Tourny Avenues

You are now on Tourny avenues, which together with Cours Georges Clémenceau and Cours de l’Intendance form the famous Golden Triangle. These beautiful, emblematic avenues were designed at the end of the 18th century by the Marquis de Tourny, then Bordeaux’s quartermaster, who played a major role in transforming and embellishing the city. They were laid out as pleasant walkways on the edge of the slopes of the Trompette castle fortress, which stood on what is now the Quincunx square.  The avenues are flanked on the even-numbered side by beautiful, uniform Louis XV-style façades, and on the odd-numbered side by luxurious buildings dating from the early 19th century. Most of these were built after the destruction of the fortress in 1818, as they were no longer within the reach of cannons.  Two beautiful sculpted fountains were also installed in the centre of the alleys, but they were so expensive to maintain that the town decided to sell them at cast-iron prices. One of them is now in the small town of Soulac sur mer, and the other has been shipped across the Atlantic to our Quebec cousins, who have installed it opposite the Parliament building in Quebec City. The Tourny avenues are still a popular place to stroll in the shade of lime trees, and it’s here, for example, that you’ll find the Christmas market during the festive season. I’ll let you make the most of it and continue on your tour to the Quincunx square.