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© Nicolas Duffaure
© Rémy Martineau
© Rémy Martineau
© Steve le Clech

Porte Cailhau

Registered monuments and sites

Imbued with a long history, the Porte Cailhau offers a magnificent view of Bordeaux.

Despite its age (just imagine – it dates from 1494!) this large, beautiful monument remains practically unchanged. It was built to commemorate Charles VIII's victory at Fornovo (Italy). This French king has left his mark on the tower since his likeness decorates a niche on the river side and a notice ask visitors to pay attention to the lintel and reminds them that Charles VIII died from walking quickly into just such a lintel...

What does the word Cailhau mean? No one seems to know for sure! Historians have various theories, but it doesn't really matter!

The Port Cailhau, thirty-five metres tall, was integrated into the city walls. In 1864, it was rented by a public letter writer and a person whose job was to weigh salt. They were both evicted in order to renovate the monument.
There is a magnificent view of the oldest bridge in Bordeaux, the Pont de Pierre, from here.

An exhibition displays the tools and materials used for construction purposes at the time the Porte Cailhau was built and an audio-visual presentation pieced together from old films immerses us in the world of stone masonry.

Prices :
Entrance : 7 € | 5 € reduced
Free with the Bordeaux Métropole City Pass

Free for less than 12 years old.
Last climb 30mn before closing.

Free admission on the 1st Sunday of the month

Book

Practical information

From 1 November to 1 November
› wednesday : From 14:00:00 to 18:00:00
› friday : From 14:00:00 to 18:00:00
› saturday : From 11:00:00 to 13:00:00, From 14:00:00 to 18:00:00
Closed on monday

April to October Daily: 10am – 1pm and 2pm – 6pm November to March Wednesday to Friday: 2 – 6 pm Saturday and Sunday: 11 am – 1 pm and 2 – 6 pm

  • French, English, Spanish

  • Payment cards, Cheques and postal orders, Chèques Vacances, Cash

Porte Cailhau
Place du Palais
33000 BORDEAUX
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