Photo: Grand Parc - Bordeaux, France from France · CC BY 2.0 · editedGrosse Cloche
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Grosse Cloche is a medieval city gate in Bordeaux that also served as the former town hall’s belfry. It stands beside Saint-Éloi church.
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Patrick Despoix · CC BY-SA 4.0 · edited
Why go
- One of Bordeaux’s few surviving medieval civic monuments, alongside Porte Cailhau.
- A 7,800-kilogram bell cast by Turmeau in June 1775, measuring two metres tall and across.
- Two circular towers, each 40 metres high, joined by a central building.
Opening hours
TodayClosedShow all
Monday15:15 – 15:45, 16:00 – 16:30
TuesdayClosed
WednesdayClosed
ThursdayClosed
FridayClosed
Saturday10:30 – 11:00, 11:15 – 11:45, 12:00 – 12:30
SundayClosed
Interesting facts3
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The original complex had four round, crenellated towers; two more were added in the 12th century.
Grosse cloche de Bordeaux - Wikipedia -
1991
The bell has been protected as an object of historic interest since 4 July 1991.
Grosse cloche de Bordeaux - Wikipedia -
2016
The monument was restored from 4 to 22 July 2016.
Grosse cloche de Bordeaux - Wikipedia
Shorts
History
Pilgrims travelling to Compostela once passed beneath the earlier gate.
- 15th–17th c.Successive changes turned the gate into a belfry.
- 1548After the Pitauds revolt, Henri II had the bell removed and broken. A bell returned in 1561.
- 1755After a fire, crenellations and a bell tower were added above the pepper-pot-shaped roofs.
- 1759Paul Larroque’s clock replaced Raymond Sudre’s 1567 clock.
- 1886The gate and its towers became historic monuments.
Show all
- 1945The bell rang to commemorate the victory of 8 May 1945.
Best time to visit
- Do not count on hearing the bell during a visit: it rings only on rare occasions because vibrations could cause cracks.
Tips for your visit
- Address: 1 Rue Saint-James, 33000 Bordeaux.
- The gate is also known as Porte Saint-Éloi or Porte Saint-James.
Know before you go
- Monday: 15:15–15:45 and 16:00–16:30.
- Saturday: 10:30–11:00, 11:15–11:45 and 12:00–12:30.
Don't miss
- Golden leopardThe weather vane recalls the arms of English Guyenne, when Bordeaux was its capital.At the top of the structure
- Marble inscriptionsLook for the inscriptions dated 1592 beneath the gargoyles.On the north side
- Solar equation dialA solar equation dial sits above the clock.
Sources: Grosse cloche de Bordeaux - Wikipedia · checked 27 Sep 2026
Where
1 Rue Saint-James, Bordeaux, 33000
- Phone
- +33 5 56 00 66 00
Questions and answers
What was the Grosse Cloche bell used for?
Town magistrates rang it to announce the grape harvest and warn residents of fires.
Why is the Grosse Cloche bell a symbol of Bordeaux?
It is a long-standing symbol of the city and appears on Bordeaux’s coat of arms.
How large is the Grosse Cloche bell?
It is two metres tall and across, and weighs 7,800 kilograms.
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