Friday September 22 2023 was an unusual day in Bordeaux. From the off there was a sense of occasion and with good reason: Bordeaux was hosting King Charles III and Queen Camilla on the closing leg of the State visit which began two days earlier in Paris. One of the focal points of the day was the Great festival held on Place de la Bourse and, guess what, I was there to soak up the atmosphere!

To say the royal agenda in Bordeaux was dense would be an understatement. In a little under six hours they managed to meet and greet local dignitaries at the City Hall (and planted a tree alongside Bordeaux mayor Pierre Hurmic), salute the Marines on board HMS Iron Duke, ventured to Martillac to view the organic working methods of Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte… and while Charles visited the experimental urban forest development in Floirac, Camilla split to see how the good people at Le Pain de l’Amitié are providing food for those in need. 

And, in the midst of all that, the Place de la Bourse had been converted into a pop-up festival to promote much of what the UK does well (as part of the Great Campaign) as well showcasing a number of Bordeaux initiatives and companies, all to the live soundtrack of hand-picked up-and-coming artists, both local and from the UK. 

Place de la Bourse in festival mode. Note the umbrella, it came in useful.

It is a little unclear precisely what the criteria for attendance were (we had all received personal invitations from the UK embassy in France) but it made for a delightful and sometime surprising cross-section of the Bordelais and expatriate population. Ahead of me in the queue to get in were some extremely tall and wide Union Bordeaux-Bègles rugby players. Male and female Girondins football players were there in their club tracksuit tops (along with coach David Guion). A little further I recognized the influential local artist Jofo. There were a number of people in uniform, sometimes sporting impressively bushy sideburns. Oh, and could that be the entire Fiji rugby team, whose World Cup base just happens to be in Lormont? Different cultural universes colliding. 

Once "inside" the Place de la Bourse, which is usually such a familiar open-access spot, it was incredible to see how the square had been momentarily transformed, framed by a number of tents housing UK and Bordeaux brands such as Paul Smith, Gilbert, and Baillardran, initiatives such as the inspiring Le Café Joyeux, a company which has conceived wine bottles made from paper, cheeses from a local épicerie, and stands promoting UK tourism, cultural and educational drives. (My favourite exhibit was a life-size (?) Shaun the Sheep... although spotting Paddington wandering around the event wasn't bad either...) 

A massive stage was the centrepiece of the event, although much of the crowd wasn’t really paying much attention to the artists who were performing (Tyrone Isaac Stuart and Rianne Downey), despite the valiant bilingual attempts of compere Darren Tulett (the TV presenter and football pundit). And then the music stopped… 

Tram-spotting.

For, the time had come, a tram sporting diminutive Union flags pulled up to the Place de la Bourse stop and there was a collective sense of hushed anticipation as the Royal delegation alighted and moved its way along the red carpet which had been laid out over the square’s cobblestones (a wise move given that the intermittent showers had made for a slippery surface!). UK foreign secretary James Cleverly rushed past me virtually unrecognized, that is how focused everyone was on Charles and Camilla… or mainly, to be honest, on Charles, who took time to make his way through the crowd, stopping to chat with one or two lucky onlookers, including one person stood right next to me, giving me plenty of time to take some once-in-a-lifetime closeup shots! In the meantime the PA had picked up again, making for the strange combination of a royal walkabout to the sound of Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill. 

As the party made its way around part of the pop-up marketplace, local solo artist I Am Stramgram began a short set, battling with technical issues and general indifference but providing a memorable performance that closed with an interesting reinterpretation of the Beatles’ Yesterday. I managed to catch up with him afterwards and we agreed that it was a fairly surreal experience for him but that it would go down as an unusual and virtually unique line on his musical CV! 

I Am Stramgram, providing the Royal walkabout soundtrack.

By now, the Royal party had made its way to the main stage and UK Ambassador to France Menna Rawlings made a well-received speech (name-checking the local family she had stayed with when she attended courses at the Alliance Française in the city) before handing over to Pierre Hurmic, who good-humouredly saluted the King and Queen, underlining how Charles’s environmental concerns were a long-standing constant. The crowd then eagerly awaited a few words from the King himself. He edged towards the mic, silently mouthed something or other (I’m not great at lipreading but I think it might have been "Wasn’t I Am Stramgram great, sorry he’s ended up standing next to James Cleverly") and gave a wave. That was a momentary anticlimax but he was soon forgiven, he did have a plane to catch, after all. 

