France opens 'Guggenheim of wine' in Bordeaux

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A picture taken on 14 March 2016 in Bordeaux, south-western France, shows a general view of the Cite du VinImage source, AFP
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A "swirl in a wine glass" - Bordeaux's new shrine to wine, which it is hoped will attract 450,000 visitors a year

A new museum devoted to the culture of wine around the world has opened its doors in Bordeaux.

La Cite du Vin was designed by Paris-based XTU Architects to resemble "the swirl in a wine glass". It cost €81m (£63m; $90m) to build.

It has been dubbed a "Guggenheim to wine" - a reference to the New York art museum - by Bordeaux Mayor Alain Juppe.

He attended the museum's inauguration on Tuesday, along with President Francois Hollande.

The president is currently battling a wave of industrial unrest and was unable to escape protests for the inauguration. He was met by demonstrators protesting against both a contested new labour law and the use of pesticides in wine production.

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The shimmering, 14,000 sq m structure was designed by Nicolas Desmazieres and Anouk Legendre and took about three years to build.
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Museum facilities include a restaurant and a cave a vin - a wine boutique - with 14,000 bottles from more than 80 countries, as well as grape juice for younger visitors.
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Special exhibition zones explore, for instance, the art of wine-tasting.
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The swirling shape of the building is also a reference to the eddies of the nearby Garonne river. City authorities are hoping for 450,000 visitors a year.
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Thousands of wine bottles form ceiling lights in one room boasting panoramic views of Bordeaux.
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President Francois Hollande (left) toasted the museum's opening with Bordeaux Mayor Alain Juppe,
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But even here Mr Hollande was unable to shake off protesters - here highlighting the health impact of the use of pesticides in grape growing.