 |
| La Cité du Vin, an incredible setting designed by Anouk Legendre and Nicolas Desmazières of XTU Architects. |
La Cité du Vin is a unique cultural facility dedicated to the universal, living heritage of wine. It offers a spectacular journey around the world, throughout the ages, across countless cultures and civilizations. La La Cité du Vin building is owned by the city of Bordeaux. La Cité du Vin is run by the Foundation for Wine Culture and Civilizations, accredited charitable organization by Ministerial Decree since 11 December 2014. La Cité du Vin is the only cultural center in the world offering this approach to wine to a wide audience. It is a place accessible to as many people as possible and open to all: people with disabilities, families, international tourists (trilingual signage and hand-held guide available in eight languages). Since its opening on the 1st of June 2016, la Cité du Vin has become an essential feature in the Bordeaux tourist circuit, but is also a lively social venue for the inhabitants of Bordeaux and its surrounding area. La Cité du Vin is a place to see, visit and experience.
THE PERMANENT TOUR
At the heart of the visitor experience and the identity of La Cité du Vin, the immersive, multi-sensory permanent tour occupies some 3,000 m≤ and features 19 different themed spaces, the majority of which are interactive. Visitors are free to wander around the exhibition space as they see fit, with no fixed, compulsory route. The permanent tour is an invitation to a voyage of discovery, a journey through time and space exploring the evolution of wine and its civilisations. Young and old alike will get to grips with the very rich imaginary world of wine and how it has affected the societies and regions of the globe for millennia, from 6,000 BC to the present day. From legends, terroirs and landscapes to graphic arts, architecture and literature, the culture of wine is an extraordinary epic which has inspired and shaped the lives of humans for centuries.The permanent tour allows the visitor to wander freely. Visitors can browse around at will, depending on their interests and the time at their disposal. As a participant or a spectator, sitting or standing, they can alternate between experiences which may be individual, collective, informative, fantasy or multi-sensory. Everyone is free to organise their own individual visit.Visitors are joined on this odyssey by their personal hand-held guide, connected to an innovative device which detects the wearer s position within the exhibition space and sets off the appropriate multimedia content. The digital guide delivers the explanatory dialogue in real time in the user's selected language (8 languages available), ensuring that as much of the material as possible is available to visitors with (visual, auditory or cognitive) disabilities. The guide also features a specially-de-signed programme for younger visitors. Visitors can also use the personal digital guide to highlight their favourite moments in the exhibition experience, and at the end of their visit they will be presented with a personalised information booklet filled with opportunities to learn more about their chosen subjects.
BELVEDERE
Discover a selection of the world’s wines with a 360° view of Bordeaux
Located on the eighth floor of La Cité du Vin, the belvedere is perched at a height of 35 metres. The culmination of a visit to the permanent tour, it invites visitors to discover the Gironde city and surrounding area with a 360° perspective.An invitation to contemplate, this unique panoramic view es-tablishes natural continuity between a visit to the permanent tour and the culmination of this cultural experience: tasting a glass of wine from the very best wine regions of the world.In this exceptional space, a monumental chandelier made of thousands of bottles and a 10-metre-long oak counter enhance the uniqueness of the location. Visitors round off their visit by tasting a wine of their choice from a regularly updated selection of twenty from across the world. Younger visitors can discover a grape juice specially chosen for them.To ensure that a wide range of global wines are available in the Belvedere, La Cité du Vin has established partnerships with inter-professional organisations in various wine regions across the world.
Spectacular 360° views from the Belvedere room overlook Bordeaux, including a drawbridge crossing the Garronne River.
A venue open to all, La Cité du Vin offers numerous public areas hosting life and exchange. Visitors can discover the building, take advantage of the lands-caped garden next to the Garonne, wander through the different exhibition areas, have a bite to eat, head to the souvenir shop, or spend a while in the reading room perusing the various books and multimedia items for reference use.
Guided Tour
La Cité du Vin, spotlight on architecture DURATION: 1 HR 30 mins. The presenters delve deeper into this exceptional building and its architecture, materials, symbolism and construction.Note: French and English-speaking guided tour.
Advance tickets are available at https://ticket.laciteduvin.com/en-GB/home
Public Opening Hours
From 1st July to 31 August:
daily from 9:30am to 7:30pm
From 1st September to 31 December :
week days from 10:00am to 6:00pm
weekends, public holidays and school holidays from 11:00am to 7:00pm
La Cité du Vin is included in Tango's 6-night, all inclusive Bordeaux River Cruise. Visit CanalsofFrance.com for details.
Photo credit - all photos Dawn M. Shepherd
