Basilica of Saint Severinus, Bordeaux Church

Address: Rue du Mirail / Rue du Mirail area, Bordeaux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

Hours: Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10am-6pm

Admission: Free (entry); some parts may have restricted access during services.

The Basilica of Saint Severinus (Basilique Saint-Seurin) is a medieval church in central Bordeaux with Romanesque and Gothic elements and a long association with pilgrimage. It is one of the city’s oldest Christian sites and has an extant crypt and burial grounds beneath the church.

Visitors note the Romanesque nave, the remains of the medieval cloister, and the crypt and necropolis that document the site’s early Christian use. The basilica also preserves liturgical furnishings and funerary monuments from several centuries.

The church originated in the early medieval period and was developed and altered across the Middle Ages to accommodate worship and pilgrimage. Its role as a pilgrimage stop on routes to Santiago de Compostela contributed to its artistic and architectural growth.

Saint-Seurin stands in the historic centre of Bordeaux in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, within the city’s older urban quarter and accessible from central squares.

• UNESCO World Heritage: Included on the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France UNESCO World Heritage listing as part of Bordeaux’s medieval pilgrim sites.

What to See#

• Crypt and necropolis: A medieval crypt and necropolis beneath the church containing burials that reflect the site’s long use as a pilgrimage stop.
• Nave and choir: Romanesque nave and later Gothic additions that demonstrate the building’s development across the Middle Ages.

Located in Bordeaux’s central quarters, the basilica is an easy walk from Place de la Bourse and the riverfront. Public buses and trams serve the area well.

• Check the parish schedule for organ recitals and special services - the basilica occasionally hosts early-music concerts.
• Observe the mixture of Romanesque and Gothic features in the nave and choir - local guides will point out details restored after World War II.
• Pair a visit with a walk along Bordeaux's Garonne riverfront and the nearby Musée d'Aquitaine.