And then came what was arguably the unexpected (and possibly unplanned) high point. As the Royal party reached ground level once again, the entire Fiji rugby team congregated nearby, Darren Tulett was told to switch off the PA music, and the players broke into a traditional Fijian folk song. In perfect harmony. It was beautiful and inspired. Everyone had goosebumps. 

As Charles and Camilla moved on to their next engagements, another surprise was in store. Over to another corner of the square, the band of the Royal Marines were settling into position, bringing singer-songwriter Caity Baser's set to a momentary close. Before you knew it they were parading up and down the square providing 15 minutes of world-class marching band music. From my vantage point it was possible to enjoy the ensemble while also being able to focus on individual instruments and parts as they walked back and forth. Can I mention goosebumps again? 

Ladies and gentlemen, it's only the Royal Marines band. In Bordeaux!

The festivities had not yet come to a close but most attendees had already left, making for a strange, other-worldly atmosphere when Bilbao King Fu took to the stage. They had a handful of people in front of the stage, and a few enthusiastic punters stationed to the wrong side of the barriers way over on the other side of the square. It must have been a strange experience for them but they delivered. 

As the crowd had dwindled I was easily able to locate my Consulate acquaintance who I was able to personally thank for the invitation to attend this unique and memorable event. Other than all of the above, I don’t think I will ever again be able to say that over the course of a single afternoon I was able to openly chat to real, live Girondins footballers about recent results and prospects for the season; personally thank local music mogul Eric Roux for the Ouvre La Voix festival and the fantastic concerts he puts on at Rock School Barbey; talk to renowned wine author Jane Anson about Twitter (X) algorithms only to be interrupted by the sound of two Rafale fighter jets flying overhead; observe Fiji rugby players enthusiastically tucking into complimentary Tyrrells crips… and, yikes, I even got my very own selfie with Darren Tulett! Oh, and I also happened to see the King and Queen of my home nations. It really was quite an afternoon… Thanks to everyone who was part of it and made this incredible event happen!

Girondins, crisps and Darren Tulett, what a combination.

P.S. This unique day had started off with a live early-morning radio interview on France Bleu Gironde, talking about the Royal Visit and some of the background and its political context. You can view it here: 

 

> Cet article est également disponible en français !

Not long ago at the remarkable Emmaüs charity outlet in Parempuyre, I picked up a couple of out-of-print books by the historian Pierre Décamps (1912-2004): 1940-1944, la Gironde en Images (published by SODIM in 1977) and Bordeaux sous l’occupation (Ouest France, 1983). Both feature some incredible photographs documenting Bordeaux during the Second World War. I set off in search of the same locations in order to merge the 1940s and the 2020s in single shots. The accompanying captions are adaptations of the information shared by Pierre Décamps in the books, all original photos were credited to the Bordeaux Centre Jean Moulin collection.

The disturbing sight of the swastika flying outside the Gironde préfecture on Cours du Chapeau-Rouge, which housed the German army central command centre. The contrast with the massage parlour which is now next door is striking.

These ladies seem to be enjoying their city-centre stroll past fortified shelters and blockhouses built by the Germans at the base of Pey-Berland tower…

During the Second World War, le Théâtre Français (now CGR Bordeaux Le Français cinema) was a cinema which was reserved for German army soldiers, hence the "Soldaten Kino" sign (Soldiers' Cinema).

"French [citizens]... Listen every day to the voice of the Reich". German Information Service sign in front of the Jardin Public terrace.

Place de la Bourse: the British bombardment on the night of December 8-9, 1940 certainly left its mark. 

The caption provided by Pierre Décamps states that "This German billboard, installed on Place de la [1918] Victoire in Bordeaux, indicates the victorious march of the German armies in Russia and the location of the battlefields where the Soviet armies were annihilated in 1941."

It’s all about the bronze: removal, on December 6, 1941, of the bronze statue of former president Sadi Carnot, erected on Place Jean-Jaurès. 

Next to the now empty plinth, the sign reads "By working in Germany, you'll be an ambassador for French quality".

