The Third Republic built a lot of public buildings. Its masterpiece is without a doubt the Gare saint-Jean de Marius Toudoire, built in 1898. Its quays are covered with a metal structure that measures 277 metres long and 56 metres wide. This building made of iron and glass, which was heavily influenced by the 1889 World’s Fair, was for a long time considered to be the largest in the world.

Stone buildings open onto the city and feature classical decorations. Just steps away, by the Sacré-Coeur church, lies one of the finest neighbourhoods of échoppes, Bordeaux's traditional style of house. There are nearly 15,000 of them, two-thirds of which were built between the Second Empire and World War I. Of modest dimensions, they have three to six rooms connected to a hallway that often leads to a small garden.

Near the river lies Château Descas, a neo-baroque building testifying to the commercial success of a cooper turned rich wine merchant. Nearby, the Halle des Abattoirs and the postal Sorting Centre represent the best examples of Decorative Arts architecture.