Invisiblebordeaux

LATEST ARTICLES ( 325 )

• Signs Through the Times: Spotting the Traders of the Past

  

  Faded hand-painted adverts and signs, so-called ghost signs, have often featured on the blog. And among the interesting subsets which regularly appear on the... Read more

  Posted on 05 October 2014 DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL

• Charles Lamoureux: the Bordeaux-born Conductor Whose Orchestra Lives on

  

  Towards the top end of Rue des Remparts, the charming, gently sloping pedestrianised street which connects Rue Porte Dijeaux and Place Pey-Berland, a discreet... Read more

  Posted on 28 September 2014 DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL

• Video: Parc Rivière, Bordeaux's Park with a Difference

  A few months ago I published an item about the little-known Parc Rivière, a fascinating expanse of greenery which lies between the townhouses of the Tivoli... Read more

  Posted on 21 September 2014 DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL

• Journées Du Patrimoine 2014: the Invisible Bordeaux Selection!

  

  The annual European heritage days take place on September 20th and 21st. As ever the event will provide a unique opportunity to get behind the scenes of many... Read more

  Posted on 13 September 2014 DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL

• From the Allied War Cemetery of Talence (to the Fields of Flanders)

  

  We are in the suburb of Talence and looking at a sign outside a small, carefully-tended plot of land at the end of a cul-de-sac, Rue Bahus. Read more

  Posted on 06 September 2014 DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL

• Sculptor François Didier, the Plans-reliefs of Bordeaux and Bages, and the Jardi...

  

  In central Bordeaux, three bronze orientation maps (or “plans-reliefs” in French) have been positioned at strategic locations. Read more

  Posted on 22 August 2014 DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL

• Video: Tracking the River Devèze from Mérignac to Bordeaux

  Some time ago I published an item about the river Devèze and my attempt to track the now mostly-underground river from Mérignac airport all the way into... Read more

  Posted on 18 August 2014 DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL

• The Bust of Carl Linnaeus, in the Words of Artist Lucie Geffré

  

  One of the focal points of the Right Bank botanic gardens, as featured in the previous blog item, is the bronze bust of Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778). Read more

  Posted on 08 August 2014 DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL

• The Botanic Gardens of Bordeaux 2/2: the Right Bank Gardens

  

  In the previous Invisible Bordeaux item, we explored the compact botanic gardens which have been located in the grounds of the Jardin Public since the 19th... Read more

  Posted on 31 July 2014 DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL

• The Botanic Gardens of Bordeaux 1/2: Jardin Public

  

  Today, the city of Bordeaux boasts not one, but two botanic gardens, and the joint endeavours share a history that stretches way back to the 17th century. Read more

  Posted on 23 July 2014 DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL

• When Bordeaux City Centre Became a Formula 1 Racing Track

  

  Unbelievable as it may seem today, in the early 1950s the city centre of Bordeaux hosted four Formula 1 Grand Prix races, attracting driving aces including... Read more

  Posted on 15 July 2014 DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL

• All About the City of Bordeaux's Coat of Arms (and Logo!)

  

  This mosaic interpretation of the city of Bordeaux’s shield of arms can be seen in the Parc Floral and is one of many designs to be spotted throughout the... Read more

  Posted on 06 July 2014 DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL

• Merging Past and Present Views of Bordeaux

  

  Loyal readers of the blog will know that before-and-after photos are a recurring feature. Meanwhile, there is currently a growing trend for old and new views... Read more

  Posted on 29 June 2014 DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL

• Saint-Savin's Road to Argentina 1978 and the Attempted Kidnap of Michel Hidalgo

  

  The small town of Saint-Savin, 50 kilometres to the north of Bordeaux, formed the backdrop to one of the shortest and strangest chapters in the history of the... Read more

  Posted on 15 June 2014 DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL

• Exshaw’s Mansions: Little Britain in Bordeaux and Cussac-Fort-Médoc

  

  In the Saint-Genès district of Bordeaux stands a mansion house with Victorian traits which wouldn’t look out of place in the UK. Read more

  Posted on 07 June 2014 DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL

• Invisible Bordeaux Guided Walking Tours Now Available as Free PDF Downloads

  

  People who go googling for “free walking tours of Bordeaux” can rejoice: the four walking tours conceived by Invisible Bordeaux are now available as free PDF... Read more

  Posted on 01 June 2014 DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL

• What Happened to the Statue of Sadi Carnot?

  

  Let's rewind 100 years to 1914 and Place Jean-Jaurès in central Bordeaux (known at the time as Place Richelieu), where the lens of the postcard photographer... Read more

  Posted on 24 May 2014 DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL

• Ghost Signs Galore on Cours Gallieni

  

  Cours Gallieni was historically one of the main arteries into and out of Bordeaux, forming the main road to Pessac and the primary escape route to Arcachon. Read more

  Posted on 16 May 2014 DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL

• Accessible Bordeaux: How Wheelchair-friendly is the City?

  

  Meet Jérôme Mabon, creator of the États Critiques movie review blog and occasional contributor to Bordeaux cultural webzine Happe:n. Read more

  Posted on 10 May 2014 DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL

• Sylvain Dornon : the Arcachon Baker Who Stilt-walked from Paris to Moscow

  

  The scene is Arcachon, in the latter years of the nineteenth century, and local baker Sylvain Dornon (pictured left) has taken it upon himself to popularise... Read more

  Posted on 02 May 2014 DESTINATIONS, TRAVEL