visiting bordeaux in may 2010 what area to stay in ?

My husband and I are planning to visit france in may 2010 and are hoping that this is a nice time of the year. Also we are not sure which part of the city to stay in ? can anyone help please

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The weather in May largely depends on if it is the first or second half of the month. One of the best-kept secrets in France is how miserable the weather can be in early May--not just in Bordeaux but throughout the country. (This opinion was formed during the three years I spent living in Paris in the %26#39;80s. It would seem that E.Y. Harburg never experienced an April in Paris, otherwise he might have written lyrics about %26quot;February in Paris%26quot;--it%26#39;s just about the same type of weather.)

Since Bordeaux%26#39;s restoration during the past decade, there is a greater choice of neighborhoods in downtown where one can find reasonable accommodations. What type of budget are you looking at?

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Unbelievable, Vinotraveller - I was about to pose the same question. And, believe it or not, we are also from Perth. We will be travelling down to Bordeaux on 27 April and staying in the city for 3 nights and also wanted some advice on what area of the city to stay in, or any guidance re accommodation. We%26#39;re a middle-aged (don%26#39;t you hate that expression) couple who like to stay somewhere really central so that we can walk to most of the must-see spots. Our budget is very middle of the road, not wishing to go over about 160 Euros a night. There seem to be quite a few hotels which fit this category, but we need to know which areas to avoid, ie near the railway station perhaps, or ... and which are handy for eating spots, shopping etc. So, whoever jumps in with some thoughts on this will have two very appreciative Perth-ites.

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Geebe2, based on what you%26#39;ve written you might want to look at either the Hotel Normandie or the Majestic. Both are in the center of town and both are in the price range that you mention. The Grand Theatre, the Monument des Girondins and the Place des Quinconces, the Jardin Public, and the Garonne waterfront are all within five minutes walking distance.

As for the places you might wish to avoid, the area around the train station certainly falls in that category (just as such areas in most cities in Europe do). You really don%26#39;t have to worry too much about avoiding these places, though, since they are not really where you would find yourself by following the basic itinerary for most visitors to Bordeaux.

Shopping is abundant in the center of town, along the pedestrian streets of rue Sainte-Catherine and rue de la Porte Dijeaux, and the areas of the Place de Parlement and the Saint-Pierre church have some pretty good places to eat.

I hope that all this helps vinotraveller, too.

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Thanks so much, dmjwineworks, for your helpful suggestions. I%26#39;ve checked out those hotels and the Majestic particularly seems like a good option, so I%26#39;ve emailed them to check on rates and availability.

The other I was considering was La Maison, which seems to be a few blocks walk from the city centre but looks rather quirky and charming. And then there is also the Best Western France, which has great rates and something which Australians always look for in a hotel - tea and coffee making facilities in the guest rooms.

Whatever we decide, I%26#39;m sure your beautiful city won%26#39;t disappoint - it just looks charming and we%26#39;re really excited about our visit. We%26#39;ll be travelling to either Condom or Bouzet from there to pick up a canal boat for a week before returning to Paris.

Why oh why does Australia have to be so far away from Europe.

Cheers.

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dmjwineworks, I%26#39;m still tossing up between La Maison and the Majestic, but now a work colleague has tossed a third option at me. He stayed at The Four Sisters a couple of years ago and recommends it. The rate for a suite there is very temping. Any comments?