Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The idea of a royal square and a uniform facade along the Garonne gradually emerged in the 18th century. In 1746, intendant Claude Boucher obtained the agreement of the jurats to create a first dock. In 1729, the architect Jacques Gabriel proposed three projects, before building in 1731 the Quai de la Douane and its facades bordering the river. This initial project marked the beginning of an ambitious urban transformation, combining port functionality and monumental aesthetics.

At the death of Boucher, intendant Aubert de Tourny launched the project with Ange-Jacques Gabriel, son of Jacques Gabriel. In 1748, a homogeneous architectural perspective was completed, extending the Place Royale (now Place de la Bourse) towards the Garonne. The facades, structured on the ground floor with arcades, two square floors and attic at La Mansard, were enriched with wrought iron sculptures and balconies. Despite alterations (disappearance of some balconies, commercial occupation of arcades), the ensemble retains its stylistic unit.

The building at the 6th Quai de la Douane, whose facade and roof have been protected since 1951, illustrates this architectural ordinance. The arches in the middle of the hangar, the stone windows and the stone windows recall the classical French influence, while the current shops on the ground floor testify to the adaptation of the heritage to modern uses. The initial project aimed to affirm the prestige of Bordeaux, a major port of the eighteenth century, by harmonizing urban planning and monarchic symbolism.

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