Bordeaux Cathedral

Published: August 12, 2026 · Updated: August 12, 2026

Saint-André Cathedral is the Gothic seat of the archbishops of Bordeaux, where Eleanor of Aquitaine married the future Louis VII in 1137. Its bell tower stands apart from the church because the ground would not carry the weight.

Bordeaux Cathedral — Marc Ryckaert (MJJR) CC BY-SA 3.0 Source

Overview

The nave is twelfth century and the choir fourteenth, and the difference in height between them is visible from inside. The Pey-Berland tower was built separately in the 1440s, and its 231 steps end at a viewing platform over the roofs. The cathedral is a stop on the Camino de Santiago and carries UNESCO listing on that account.

Highlights

Climb the Pey-Berland tower for the best view of Bordeaux’s eighteenth-century plan. The Royal Door on the north side has thirteenth-century sculpture that survived the Revolution. The cathedral square holds a market on Saturday mornings.

Location