Tips on Bordeaux

Public transportation is like most French cities - local transport within the city by bus and tram is very good but sometimes crowded, but bus and train transport to outlying small towns can be much more limited. My main recommendation would be to take the train to St Emilion, one of the Bordeaux wine towns which even if you aren't interested in wine has a spectacular underground church that you can visit on a tour through the tourist office.

We took the train from Paris and used public transportation in Bordeaux. For a special meal, I suggest eating at La Tupina in Bordeaux. Suggestions of things to do include a walking tour (go to the TI), wine tastings, tour of the opera house, visit the resistance museum and the art museum, visit the Sunday outdoor market along the river, visit the cathedral where Eleanor of Aquitaine was married, relax in the public garden. All of these sites are within walking distance or use the tram. We took a bus to St Emilion, ask at the TI.

Thanks Philip and Grier. I appreciate the info. Info on the Bordeaux area is hard to come by. Did you by any chance take the train from CDG to BOD? Did you stay in a hotel
you could recommend? Thanks, Paula

We stayed in St Emilion and then drove to Bordeaux as we were visiting wineries last June. I liked our Hotel Majestic (www.hotel-majestic) which was wonderfully central and priced plus 1/2 block from the great electric trams. The hotel is not charming but more of a business hotel I would call it. Small room but functional and a nice front desk. We were on our last days of one month of traveling so were happy to meander on a Saturday with the locals by the river, historic zone, shops and the famous wine bar ending the evening by the beautifully lite Opera House. We were unable to figure out the tram when we arrived so we ended up in a cab. On the return we took the tram which is so easy and accessible back to the train station (scruffy place) to continue on to Paris. We had a lovely charcuterie plate for lunch and ate at a cute swiss fondue restaurant for dinner. There are endless options and lots of outside dining. Really enjoyed the city.

We stayed at Hotel Acanthe, basic but nice; and its been a while since we've been there. Mixed reviews on TA. Reason to stay-Restaurante 'la Marmiotte just down the street. Tiny little place with incredible food-we went twice. Read about it @ TopTable. We arrived by train, used the buses or walked while in town; then rented a car and drove out. I'd echo St Emilion for an alternative if you'd like a smaller town.

We took the train from Paris, not from CDG. It was fine, no problems. We stayed at Hotel Tour l'Intendance and really liked it. Good location, good rooms, good breakfast, friendly staff.

Paula, you're throwing a wrench in the monkey works when you try to use airport identifiers for cities and it makes the whole deal confusing. CDG and BOD are airports, not abbreviations for cities. Paris and Bordeaux are cities. Both airports are some distance from the city centers. If you want to take the train from CDG to Bordeaux, you're going to have to get into Paris and leave for Bordeaux from Gare Montparnasse - - unless you want to go around your elbow somehow just to prove it can be done and spend twice as much time riding trains.