France. Bordeaux has a tram and bus system for getting around.

Bordeaux is an excellent jumping off point for wine tasting tours of the surrounding vineyards and chateaux. This can be done either in a rented car or by a prearranged organized tour.