Bordeaux in April and Clueless!

Hi

I will be traveling for the first time to the Bordeaux area in April and was hoping for some input.

Which would be the best area to go? There will be 4 of us in our late 20s interested in wine and the beautiful scenic countryside. We%26#39;ll be coming off of 4 days in Paris so I%26#39;d like to experience the country versus the city. (I%26#39;m leaning toward St Emilion based on what I%26#39;ve read about the scenery and the medievel town)

Can anyone recommend any bed and breakfasts? We%26#39;re looking to spend no more than $100-$130 US dollars (75-90 euro approx, i think) a night for a double room.

What is the situation with the wineries? Can you do tastings without touring? Is a tour an all day event? Any recommended wineries? We will be there for 2 days.

Any other information you think I might find useful would be great.

Thanks in advance!

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Hi there

Good choice to go for St-Emilion, a really pretty part of the Bordeaux wine region and a lovely little time. With the short time you have - in 2 days you should be able to explore that area and get a small feel for the French wine countryside.

Several wine producers offer chambres d%26#39;hôtes though they are of course outside the town and don%26#39;t all offer evening meals, so you would need to go into the town for that. A couple that Bordeaux-based wine writer Jane Anson recommends are within your budget.

Domaine de Barrouil (www.barrouil.com) is in Castillon-la-Bataille and Jane writes %26quot;Barrouil is an old vineyard estate house, standing on a hill between Castillon-la-Bataille and Sauveterre-de-Guyenne, in the heart of the historic region of Entre-Deux-Mers. Dinner if booked ahead.%26quot;

Château de Carbonneau (www.chateau-carbonneau.com) is in Pessac sur Dordogne and Jane says %26quot;Super friendly Bernese mountain dogs greet you as you arrive at this chambre d’hôte. The rooms are well decorated, in a classic French style.%26quot;

There are many wine producers where you can just go and taste, though some that do a short tour might be more interesting - usually a tour would last 1 - 2 hours.

The website for the Maison de Vin de Saint Emilion is www.vins-saint-emilion.com

I%26#39;ll send you a private message with some more information.

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If you are looking for a contrast with Paris, you%26#39;d want to consider either Saint-Emilion (a classic choice) or the Entre-deux-Mers area (a less-obvious option). Bordeaux is France%26#39;s fifth-largest city, and although small in comparison with Paris, it will still be another sizable urban area on your itinerary.

The Entre-deux-Mers has some of the most scenic countryside in the Bordeaux region, and has a number of medieval bastide towns throughout the area. Although lacking the same localized concentration of tourist attractions, it will offer you the contrast with Paris that you seek.

A good bed-and-breakfast to consider would be Château Soussac, which is owned and run by a charming Irish couple:

%26lt;http://www.chateau-soussac.com/%26gt;

Having spoken on behalf of the Entre-deux-Mers, now for Saint-Emilion. This is the classic destination for those seeking an alternative to Bordeaux city. It is the one town in the entire area that looks exactly like what one expects a winemaking village to be.

For bed-and-breakfasts in the area, the most complete list would be available at the Saint-Emilion tourist office web site:

%26lt;http://www.saint-emilion-tourisme.com/pge_sejourn_2.php?id=26%26amp;lang=uk%26amp;hebchoix=chambrehotes%26gt;

Reservations should be made for châteaux visits in Bordeaux (especially for the better-known properties), but if you are willing to take pot luck, there are daily tours organized by the town%26#39;s tourist office that you can sign up for on the day itself.

You should be aware that the %26quot;California model%26quot; of dropping into a property, bellying up to the tasting room for a glass and heading back to the car in five minutes is not at all the style of visit here. Expect a visit to last around an hour, as you will be shown through the vat rooms and barrel cellars, and given a rather complete explanation of how the property%26#39;s wine is made. They don%26#39;t just want you to give you a glass of wine, but rather to understand and appreciate why what they do is so good.

Hope this helps.

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Thank you both so much. This was all very helpful!

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Sorry, more questions!

Transportation:

Is it recommended to rent a car while in this area?

Does the eurail go to bordeaux?

(also does it go from bordeaux straight to CDG airport?)

what is the best way to get to st. emilion and surrounding areas from bordeaux?

what about to tour different wineries?

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I%26#39;d certainly recommend renting a car while in Bordeaux. The city itself is well served by a fairly extensive system of public transportation. (The new tramway is a true delight.)

However, for traveling out of the city to the châteaux regions things get a little more spotty. There are buses which will take you up to the Médoc, for example, but they run very infrequently which can be inconvenient if you are trying to get to châtaeux appointments throughout the day. Trains to Saint-Emilion run on a more frequent schedule, but still, once in the area you may find that there is some distance between the properties you wish to visit.

In short, rent a car, especially for getting from château to château.

As for trains, Bordeaux is well connected. A TGV from Paris arrives about every two hours, and there is a daily train that will take you directly to CDG.

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