Bassins des Lumières is a digital art centre in Bordeaux's Bacalan district, inside a submarine base the Germans built during the Second World War. It opened in 2020 and is run by Culturespaces. Paintings are projected onto the bare concrete walls and across the flooded docks, with music filling the space. Walkways lead you between the water-filled bays, where reflections double every image. The programs change and have covered Klimt, Klee, Dalí and Gaudí, Dutch masters and ancient Egyptian art. The main show runs about an hour.
A submarine base from the Second World War
The building was put up by the Germans as a U-boat base while Bordeaux was under occupation. Its concrete is massive: the roof alone is nine metres thick, and that thickness made demolition too costly after the war, so the structure stayed.
For years the city hall ran it as the Base Sous-Marine, with modest digital art exhibitions. In 2020 Culturespaces converted part of the complex into Bassins des Lumières. The same organisation also runs the Carrières de Lumières in Baux-de-Provence and the Atelier des Lumières in Paris.
The history stays visible. The shows are staged in the original bays and among the water-filled docks that once held submarines, and the visit includes some information about the building.
How the shows work
You enter a large, dark hall. Once the projections and music start, images spread across the concrete walls and onto the surface of the water. The water reflects each picture, so the scale of the space appears to double. Images move and flow into one another rather than sitting still like a framed painting.
Gangways let you walk between the bays and look at the projections from different angles. The space is cavernous, and the sound carries through it, so the music is as much part of the visit as the pictures.
A typical visit has a main program of about an hour. Some seasons add a shorter second program devoted to another artist. If one artist is the reason for your visit, check the running order and the length of each program before you go.
Exhibitions over the years
The program changes regularly. The first shows after opening were devoted to Gustav Klimt and Paul Klee. Later programs have included Dalí and Gaudí, a show on Venice, Frida Kahlo and Henri Matisse, ancient Egyptian art, and a program on marine life.
In 2024 the main program was a show of Dutch masters, with around 500 works by artists such as Vermeer and Van Gogh. It ran alongside a shorter program on Mondrian. Other artists whose work has been shown here include Yves Klein, Renoir, Monet, Chagall and others.
Because the schedule rotates, the official website is the place to confirm what is on during your dates.
Visiting with children and getting there
Children often enjoy the shows, as the images move across the floor as well as the walls. The dark entrance can be unsettling for the youngest, but the projections begin soon and most settle quickly.
The site is step-free at the entrance, and wheelchair accessible seating, restrooms and parking are available. Parking is on site, with paid and free street parking nearby.
The building is in the Bacalan district, on the Garonne side of the city. A walk along the water leads on to the Cité du Vin, the wine museum, which makes an easy second stop.
Preguntas frecuentes
Is there an entry fee at Bassins des Lumières?
Yes, entry is ticketed, and tickets can be bought in advance. Check the official website for current prices.
How long does a visit take?
The main show lasts about an hour. Allow 1 to 2 hours if you want to walk the gangways and sit for a second program.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes. The hall is dark when you enter, so young children may need reassurance, but they usually relax once the projections and music begin.
Is Bassins des Lumières wheelchair accessible?
Yes. The entrance, seating, restroom and parking lot are all wheelchair accessible.
What is shown there?
Digital exhibitions devoted to major artists, projected onto the walls and water of a former submarine base. Programs rotate, so check the official site for the current one.
