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See what the press say about Bordeaux... (hide)

“ A city that capitalises on traditional values but which also knows that the future depends on big investments ” Entreprendre “ The Aquitaine Capital proudly bears its name, which its owes not only to wine but also its important development in many different areas ” Influences “ Tourism is exploding, even out of season ” Sud Ouest “ Bordeaux is a traditional city that has allowed for the emergence of radical things, a paradox that makes it passionate ” Le Point “ Modernity is felt everywhere ” Sunday Times “ Bordeaux Mérignac Airport should continue to strengthen its role opening up the city and its region internationally ” Commerce International “ Bordeaux shines again in all its glory ” The New York Times “ The city has the same harmonious splendour of the French capital but without being arrogant ” Washington Post

“ Bordeaux and Lyon are the French destinations that travellers are speaking about more and more ” (Trip Advisor in Sud Ouest) “ of Bordeaux’s international ambassadors is the profound transformation of the city over fifteen years ” La Voix de la France “ Burdeos, mucho mas que vino ” Ocho Leguas “ It is the city in France that has changed the most profoundly ” Sunday Times “ Bordeaux has become more cosmopolitan ” The Washington Post “ This corner of France so famous for its capital offers unexpected extremes, both relaxed and sophisticated, and wild and civilised at the same time ” The Boston Globe “ Bordeaux region satisfies the most demanding European elites ” The Guardian @RobertMParkerjr: a perfect model city-what Mayor Juppe has done in Bordeaux over the last decade is remarkable!!!! @RobertMParkerjr: ...great inner-city transit, lots of recreational areas, a rebuilt wonderful waterfront, rental bikes everywhere with bike lanes

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International outlook

In Bordeaux, there are many signs of international openness and cooperation: over 50 consulates and diplomatic representations, a network of cooperation and twinned cities (Bilbao, Land de Hesse, Los Angeles, Munich, St-Petersbourg, Wuhan...), an active involvement in international associations (Eurocities, Community of Ariane cities, Great Wine Capitals, Conference of Atlantic Arc Cities, European network of green and connected towns...), welcome networks for foreigners (Franco British Business Association, Franco-German Business Club, Bordeaux-USA...), a Maison de l’Europe, an international organisation for welcoming foreign researchers and students, 250 overseas training agreements, an International School and numerous European and international sections in secondary schools.

Business: a new Eldorado

The economic performance in the region and its attractiveness to businesses have now created a “French California”. Bordeaux is listed as the 3rd Western-European city, after Hamburg and Berlin, for its promotional investment strategy by Foreign Direct Investment, specialised in the promotion of international investments.

Export: the wine sector beats its own record with China

The Bordeaux region has 6,500 export businesses and a regional trade surplus of 2 billion Euros (2005). The agrifood industry, mainly thanks to the wine sector, is the leading contributor to this surplus. In 2011, the activity of the wine sector was marked by record volumes traded with China: over 51 million bottles, which is 110% more than in 2010: 1.84 billion Euros in total, a threshold which has never been reached before.

Major events with international scope

In addition to welcoming tens of thousands of visitors from the global wine sector at each edition, Vinexpo has been held in Asia and the USA for several years now. Congress infrastructures also host numerous international events, particularly in the research and healthcare sectors. From one year to the next, Bordeaux celebrates its wine and its river with the general public: large-scale events, gaining more and more of an international focus. The most recent event: Bordeaux Wine Festival and its 500,000 visitors celebrating wine and Hong-Kong, the guest of honour.

Bordeaux Airport is booming

Bordeaux is the 5th largest French (1) airport with more than 4 million passengers per year: up by 12.4% since 2011, with international flights in constant growth, reaching up to 55% these last two years... Bordeaux is taking off! At Bordeaux-Mérignac, extra-aeronautical activity is also taking off: commercial concessions, supply-chain platforms, with more projects to follow! The latest is the “45ième Parallèle” which will arrive at the airport in 2014, with a major international events and hotel complex (see above).
(1) outside of Paris

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Bordeaux is the leading French region in terms of investment in the innovation field (budget per inhabitant), and there are 11,600 researchers. According to a 2Thinkow study on innovation in 2011, Bordeaux was in the Innovation Cities TOP 100, along with European cities like Oslo, Düsseldorf and Brussels. The region is getting more and more involved in the cross-fertilization between economy and science... the future has begun!