French citizens enrolling to work for Germany show up at the "Bureau de placement", 103, rue Sainte-Catherine.

August 28th 1944, a group of "Maquisard" Resistants from the Blaye area pictured on Rue Esprit-des-Lois in Bordeaux (the road that runs alongside the Grand Théâtre opera house), just as the city was being liberated. 

August 28th 1944, Bordeaux students celebrating the city’s liberation. At the head of the procession, the sign proclaims "À poil les Fritzous, vive les étudiants" (which could be conservatively translated as "the Germans have been disrobed, long live the students"). 

Members of the FFI (Forces françaises de l’intérieur) are celebrated by a crowd of happy onlookers on Place Gambetta. 

Dancing in the street: the effigy of a German soldier hangs outside the headquarters of the General Student Association on Cours Pasteur. You can sense the joy in this picture, and no, we're not necessarily talking about the adult shop over to the right! 

> Ce dossier est également disponible en français.

We are in the Saint-Genès district of Bordeaux, not far from the boulevards, visiting the unusual complex that is la Maison Saint Louis Beaulieu, the diocesan home of the Catholic Church in Gironde. Open to the general public, the Maison is a surprising place to behold… particularly its chapel, library and pleasant grounds.

 

The history of Maison Saint Louis Beaulieu goes back to the mid-19th century when the Carmelite religious order set up a convent and a chapel, with hermitages dotted around the grounds. In the early years of the 20th century, the Catholic diocese rented the premises to house a seminary, purchasing the land and existing buildings in 1910. Over the following decades, the condition of the property gradually worsened until a full reconstruction began in 1937 to the plans drawn up by renowned architects Louis and Marcel Garros. This resulted in the main building, which still stands tall and proud today, and the intriguing art deco chapel (pictured below), consecrated in 1946 by the Apostolic Nuncio to France, Monsignor Angelo Roncalli, later to become Pope John XXIII.
 

Unusually, the chapel’s configuration has rotated 180° over the years, with the main entrance initially being street-side, on Rue Saint-Genès, but access now solely being possible via the cloister. The Parisian artists Jean Gaudin and Louis Mazetier provided the decorative touches of the chapel’s mosaics and tiling. The stained glass windows all seem laden with cryptic references. One, for instance, comprises the coats of arms of the city of Bordeaux but also of Bazas, which along with the dioceses of Agen, Angoulême also sent their students to Saint Louis Beaulieu from 1955 onwards. The organ was manufactured by the German company Merklin in 1892 (its most recent overhaul occurred in 2017) and was in the original chapel.
 

The street-side view and what used to be the main entrance to the chapel (situated behind what is now the altar).

Beyond the pretty cloister/courtyard and the café-restaurant (see lead photo at top of page), a door leads to the library of the Bordeaux diocese, home to some 90,000 books about religious science stored across over four kilometres of shelving. Usually the reading room alone is open to the general public, but our visit tied in with the European heritage days so we were given a glimpse of the inner workings of the library and some of its oldest and most prized possessions.
 

From there on into the peaceful grounds, tucked away behind the main building. The first most prominent sight is a modern metallic work of art, 'le Chêne de Mambré', produced by Bordeaux artist Christophe Conan. Beyond its aesthetic delights and its designated role as a “meeting place”, the tree features on its leaves the names of benefactors who helped fund the renovation work carried out here in recent years.

Christophe Conan's 'Le Chêne de Mambré'.

Wandering on through the grounds, other than the vegetable patches, herb gardens, and compost heaps, there is an old chapel to be spotted here, a chicken run there, and the inevitable statue of the Virgin Mary, which apparently fell on bad times in recent years. It was smashed to smithereens by unknown night-time intruders and had to be meticulously rebuilt from scratch by an expert at the Louvre museum in Paris. The ultimate 3D puzzle!

Scenes from le Jardin de Beaulieu.

As grumpy as they appear to be, the Madonna and Child actually look as good as new after their recent mishap.

My time here also enabled me to find the exact vantage point to be able to reproduce the view on an old postcard I’d picked up many moons ago before even knowing where the picture had been taken. The postcard, which is captioned overleaf as “Grand Séminaire de Bordeaux - Grand Bâtiment”, includes a hand-drawn circle indicating the postcard-writer’s room – who was the mystery resident at the time? To know just a touch more, the text of the postcard is included at the foot of the article!
 

