Grosse Cloche: Free Exterior View, Guided Tour Tickets & Pass Coverage
Free exterior view: self-paced; guided interior visit: 30 min
Historic Belfry / City Gate
Present tower c. 1450, built onto a 13th-century city gate; current bell cast 1775
Rue Saint-James, 33000 Bordeaux, France
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Practical Visitor Info & Tips
€6.00
Reduced group rates may apply for the guided tour; children under 6 are not admitted inside for safety reasons
The exterior gate is visible at any time. Guided interior tours run on a limited schedule arranged through the official tourist office.
Guided-tour-only, small groups, reservation required. Children under 6 not admitted inside.
A medieval belfry-gate (last remnant of Bordeaux's demolished Hôtel de Ville); the exterior is visible free from the street, the interior (bell mechanism and old dungeons) is guided-tour-only.
| Option | Price | Booking | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior view | Free | None — visible from the street at any time | |
| Guided interior visit, Adult | €6 | Reservation required (small groups) | |
| With Bordeaux Métropole City Pass | Coverage unconfirmed | Not independently verified — check at the tourist office |
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Ticket Options
€6.00
Check whether a city pass already covers this attraction before buying separately.
See pass compatibility below ↓Overview & History
The Grosse Cloche ("Big Bell") is one of Bordeaux's oldest monuments — a fortified belfry-gate straddling Rue Saint-James, all that remains of the city's medieval Hôtel de Ville. Its current bell, cast in 1775 and nicknamed Armande-Louise, still hangs inside. The exterior — including the gate's twin round towers and conical roofs — is visible free from the street at any time; climbing inside is only possible on a small-group, reservation-only guided tour.
What to See: Top Highlights
The Bell Itself
Cast in 1775 and nicknamed Armande-Louise, the bell that gives the monument its name still hangs in the tower and is seen up close only on the guided tour.
Medieval Gate Architecture
Twin round towers with conical roofs straddle the street — the last visible fragment of Bordeaux's demolished medieval Hôtel de Ville.
Guided Interior Climb
A 30-minute small-group tour leads through narrow stairs and old dungeon spaces once used as a prison, up to the bell mechanism.
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Is This Covered by the Bordeaux City Pass?
Compare Bordeaux PassesThe exterior is confirmed free to view at any time, with or without any pass. Whether the paid guided interior tour is included on the Bordeaux Métropole City Pass could not be independently confirmed, so this is left NEEDS_VERIFICATION rather than guessed.
Bordeaux Métropole City Pass
Not confirmed by the provider. Coverage of the paid guided interior tour on the City Pass could not be independently confirmed — left UNKNOWN rather than guessed.
Data Provenance
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Frequently Asked Questions
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