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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The building located at 54 quai Richelieu in Bordeaux is part of the ambitious urban project of Place Royale (present Place de la Bourse) and the docks of the Garonne, initiated in the eighteenth century. This project aimed to create a homogeneous monumental perspective along the river, symbolizing the city's prestige. In 1746 the intendant Claude Boucher obtained the agreement of the jurats to set up the first quay, while the architect Jacques Gabriel proposed from 1729 three projects before building, in 1731, the Quai de la Douane and its aligned facades. These achievements marked the beginning of a rigorous architectural ordinance, characterized by arches in the middle of the hanger, splits and ornamental sculptures.

When Boucher died, intendant Aubert de Tourny launched the project with Ange-Jacques Gabriel, son of Jacques Gabriel, to complete the prospect in 1748. The facades, structured on a ground floor with arcades, two square floors and a mansard-drilled attic, formed a coherent ensemble extending the Place Royale. Although some elements such as wrought iron balconies have disappeared, the original harmony persists thanks to the preserved frames and lamers. The arcades, partially altered by the installation of shops, still bear witness to the initial ambition: to link architectural prestige and port functionality.

Ranked a Historic Monument in 1951 for its facade and roof, this building illustrates the heritage of Gabriel, father and son, and Tourny, whose combined visions shaped the classic face of Bordeaux. The sculpted details, the splits and the regularity of the holes recall the influence of the Parisian models, adapted to the Bordeaux context. Today, it embodies both a major architectural heritage and the challenges of its preservation in an evolving urban fabric.

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