LIBOURNE
Sub-prefecture of Gironde (33) Stage town for the 5th time
Population: 24,430 (Libournais, Libournaises), and 92,000 in the Communauté d'agglomération du Libournais (CALI, 45 communes).
Specialities: wine (3 renowned appellations in the commune Saint-Émilion, Pomerol, Lalande de Pomerol...), lamprey à la Bordelaise (river fish), bouchon du Vigneron (biscuit, a speciality of Libourne).
Personalities: Noël Mamère (politician), Gilbert Mitterrand (mayor from 1989 to 2011, son of François Mitterrand), Dean Jean Carbonnier (great French law professor), Pierre Lewden (high jump), Pierre Gaspard-Huit (film director), William Leymergie (TV presenter), Mickaël Delage (cycling).
Sport: Handball Club Libourne. French Rowing Championships (several editions since 2013). CNL rowing & shooting sports club (ranked in the top 10 in France). Lac des Dagueys: rowing & canoeing preparation centre for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, future surfing spot (installation in 2022 of an artificial and ecological wave with the Paris 2024 label). Skate park with its renowned 2.6m deep bowl.
Culture: Fest'arts (International Festival of Street Arts), Festival of detective literature.
Economy: Arena (equipment manufacturer), Botalo (boots), Ceva Santé Animale (veterinary laboratory), Fayat (construction and public works), Libourne - Artigues-de-Lussac airfield.
Labels : " Ville à Vélo du Tour de France " 2 bikes / Label Man And Biosphere / UNESCO (Dordogne river and its tributaries) / Label Vignobles et Découvertes / city labelled " Terre de Jeux " / City of Father Christmas' secretariat
Websites and social networks: www.libourne.fr / www.lacali.fr / www.tourisme-libournais.com / https://www.gironde.fr/ / https://www.gironde-tourisme.fr/ / https://fr-fr.facebook.com/ville.de.libourne/ / https://fr-fr.facebook.com/lacali.agglomeration / https://www.facebook.com/Departement.Gironde/ / https://twitter.com/gironde?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor https://www.instagram.com/departementgironde/?hl=fr
LIBOURNE AND CYCLING
After a hiatus of thirty years, Libourne hosted the Tour de France for the fifth time in 2021 and saw the victory of the "third Slovenian", Matej Mohoric, who played off his breakaway companions in the final to sign his second stage victory in this edition, after having won in Le Creusot. The next day, the wine harbour was the starting point of an individual time trial in the vineyards of Saint-Émilion, won with class by Wout van Aert, whereas Tadej Pogacar strenghtened his Yellow Jersey on the eve of Paris. In 1957, for the first visit of the Grande Boucle in town, it was also in a 66 km time trial to Bordeaux (which already passed through Saint-Émilion), that Jacques Anquetil outclassed his opponents and secured his first victory in the Tour de France. Another time trial, this time a TTT, was won by the Panasonic team in 1992. Libourne is also the birthplace of Mickaël Delage, who has taken part in six Tours de France, mainly with team Française des Jeux, and of Quentin Pacher, one of the most combative riders of the 2020 edition.
SIGHTS
Museum of Fine Arts
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Libourne is a Musée de France and offers visitors a panorama of works from European schools from the 14th to the 20th century. The museum has two exhibition spaces: the second floor of the town hall for its permanent collections and the Carmel chapel for temporary exhibitions. Although the museum has undergone transformations, it has retained its original spirit, in particular the magnificent decorative stained-glass window bearing the town's emblem.
Quays of the Confluence
Completely refurbished, the port of Libourne Saint-Émilion, with its quays and pontoons from which many cruise passengers disembark, offers a breathtaking view of the "Confluence" of the Dordogne and Isle rivers. A place to live and share, where everyone can fulfil their desires (sport, relaxation, walks, gastronomy), this place has a seaside atmosphere, exotic and festive.
Château de Sales - AOC Pomerol
Built: 1770
History: perhaps built by the first known owner, Jean de Sauvanelle, mayor of Libourne in the first half of the seventeenth century, the plan of the castle still adopts that of a fortress, entirely enclosed and organized around an inner courtyard. The gardens drawn on the plans of 1770-1772 were replaced by lawns, while the pond was built between 1770 and 1780. Located in the Pomerol appellation, Château de Sales has the largest vineyard in the AOC with 47.6 hectares of vines, out of the 90 hectares of the estate. The limits of the property are the same as in 1578, except for three hectares that were lost during the revolution.
Listing: Historical Monument since 1996.
The Great Harbour Tower
Construction: 14th century.
Characteristics: The Tower of the Great Port is one of the defence towers of an ancient gate in the city wall. These ramparts, flanked by towers, were pierced by eight gates, the four main ones of which opened at the ends of the two main roads into the city. Porte du Grand Port, whose construction dates back to the 14th century, was named Porte Richard in honour of a son of the Black Prince born in Bordeaux in 1366.
Listing: Historical Monument since 1921.
Fest'Arts
The Libourne Street Arts Festival will celebrate its 30the edition in 2021. Originally entitled Rue en Fête (in 1990), Fest'Arts was born in 1993 to give traditional festivals another dynamic. With the Street Arts, the desire was to create a festive and convivial event where live entertainment would be accessible to all, in a bastide that offered a space suitable for the multiple facets of the street arts. Since 2005, the organisation has been entrusted to a dedicated municipal service, which is also responsible for managing the Liburnia theatre.
Lamarque barracks
Construction: 18th and 19th centuries.
Characteristics: the Libourne barracks played a precursory role in the development of the neo-classical style which developed in the second half of the 18th century. This complex consists of three rectangular buildings, built between 1766 and 1820 around a courtyard preceded by two square pavilions surrounded by a gate. Although some of the interiors have been altered, many interesting features have been preserved, notably the monumental staircase of the officers' pavilion and the framework of the riding hall.
Listing: Historical Monument since 2013.
La Calinésie aquatic centre
The specificity of these 5,000 sq. metres dedicated to water is to combine leisure, sport and well-being both indoors and outdoors. On the leisure side, its 75 m slide is a dream for adventurers. A 500 sq. meters swimming area with a river and a playground allows the whole family to exercise. For a wellness interlude, head for the well-equipped balneo area (hammam, jacuzzi, sauna, etc.). With its 25 sq. meters sports pool and bleachers, Calinesie can host major national competitions in the small pool. Information on www.lacalinésie.fr
Guîtres Tourist Train
A remnant of the great railway era, the train is an opportunity to rediscover the joys of rail travel in the style of yesteryear. In the carriages built in 1900, you travel on wooden benches through the green forest of northern Gironde. The journey back in time begins as soon as you enter the station built in 1875 where a real cardboard ticket is punched!
Tidal Bore
The Libourne tidal bore is surfed by riders from all over the world because the Dordogne wave is unique. As it moves quickly over the water coming from the ocean, this spectacular natural phenomenon swells, slips, breaks, foams, reappears, breaks in the bed of the Dordogne and moves inland to Libourne and beyond, more than 100 km from the ocean. In France, the Libourne tidal bore is the number one such wave. Some celebrities such as comedians Guillaume Canet and Marion Cotillard have made a habit of coming to surf this exceptional wave every year.
TO EAT
Confit de porc libournais
Pork confit is one of the great specialities of the Libourne area. It is similar to enchaud or enchaux, which are common in the Landes. Some believe it is even tastier than goose confit.