Although the living is clearly very gentle here, Maison Saint Louis Beaulieu remains a very active place, and is arguably as dynamic as ever. Other than the aforementioned facets, its website also refers to it being home to the Pey Berland training institute, a number of meeting rooms (which can be rented out for seminars and the like), a bookshop (La Procure Beaulieu), and the studios of the RCF Bordeaux catholic radio station. And the café is as pleasant a place as any for a quiet afternoon cup of tea or similar!
 

Oh, and one more thing: who exactly was Saint Louis Beaulieu? Well, Louis was born in 1840 in Langon near Bordeaux and went on to be ordained as a priest at the Overseas Missions Seminary in Paris in 1864. He ended up stationed in the mountains near Seoul, Korea, where the presence of foreigners was forbidden. Denounced and arrested, he was executed six months short of his 26th birthday. More than a century later, he and others who met the same fate in Korea were canonized by Pope John Paul II.

> Find it on the Invisible Bordeaux map: Maison Saint Louis Beaulieu, rue Saint-Genès, Bordeaux.
> Official website: espacebeaulieu.fr
> Thanks to students from the Archimuse association who organised this European Heritage Days visit in 2022.
> Here is the text of the undated postcard in full (presumably, Miou was a cat...): 

 Mon cher Jean-Pierre. Cette vilaine carte t'apporte mon bon souvenir pour ton anniversaire. J'espère que tout va bien à Lyon. Ici ça va. On termine l'année. Je te fais donc un méga bise, ainsi qu'à Miou et je prie bien pour vous. Fafa.

My dear Jean-Pierre. This ugly card brings you my best wishes for your birthday. I hope all is well in Lyon. Things are fine here. We're ending the year. I send you and Miou a big kiss and I'm praying for you. Fafa.

> Cet article est également disponible en français !

Imagine my surprise when I was out on my bike somewhere between Lacanau and Carcans-Maubuisson, on a stretch of cycle path which is among the prettiest there is in Gironde, and I saw signposts to “la Réserve naturelle nationale de l’étang de Cousseau”. I decided to investigate – what would I find?

 

I veered off the main cycling route and off down a lane, which stretched on for a kilometre or so, until I was met with the sight of a row of wooden bicycle racks ahead of a gate. I locked up my bike and continued on foot, all the while heading downhill, following a narrow and twisty footpath. It all felt very wild and then, to the left, the idyllic sight of a large expanse of water filtered through the trees, and that was soon followed by a wooden viewing platform. I had very much arrived and the sight to behold was as splendid and as spectacular as you’ll get to see anywhere, period.
 

The nature reserve – in essence a lake along with an extensive area of marshland – covers a surface of 882 hectares (the lake alone accounts for 50 hectares) and has been open to visitors since 1976. In a way, the reserve gives an idea of the way things were way back, the way back in question being prior to the 19th century when humans re-moulded the Landes landscape and ocean coastline.
 

Information panels welcoming visitors.

From what I can make out (and it may turn out that this paragraph will have to be rewritten when somebody tells me otherwise), along the Atlantic coast, sand dunes would develop, rising and falling, preventing the inland waters from reaching the sea, forming the great freshwater lakes of Lacanau and Hourtin. Elsewhere, the land was stabilized through the plantation of maritime pines, and the surrounding land was irrigated to make it more habitable. However, in this hillier part of the region it was more difficult to plant maritime pines, and so the wild marshlands have prevailed, providing a home to a rich and ever-developing ecosystem of plants, trees, birds, mammals, and insects.    
 

Among the wildlife present on site, the national nature reserves website notes various species of toads, frogs, newts, roe deer, wild boar, badgers, otters; more than 200 species of birds including osprey, greylag geese, white spoonbills, black-headed gulls, cranes and ducks; while around 70 species of birds come here to breed, including white-winged goshawk, hobby falcon, marsh harrier, buzzard and black kite. Oh, and let’s not forget Cousseau’s miscellaneous reptiles, amphibians, dragonflies (39 species) and butterflies (50 species). I suppose we could go on but if we do we could be here for some time…
 

Happily, all these constantly evolving facts and figures are permanently monitored by an organisation called SEPANSO (Société pour l'Étude et l'Aménagement de la Nature dans le Sud-Ouest), who manage the reserve. They also oversee the Banc d’Arguin at the mouth of Arcachon Bay, and the Réserve naturelle nationale des Marais de Bruges – the latter of which has long since deserved its own Invisible Bordeaux report.  

