Rue Bourbon in Bordeaux: History, Shops and Property

Where is the Rue Bourbon?

The Rue Bourbon runs parallel to the Rue Lucien Faure in the Bassins a Flot district, stretching 850 metres from the Quai de Bacalan to the Cours du Raccordement. It sits alongside Bordeaux's marina, with the Cite du Vin 500 metres downstream and the Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas fewer than 200 metres from its starting point. The Chartrons neighbourhood begins roughly 450 metres to the west. The street ends between the two wet docks, at the level of the Pont du Pertuis.

The origins of the Rue Bourbon

The street's name recalls that Bordeaux was the first city in France to welcome the princes of the House of Bourbon after the fall of the First Empire. In the Bordeaux Maritime quarter, the Rue Bourbon runs behind the Rue Lucien Faure along the first wet dock. The area began to develop in the early sixteenth century, when marshland was drained as an extension of the Quai des Chartrons. The first landmark buildings, the Vivres de la Marine naval stores and flour mills, appeared at the end of the eighteenth century.

The wet docks themselves came a century later. The first basin was inaugurated in 1879, the second in 1905, and the Bacalan district became the maritime heart of Bordeaux, reaching its peak before the First World War. Since the 1990s, a large-scale regeneration programme has transformed the neighbourhood, which now forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed ensemble. An old timber-framed warehouse on the Rue Bourbon is set to be restored as a covered playground for a new school complex.

Shops and local life

The Rue Bourbon is home to the Ecole Superieure des Technologies Electronique Informatique et Infographie. Among the shops and businesses along the street are a sports goods store, a craft beer bar, a plant nursery and a wine merchant. A small Intermarche supermarket sits on the parallel Cours Edouard Vaillant, reached directly from the Rue Bourbon via the Rue Dupaty.

The rehabilitated warehouses on the Quai de Bacalan, converted into restaurants and shops, are a short walk away, and the nearby Rue Lucien Faure offers a full range of everyday services. Bus line 45 and Tram Line B serve the lower end of the street on the quays, connecting the district to the rest of the city.

Property on the Rue Bourbon

Apartment prices on the Rue Bourbon average around 4,350 euros per square metre, slightly below the wider Bacalan average. The range is broad, reflecting the variety of housing stock in this fast-changing district. Prices can start at around 3,700 euros per square metre for properties requiring renovation and reach close to 5,000 euros for the most sought-after addresses. Houses on the Rue Bourbon are in demand, with an average price of approximately 4,100 euros per square metre and a range of 3,300 to 4,800 euros.

The Rue Bourbon sits at the heart of one of Bordeaux's most dynamic regeneration areas, where converted loft apartments and contemporary new-builds come onto the market alongside older properties with character. A full selection is available among the apartments and houses for sale in Bordeaux.

The consultants at BARNES Bordeaux know the Bassins a Flot district intimately and can advise on the best opportunities in this area, from the initial property valuation to the final signature. The team is available via the contact page.

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