Moving to Bordeaux

Hi and welcome on board Mark!

I hope other members will show up with some good recommendations soon

Regards
Armand

Thanks Armand!!

Hello markone
Did you finally find a place to live? Where is it ?
I was living in Pessac before moving  in the US last year (for 2 years). If you need any advise feel free to ask.
regards
Christine

Hello

That all sounds most useful.  How does one get in touch with you?

Kind regards.



OLLY DANIAUD

M: xxx

Hi Mark!
We are moving to Bordeaux also this year .  I have visited twice this month and for the next two days I'm walking all the close neighborhoods close to Centre Ville.  Keep in mind we are retiring, selling or giving away EVERYTHING so we can downsize but not less than 600 square feet at least.  I'm finding it difficult to get an Agent Immoblier to work with you if you don't have a French Bank account and they won't give you one without a French address. So let's keep in touch. I'll let you know what I find out
Kelly

Hi KellyBrian, how did you do? It's three months later, did you figure it out?

Hey There willpick.
Alas I have found many answers to some concerns that I had.  When I was on a trip in March, my Airbnb host introduced me to an American friend, who then took me to the Bordeaux Business Network meeting where I met other expats.  On the next trip, I was walking through the Jardin Publique and ran into one of the members, who introduced me to an American couple who were new arrivals and had gone through the same experience.  Wow, what  a great resource!  So I have ( I think ) gotten the health insurance issue taken care of, gotten a real estate agent lined up, and most importantly gotten the bank account setup through HSBC.  Now, it is just waiting until the Consulate appointment which I hope will be in October and moving by January 1st.  Counting the days!!!!

So you're set for housing? What neighborhood?

No, we have not found housing yet.  Our plan is to move to an Airbnb for a month or so while we find an apartment.  We want to be close to centre ville but not on a noisy street.  We have a couple of small dogs, so if we find a place on a higher floor we need
an elevator, so I think lots of places we will be able to cross off.  We are also trying to not have a car, so the closer to the action the better! Do you have any ideas?

KellyBrian buying or renting? Not having a car is easy in Bordeaux, the public transit is great and if you don't mind walking a little, the town isn't that big. We walk from the Chartrons to the train station regularly if the weather isn't too severe for it.

We are renting first.  I have made the walk also to the train station and it wasn't bad,
but St. Pierre or Les Chartrons are our first choice, parts of St. Michel are ok too. We definitely don't want to live in the suburbs at the present time.  What do you think of Le Bastide?

Renting in the Chartrons, there's about 5 agencies on Cours Portal, and also many websites like leboncoin.com seloger.com bienici.com, etc.

St Pierre, cheaper. Bastide not bad, shopping and the A tram, not far from downtown, probably not too noisy off the main drag. Great Asian grocery "Ly Kim Hak", a bike lane on the sidewalk (Ave Thiers).

Chartrons is going to be among the priciest, of course.
The town will be crazy for the next week starting Sunday with Vinexpo.