Reader's Digest

106 | July• 2018

BORDEAUX RISING

atwo-hourwalktoshowmewhat

isnewandwhatisrestored.WhenI

was here last much of Tourny’s Bor-

deauxwascoveredwithsoot.“The

property owners were told to clean

the facades” she explains. “hat was

anexpensiveoperationbutworthit.

Nowyoucanseethemascarons.”

Last time I had barely noticed the

intricatelycarvedlimestoneheadson

thekeystonesovertheporchesand

windows.hiswasneveratownthat

invitedyoutolookup.Buttherethey

are: some 3000 fascinating portraits

found throughout the city.

Baggiotellsmethe

portraits were probably

localpeoplebutalso

mythological figures.

Some also symbolise

products that were sold

here.

Wine is represented

of course and wheat

but also people. Baggio

explains that Bordelais

traders in the 18th and

19th centuries took part

in the European slave

tradefromAfricatotheAmericas.

Shetellsmeaboutapermanentex-

hibition dedicated to the slave trade

in the municipal Aquitaine Museum.

At the museum I meet former di-

rector François Hubert author of the

book that accompanies the exhibition.

Mayor Juppé wrote the preface in

which he calls the exhibition “a cru-

cial step in the remembrance process

“hat’s a very important issue” says
Bordeaux’s deputy mayor Stephan
DelauxwhenIposethequestionto
him the next morning.
“We have a group here in town hall
that acts as a sounding board in dis-
cussions on how we can maintain the
spirit of Bordeaux” he says. hen he
points out the window overlooking the
square with the massive limestone St
André Cathedral which is being re-
stored and says “But have you looked
at the splendid view out my window?
When Alain Juppé started in 1995
this square had ive traic lanes full
of trucks.
“Nowthereisatram
the traffic is pushed to
onesideandthesquare
is for pedestrians. his is
howweapproachallas-
pectsoftheproject.”
Juppéisthedriving
force behind the plan
for the revival of Bor-
deaux.Hisnameison
thelipsofeverybodyI
speakwith.Theformer
French prime minister
andmayorsince1995maywellgo
downinhistoryastheprincewho
kissedthesleepingbeautybackto
life. And his name will undoubtedly
be attached to one of thegrands œu-
vresthehugestructuralworksthat
will be inished after his retirement.

THAT AFTERNOONImeetVeronique
Baggio a city guide who takes me on

hismascaronwith

pufed-out cheeks may

represent the wind