2020-08-20
Rue des Bahutiers in Bordeaux: History, Cafes and Property
A guide to the Rue des Bahutiers in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre quarter, from its eighteenth-century trunk-makers and literary connections to Flora Tristan and Flaubert to its cafes, wine bars and property market.
Where is the Rue des Bahutiers?
Close to the Garonne quays in the historic centre of Bordeaux, the Rue des Bahutiers begins at the Cours d'Alsace-Lorraine as a continuation of the Rue Buhan and climbs parallel to the river up to the church on the Place Saint-Pierre. Roughly 200 metres long, it passes within 150 metres of the Porte Cailhau and less than 250 metres from the Quai Richelieu. The Place de la Bourse lies 150 metres to the north and the Porte de Bourgogne 400 metres to the south.
The origins of the Rue des Bahutiers
In the Saint-Pierre quarter, the historic heart of Bordeaux, the street takes its name from the bahutiers, the trunk and chest makers who lined it in the eighteenth century. Several buildings along the street carry stories of their own. At number 13, the feminist and trade-union pioneer Flora Tristan (1803-1844) lived and died; she is buried in the nearby Cimetiere de la Chartreuse. At number 8, where the Michel Masson bookshop now stands, a remarkable Renaissance building rose until its demolition in 1868. Part of its ornate facade is preserved in the Musee d'Aquitaine, and the novelist Gustave Flaubert left a written description of the house at a time when the street still bore its earlier name, Rue d'Enfer.
Cafes and local life
The Rue des Bahutiers is not the busiest commercial street in the lively Saint-Pierre quarter, but it has a character of its own. Its ground floors are occupied mainly by cafes, international restaurants, tea rooms and wine bars. A small grocery serves everyday needs just steps from the Place Saint-Pierre. The shops of the Rue Sainte-Catherine are 250 metres to the west, and tramway line A runs along the Cours d'Alsace-Lorraine at the foot of the street. The surrounding lanes add a fromagerie, a small supermarket, a bakery and late-opening tabacs to the neighbourhood's amenities.
Property on the Rue des Bahutiers
In one of the most sought-after parts of central Bordeaux, premium properties on the Rue des Bahutiers can reach 6,300 euros per square metre for apartments and 5,500 euros for houses. The average apartment price is around 5,450 euros per square metre, above the wider neighbourhood average. Properties requiring renovation can be found at closer to 4,600 euros per square metre. For houses, prices start at around 4,100 euros per square metre and average approximately 4,800 euros.
The Rue des Bahutiers sits at the heart of the Saint-Pierre quarter, one of Bordeaux's most historic and atmospheric neighbourhoods, where period apartments with stone facades and characterful townhouses are regularly available. A full selection of properties is available among the properties for sale in Bordeaux.
The consultants at BARNES Bordeaux know the Saint-Pierre quarter intimately and can guide buyers from the initial property valuation to the final signature. The team is available via the contact page.
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