At Cousseau, to my surprise, a SEPANSO representative was present on the main viewing platform to answer questions, provide guidance and lend out two telescopes to partake in some serious birdwatching. He did point out though that a hot mid-afternoon in June was not optimal in terms of observing anything more interesting than the siege of herons huddling in a tree some way in the distance. Will plan things properly next time!

 

From there I climbed the steps of one of the reserve’s two tall observation towers, la Tour de Lesperon. In places, poetic notes written on fabric added a little mystique to the proceedings.

La Tour de Lesperon. A poem was written on the white fabric rectangle which moved with the wind.

From the top I felt ever so slightly like I was the king of Cousseau, and to properly crown the occasion I spotted a magnificent cow in the distance. Or was it a bull? A bison? A buffalo? It turns out it was actually a "vache marine" Whatever, this was now a bit like being on safari.
 

From that vantage point, along with the impressive natural beauty, what was most striking was how peaceful the place was, the silence disturbed only by the buzzing of insects. When I was there, there were just three other visitors, I bumped into two other people on my way out – it was certainly difficult to believe that the reserve reportedly draws between 25,000 and 30,000 visitors per year… The crowds certainly weren’t around on a Sunday afternoon in June.
 

Anyway, as far as I’m concerned, I will most definitely be paying a return visit before too long to be able to experience the reserve to the full. There is another observation tower to climb, and a full walking circuit to take in. In a way, this first, unplanned venture feels like it was little more than a rushed trailer ahead of the full feature unfolding.
 

So, dear Réserve naturelle nationale de l’étang de Cousseau, Invisible Bordeaux is very much looking forward to exploring your delights further sometime in the future… and preferably on a day when there are more birds to be seen! 

Update: I did make it back shortly afterwards and got to take in the fine view from the top of the second observation tower, Tour Galip. Hurrah!

> Find it on the Invisible Bordeaux map: Réserve naturelle nationale de l’étang de Cousseau, Lacanau. Cycling is the recommended means of reaching the reserve, but there is also a car park located more or less in the vicinity (codenamed 'Marmande" on the D6E1 départementale road to the north of Lacanau), but note that it's a fair old walk from there to the reserve proper.

> Réserves Naturelles de France website page

> SEPANSO website page 

> Ce dossier est également disponible en français !

 

The small village of Puynormand - and its unusual claim to being the centre of the northern hemisphere - has twice featured on the Invisible Bordeaux blog. It was only really a matter of time before the subject made its way into a song produced by my group Slowrush… and here it is, along with a spectacular video: we give you X Marks The Spot! 

X Marks The Spot, which is the lead track on the new Slowrush E.P., Navigation & Time, is the story of two of my trips to the spot where the Greenwich Meridian and the 45th Parallel North converge, i.e. the place where east meets west mid-way up the northern hemisphere.

While there is something very tongue-in-cheek about the track and the way the band appear to get quite excited about something that doesn’t physically exist, it is also a very affectionate nod in the direction of friend of the blog André Stanghellini and the work he has done to raise awareness of Puynormand’s unique status, resulting in a signpost and information panel going up in recent years. 

So join Slowrush as we embark on our mission to the centre of our hemisphere, and find out what it is like to perform a sax solo and enjoy drinks where these important invisible lines converge! 

Click here if video does not display properly on your device.

> You can listen to the full Navigation & Time E.P. on the Slowrush Bandcamp page here, or on the streaming platform of your choice by clicking here. 

OK, everyone else is doing it, so why shouldn’t Invisible Bordeaux? As I’m a bit short on time these days (but the blog will hopefully be back sometime soon with new articles), I wondered whether the already-infamous AI chatbot ChatGPT could provide some instant top tips about the secret sights of Bordeaux. I booted up the bot and ran this exact request: “Provide ten very unusual secret sights to see in Bordeaux, France”. Below are the ten items ChatGPT suggested. Between each I provide my very real, live human take on the responses! What are your thoughts? 

