Bordeaux is most likely to be associated with the famous red wine Bordeaux, which comes from this area. But you can not only enjoy the wonderfully drinkable wine here, Bordeaux is also an excellent University town. The entire region is also known as the political, economic and spiritual center of the southwest of France .

The history of Bordeaux

230,000 people, who by the way are called Bordelais, live here. Bordeaux is also the capital of the Aquitaine region and has a strong influence on the regional history. In the 2,300-year history of Bordeaux, for example, the Celts ruled, the Romanswere driven out again and the Franks followed later. Here in particular lies the root of the discrepancies between England and France which resulted in a 300 year long war. Bordeaux has been part of France since the 15th century. The Bordelais, the residents of Bordeaux, have always been fixated on economic growth. The entire region owes a certain economic prosperity to the city of Bordeaux, which is responsible for the extensive trade. It was also she who, thanks to her strategically favorable location, provided the appropriate transport connections.

Sights in Bordeaux

Of course you should enjoy the city’s fantastic cuisine and wonderful red wine when visiting. But there are also numerous fascinating buildings and monuments.

Among other things, the city is home to the wide arch of the Garonne River, which runs across the city. This has the shape of a crescent moon and gave the city the nickname Port de la lune, which translated in German means port of the moon. The Garonne flows through the city and meets the Dordogne a few kilometers further on. You can even watch the tides in the urban area. The incoming sea water pushes the river back at high tide and raises its level by about one meter. This creates whirlpools and a restless water surface. On very troubled days you can even see a real wave pulling through the river. This is called mascaret, spring tide.

The historic city center of Bordeaux is well worth seeing. The former city wall is located here. In 2007, Port de la Lune was placed under protection by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The numerous squares, such as the Place de la Victoire, are known far beyond the country’s borders. Today’s pedestrian zone contains some of the well-known sights, so a stroll can be combined with a historical trip.

The animals and plants in Bordeaux’s region

The area around the city is extremely narrow. The buildings do not allow a lot of natural life to take place here. The green areas have all been artificially created and consist mostly of Parks. You hardly find any animals here. Squirrels are predominantly found in the park areas. Even migratory birds make a stop here. However, there is now an extremely dramatic problem with rats. The city administration has been trying for years to get this problem under control by means of a better garbage disposal system. In some cases, conditions are almost like in the Middle Ages.

In addition, some areas were created in the north of the urban area on the banks of the Garonne that are not allowed to be built or cultivated as a recreational area. Here nature recovers and so you can see some wild flowers here. Even Small game has settled here in the swampier area. In the regions of the wine-growing area you will mainly find hares, partridges and the associated birds of prey that live on the small animals. In the lakes of the region you can mainly find ornamental fish and frogfish cultures created especially for anglers.