Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux

The Grand Théâtre is the most elegant public building in Bordeaux and one of the great achievements of French neoclassical architecture. It stands on the Place de la Comédie, at the end of the Cours du Chapeau-Rouge, and its colonnaded facade, crowned by statues, is the centrepiece of the city's eighteenth-century centre. The theatre was designed by the architect Victor Louis and opened in 1780, in the years when Bordeaux was one of the richest ports in Europe, enriched by trade with the Caribbean, and its citizens wanted a monument that expressed their wealth and refinement.

The facade is the first thing that visitors notice. Twelve Corinthian columns run across the front, and above the entablature stand twelve statues, representing the nine Muses and three goddesses, Juno, Venus and Minerva. The grand scale of the colonnade, which spans the full width of the building, gives the theatre an air of a temple rather than a place of entertainment, and the arrangement of the building as a free-standing block on an open square was an innovation at the time. Behind the colonnade lies a monumental vestibule with a ceiling supported by columns.

The interior is equally famous. The grand staircase, a double flight of stairs rising to the first floor, is widely regarded as a model for the staircase of the Paris Opéra, built by Charles Garnier almost a century later, and it is among the most admired in France. The auditorium, in the horseshoe shape typical of eighteenth-century theatres, has tiers of boxes decorated in blue and gold, and a domed ceiling painted with a scene from antiquity. Its acoustics are excellent, and the theatre has hosted opera, ballet and concerts through the centuries. In 1871, after the French defeat in the war against Prussia, the National Assembly met in the theatre for a few weeks, and decisions taken there shaped the future of the country.

The building has been restored on several occasions, most recently in the late twentieth century, to bring back its original colours and decoration. It is the home of the Opéra National de Bordeaux, which presents a season of opera, ballet and symphonic concerts, and attending a performance is the best way to experience the interior. For those without tickets, guided tours of about fifty minutes cover the exterior, the vestibule, the staircase and the auditorium, and they are offered on selected days in French and other languages. Booking in advance is advisable.

The theatre sits in the middle of the city's main sights. The Cours de l'Intendance, a street of elegant shops, leads to it, and the Place de la Bourse, the Miroir d'eau, the Cathédrale Saint-André, the Basilique Saint-Michel and the Musée d'Aquitaine are all within walking distance. The Pont de Pierre, the stone bridge across the Garonne, and the Cité du Vin, farther north along the river, are easily reached by tram. The theatre suits architecture lovers, opera and music enthusiasts and anyone exploring the historic centre, and the tram stop of the same name is outside.