Tertiary: €6 billion of value added

Service companies have benefited from the trend among major contractors towards outsourcing - in electricity, aircraft construction and the papermaking industry: they are growing fast with 34,000 establishments, 195,000 jobs and 6 billion Euros of value added. Support and assistance activities, with 40,000 jobs, are very well represented. Bordeaux is the fourth-ranking city for banking in France with 26,000 jobs.

ICT: a centre for excellence in virtual reality

Bordeaux and its region are one of the leading regions in France in terms of ICT: number 1 region for healthcare IT, 3rd for telecommunications activities and call centres, 4th for IT services and business start-ups in the digital sector. Their assets: 3,700 businesses and 23,000 jobs. Their skills: virtual reality, Internet technologies applied within the wine sector, release of 3D graphic components... Their opportunities: pro-active planning policies, with high-speed internet connections (ADSL, WIFI).

Alpha-Route des lasers

This competitiveness cluster aims to be the world benchmark in the development and dissemination of innovative optical and laser technologies - laser systems and applications, metrology and imagery, innovative physics - in the industrial and aeronautic, health, vision, chemistry and electronic sectors. 70 companies work in this industry.

Aeroparc: Aerospace Valley label

Bordeaux Aeroparc is part of the global interregional competiveness cluster Aerospace Valley, and aims to become the largest aeronautics, space and embedded systems site in France. Aeroparc plans to create between 5000 and 8000 jobs over the next 15 years, and is supported by partners such as Dassault, Thales, EADS, SPS, SNPE, Novespace, Tat Group, Sabena Technics and Sogerma.

Aerocampus

Since September 2011, this reference centre - directly involved in the dynamics of the world aeronautics market and European maintenance centres - offers complete training programmes for aeronautical maintenance. There are two aircraft hangars (7 aircrafts with an integrated classroom), 4 mechanic and electric construction workshops, 13 public works laboratories and 6 classrooms and design rooms. There is also a business campus and a reception area for events in this field.

Avenia, eco-technologies

125 companies and 3, 580 researchers are involved in the geosciences field. Aim: to prepare for this transition through sustainable exploitation of sub-soils via the responsible development of fossil fuels, geological storage of CO2, energy storage in sub-soils and industrial geothermal power.

Biotechnologies, healthcare and medical technologies

Bordeaux is in the TOP 5 for biotechnologies and living sciences. Further education at the École Supérieur of bio-molecular technology, research at the 4th biggest hospital centre in France, and the European institute of chemistry and biology in Bordeaux are its main assets. Over 50% of the workforce and the turnover in healthcare IT and medical imagery in France are in Bordeaux. Three other clusters are being created: medical equipment, implants and biomaterials, and pharmacy.

Inno’vin, the wine sector cluster

Number 1 fine wine producer in the world, Aquitaine farms over 144,000 hectares of AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) vines, for a production of 8 million hectolitres. The sector employs 66,000 people and there are nearly 14,000 producers, 400 wholesalers... The Inno’vin cluster was born out of their desire to bring together business, research laboratories, wine-growers and wholesalers, focusing on issues related to research and development. Along with them, the Institute of Vines and Wine Sciences is the largest research centre in Europe in this field.

Maritime pine with Xylofutur

1,700,000 hectares: the largest forest in Europe is in Aquitaine. The competiveness cluster Xylofutur aims to achieve a level of international excellence in products from solid wood for construction, home improvements, decoration and packaging, products which come from fibres and from chemical ligno-cellulosic components (green chemistry), and in management of forests cultivated for industrial purposes.

Boating industry: top of the range

Aquitaine is a hotspot for water sports and shipbuilding is very active, with two main construction sites: Guy Couach and Constructions Navales de Bordeaux. Sailing boats are built in Bordeaux and are amongst the most beautiful in France. Sails, motors, marine electronics, computer science and interior design have flourished and attracted large equipment manufacturers from around the world. The sector represents 170 companies.

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Bordeaux Euratlantique

With a €620 million investment, the Operation in the National Interest Euratlantique is working on developing housing, business centres and offices, public facilities, shops, hotels and open spaces. It will also have a new auditorium with 15,000 seats: the Grand Arena. Target: 25,000 jobs, 35,000 new residents, greater attractiveness and influence for the metropolis...

