Cité du Vin museum build makes progress

Bordeaux’s wine museum, La Cité du Vin, is finally taking shape, with work on the outside shell completed.

Work on the decanter-like exterior of the building was completed just before Christmas last year and work is now continuing on the museum’s interior as it gears up for its grand opening this June.

The sinuous façade of the building is comprised of 972m2 of glass and 5,770m2 of aluminum sheets.

The chief architect, Anouk Legendre, has (fortunately) declared herself happy with the building’s look. “The building is very close to the mental image I had,” she told local press. “It’s grandeur is even more impressive than it was on paper.”

Work is now continuing apace inside as work has to be finished by the end of March to ensure everything is in place and works before the first visitors are admitted on 2 June this year.

The museum has had a few problems during its conception, namely in 2014 when it was discovered it was €18 million over budget and then last year when it was decided that the original name, ‘Cité des Civilisations du Vin’ was too long and difficult to pronounce (for non-French speakers). It has subsequently been renamed, simply, Cité du Vin.