Page 412 - Lonely Planet France’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

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Cathédrale St-André
Lording over the city, the cathedral
(www.cathedrale-bordeaux.fr; place Jean Moulin;
h2-6pm Mon, 10am-noon & 2-6pm Tue-Sun)
STRETCH dates from 1096, but most of what you
see today was built in the 13th and 14th
YOUR LEGS centuries. Next door is the gargoyled,
50m-high Gothic belfry, Tour Pey Ber-
land (adult/child €5.50/free; h10am-1.15pm &
BORDEAUX 2-6pm Jun-Sep, 10am-12.30pm & 2-5.30pm Oct-
May), erected between 1440 and 1466.
The Walk » Head up rue Elisée Reclus and turn
right to enter the small but elegant Jardin de la
Mairie, where you’ll find the Musée des Beaux-Arts.
Musée des Beaux-Arts
Start/Finish Cathédrale The evolution of occidental art from the
St-André Renaissance to the mid-20th century is
on view at this fine arts museum (www.
Distance 5km musba-bordeaux.fr; 20 cours d’Albret; adult/
child €4/2; h11am-6pm mid-Jul–mid-Aug,
Duration 1½ hours closed Tue rest of year), occupying two
wings of the 1770s-built Hôtel de Ville.
Highlights include 17th-century Flem-
ish, Dutch and Italian paintings.
Good-looking Bordeaux, a Unesco The Walk » Continue down cours d’Albret,
World Heritage site, is one of across place Gambetta and onto cours Georges
Clemenceau. At place Tourny turn left onto rue
France’s most exciting, vibrant and Fondaudège, then take the second right.
dynamic cities. With pedestrian- Jardin Public
friendly streets, stately architecture Take a stroll through these gorgeous
gardens (cours de Verdun). On sunny days
and silky-smooth riverside it can seem as though half of Bordeaux
promenades, it is made for exploring has come to feed the ducks here.
on foot. This walking tour reveals the The Walk » Exit the park via cours de Verdun,
then head down cours du Maréchal Foch, turn left
best of downtown Bordeaux. onto rue Ferrére and continue to CAPC.
Musée d’Art Contemporain
(CAPC)
Built in 1824 as a warehouse for French
colonial produce such as coffee, cocoa,
peanuts and vanilla, this cavernous
building creates a dramatic backdrop
for contemporary art at the CAPC (www.
capc-bordeaux.fr; 7 rue Ferrère; adult/child €4/2;
Take this walk on Trips h11am-6pm Tue & Thu-Sun, to 8pm Wed).
The Walk » Follow the river along the quai
1x des Chartrons to the esplanade des Quinconces.
Walk through this square, past the Girondins

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