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Origin and history

The building located at 24 quai Richelieu in Bordeaux is part of the urban project of creating a homogeneous facade along the Garonne, initiated in the eighteenth century. This project, carried by intendant Claude Boucher as early as 1746, aimed to structure the wharfs with a uniform architectural ordinance, including an arcade ground floor, two square floors and a Mansard attic. The arches in the middle of the wall, adorned with splits and sculptures, were to reflect a monumental perspective, in the continuity of the Place Royale (now the Place de la Bourse).

The project was entrusted to architect Jacques Gabriel, who presented three plans in 1729 before building the Quai de la Douane and its facades in 1731. At the death of Boucher, intendant Aubert de Tourny re-launched the project in 1748 with Ange-Jacques Gabriel, son of Jacques. The facades, although partially altered (disappearance of wrought iron balconies), retain their original character thanks to their frames and larmies. The arcades on the ground floor, sometimes modified by the installation of shops, still bear witness to this classic urban ambition.

The building, whose facade and roof have been protected since 1951, illustrates the architectural heritage of the Enlightenment in Bordeaux. Its style, marked by carved motifs and geometric rigor, is part of the modernization movement of French port cities in the 18th century. The location on the Richelieu wharf, near the Place de la Bourse, underlines its role in the beautification of Bordeaux, then in full economic growth thanks to the maritime trade.

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