Asturias, Euskal Herria & France Cruise - Bordeaux Page

Cool & a bit grey as we came up the Gironde, which is the long estuary of the Garonne River, berthing at Bordeaux at sometime after 8. We went ashore & headed first, to the Girondins’ Memorial pillar (Robespierre bumped some of them off but they are also commemorated by the local football team).

The Girondins' memorial from the ship

The Girondins' memorial

The Girondins' fountain but also see below

Then past the theatre into the Old Town proper. However, the route I had planned was frustrated by building works behind the Rue de St. Catherine, which leads one to think some nasty modern building is going up there.

Montaigne, the fablist

The Theatre

Rue de St. Catherine

Place St. Projet

Rue des Trois Conils

Tour Pey Berland

Cathedral from NE

We cut through to the cathedral, which has a separate tower on its East side but is otherwise Gloomy Gothic. Inside, they were doing restoration work & outside on the East, it looked only too brand new. As the café opposite was horrendously expensive, we walked past the Town Hall to the Beaux Arts but this did not open until 1100 & Avis had no great hopes for their collection.

Inside the Cathedral	East end stained glass	Restoration work
Cathedral from SW	Hotel de Ville	Hotel de Ville garden (round the back)

So we went round & back opposite the High Court, which was four large judge-like objects, the purpose of which is obscure, to a café which charged a more reasonable (by French standards) €6.10 for a coffee & cappuccino.

Two views of the High Court with its weird "Judges"

Then, we walked to the old bridge, predictably called Pont Neuf or Pont de Pierre, past the St. James Gate. From there, we went along the river bank until I had to wait for the traffic to clear to photo the Cailhau Gate. Then, by a back street & back along the quay to the Braemar for lunch, a three hour trip.

The St. James Gate

St. James Gate Clock

The Porte des Salinières by Pont de Pierre

Ken went out again after the Sun had disappeared.

The embankment at night

The Girondins' fountain

The Theatre

Opera Café at the Theatre

The "Braemar" lit up