More about the Bordeaux turtle and why it is there
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382104)
Rockingham, Australia
August 28, 2019 6:45am CST
Yanzalong (@yanzalong) commented on the turtle photo I put up recently. He asked ‘who has it’. Several others wondered about it too so I googled ‘Turtle Bordeaux’ and sure enough, there was some information on it. Is that anything that isn’t written up somewhere on the web?
It seems the turtle symbolises the wine industry. There is a bunch of grapes in its mouth. It is situated in a plaza which is called the Place de la Victoire. See edit at end of post.
There was a photo of the turtle on Wikimedia. It shows a small turtle sheltering under the big one. So now we all know a bit more.
Photo courtesy: Steven Lek [CC BY-SA 4.0 (
Edit: Anna (@LadyDuck) says the turtles do not represent the wine industry but the most famous Bordeaux wines are mentioned on their carapace. The moral is: what's on the web may not, in fact, be true! 
23 people like this
11 responses
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
28 Aug 19
I did a search on these turtles a few years ago because at one point I looked out the window here in Florida and could not believe my eyes at such a giant turtle I saw. Never knew some got so big.
3 people like this
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
29 Aug 19
@JudyEv oh yes. some are huge and big as a large dog and I forget the name of one type I observed once that dug a big hole in the sand and buried it's self . burrowed right into the ground to hide 
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
28 Aug 19
thanks much fer more info'n the 'mysterious' turtle. don't reckon i'd noticed 'twas grapes? thought perhaps 'twas seaweed 'r some other vegetation. thought the wee'un 'twas a shadow 'f sorts'n yer prior pic, lol.
sadly the web 'tis filled with misinformation. 'tis a shame, but a fact.
2 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
29 Aug 19
@JudyEv regardless, 'tis still a wonderful sculpture, eh? so glad ya shared 't, 's well 's the additional info ~ 
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
28 Aug 19
Well they are interesting pieces of art no matter why they are there
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
29 Aug 19
@MALUSE I don't need to understand I can just appreciate.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
29 Aug 19
Its still a pretty turtle no matter what the history.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
29 Aug 19
@JudyEv We have small ones here too.
1 person likes this
@yanzalong (19091)
• Indonesia
28 Aug 19
Thank you so much Judy. I appreciate it.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 Aug 19
Well, I thought I'd learnt a bit more but it seems I was taken in a bit.
@JESSY3236 (22245)
• United States
28 Aug 19
cool photo. I had been reading off and on of a martial arts book series that has one of the characters as a turtle who is the god of martial arts.
1 person likes this
@SophiaMorros (5044)
• Belews Creek, North Carolina
28 Aug 19
There are a LOT of things on the web that are not actually factual. My offspring learned pretty quickly that most easily accessible web information is NOT acceptable as reference material for post-secondary level work...and accessing the real academic work online usually involves $$$ (or the knowledge that the public library provides a free portal 
)
)1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382104)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 Aug 19
Public libraries are great resources, that's for sure.
