Housing, Ecole Maternelle & Creche in Bordeaux

Hi Noam,

(almost) Welcome to Bordeaux.  I'm based in Léognan, just south of the Rocade - I love being that little bit outside of the city.

I've been here for almost 3 years - we arrived in April 2011 (that's me & my French husband) when Lara was 2 and Max 4 months.  The first thing we HAD to do was get registered at CAF for Social Security & for our Carte Vitales (French healthcare).  The urgence was because of the creche system over here - limited places and usually require both parents working.  My husband managed to register our 2 in time, but also over the coming months persuaded/charmed the creche that I needed one day a week to learn French - he did this by lots of regular gentle contact.  In the September Lara started aged 2.5 and Max at 9 months.

As for ecole maternelle - Lara goes to the local public school and absolutely loves, she is totally bilingual and doing really well.  Max's birthday is 4 January, so he missed out on school last September by 4 days - so we enrolled him in our local private school in TPS (toute petite section) - it's for 2-3 year olds and he has 15 little friends to play and mingle with, plus 8 Moyenne Section kids too (aged 4-5).  Creche would not have provided him with the stimulation he requires like you would get in the UK in the pre-schools, he goes only in the mornings and is very happy there.  He will move over to the same school as Lara in September.

I know nothing about the International School or other options in Bordeaux - although I believe there is only the one - The Bordeaux International School.  I can't fault Lara's ecole maternelle, incredibly friendly, tactile and not pushy in the learning, but covering all the necessities for young children. 

I'd choose Cauderan over Bouscat (but that's just me), but I'd also put Pessac over Cauderan.

Bordeaux is great - I love my life here!
Wishing you all the best!
Vicki

p.s. registering for the public ecole maternelle usually takes place in March.

Thank you Vicki for such a detailed and welcoming message!
I will be visiting Bordeaux with the girls in 10 days (My French husband is already there) and will definitely use your leads to make the visit more efficient house and schooling wise. I believe we are looking at Cauderan or Pessac and whichever good school in the area (hoping of course there will be space).
Thanks a lot once again for taking the time to add few pieces to the puzzle.

Noam

P.s. My Louise is born 5 January

The only "international" school in Bordeaux is Bordeaux International School - BIS.
There are other schools who teach multiple languages too, but they are not really international.
BIS has Maternelle, Primary School and Secondary School in such a small site.

I am actually at BIS currently, and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT (like my name says).
HOWEVER, I am in the Secondary section and the teachers are different in Maternelle section. I love my teachers at secondary, but I've never been to Maternelle so can't say about the quality of teaching there.
I am more than satisfied about the secondary, and I became a fluent English speaker by going to the school (I spoke no English/French whatsoever when I came to France two and a half years ago).

The school overall is small, cozy and will definitely help your kids speak fluent English and French (younger kids get used to new environment faster than people at my age so yeah). But once again, I don't know much about Maternelle...so can't tell much about the quality of teaching/teachers.

Do you know anybody who would nee babysitter or Au pair in Bordeaux?

Hello Noamie and everybody,
I am French and I live in Pessac ( for 8 years now,and on the area of Bordeaux for 18 years), so  my two children Emilie 10 and Antoine 5 go to school in Pessac so if you need further informations on schools or various places to live ....just ask me!
I hope you have had a pleasant trip on our area