We are thinking about renting a house in the Bordeaux area next May. I was wondering if anyone has favorite little villages in that area or favorite places to stay. We want something where it'd be convenient to visit other villages, vineyards, etc. Thanks so much.

Arcachon - neat seaside fishing village and resort quite close to Bordeaux - on a train line if don't want to use car - nearby is Europe's biggest sand dune - the immense Dun de Pylat (sp?) - spilling into the sea a few miles from Arcachon

We were very happy here in 2006. It's a spacious house (5 beds, 2.5 baths), gracious owners (British expats) live next door, located about a 15 minute drive north of the city of Bordeaux.

Link for above:
http://www.bordeaux-holiday-rentals.com/

You might consider Cap Ferret:


http://www.immocapferret-ocean.com/index_uk.php

What's the focus of your trip? If it's wine, I'd recommend staying somewhere around Ste-Foy-la-Grande, where you can easily get to St-Emilion, all the major vineyards, and Bordeaux and even into the Dordogne on longer trips.

If it's the seashore, plus vineyards, then Cap Ferret. From there you can visit Arcachon and the Dune du Pyla and get into Bordeaux (though traffic's a bit of a horror).

Wine or seashore, that's a great question StCirq. We've been to France many times but never to this region. I'm thinking probably a little of both. We are interested in St Emilion especially because the owner of our favorite French Restaurant here in Texas is from St. Emilion. We've gotten to know him over the years and would love to visit where he grew up. I'll take a look at both areas mentioned and get some more ideas. Thanks so much. If anyone has any more particular places they have stayed, feel free to send those ideas as well.

Josh, the place you mentioned looks awesome. I'll definitely look into that one!

I've stayed in Saint-Emilion and to me is was a wondrous place - old town with fancy wine houses and all set in a sea of vineyards stretching for miles around.

wug,
In trying to decide where to make our base in Bordeaux, we used the advice/recommendations of many Fodorites and opted for St. Emilion. And as usual, we weren't disappointed.

From our base we enjoyed the excellent wine tours run by the tourist office along with the underground city tour, a little train that runs through the vineyards, we had many gourmet restaurants from which to choose (including the splurge Hostellerie de Plaisance), all the specialty and wine shops (with tastings) we could possibly want, affordable lodging with a/c and pool (Au Logis des Remparts).

Plus the location gave us the ability to take plenty of day trips to the Médoc for wine touring (Lynch Bages, Mouton and Lafite Rothschild and many more are within reach) and lunch in Paulliac. We also spent time in the city of Bordeaux itself and departed on the TGV from there. But I do agree that getting into and around the city is (or was) quite tedious.

We found the St. Emilion's Tourist Board's web site helpful in choosing our tours, lodging and vineyard visits. It might be helpful for you to find a rental in the area, as the site does have a self-catering list.
www.saint-emilion-tourisme.com

For slideshows of Bordeaux have a look here:

http://www.bordeaux-holiday-rentals.com/Videos.htm

There is also lots of other information on restaurants, markets, food and places to visit in the Bordeaux wine region.

save for me