45ème Parallèle: right by the airport

The future tertiary centre at Bordeaux Airport will be built on a 7-hectare estate, at the entrance to the airport zone. 88 million Euros will be invested to build a large complex of office buildings, a luxury hotel, with places to eat and relax, a congress centre, a green silo park... The 45ème Parallèle will be a flagship complex capable of attracting national and international world-class businesses. The work will start in 2014.

Extension of the tram network

The Bordeaux tramway, which opened in 2003, transports 93 million people across the city and its conurbation, on a network which covers 44km. Eventually, this will be increased to 80km - the largest in France - serving 200 million passengers. The future lines will cross the bypass to reach the peri-urban areas. The various line extension works will be staggered over 2013, 2014 and 2016.

Two new bridges

In 2012, the Bacalan Bastide Bridge, the highest lifting bridge in Europe (77 metres high, 425 metres in length), will link the right and left banks of Bordeaux further downriver. In 2017, the Jean-Jacques Bosc Bridge, 500 metres in length, will become the sixth to cross over the Garonne.

Laser Mégajoule: the most powerful in the world

The highest-energy laser project in the world is part of the French military “Simulation” programme with an investment of 6 billion Euros. In 2011, the project had already generated 9,000 jobs directly, 600 of which were researchers, and it mobilised 70 companies. With the Laser Mégajoule, the Military Applications Directorate of the French Atomic Energy Commission has made Aquitaine the European leader in science and industrial potential in the laser sector.

Operation “Campus”

A university city since the 15th century, Bordeaux hosts 80,000 students in 4 universities and 17 grandes ecoles and engineering schools. The redesigning and development of the universities will start in 2015, with a large European university where new ties between higher education, research and economic development will reinforce the area’s attractiveness from a scientist and employee point of view.

Neurocampus: 15,000 m2 dedicated to neuroscience research

With the Neurocampus, Bordeaux is building one of the largest brain research centres in Europe and in the world. It is a 60 million Euro project, 45 million of which will be used to construct a 15,000 m2 building. The building work should be finished by the end of 2014.

Darwin Project

Across the Bordeaux conurbation, the Darwin project is a symbol of the new development model, connecting urbanism, ecology, creative economy, urban cultures and new technologies. Over nearly 20,000 m2, they will bring together a maximum quality of usage for a minimum impact on the environment, with eco-innovative companies, socially responsible businesses, cultural and citizen groups, and establishments involved in environmental protection and energy control.

CCTV: the future worldwide wine “temple”

The Wine Cultural Centre, which will be finished at the end of 2014 in Bordeaux, should receive 500,000 visitors every year: an investment of 59 million Euros, 10,000 m2 of exhibitions, a journey through wine civilisations, sensory circuits, tasting rooms, but also restaurants, shops, a wine bar... all inside a building of bold architecture, conjuring up images of wine swirling in a glass. It is the “major international facility that we’ve been waiting for” in Bordeaux, “making its title of worldwide wine capital a reality”, according to Alain Juppé, the city mayor.

The Stadium

The international Euro 2016 matches which will be played in Bordeaux will be held at the new facilities with over 43,000 places. The building work should be finished by the start of 2015, costing 173 million Euros. The Stadium will also be hosting many concerts.

Grand Arena

The future multi-purpose theatre of Bordeaux will be opened in 2014. Third in France in terms of capacity, the Grand Arena will, according to the plans, have 3000 - 15,000 seats for all types of shows and events. Project cost: 50 million Euros.

Meca Contemporary culture and creation will have a new centre in 2015: with a 52 million Euro investment, the “Maison de l’Economie créative et de la Culture in Aquitaine” or the Meca will be home to three agencies and their activities: Ecla (Writing, Cinema, Books, Audiovisual), Frac (The French Regional Contemporary Art Collection) and Oara (Artistic Office of the Aquitaine Region).

The Auditorium

Designed to welcome the National Orchestra of Bordeaux Aquitaine (ONBA) and other large symphonic orchestras in the heart of the city, the Auditorium will open in 2013 with 1,400 seats, music rooms, studios and other annexes.

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Business tourism: Bordeaux - the 2nd largest congress city in France

Bordeaux confirms its position amongst some of the largest international congress destinations, according to the ranking of the International Congress and Convention Association for 2011: 2nd French city after Paris. More than 20% of the visitors expected in 2012 are conference delegates and tourists on business trips. The latest example of Bordeaux’s international appeal is the World Congress for Intelligent Transport Systems, “ITS 2015”, which will bring together 8,000 congress delegates, a victory for the city against the likes of Copenhagen and Milan.

