Books: three new works to (re)discover Bordeaux

Setting out in search of the medieval remains of the city of Bordeaux: this is the challenge proposed by the "Guide to Medieval Bordeaux" by Annick Bellegarde, honorary heritage curator, who was notably responsible for the medieval collections of the Musée d'Aquitaine. Over the course of around a hundred pages, the work published in March suggests two three- or four-hour strolling itineraries in the heart of the old town center. The first is inside the first city wall, which represents the boundaries of Bordeaux from the ^3rd to the beginning of the ^13th century; the second is inside the second and third city walls, built in the ^13th and ^14th centuries.

Richly illustrated with photos, maps and engravings, "this guide does not claim to exhaustively retrace the history of medieval Bordeaux and its monuments, but it shows that by paying a little attention, it is possible to see the resurrection of this past which has indelibly marked the urban planning of the contemporary city," describes the author.

Annick Bellegarde, “Guide to Medieval Bordeaux”, Éditions Sud Ouest, published in March 2025, 112 pages, 12 euros.

2 “History of Bordeaux”

This spring, historians Madeleine Lassère and Bernard Lachaise published a new, updated edition of "Histoire de Bordeaux." The book summarizes more than twenty centuries of the city's history, from the time of the Gauls to the present day. It includes time markers and zooms, allowing the reader to pick and choose from as they read. For example, there is a zoom on the Palais Gallien, the only monument still visible in Burdigala, which dates back to the beginning of the ^2nd century AD. We learn, in particular, that the amphitheater could accommodate "nearly 22,000 spectators who came to watch wild beast or gladiator fights." Another focuses on Eleanor's marriage to the future Louis VII in the summer of 1137; on Montaigne, mayor of Bordeaux from 1581 to 1585; and Ferdinand Maximilien Mériadeck de Rohan and his palace.

The book is enhanced with a notebook of illustrations and maps and plans.

Madeleine Lassère and Bernard Lachaise, “History of Bordeaux”, Éditions Sud Ouest, published in May 2025, 264 pages, €19.90.

3 “Bordeaux, the guide”

Released in May, the latest reissue of "Bordeaux, the guide" offers a complete panorama of the city, with historical information as well as 250 addresses and tips for visitors who want to know what to see, where to walk, or even where to dine. In her guide, journalist and author Carine Arribeux takes a precise and documented look at Bordeaux's neighborhoods. The pages offer a concise read, the book leafs through like a travel guide rich in information. It takes us from the banks of the Garonne to the Nansouty district, from Mériadeck to La Bastide, from Place Pey-Berland to Caudéran. It recommends visiting the Chartrons market, having an aperitif at sunset on one of the rooftops overlooking the floating docks, discovering the ruins of the old convent on Rue Magendie... All richly illustrated.