Maison de Bordeaux
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison de Bordeaux, located in Bordeaux (Gironde), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Bordeaux, Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 44.8412, -0.5799
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00083414
A bourgeois residence from the 18th century listed as a Monument Historique, this Bordeaux townhouse embodies the art of living and the architectural elegance of the Siècle des Lumières in the very heart of the Guyenne.
History
Along the streets of Bordeaux, a city whose face was shaped by the 18th century with a consistency that is rare in Europe, there are a number of houses that stand out for the quality of their layout and the nobility of their proportions. This house, listed as a Historic Monument by decree on 15 November 1927, is one of these discreet but eloquent witnesses to an architectural golden age that transformed the capital of Gironde into an urban masterpiece. In the 18th century, Bordeaux underwent an unprecedented metamorphosis under the impetus of enlightened intendants such as Tourny and Dupré de Saint-Maur, and great architects such as Ange-Jacques Gabriel and Victor Louis. In this context of renewal, the number of bourgeois and merchant houses multiplied, with facades of blond limestone ashlar, remarkably fine wrought-iron balconies and sculpted portals with ornate keystones. The house in question is fully in keeping with this tradition, reflecting the tastes of a prosperous merchant bourgeoisie enriched by Atlantic trade. Visiting the house is like immersing yourself in the domestic intimacy of the Enlightenment. Unlike the grand public buildings or private mansions that flaunt their magnificence, this house offers a precious glimpse into the refined daily life of the wealthy classes of Bordeaux: the layout of the rooms was designed for pleasure as much as for representation, the interior décor combines classical sobriety with meticulous ornamental detail, and the courtyard or discreet garden extends the living space into the southern light. The fact that it was listed as a Historic Monument in 1927 is testament to its heritage value, which was recognised very early on by the authorities, at a time when the protection of small-scale urban heritage was not yet a matter of course. This early official recognition speaks volumes about the singular interest of this residence in Bordeaux's architectural landscape, a veritable living fragment of the city's golden age.
Architecture
The house belongs to the great family of 18th-century Bordeaux middle-class residences, whose architectural expression is both sober and refined. The façade, characteristic of the region's classicism, is built of golden limestone quarried in the Entre-Deux-Mers or Périgord regions, a material that gave Bordeaux buildings of the period their distinctive warm, luminous hue. The elevation follows a regular pattern, with a slightly raised ground floor over a vaulted cellar, one or two upper storeys with large-paned windows, and a discreet attic covered with flat tiles or slate depending on the influence. The ornamental details reveal the hand of talented journeymen masons and sculptors: sculpted keystones above the bays, wrought-iron balconies with geometric or floral motifs characteristic of Gironde ironwork, a modillion cornice emphasising the roofline, and an entrance gate whose plastic treatment is often the bravura piece of the façade. Inside, the layout of the rooms is based on the principles of practicality as defined by contemporary architectural treatises: entrance hall, stone staircase with ornate handrail, a succession of reception rooms on the first floor lit by high cross windows. The overall quality of the construction, combining structural mastery with the care taken with the decorative finishes, places this residence among the most representative examples of Bordeaux domestic architecture of the Age of Enlightenment, halfway between the aristocratic private mansion and the more modest tenement house.
Related Figures
Louis Urbain Aubert de Tourny, intendant de Guyenne (1743-1757), artisan de la transformation urbaine de BordeauxVictor Louis, architecte bordelais du Grand-Théâtre, figure de l'architecture classique girondineAnge-Jacques Gabriel, premier architecte du roi, dont l'influence marqua l'urbanisme bordelais du XVIIIe siècleLes familles de négociants bordelais, commanditaires anonymes du renouveau architectural de la villeLes compagnons maçons et tailleurs de pierre girondins, artisans du bâti classique bordelais
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison de Bordeaux located?
Maison de Bordeaux is located in Bordeaux, Gironde department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
When was Maison de Bordeaux built?
Maison de Bordeaux dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison de Bordeaux open to visitors?
Maison de Bordeaux is currently closed to visitors.