Here it is at last! After four years of restoration, the Flèche Saint-Michel is set to reopen its doors. To celebrate the return of this stone giant, Bordeaux is organizing a special day of festivities on June 13, 2026. With free tours, popular events, and renewed enthusiasm, the Saint-Michel district promises to be the beating heart of the city. A historic occasion to rediscover one of the symbols most dear to the people of Bordeaux.
Festive inauguration and free tours
The inauguration, which will take place at the close of the Chahuts festival, will be held on June 13, 2026. And to celebrate the completion of this colossal project, the City of Bordeaux is thinking big. Festivities will be the order of the day, featuring a large meal on Place Saint-Michel as well as a concert by a carillonneur, creating a unique soundscape. The neighborhood, already known for its energy, promises a warm and friendly day.
More good news: the Flèche Saint-Michel will reopen to the public free of charge for two weeks. A rare opportunity to (re)discover this iconic monument. The exact details and dates are still to be confirmed, but access is expected to begin immediately following the inauguration.
An iconic monument with a turbulent past
Rising to a height of 114 meters, the Flèche Saint-Michel is the second-tallest bell tower in France. Its slender silhouette has marked the Bordeaux landscape for centuries with one notable feature: it is a campanile, meaning a bell tower independent of its basilica.
But this colossus has not had an easy life. Over the centuries, lightning, hurricanes, and earthquakes have put its structure to the test. In 2021, the appearance of worrying cracks and the instability of certain stones made its closure inevitable to ensure the safety of visitors and passersby.
A €12 million project
For four years, artisans and engineers have worked in shifts on this major project, with a total cost of around 12 million euros. The main objective was to reinforce the upper part of the building.
The signal for its rebirth was given this spring with the dismantling of the impressive 700-ton scaffolding. Now freed from its metal armor, the Flèche once again points toward the Bordeaux sky, ready to welcome a new generation of visitors.
