Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ?

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Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ? - 8/1/2022 6:06:12 AM

Eduardo787

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Wife and I want to take a break for a few days and we were looking into Napa, then we saw the ridiculous prices of hotels and shifted towards France. I´ve never been to Bordeaux and even though I want to do a comprehensive trip in the future visiting left and right bank and doing it right, this time I dont have 2 weeks for doing it so. So, I was thinking in a trip specifically to St. Emilion and Libourne so I can have a taste of Pomerol. The thing is that I am strugling to understand the logistics of a trip like this one. Our idea is not to take 15 winery trips, but instead we want to wind down and be at a cefe or a bistro, see people, enjoy the views, take a walk , and go to local supermarkets and restaurants. We are not looking into Michelin star restaurants or anything like that. Of course I would like to visit at least 4-5 chateaus that are on my bucket list. Maybe Pavie, Hosanna, VCC, among others, but I have no idea where to ask or start. Timing is one thing that I do not have a clue, I was looking at accomodations and it seems there is plenty of space in August but no in September and then I thought that maybe everything is closed in August for summer vacations and stuff like that. So, where to start ? I MIGHT want to pay for a VIP trip for a day, but I am not willing to pay $700 Euros/day more than once. We want to wind down, we don´t want the full experience. We were looking into going to Piedmont and St. Emilion maybe stay 4 days at each place but then the flight logistics and the idea to wind down comes to the scene. So, where should I start to look for the very basic stuff ? If we go ih has to be either in August or early September this year. Appreciate any insights.

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RE: Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ? - 8/1/2022 6:13:40 AM

cigar52

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Years ago we stayed at Chateau Franc-Mayne on the doorstep of St. Emilion --- wonderfully relaxing location in the vineyard just a stones throw from the city (at a much cheaper rate). Great city for wandering and relaxing. Have fun.

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RE: Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ? - 8/1/2022 6:31:57 AM

ChrisinCowiche

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hamishwm has organized a few group tours of Bordeaux for CTer’s. I’m sure some participants will weigh in. I have not had the pleasure.

Send him a PM. This is his company… http://bellawinetours.com/

< Message edited by ChrisinCowiche -- 8/1/2022 6:33:31 AM >

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RE: Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ? - 8/1/2022 9:19:46 AM

Sourdough

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Hi Eduardo!

I would not recommend mixing France and Italy for the logistics can get a bit messy in my experience.

A low key visit to Bdx is easy and comfortable. Getting in to major chateaus, not so easy. But relaxing, good moderately priced food, smaller wineries, etc are easy. The core of Bdx is amazingly small and easy to navigate with a car. I would say go and play it by ear. Accept what you get and you will be much better prepared for a later in-depth visit. And I am confident you will have fun. I would opt for September.

Those are my thoughts!
Jay

< Message edited by Sourdough -- 8/1/2022 9:51:20 AM >

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RE: Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ? - 8/1/2022 9:45:31 AM

daviladc

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Eduardo,

I agree with you about the cost of Napa, just to stay there!

We're going to Alba in October for truffle season with a friend who is an Italian wine importer and the cost of 10 days there is less than 10 days in Napa. I am not including the cost of flights because I have enough Delta miles to fly free anywhere I need to go due to work travel.

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RE: Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ? - 8/1/2022 10:22:35 AM

WineGuyCO

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Eduardo, We were just in St Emilion so I will share our experience there. Fly in Bordeaux and take the train to St Emilion. It stops in Libourne too. We stayed at Logis de Vignobles right behind Les Bistrot Des Vignobles which is very good. It is cheap. Right in Central St Emilion so can walk everywhere. If you want higher end…Hotel de Pavie. You won’t need a car. If you want to go to Pomerol you can use Uber. Super simple. Libourne you go by train.

Wine tours and tastings can all be done online. Best to set this up before you get there. Chateau La Gaffeliere is a 15 minute walk from town and is 20€ for tour and tasting although the tasting wasn’t that great. Many wineries within walking distance from town. There is also plenty of tasting in town although they want you to buy wines from them then ship it. There weren’t any deals doing this because of high shipping costs.

Bordeaux is really big and wouldn’t be my choice to stay. Some like the Old Town. I didn’t like any of it. Same with Libourne. They do have a big street market there but as far as staying…No way. It’s a half a day day trip from St Emilion. Stay in St Emilion. It’s is medieval and very quaint. If you stay outside of St Emilion you’ll need a car because it’s pretty rural. PM me for any other questions. Left Bank…no idea. Didn’t go there.

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RE: Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ? - 8/1/2022 11:45:43 AM

skifree

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quote:

ORIGINAL: ChrisinCowiche

hamishwm has organized a few group tours of Bordeaux for CTer’s. I’m sure some participants will weigh in. I have not had the pleasure.

Send him a PM. This is his company… http://bellawinetours.com/

Second the recommendation to stay in St. Emilion, quite classy and medieval, as that is where you want to taste.

Hamish helped me organize our tour in Bordeaux back in 2017. At that time he had his apartment in St. Emilion so knows the city well, and has lots of connections so can get into wineries large and small. We spent two days tasting in St. Emilion and Pomerol, including Canon La Gaffeliere, Figeac, Jean Luc Thunevin's back room in the village (score!), and Beau-Sejour Becot.

