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Mayor wants to ban cruise ships from Bordeaux
Pierre Hurmic, the mayor of Bordeaux, is pushing for a complete ban on cruise ships docking in the city centre as they spoil the “beauty” of the location.
Those hoping to visit Bordeaux’s famous wineries on an excursion from a cruise ship may find themselves with further to travel after the French city’s mayor called for a ban on the vessels dropping anchor.
Bordeaux’s government already previously limited the number of cruise ships allowed to dock in the city’s Port de la Lune to just 40 per year, but Hurmic is after an out-and-out cull, claiming the ships cause pollution and ruin the local beauty.
An alternative mooring spot has been proposed, further north on the Right Bank of the Garonne, a move which would position ships away from the historic city centre and its main attractions. A river shuttle would ferry passengers back and forth between the new location and the city centre.
“More and more people in Bordeaux are being disturbed by the arrival of cruise ships in the city centre, and it’s becoming increasingly unpleasant,” Hurmic told local news agency AFP.
Heavy consequences
However, cruise ships bring visitors with deep pockets to the city to spend on local goods including its wines. Patrick Seguin, president of the Bordeaux-Gironde Chamber of Commerce and Industry warned that moving the docking site “would have heavy consequences for Bordeaux trade.”
George Simon, president of the Bordeaux Mon Commerce association of traders and artisans told AFP that “if tourists stop in Bordeaux, it’s to visit Bordeaux. It’s not to visit empty quays a few kilometres from the city centre. There will need to be some sort of solution.”
The move could impact cellar door sales at Bordeaux wineries, as well as visitor numbers and purchases made at major attraction La Cité du Vin, a cultural centre dedicated to “the living heritage of wine”. It is also likely to have a knock-on effect for the city’s on-trade, with restaurants and bars expected to see losses if cruise operators decide to scratch Bordeaux off their itineraries due to the increased logistics of transporting guests into the city.
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