What is the Chartrons neighbourhood?
A bit of history.
Rue Notre Dame sits at the heart of historic Bordeaux. It cuts through the Chartrons neighbourhood and stretches north as an extension of Rue Foy. One of the oldest arteries of the Chartrons, iconic and unmissable, inseparable from the history of this fantastic neighbourhood.
In the 18th century, Bordeaux, France's largest Atlantic port, drew envy and symbolised prosperity and success. Wealthy wine traders moved into the Chartrons. Backed by "wine know-how", the neighbourhood earned its stripes as the preferred wine-trading district. Huge storage warehouses started drawing long plots along the riverside.
It took the 20th century for most of those warehouses to move outside the city, and for the first antique shops to appear in the Chartrons. The population became mostly working-class and the district lost some of its shine in the eyes of the rest of Bordeaux.
A full rehabilitation project.
Once neglected, the neighbourhood has been rehabilitated and got its shine back. Right by the quays, authentic and passionate, the Chartrons feels like a village inside the most beautiful city in the world.
So what about Rue Notre Dame?
As you now know, Rue Notre Dame is a main axis running through the Chartrons. Wine traders settled here first for their trade, and building architecture was made to move barrels easily (classic architecture with wide vaulted cellars on the ground floor accessed via large street-facing openings).
It took the 20th century for antique dealers to take over. Today Rue Notre Dame is still known as "Bordeaux's antique dealers' street" with just over 40 antique shops and a famous 700-metre flea market.
The street has a bohemian atmosphere where you gladly let time drift slowly.
Beautiful boutiques, flowered balconies, small elegant terraces, and a market worth knowing (if you have not made it your habit yet), antique dealers, decor shops and more... A village inside Bordeaux...
