twoflower

In late Aug/early Sep we (just 2 of us) are wending our way from Paris down the Atlantic Coast of France and on into Spain. We have our Paris accommodation booked, and I am now in the process of prebooking our first several stops out of Paris. Our preference is for small-town Chambre d'Hotes, although we've been known to splash out occasionally for a mid-range hotel.

So far we think we've done well. We have 3 nights booked at a B&B near Malestroit, from where we will trip one day to Josselin & Paimpont Forest and the other to Vannes & Carnac. Then we have 3 nights at a B&B near Fontenay-le-Comte from where we will trip one day around the Marais-Poitevin area and the other to La Rochelle & Ile de Re. And after that we have 3 nights in Pons from where we will trip one day to Royan & Talmont-sur-Gironde etc, and otherwise visit Saintes & Cognac.

In all of these places we have been spoilt for choices of attractive, friendly and highly-rated (on Tripadvisor) B&Bs for around 55-60 euros per room per night. (We're trying to keep within a budget of 65 euros per room per night).

It is around Bordeaux that we are running into trouble. We visualise a daytrip crossing from Blaye on the ferry and on to Arcachon then back through Bordeaux; and another daytrip around Langon/St-Macaire, Marmande, La Reole and Sauveterre-de-Guyenne.

We could do these from 2 separate bases, but would prefer to settle in for longer at a central base from where we can do both. Somewhere around Libourne or St-Emilion perhaps (which we want to visit anyway), or even Bordeaux itself. Our difficulty is finding somewhere within our budget that's not so far east as to make, say, the Arcachon trip a bit of a marathon.

Any suggestions anybody? All ideas gratefully accepted and considered.

StuDudley

In 9 days, we will be staying here
http://www.acanthes.org/
for 4 nights. It is a little over your budget at 90E. Lots of chateaux to visit in the area. Here is our itinerary for those days:

June 12 Tues
Ar Bordeaux @ 5:15
Drive to B&B Les Acanthes
16 route de Mounic, Fargues 05 56 63 05 33
Dinner in Sauternes
Saprien XX red man 25/37 05 56 76 60 87 view outside confirmed outside if nice

June 13 Wed
Mich Drive Cotes de Bordeaux pg 149
Cadillac/Chateau 9:30-12:30 2-6
Sadirac, Creon - market day in Creon Cad pg 193
Mich GG drive pg 150 Entre Deux Mers
Ch Cazeneuve** 2-6
Ch Malle* 2-6 Cl S, Su winery pg 153 gardens + 30 min guided tour/tasting may not be tour
05 56 62 36 86 12/28/11 internet
Dinner in Langon Claude Darroze Confirmed
95 cours Gen Leclerc XXX* 42/85 05 56 63 00 48 outside

June 14 Thursday
St Macaire* pg 149 Cad 198
La Roel, Monsegur Cad 199, 195
Mich GG drive pg 153 Sauternes & Barsac
Ch Villandraunt 2-6 guided 1 hr – get there at 1:30
Ch Roquetaillade** tours @ 3 & 4 guided 1 hr - call to confirm pg 106 05 56 76 14 16
Bourideys Cad 207
Dinner in St Macaire
Abricotier RN 113 XX red man 20/40 05 56 76 83 63 confirmed

June 15 Fri
Sunny day
Arcachon & surrounds 1 ¼ hrs to get there pg 76 & 80
Ch La Brede* 2:30-5:50 call to confirm
Dinner in La Cadillac
Du Chateau de la Tour ave de la Liberation 05 56 76 92 00 confirmed

June 16 Sat
Bazas* pg 105, Cad 207 market day 9:30-10:30
Labastide d’Armignac Pg 150 Cad Gascony 12-1
Bazas to Labastide – 3/4 hr, 2 hrs to Sare 1-3
Bazas to Gite in Sare 2 ½ hrs


Stu Dudley

bilboburgler

Try
http://chateaugrandbranet.free.fr/
website is terrible but
TA
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_R...Aquitaine.html

lovely rooms, nice vinyard
http://www.visitbordeauxgironde.co.u...u-Grand-Branet gives you an email address and tel numbers.

twoflower

Thanks Stu, good to hear from you again. Some years ago you sent me a Provence itinerary which was very helpful for our trip there in 2008.

Bilboburglar - the Chateau de Grand Branet looks great, and a good price! Do you have an email address for them, by any chance? (My attempts to make a booking enquiry via the "contact us" option on their website are not working). If I can simply send them an email instead it would resolve the matter.

Thanks

twoflower

Further to latest above, I found an email address [email protected] but that didn't work either. Message undeliverable.
I have since read that Chateau de Grand Branet (along with 4 other Bordeaux chateaux) was bought by a Chinese consortium in February. It would seem they and/or their website are now "off the air". When using "contact us" on their website I got an "Error 404" which apparently means my message is reaching them but they are not picking it up. (I think)!

Dukey1

chateau de mirambeau

bilboburgler

I struggle to find an email, we just peddled up and knocked on the door.

You might like
http://www.gites-de-france.com/ who offer gites but also Chambre d'hote (B&B)

If you stick in say Bordeaux and then "Within 10km" it gives you a few places at good prices.

ira

Hi tf,

We greatly enjoyed our stay at http://hostelleriederoques.com/en/index.html

Enjoy your visit.

StuDudley

What's wrong with the B&B I suggested? It is less than 5 K from Langon and you wanted to "and another daytrip around Langon/St-Macaire, Marmande, La Reole and Sauveterre-de-Guyenne". I found it through Gites-de-France, where we've rented 47 gites (houses not B&Bs). The owners of the B&B speak English - at least they send e-mails in perfect English. It is "one village over" from Sauternes - where you might find a few wineries.

If you stay 3 or more nights, it is 81E per night.

Stu Dudley