Brilliant Reflections

It’s been many, many years since I visited Bordeaux – and when I did get there back in the 1970s, I had yet to develop my appreciation for the French region’s wonderful wines. As a result, I was the swiftest of sightseers out on a day trip, and one of the few things I recall with any strength of memory was the Bourse, a set of grand riverfront structures that now serve as the region’s central commercial exchange.

Under construction from 1730 to 1775, the complex was designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel, probably most renowned for his work on the Place de la Concorde in Paris. He was an ardent exponent of neoclassical symmetry and certainly didn’t ease off his preferences in this case. When I saw it in 1978, I was impressed by its balanced grandeur and spectacular level of detail.

here.