He knows the owner of Ch. de la Riviere quite well, as he books guests there. They let him go down to their limestone cellars and select a birth wine for F22nickell, which we enjoyed over lunch in St. Emilion. If I were going back, would certainly lean on Hamish and Bella wine tours again. He was very flexible and easy to work with.

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RE: Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ? - 8/1/2022 4:22:35 PM

DoubleD1969

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quote:

ORIGINAL: daviladc
We're going to Alba in October for truffle season with a friend who is an Italian wine importer and the cost of 10 days there is less than 10 days in Napa. I am not including the cost of flights because I have enough Delta miles to fly free anywhere I need to go due to work travel.

Are you also going Barolo?

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RE: Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ? - 8/1/2022 5:14:48 PM

Eduardo787

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Thanks for such great recommendations and comments. September seems to be a great month but I cant find good prices as in August. I love the idea of just go by ear. Let´s see how this evolve.

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RE: Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ? - 8/1/2022 5:51:29 PM

jeff leve

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Eduardo787

I´ve never been to Bordeaux and even though I want to do a comprehensive trip in the future visiting left and right bank and doing it right, this time I dont have 2 weeks for doing it so. So, I was thinking in a trip specifically to St. Emilion and Libourne so I can have a taste of Pomerol. The thing is that I am strugling to understand the logistics of a trip like this one. Appreciate any insights.

Eduardo

You should read my page on visit Bordeaux. It should answer most of what you want to know. Happy add more, if you have additional questions. https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-topics/how-to-visit-bordeaux-top-chateau-for-the-best-wine-tastings/

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RE: Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ? - 8/2/2022 8:02:29 AM

wineismylife

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From: Arlington, TX
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Eduardo787

Thanks for such great recommendations and comments. September seems to be a great month but I cant find good prices as in August. I love the idea of just go by ear. Let´s see how this evolve.

In general I avoid Europe during August. Especially France. Most tend to take up to a month off during August for vacations.

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RE: Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ? - 8/2/2022 8:38:40 AM

DoubleD1969

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I have heard it is difficult to get English-speaking guides in August because that is when take their holidays.

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RE: Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ? - 8/2/2022 11:49:27 AM

penguinoid

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I'm surprised you're having less luck finding good prices for accommodation in September. Normally August is the month that (nearly) everyone goes on holiday, so it can be harder to find accommodation. (As I'm finding out, booking a trip to visit vineyards in Graubünden...) September might be a better bet overall, given how hot France has been this year -- hopefully the weather will have calmed down by then.

St Émilion is beautiful and well worth seeing, as others have said. The Graves/Sauternes region is great too, and some of the petits chateaux don't require appointments so are great for spontaneous visits -- and often very affordable wines.

Definitely do set aside some time to visit the centre of Bordeaux -- it is really beautiful, and very walkable. The Cité du Vin is maybe a bit touristic but is worth a visit too, as is Les Halles de Bacalan, the market opposite it. I was in Bordeaux recently, and can recommend Restaurant l'Embarcadère in the centre of town for its exceptionally good seafood. The wine list is good too, as are their digestifs (I had a glass of 1979 Delord Bas Armagnac).

Hope you have a great trip!

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RE: Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ? - 8/2/2022 7:15:53 PM

Eduardo787

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From: Monterrey Mexico
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quote:

ORIGINAL: jeff leve

quote:

ORIGINAL: Eduardo787

I´ve never been to Bordeaux and even though I want to do a comprehensive trip in the future visiting left and right bank and doing it right, this time I dont have 2 weeks for doing it so. So, I was thinking in a trip specifically to St. Emilion and Libourne so I can have a taste of Pomerol. The thing is that I am strugling to understand the logistics of a trip like this one. Appreciate any insights.

Eduardo

You should read my page on visit Bordeaux. It should answer most of what you want to know. Happy add more, if you have additional questions. https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-topics/how-to-visit-bordeaux-top-chateau-for-the-best-wine-tastings/

Thanks so much Jeff. After reading your recommendations I learned why on earth August was so damn cheap and full of availability and September was soooo expensive and with very much everything full of close to full : August is when French take their monthly vacation ! Then I tried to see if I could go a later date in September but I found that the hotels I wanted had no vacancy and then when they had vacancy I have a couple of meetings that cannot be postponed since we make the plans for 2023 at our business. Then comes August and the boyfriend of my daughter is coming from Greece fo 12 days and he will be staying with us.

So after all this it seems that the wine trip dream is over and I might have to go a few days to Cancun and drink beer at the pool all day long. Well, at least I will be showing off my brand new pink flamingo shirt that my wife told me not to buy or else

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RE: Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ? - 8/3/2022 9:35:33 AM

jeff leve

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Eduardo787

quote:

ORIGINAL: jeff leve

quote:

ORIGINAL: Eduardo787

I´ve never been to Bordeaux and even though I want to do a comprehensive trip in the future visiting left and right bank and doing it right, this time I dont have 2 weeks for doing it so. So, I was thinking in a trip specifically to St. Emilion and Libourne so I can have a taste of Pomerol. The thing is that I am strugling to understand the logistics of a trip like this one. Appreciate any insights.