NFC, wifi, 2d codes ... Bordeaux, a well connected city

Bordeaux is a city with an increasing focus on "no contact" technology, or NFC: since March 2011, the people of Bordeaux have been able to use these digital services. To spread this use and expand the range of services from 2012 onwards, the city has formed an association between professional bodies, banks, mobile operators, large industrial players, etc: the process and this experience has interested other French cities now involved in this deployment (Marseille, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Metz...). Bordeaux also relies on its infrastructure to offer everyone a free wifi connection: thanks to an original set-up with a private operator, the first of its kind in France, the symbolic promenade along the quays is progressively getting Wifi coverage, along with other areas and streets. Thousands of two dimensional codes are popping up around the city: urban areas, monuments, museums, gardens, posters, touristic guides... These QR codes are read for the most part on Smartphones, in certain cases associated with NFC codes, offering a way of seeing and easy access to the city! Not forgetting the numerous tourist and practical information applications and many others available on mobile systems.

An “exceptional urban area” of 1,810 hectares: a 1st for UNESCO

1,810 hectares of the overall 4,455 of the entire city became listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2007, as an “exceptional urban area”: it is the first urban area with such a vast and complex area to be chosen by the Commission since its creation.

An exceptional environment

250 km of Atlantic coastline, the Bay of Arcachon dominated by the Dune du Pyla (the highest in Europe at 105 metres), the preserved villages of oyster-farming shacks, the wild islands of the Gironde estuary, the largest in Europe, the Landes forest and its coastal pine trees, les flourishing vineyards, the Medoc and Graves châteaux, the village of Saint-Emilion, the historic sites and the unique landscapes of the Périgord and Lot et Garonne regions, the Pyrenees national park ... Bordeaux and its region are overflowing with cultural treasures! Not forgetting a climate similar to that of North California: 300 more hours of annual sunshine than Paris, and 100 more than Lyon.

Culture Destination

Considered as a city of art and history, Bordeaux has more than 347 historic monuments and 7 museums, from the magnificent and classical Museum of Fine Arts which will re-open at the start of 2013 after having been entirely renovated, to the CAPC, the city’s imposing Museum of Contemporary Art. Modern art galleries are abundant, with several among them of a national and international scale (Cortex Athletico, ACDC... ). As well as the Grand Theatre, a masterpiece of neo-classical architecture which offers a program of leading lyrical art and Opera ballets, there are numerous auditoriums and theatres scattered around the conurbation. Indeed, this city is alive all year long with great artistic and cultural events such as Evento, “les Grandes Traversées”, Novart, Escale du Livre, the International Historic Film Festival, the Bordeaux Wine festival... and, in summer, no less than 600 cultural shows!

Sports

Bordeaux and its sport region, starting with bikes: more than 550km of cycle lanes in the city, 1,000km of cycle paths and 2,300km of signposted tracks open to mountain bikes in the Gironde region; 139 VCub bike stations offer 1,545 bikes, a free service across the conurbation. The region offers hundreds of sites and sport facilities among which there are more than 50 golf courses and several sites for international surfing, not forgetting the ski resorts in the Pyrenees in winter, the never-ending rivers and waterways open to all canoes and kayaks... Major international events also take place throughout the year: the Médoc Marathon, the France, European and World football cups and rugby, Bordeaux International Jumping, the Six days of Bordeaux (cycling), the DécaStar (Athletics), the Lacanau Pro (one of the most prestigious surfing competitions), the International Fencing competition, the three-day eventing competition of Pau...

Lifestyle

Here, the good life is guaranteed whether in the city, the countryside, the seaside or the nearby mountains... and often with friends around a meal! A land of gastronomic tradition, Bordeaux and its region have a multitude of establishments from the "tavernas" along the banks of the Garonne to the great Michelin starred restaurants, not to mention the typical Bordelais bistros, restaurants serving specialities in the Basque Country, Perigord, and seafood in the Bay of Arcachon... the art of living in Bordeaux is also about taking care of yourself, thanks to numerous thalassotherapy centres and spas with a unique Vinotherapy© concept, strolling through the parks and gardens or in the many markets and flea markets in towns and in the countryside, and enjoying a plethora of places to visit and have fun: casinos, bowling alleys, nightclubs, theme parks, local festivals ...

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