{"id":1873,"date":"2017-01-25T16:50:57","date_gmt":"2017-01-25T15:50:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/volare.volotea.com\/?post_type=inspiracion&p=1873"},"modified":"2017-04-04T21:27:29","modified_gmt":"2017-04-04T19:27:29","slug":"saint-simeon-cinema-housed-in-church","status":"publish","type":"inspiracion","link":"https:\/\/volare.volotea.com\/en\/cities\/bordeaux\/saint-simeon-cinema-housed-in-church\/","title":{"rendered":"Saint-Sime\u00f3n: A cinema housed in a church"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Utopia cinema in <b>Bordeaux<\/b> boasts a stunning location, having taken up residence in an old neglected church right in the city centre. This unusual setting heightens the charm of this experimental arthouse cinema.<\/p>\n<p>Over the years when I used to go and buy candles from <a href=\"https:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/37J1LpoySu52\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color: #9e840e; text-decoration: underline;\">Bourdy<\/a>, the small candlemakers on Rue Saint-Sim\u00e9on, I would venture a little further towards Place Camille Jullian to catch a glimpse of a building that was deteriorating before my eyes. It was such a sad sight to see the old <a href=\"http:\/\/visites.aquitaine.fr\/eglise-saint-simeon-cinema-utopia\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color: #9e840e; text-decoration: underline;\">Saint-Sim\u00e9on<\/a> church exposed to the harsh elements, all grey and dilapidated, and relegated to the role of car park. But the church had already gone through a whole host of other adventures before ending up in this guise.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, very few churches have been home to such a diverse range of activities. This historic place of worship in <b>Bordeaux<\/b> underwent a series of transformations over the years, but was abandoned during the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.larousse.fr\/encyclopedie\/divers\/R%C3%A9volution_fran%C3%A7aise\/140733\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color: #9e840e; text-decoration: underline;\">French Revolution<\/a>. So far, not a particularly remarkable story. However, shortly after, it was turned into a saltpetre storage depot. Here, saltpetre was mixed with sulphur and coal to produce gunpowder. In 1833, the Laporte brothers established a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.institut-strategie.fr\/pub_mo2_LATHUILEEC.html\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color: #9e840e; text-decoration: underline;\">naval school for youths and new recruits<\/a> here, as well as a gymnasium. In the late 19th century, a canning factory set up business here.<br \/>It is said that the key-like device used to open sardine tins was invented in this factory. But I would err on the side of caution, because I\u2019ve read that other French regions and different countries have laid claim to this invention. The building subsequently became a bicycle shop, before finishing up as a car park.<\/p>\n<p>In 1999, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cinemas-utopia.org\/bordeaux\/\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color: #9e840e; text-decoration: underline;\">Utopia<\/a> cinema took over the premises. This experimental arthouse cinema, with its independent and carefully selected programming, is also a venue for evening debates. A small restaurant has been opened in the entrance lobby. I love strolling through this timeless, warm and intimate space, flicking through newspapers or reading leaflets arranged on the church furniture which blends in so well with the stained-glass windows. I can almost hear the joyful cries of the young ship hands who were schooled here.<\/p>\n<p>I can also sit down on the terrace overlooking Place <a href=\"https:\/\/fr.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Camille_Jullian\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color: #9e840e; text-decoration: underline;\">Camille Jullian<\/a>. The name Camille Jullian brings back more memories for me, as my <a href=\"http:\/\/www.camillejullian.com\/?lang=fr\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color: #9e840e; text-decoration: underline;\">old high school<\/a> was named after him and is affectionately called \u2018Caju\u2019. Camille Jullian was a famous historian who taught in <b>Bordeaux<\/b> and wrote a major and still-influential work on the history of Gaul. But I have to be honest. The Utopia&#8217;s caf\u00e9 is also ideally located for a break from a shopping spree between Rue <a href=\"https:\/\/fr.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rue_Sainte-Catherine_(Bordeaux)\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color: #9e840e; text-decoration: underline;\">Sainte-Catherine<\/a>, with its major stores, and Rue du Pas-Saint-Georges and the lanes around <b>Bordeaux<\/b>&#8216;s old town, where the more exclusive boutiques can be found.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Utopia cinema in Bordeaux boasts a stunning location, having taken up residence in an old neglected church right in the city centre. This unusual setting heightens the charm of this experimental arthouse cinema. Over the years when I used to go and buy candles from Bourdy, the small candlemakers on Rue Saint-Sim\u00e9on, I would [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":5379,"template":"","topics":[2534],"destination":[2835],"class_list":["post-1873","inspiracion","type-inspiracion","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","topics-lifestyle-culture","destination-bordeaux"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Saint-Sime\u00f3n: A cinema housed in a church - VOLARE MAGAZINE | VOLOTEA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The church of Saint-Sim\u00e9on plays host to the Utopia cinema.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/volare.volotea.com\/en\/cities\/bordeaux\/saint-simeon-cinema-housed-in-church\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Saint-Sime\u00f3n: A cinema housed in a church - 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