 

> ChatGPT - Sight #1. "Le Passage Souterrain des Moulins: An underground tunnel system built in the 17th century to transport flour between mills, it's now a secret passageway beneath the streets of Bordeaux."

Invisible Bordeaux - No idea what this is or where it might be. If it does exist it is truly a remarkable find and surely the city’s best kept secret. I do have a feeling that it doesn’t though, are you aware of it? 

> ChatGPT - "Sight #2. La Tour Pey-Berland: A 15th-century bell tower attached to the Cathédrale Saint-André, offering panoramic views of the city."

Invisible Bordeaux - OK, not exactly unusual, not very secret, and not exactly physically attached to the cathedral, but let’s go with it! 

> ChatGPT - Sight #3. "La Grosse Cloche: A medieval bell tower that served as a gate to the city, with a small museum inside."

Invisible Bordeaux - Hmmm, not sure about the museum inside, and this apparently obscure subject happens to be on the city’s coat of arms, but hey. 

> ChatGPT - Sight #4. "Le Jardin Botanique: A lush and peaceful botanical garden located in the heart of the city."

Invisible Bordeaux - Approved, a great place to unwind and a fascinating place to visit. 

> ChatGPT - Sight #5. "La Rue Saint-James: A narrow street lined with historic buildings, including the oldest house in Bordeaux."

Invisible Bordeaux - Most sources concur to say that the oldest house in Bordeaux is on Impasse de Rue-Neuve, but admittedly that is fairly nearby. But, yes, rue Saint-James is a quaint street and well worth a visit. 

Rue Saint-James and le Jardin Botanique, yesterday.

> ChatGPT - Sight #6. "Le Pont de Pierre: A stunning stone bridge over the Garonne River, built in the early 19th century."

Invisible Bordeaux - I think you’ll find most people in Bordeaux are left stunned by the Pont de Pierre just about every day of every week, it is arguably one of the city’s most prominent and recognizable landmarks. 

> ChatGPT - Sight #7. "Les Catacombes de Bordeaux: An underground network of tunnels and chambers filled with human bones, dating back to the 18th century."

Invisible Bordeaux - Not sure here whether ChatGPT is getting Bordeaux muddled up with Paris, or whether this is referring to the incredible Roman-period cemetery below Saint-Seurin church. There are actual catacombs in nearby Saint-Emilion, could that be what this is all about? 

> ChatGPT - Sight #8. "Le Musée des Arts Décoratifs et du Design: A museum dedicated to decorative arts and design, housed in a beautiful 18th-century mansion."

Invisible Bordeaux - Yes, Invisible Bordeaux approves once again, an unusual museum in a spectacular building, although if you want to check it out you will have to wait until the ongoing refurbishment work is finished. The museum is scheduled to reopen in 2025. 

> ChatGPT - Sight #9. "La Place de la Bourse: A grand square with a stunning water mirror reflecting the majestic Palais de la Bourse."

Invisible Bordeaux - This unusual and secret sight can sometimes even be spotted on Instagram! 

> ChatGPT - Sight #10. "Le Jardin Public: A vast public park with a lake, a botanical garden, a zoo, and plenty of peaceful spots to relax and unwind."

Invisible Bordeaux - Hmmm, the Jardin Public is indeed a great spot, and does have its own lake and botanical garden. Not sure about whether there’s a zoo per se, although the Natural History Museum and its collection of slightly deceased animals is there. Could ChatGPT be getting mixed up with the Parc Bordelais and the goats, geese and sheep of its “ménagerie”?  

Sooooo, all in all, a very mixed bag. There are a few IA-generated suggestions in there that are definitely valid, other suggested sights that are far too obvious to be classified as “unusual” or “secret”, and a couple that are just totally mystifying. 

Anyway, there is no doubt that we have turned a major corner lately with regard to AI-powered capabilities. However, perhaps, for the time being, if you’re on the lookout for obscure places to visit in Bordeaux, it’s best to refer to real-world guides and local heritage experts such as Marie Hallier, Fleur Borde, Caroline Calvet and Hela Mansour… or else simply liaise with the official Bordeaux tourism board and check out their excellent local slow tourism website Un Air de Bordeaux!
 

Ce dossier est également disponible en français !