3D

Terroir · Bordeaux in 3D

Pessac-Léognan in 3D

Pessac-Léognan, from Pessac to Martillac and the Garonne. A block of 16 by 16 km: the relief measured by IGN, with the rock, the soil and the old maps laid over it, to turn, cut and read.


In 3D

Pessac-Léognan, from Pessac to Martillac and the Garonne, seen from the southwest, heights exaggerated 4 times.
Pessac-Léognan, from Pessac to Martillac and the Garonne, seen from the southwest, heights exaggerated 4 times.

How IGN measured this relief: 60.5% airborne laser (LiDAR), error under 30 cm; 39.1% aerial photos taken in winter, error under 70 cm; 0.4% the older 25 m grid, error 2 to 8 m.

The formations of the geological map, from the largest area of the block to the smallest (16)
  • Fy3-z Alluvions subactuelles à actuelles indiféernéciées (sic)River and estuary deposits of today; 20.3% of the block
  • Fva(G) Très hautes terrasses (RG Garonne) - Terrasse de Léognan (type 1) indifférenciée et terrasse de ListracIce age river terraces: sand, gravel, pebbles; 20.3% of the block
  • CFp Formations superficiellesSlope wash and cover; 15.9% of the block
  • Fwb(G) Moyennes terrasses (RG Garonne) - Terrasses de Léognan, terrasse de Martillac et terrasse de St Selve indifférenciés (type 3 à 5) (Esltérien - "Mindel")Ice age river terraces: sand, gravel, pebbles; 11% of the block
  • Ft(Bn) Formation de BelinLandes sand and the oldest river deposits; 9.6% of the block
  • Fvb(G) Hautes terrasses (RG Garonne) - Terrasse de Martillac (type 2) indifférenciée et terrasse d'ArsacIce age river terraces: sand, gravel, pebbles; 8.5% of the block
  • g1-As Calcaire à AstériesStarfish limestone and marine marls; 5.7% of the block
  • Fxb(a) Basse terrasses - Terrasse de Bègle (type 6) indifférenciéeIce age river terraces: sand, gravel, pebbles; 3.4% of the block
  • m1-Cs Faluns de SaucatsShell sands (faluns), limestones and marls of the Miocene; 1.5% of the block
  • m2-F Falun de LéognanShell sands (faluns), limestones and marls of the Miocene; 1.2% of the block
  • Fva(D) Très hautes terrasses (RD Garonne) - Terrasse d'Artigues (type 1) indiférenciéeIce age river terraces: sand, gravel, pebbles; 0.9% of the block
  • Fu Très hautes terrasses (RD Garonne) - Terrasse de CénacIce age river terraces: sand, gravel, pebbles; 0.8% of the block
  • SL Sables des LandesLandes sand and the oldest river deposits; 0.5% of the block
  • CFp' Formations superficiellesSlope wash and cover; 0.2% of the block
  • g2-M Molasse de l'Agenais indiférencié à faciès argileux dominantAgenais molasses: clays and sands above the limestone; 0.1% of the block
  • e7-g1-S Molasse du Fronsadais sup. à facies sableux dominantMolasses: sands and clays of old rivers and lakes; under 0.1% of the block

The layers under the surface, in The Descent: Pessac-Léognan, Graves.

Sources: IGN, RGE ALTI 5 m, Gironde, edition of April 19, 2021, Licence Ouverte 2.0; BRGM, BD Charm-50, Gironde (GEO050K_HARM_033), Licence Ouverte 2.0; INRAE, Référentiel Régional Pédologique de la Gironde à 1/250 000 (Richer de Forges 2020, doi 10.15454/6BX5D7), Licence Ouverte Etalab 2.0; unit outlines from IGN’s Géoplateforme; INAO, délimitation parcellaire des AOC viticoles, file of October 12, 2026, Licence Ouverte; BRGM, Banque du sous-sol (BSS), Gironde export; logs as printed in the BRGM notices at 1/50,000; API Géo (geo.api.gouv.fr): town halls and commune names; IGN Géoplateforme (data.geopf.fr): SCAN EM 40K, BD ORTHO Historique, BD ORTHO; Licence Ouverte.

The height of each formation

The height above sea level of the land where each formation of BRGM’s geological map comes to the surface in this block, from IGN’s RGE ALTI heights read every 10 m.

