Rue Saint Rémi

The Goddess Tutella

Rue des Piliers de Tutelle bisects the Rue Saint Rémi. According to legend, Burdigala was protected by the goddess Tutella. The Romans built a temple to her and stood the goddess atop her pillars. The day before they were due to be demolished, in 1667, the architect Claude Perrault, who designed the colonnade at the Louvre, made a quick sketch of the pillars, in just a few strokes. Thus the myth was born. In the 17th century they were resuscitated by Victor Louis, when he designed the peristyle of the Grand Théàtre, and the goddess-like muses were set in place. When things get forgotten, only stones can bring back the memories of their former glory. (The contents of this chapter feature on a plaque in the street).

The Decumanus of Bordeaux

When the Romans came to Burdigala (Bordeaux), they traced out two lines, and at their intersection was the town centre. The first axis, the decumanus, went from Orient to Occident, following the path of the sun. The second, the cardo, ran from South to North, along the polar axis. Today′s Rue Ste Catherine is the cardo, while Rue St Rémi is the first decumanus of Roman Bordeaux. It is one of the very few streets to have kept its original name.

Janus to Saint Rémi

The street is named after its saint. But previously, it was the site of a temple to the god Janus. Then came the first shrine to St Peter, only to be destroyed by the Barbarians. Clovis is said to have rebuilt it and committed it to the care of St Rémi. Clovis was baptised in this church by the bishop of Reims, on December 25th, 496. The church was rebuilt during the XVth and XVIth centuries and nothing remains from before the XIth century. Following the revolution it was no longer used as a church and was subsequently reincarnated as a forage store, a customs shed, a stable and a garage. Today it is an exhibition room that is worth the detour: the religious setting makes it a great place to contemplate works of art. The entrance is on Rue Jouannet.