Eduardo

You should read my page on visit Bordeaux. It should answer most of what you want to know. Happy add more, if you have additional questions. https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-topics/how-to-visit-bordeaux-top-chateau-for-the-best-wine-tastings/

Thanks so much Jeff. After reading your recommendations I learned why on earth August was so damn cheap and full of availability and September was soooo expensive and with very much everything full of close to full : August is when French take their monthly vacation !

Glad to help, even if it was being the bearer of bad news. However, unless you need to stay at specific hotels, there are a lot of places to stay all over the place. You can follow the links in the article you read on my site which gives numerous hotels in every appellation, WHERE TO STAY IN BORDEAUX.

If you do go in September, go early in the month as harvesting will take place quite early this year. One other point, in a previous post, you considered winging it. Do not do that. Make appointments in advance, or else you will probably not be able to visit and taste.

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RE: Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ? - 8/4/2022 12:26:53 AM

penguinoid

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From: Australia via the UK, now in Bozen-Bolzano, Italy
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quote:

ORIGINAL: jeff leve

quote:

ORIGINAL: Eduardo787
Thanks so much Jeff. After reading your recommendations I learned why on earth August was so damn cheap and full of availability and September was soooo expensive and with very much everything full of close to full : August is when French take their monthly vacation !

Glad to help, even if it was being the bearer of bad news. However, unless you need to stay at specific hotels, there are a lot of places to stay all over the place. You can follow the links in the article you read on my site which gives numerous hotels in every appellation, WHERE TO STAY IN BORDEAUX.

If you do go in September, go early in the month as harvesting will take place quite early this year. One other point, in a previous post, you considered winging it. Do not do that. Make appointments in advance, or else you will probably not be able to visit and taste.

Yes, I would suggest looking again too. I'd be very surprised if you can't find any decent hotels in Bordeaux or surrounds in September, unless there's one specific hotel or small village you hope to stay in. Bordeaux really is a beautiful city, so it's worth spending some time finding somewhere.

Ironically I've had the opposite problem booking my trip to Switzerland: everything is full or close to full in August, for the same reason!

Also, I'd agree that appointments are essential if you want to visit the better chateaux. Some smaller places might not be able to receive you during harvest, but plenty will be able to.

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RE: Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ? - 8/5/2022 9:20:44 AM

Jenise

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Eduardo787

Thanks for such great recommendations and comments. September seems to be a great month but I cant find good prices as in August. I love the idea of just go by ear. Let´s see how this evolve.

August prices are good because no one goes there in August. As you have figured out and others have confirmed--it's hot, humid and empty. We went to France in August once and dined in our room on take-out pizza too many times because in various towns that's ALL we could find open. I would not recommend this!

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RE: Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ? - 8/5/2022 9:43:27 AM

penguinoid

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Jenise

quote:

ORIGINAL: Eduardo787

Thanks for such great recommendations and comments. September seems to be a great month but I cant find good prices as in August. I love the idea of just go by ear. Let´s see how this evolve.

August prices are good because no one goes there in August. As you have figured out and others have confirmed--it's hot, humid and empty. We went to France in August once and dined in our room on take-out pizza too many times because in various towns that's ALL we could find open. I would not recommend this!

Interesting. I guess it depends where in France you visit. That's very true in Paris, and presumably many other towns -- but wouldn't be true on the Côte d'Azur or anywhere on the Mediterranean coast, for example. I'd have thought Bordeaux would get enough tourism to still be busy during August, but it looks like I'm wrong about that!

In any case, August is best avoided

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RE: Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ? - 8/5/2022 1:02:14 PM

jmcmchi

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quote:

ORIGINAL: penguinoid

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jenise

quote:

ORIGINAL: Eduardo787

Thanks for such great recommendations and comments. September seems to be a great month but I cant find good prices as in August. I love the idea of just go by ear. Let´s see how this evolve.

August prices are good because no one goes there in August. As you have figured out and others have confirmed--it's hot, humid and empty. We went to France in August once and dined in our room on take-out pizza too many times because in various towns that's ALL we could find open. I would not recommend this!

Interesting. I guess it depends where in France you visit. That's very true in Paris, and presumably many other towns -- but wouldn't be true on the Côte d'Azur or anywhere on the Mediterranean coast, for example. I'd have thought Bordeaux would get enough tourism to still be busy during August, but it looks like I'm wrong about that!

In any case, August is best avoided

Yes, everyone decamps to the south at the beginning of August - hence the huge traffic jams on the autoroutes round Lyon at the start and end of the month

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RE: Where to look for info for a trip to Bdx ? - 8/5/2022 3:09:44 PM

jonboy74

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quote:

ORIGINAL: jeff leve

You should read my page on visit Bordeaux. It should answer most of what you want to know. Happy add more, if you have additional questions. https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-topics/how-to-visit-bordeaux-top-chateau-for-the-best-wine-tastings/

I've been to your website a million times and have never seen that section!

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