The Quai de la Douane is the central section of the Bordeaux waterfront, directly in front of Place de la Bourse, and the kilometre of river frontage that has been most transformed by the city's regeneration since the 1990s. The old Customs House quay has been converted into a pedestrian promenade with no through traffic, flanked by the golden limestone facades to the west and the Garonne to the east.
Walking the full length of the waterfront from the Cité du Vin in the north to the Pont de Pierre in the south takes about an hour at a comfortable pace. The views across the Garonne to the Right Bank, the morning light on the Bourse facade, and the evening crowds at the outdoor café terraces are the defining images of modern Bordeaux. The Miroir d'Eau, the Darwin river shuttle, and the summer beach installations are all anchored along this quay.