Between Cours de l’Intendance and Place du Chapelet lies a timeless link. Far from the crowds of the major shopping streets, the Passage Sarget offers a respite of light and serenity for discerning strollers. Step inside this well-kept secret for a stop whereancient history and contemporary chic meet beneath a magnificent glass roof.
An unusual passageway… And a secret one?
A symbol of Bordeaux’s commercial life, yet often underrated, the Passage Sarget is a treasure trove. A landmark of the Gironde capital’s history, it is today an elegant gallery where it’s a pleasure to stroll. Its magnificent 19th-century glass roof, long hidden behind a false ceiling, crowns a superb metal framework. This framework is itself adorned with a decoration honoring Mercury, god of commerce and travelers.
The passage now houses several shops and cafés that bring the place to life. Less crowded than the adjacent pedestrian streets, it possesses a charm of yesteryear that makes it worth a visit. Or is it precisely its tranquility that gives it such a unique atmosphere? We’ll let you be the judge on your next visit.
A passage steeped in history
Connecting Place du Chapelet to Cours de l’Intendance, the Passage Sarget is one of only two covered arcades in Bordeaux, along with the Galerie Bordelaise. During the First Empire, a mansion stood on this site. Built by architect Louis-Guy Combe at the request of merchant André Acquart, it nevertheless owes its name to another businessman. Years later, Jean-Auguste Sarget financed the conversion of the site into a passage.
During the renovations, numerous relics from the past were unearthed: Roman coins, vases, pottery, as well as the remains of ancient baths and a Gallo-Roman mosaic. This comes as no surprise, since the gallery is located within the boundaries of the ancient city of Burdigala and the famous Temple of the Pillars of Tutelle.
Originally private, the passage opened to the public in 1878. After being purchased by a private individual in 1917, it was finally incorporated into Bordeaux’s municipal heritage two years later.
A passageway of historic men and women
In addition to its archaeological treasures, the gallery has seen a parade of illustrious figures. Kings, princes, and heads of state are said to have regularly passed through it. Among the names that still haunt these walls, we readily mention Louis XIII, Louis XIV, Marie and Catherine de’ Medici, General de Gaulle, and even Queen Elizabeth II. Enough to add a touch of grandeur to this well-kept passage.