Miroir d'eau

The Miroir d'eau is a shallow reflecting pool laid out on the quay of the Garonne in Bordeaux, directly in front of the Place de la Bourse. It was created in 2006 as part of the redevelopment of the riverbank, a project that turned a stretch of former port warehouses and parking into a promenade, and it was designed by the landscape architect Michel Corajoud together with the fountain designer Jean-Max Llorca. At about 3,450 square metres, it is described as the largest reflecting pool in the world.

The principle is simple. A broad granite surface is covered with a film of water just a couple of centimetres deep, so thin that you can walk across it. When the pool is full, the water reflects the eighteenth-century facade of the Place de la Bourse, built by the royal architect Jacques Gabriel and his son, so the building seems to float in a double image. Then the water drains and a mist rises from hundreds of nozzles in the stone, wrapping the square in fog, before the cycle begins again. The sequence repeats during the day and is run by a computer system.

It is a place for people more than for objects. In summer, children run through the water, couples take photographs and the granite slab becomes a meeting spot for a whole city. At dusk the lights give the reflection a warm tone, and the Garonne and the Pont de Pierre can be seen nearby. The surface can be slippery, so take care with young children, and do not expect full reflections on windy days or when the pool is being refilled.

The Miroir d'eau lies within the area of the historic city of Bordeaux, Port of the Moon, which UNESCO inscribed on the World Heritage list in 2007, and it is regarded as one of the successes of the city's modern renewal. The contrast between the old stone square and the modern landscape architecture is part of the attraction, and the two are best experienced together.

There is no fee, and the place is open during the day and in the evening. It suits families, photographers and anyone looking for a break from sightseeing. Nearby you can reach the Place de la Bourse, the Cours de l'Intendance, the Musée d'Aquitaine and the Basilique Saint-Michel, and the Cité du Vin is a longer walk or tram ride along the river.