Adventures in Bordeaux, Les Bassins Des Lumieres

Check tickets to Les Bassins Des Lumieres Exhibition

Les Bassins des Lumieres is located in the Bacalan district of Bordeaux and is currently the world's largest digital art center. It is such an unusual venue to hold art exhibitions, but Les Bassins des Lumieres was nothing short of amazing. We visited when the Dutch Masters series was on display and we saw a splendid digital projection of works from Vermeer, Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Mondrian.

Bassins des Lumieres was one of the five submarine bases built on the Atlantic coast during the Second World War. The construction of this particular submarine bunker started in 1941 under German occupation, mostly built by Spanish Republican prisoners. Within 190 months, the base was operational - 42000 sqm, 235 m long, 20 m high and a roof that was 9m thick to withstand aerial bombardment. This space is a marvel and remains a powerful reminder of the scars of war. The bunker underwent a huge transformation in 2020 to finally take spot as Les Bassins des Lumieres.

The masterpieces are synchronised to the music and projected onto the walls that run up 12 m high and 22 m wide. In between the large towering concrete walls, the projections fall onto the huge pool of water in the middle of these structures.

It is so difficult to describe how majestic and in awe we were during the entire projection. So I will let our videos do the talking. Each projection is between 30 - 40 mins and you can take the time to go between the different spaces to explore. There is no limit to how many times you can watch the loop, so find your favourite spot and watch it as many times as you like.

Would We Recommend?

Absolutely Yes! Les Bassins des Lumieres was not just another art projection. It was breathtaking, immersive and unforgettable. Digital art of masters in a WWII submarine bunker - thats a perfect example of intersection of past and present. It was as educational as it was fascinating.

Check tickets to Les Bassins Des Lumieres Exhibition

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