CodeFormation, as printedFamilyShare of the blockMedian height8 tenths between
Fy3-z Alluvions subactuelles à actuelles indiféernéciées (sic) River and estuary deposits of today 20.3% 4 m 2 to 11 m
Fva(G) Très hautes terrasses (RG Garonne) - Terrasse de Léognan (type 1) indifférenciée et terrasse de Listrac Ice age river terraces: sand, gravel, pebbles 20.3% 51 m 44 to 56 m
CFp Formations superficielles Slope wash and cover 15.9% 33 m 14 to 46 m
Fwb(G) Moyennes terrasses (RG Garonne) - Terrasses de Léognan, terrasse de Martillac et terrasse de St Selve indifférenciés (type 3 à 5) (Esltérien - "Mindel") Ice age river terraces: sand, gravel, pebbles 11% 17 m 12 to 23 m
Ft(Bn) Formation de Belin Landes sand and the oldest river deposits 9.6% 57 m 50 to 60 m
Fvb(G) Hautes terrasses (RG Garonne) - Terrasse de Martillac (type 2) indifférenciée et terrasse d'Arsac Ice age river terraces: sand, gravel, pebbles 8.5% 34 m 25 to 42 m
g1-As Calcaire à Astéries Starfish limestone and marine marls 5.7% 24 m 12 to 50 m
Fxb(a) Basse terrasses - Terrasse de Bègle (type 6) indifférenciée Ice age river terraces: sand, gravel, pebbles 3.4% 7 m 4 to 10 m
m1-Cs Faluns de Saucats Shell sands (faluns), limestones and marls of the Miocene 1.5% 32 m 27 to 40 m
m2-F Falun de Léognan Shell sands (faluns), limestones and marls of the Miocene 1.2% 38 m 32 to 44 m
Fva(D) Très hautes terrasses (RD Garonne) - Terrasse d'Artigues (type 1) indiférenciée Ice age river terraces: sand, gravel, pebbles 0.9% 66 m 57 to 73 m
Fu Très hautes terrasses (RD Garonne) - Terrasse de Cénac Ice age river terraces: sand, gravel, pebbles 0.8% 71 m 63 to 78 m
SL Sables des Landes Landes sand and the oldest river deposits 0.5% 62 m 47 to 63 m
CFp' Formations superficielles Slope wash and cover 0.2% 16 m 6 to 50 m
g2-M Molasse de l'Agenais indiférencié à faciès argileux dominant Agenais molasses: clays and sands above the limestone 0.1% 25 m 24 to 28 m

The appellations

The AOC delimited areas inside the block (INAO parcel delimitation of October 12, 2026).

The measured lines

The sections of the appellation pages that run through the block. In the 3D view, each one cuts the block.

Boreholes with a printed log

BRGM holds a verified log for 1,180 boreholes in this block; the 3D view pins the 120 deepest.

The soils

The units of the soil map of the Gironde at 1/250,000, from the largest area of the block to the smallest. Each unit groups several soil types.

  • UCS -6 ZONE URBANISEE: 22.7%
  • UCS 74 LANDES HYDROMORPHES ET TRES HYDROMORPHES EN BORDURE NORD-EST DES LANDES DE GASGOGNE: 18.7%
  • UCS 54 GRANDS LITS MAJEURS DE L'ISLE, DE LA DORDOGNE ET DE LA GARONNE: 9.6%
  • UCS 69 SOLS SABLEUX HYDROMORPHES SUR ARGILES BARIOLEES DES LANDES: 8.8%
  • UCS 62 LANDE HUMIDE: 8.3%
  • UCS 60 LANDE SECHE EN POSITION DE PLATEAU: 6.6%
  • UCS 89 SOLS BRUNS SANS CHARGE CAILLOUTEUSE DE LA REGION DES GRAVES: 6.4%
  • UCS 88 SOLS BRUNS A CHARGES CAILLOUTEUSES SUR GRAVES: 5.2%
  • UCS 72 SURFACE PLANE SABLEUSE, ACIDE, DES LANDES DE GASCOGNE SUR LES GRAVIERS DE LA REGION DES GRAVES: 5.1%
  • UCS 124 COMPLEXE DE BAS DE VERSANTS HYDROMORPHES, PLUS OU MOINS LESSIVES, PLUS OU MOINS CALCAIRES, DE L'ENTRE-DEUX-MERS OCCIDENTAL: 2.5%
  • UCS -4 COURS D'EAU: 2.2%
  • UCS 122 COMPLEXE DES VERSANTS PLUS OU MOINS HYDROMORPHES, PLUS OU MOINS LESSIVES, SUR MOLASSES DE L'AGENAIS, DE L'ENTRE-DEUX-MERS OCCIDENTAL: 2.1%
  • UCS 53 VALLONS HYDROMORPHES, SANS ELEMENTS GROSSIERS, DE L'ENTRE-DEUX-MERS, DU BLAYAIS ET DU BOURGEAIS: 1.1%

The other blocks

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