Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Bourse du travail de Bordeaux, located in the Victoire district, was initiated by Mayor Adrien Marquet, who entrusted its design to architect Jacques D'Welles. The project, which began in 1935 and was inaugurated on 1 May 1938, was designed to provide the unions with a functional and aesthetic building, celebrating work and art. The building, classified as a historic monument in 1998, embodies Bordeaux Art Deco architecture, with major contributions by artists such as Jean Dupas and Alfred Janniot.

The building, an irregular quadrilateral divided into two trapezes, opens on the Aristide Briand course with five open doors. Its decor, representing almost 6% of the budget, combines allegories of work, the port of Bordeaux and local activities. The frescoes, bas-reliefs and elements of ironwork, made by Bordeaux artists, illustrate the social and cultural ambition of the project, as evidenced by the foyers decorated with scenes celebrating wine, pine trees, and peace.

The Ambrose Croizat Hall, an amphitheatre of 1,300 seats, was dedicated to shows and conferences, reflecting the socialist municipality's commitment to a "palais pour le peuple". Rehabilitation work, notably in 2003-2004 and since 2013, has helped preserve this heritage, now the historic headquarters of the CGT. The peristyle, with its medallions carved by Louis Bate, pays tribute to socialist figures like Jean Jaurès.

Designed as a place of union and cultural gathering, the Labour Exchange symbolizes the alliance between functionality and art. Its classification in 1998 allowed major restorations, including facades and interior frescoes, while preserving its original elements such as woodwork, doors and luminaires. The building remains a unique testimony of the social and artistic utopia of the 1930s in Bordeaux.

The artists involved, including Jean Dupas for the frescoes of the room Croizat and Alfred Janniot for the bas-relief of the facade, marked the visual identity of the building. The frescoes, such as those of Camille de Buzon or François-Maurice Roganeau, celebrate Bordeaux terroir, while the medallions of the peristyle evoke the history of socialism. This monument, owned by the municipality, continues to embody a political, artistic and architectural heritage.

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