ROI v Belgium, Bordeaux, General Thread

General discussion and sh*te talk about Bordeaux trip to go in this thread.

I'm delighted we got Bordeaux - I lived there for a year (20 yrs ago...) and an amazing year it was. I went back for a weekend last year and a sound lad from Cork who was barman in the Wild Geese (now closed) 20 yrs ago is now managing the Blarney Stone. We still recognised each other after 20 yrs..

Some quick things that spring to mind.

The main area for bars is further down from Place de la Victoire (not the best place itself, loved by dealers at night..). It's where what we called the weekenders used to stay and go home with no idea.

Leave there, move down rue Sainte Catherine, its many cross streets have great pubs (Blarney Stone is on Cours Victor Hugo). Moving on from there you until you reach place de la comedie, you pass many beautiful smaller squares such as Place du Parlement. Near Place Gambetta is another long standing Irish pub called the Connemara run by a Belfastman, all channels and screens there.

On either side of rue saint Catherine, you find small old town streets with many hidden gems of bars and restaurants. One such place is the Black Velvet Bar, a genuine irish pub, relaxed with great staff and pool table.

The quays of the river used to be well dodgy 20 yrs ago but have been modernised hugely and now you find many of the biggest clubs there. For me though, one of the best parts of a night in Bordeaux has always been finding small clubs, many underground and hidden where you find amazing music and characters..

There is a great public garden for chilling out during the day in the sun. Otherwise many daytrips from the station are just an hour away, like Arcachon (dune du pilot, boat trip but not much else), Lacanau (top surf spot) are within an hour.

Stay somewhere from Victoire down to Comedie or from Victoire to train station (cheaper and still walking distance to where you want to be). Some places don't seem to be on booking.com etc. so you'll need to Google old style and ask direct. The Bordelais wouldn't like foreign middle men... I got onto a hostel I stayed in back in the 90s and we got sorted for €24 a night, but last free places they had.

Going to head straight there the day after Paris and stay until Lille.

Hickster74 wrote: I'm delighted we got Bordeaux - I lived there for a year (20 yrs ago...) and an amazing year it was. I went back for a weekend last year and a sound lad from Cork who was barman in the Wild Geese (now closed) 20 yrs ago is now managing the Blarney Stone. We still recognised each other after 20 yrs.. Some quick things that spring to mind. The main area for bars is further down from Place de la Victoire (not the best place itself, loved by dealers at night..). It's where what we called the weekenders used to stay and go home with no idea. Leave there, move down rue Sainte Catherine, its many cross streets have great pubs (Blarney Stone is on Cours Victor Hugo). Moving on from there you until you reach place de la comedie, you pass many beautiful smaller squares such as Place du Parlement. Near Place Gambetta is another long standing Irish pub called the Connemara run by a Belfastman, all channels and screens there. On either side of rue saint Catherine, you find small old town streets with many hidden gems of bars and restaurants. One such place is the Black Velvet Bar, a genuine irish pub, relaxed with great staff and pool table. The quays of the river used to be well dodgy 20 yrs ago but have been modernised hugely and now you find many of the biggest clubs there. For me though, one of the best parts of a night in Bordeaux has always been finding small clubs, many underground and hidden where you find amazing music and characters.. There is a great public garden for chilling out during the day in the sun. Otherwise many daytrips from the station are just an hour away, like Arcachon (dune du pilot, boat trip but not much else), Lacanau (top surf spot) are within an hour. Stay somewhere from Victoire down to Comedie or from Victoire to train station (cheaper and still walking distance to where you want to be). Some places don't seem to be on booking.com etc. so you'll need to Google old style and ask direct. The Bordelais wouldn't like foreign middle men... I got onto a hostel I stayed in back in the 90s and we got sorted for €24 a night, but last free places they had. Going to head straight there the day after Paris and stay until Lille.

Hickster74 wrote: I'm delighted we got Bordeaux - I lived there for a year (20 yrs ago...) and an amazing year it was. I went back for a weekend last year and a sound lad from Cork who was barman in the Wild Geese (now closed) 20 yrs ago is now managing the Blarney Stone. We still recognised each other after 20 yrs.. Some quick things that spring to mind. The main area for bars is further down from Place de la Victoire (not the best place itself, loved by dealers at night..). It's where what we called the weekenders used to stay and go home with no idea. Leave there, move down rue Sainte Catherine, its many cross streets have great pubs (Blarney Stone is on Cours Victor Hugo). Moving on from there you until you reach place de la comedie, you pass many beautiful smaller squares such as Place du Parlement. Near Place Gambetta is another long standing Irish pub called the Connemara run by a Belfastman, all channels and screens there. On either side of rue saint Catherine, you find small old town streets with many hidden gems of bars and restaurants. One such place is the Black Velvet Bar, a genuine irish pub, relaxed with great staff and pool table. The quays of the river used to be well dodgy 20 yrs ago but have been modernised hugely and now you find many of the biggest clubs there. For me though, one of the best parts of a night in Bordeaux has always been finding small clubs, many underground and hidden where you find amazing music and characters.. There is a great public garden for chilling out during the day in the sun. Otherwise many daytrips from the station are just an hour away, like Arcachon (dune du pilot, boat trip but not much else), Lacanau (top surf spot) are within an hour. Stay somewhere from Victoire down to Comedie or from Victoire to train station (cheaper and still walking distance to where you want to be). Some places don't seem to be on booking.com etc. so you'll need to Google old style and ask direct. The Bordelais wouldn't like foreign middle men... I got onto a hostel I stayed in back in the 90s and we got sorted for €24 a night, but last free places they had. Going to head straight there the day after Paris and stay until Lille.

horsebox wrote: Hickster74, A lot of people have provisionally booked La Rochelle and Arcachon for 4/5 days and are avoiding Bordeaux. Any thoughts on this? - any other recommendations.

ShayGivensBum wrote: Fair play Hickster. I reckon we will just go to Bordeaux from 13th - 19th  The more I think about it staying in a surrounding town could end up be a pain in the hole!

Could do a day trip but from experience it will be get up start drinking until they drop.

irish boogie wrote: Options for accomadation in Bordeux aren't great at this stage .

Tyronebhoy wrote: Paulie wrote: There's a lot of travel involved in this trip so I'm happy to be spending 6 nights in Bordeaux.   Aye, touched lucky myself re the draw. Booked apartment in city centre ages ago so there for the fortnight bar one night in Paris and two Lille

Got the ibis budget. Looks grand.

LeedsLad95 wrote: Hickster,have just booked an Airbnb in the Saint Genes neighbourhood,about 3 mins from place de victorie. Have I gone too far away from the main clubs and pubs and will it mean that the safest way home every night will be a taxi ?

You'll be fine there and not too far to walk.