Why is Bordeaux also known as the ‘port of the moon’?

Bordeaux (Gironde) - recognised by Unesco as a World Heritage Site, and with the highest number of protected buildings of any French city outside of Paris - is also known as the “port of the moon”. Why? 

The expression came into use in the 17th Century although a moon has been part of the city’s coat of arms since the 12th Century. Similarly, milestone markers dating to medieval times show three crescents.

The Nouvelle-Aquitaine city’s port has been linked to the Atlantic Ocean by the Garonne and the Gironde estuary for thousands of years. Some historians say that the expression comes from the curve formed by the Garonne as it flows through the city. It is thought to look like a crescent, just like a phase of the moon.

“This is undoubtedly why people settled here over 2,000 years ago,” said Agathe Corre, guide and lecturer at the Bordeaux Metropolitan Tourist Office and president of the AGNA (Association des Guides de Nouvelle-Aquitaine) to Actu Bordeaux.

“This ‘rounding’ [shape] breaks the current of the Garonne and prevents tidal rises, but also protects the boats from the extremely strong current.

“It’s the city’s identity now,” she said. “The main characteristic of Bordeaux is to be organised around the Garonne, and its distinctive shape. The city was built in symbiosis with the river.”

Sailor tides

Yet, another explanation is that Bordeaux may have received this nickname from sailors, who would sometimes confuse the port with the mediaeval port of Luna in Italy. 

Lastly, a more scientific explanation is the port’s location and the effects of the Moon itself, with tides that enable boats to travel far inland, which partly enabled Bordeaux to become a major Atlantic port, with the advantage of also being close to the Mediterranean Sea.

The smaller rivers of La Peugue and la Devèze, which used to run through old Bordeaux and finish in the Garonne, also enabled ships to shelter from bad weather and travel deep into the city. In the 19th Century - for hygiene reasons - the rivers were integrated into the city’s underground network.

City authenticity

Bordeaux’s history has been recognised by Unesco since 2007, with 1,810 hectares of the city’s total 4,455 included in the prestigious classification. The city was praised by Unesco for its “urban unity and classical and neo-classical architecture, which has not had a single stylistic break for more than two centuries”. 

“The city has retained its authenticity,” Unesco said.

In particular, the World Heritage site runs north-south along the river, from the Quai de Bacalan to the Quai de Paludate, and also includes the Pont de Pierre and the docks.