Office de Tourisme de Libourne

In 1268, Edward I, great-geand-son of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry Plantagenet II, son of Henry III, king of England, recognized the sites's outstanding situation at the confluence of the Isle and Dordigne rivers. He decided to found a bastide (a new medieval town) and port wich would play a major economic role : to enable produce from the hinterland of the Isle and Dordogne valleys to be taken on board sea-going ships.

One year later, on becoming King of England, he ordered his lieutenant Roger de Leyburn to begin construction.

In 1270, the bastide-cum-port was born and as custom required at the time, the town was named after its founder : Leyburnia, which over the course of the centuries changed to Liburnia and then Libourne. Edward I 's idea ensured the town's prosperity.

In the 13th and 14th centuries, a number of incidents led to the town being fortified.Libourne's inhabitants built substantian walls, surrounded by a double moat.