Family – Bordeaux Expats

Where to live in Bordeaux – Opinion poll

Mike Foster — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 17:55:00 +0000

We receive quite a few emails from people moving to Bordeaux asking where the best place to live is.

Obviously this is different for everyone but to give a broad overview of where people enjoy living most, here is the ‘Where to live in Bordeaux’ Opinion poll!

Note: The outer regions of the CUB (Communauté Urbaine de Bordeaux) haven’t been included.

Where to Live in Bordeaux?

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Lactation Consultancy in the Bordeaux region

Mike Foster — Fri, 13 Jan 2017 09:47:00 +0000

Bordeaux Expats was recently contacted by Virginie for help publicising her services as a Lactation Consultant. She spent several years in Australia before starting her company in Bordeaux and also runs workshops at the les Bébés des Capucines association who have regular meet-ups at members’ homes or in various locations in Bordeaux, Carcans, Gradignan, Mérignac & Ambarès and Lagrave.

Lactation Consultancy in the Bordeaux region

With a background in early childhood education, I worked in various organisations with children and their families in France and in Australia before becoming a Lactation Consultant.

I discovered this beautiful job when I had my first baby. I contacted a Lactation Consultant I met at the maternity and suddenly I wasn’t alone anymore. Most importantly she brought me solutions to my problems and I could achieve my desired feeding outcome!

Each mother and baby shares a unique relationship and a unique breastfeeding style. But sometimes, breastfeeding doesn’t come naturally, and you start to question yourself about your abilities as a mother to feed your baby.

You are not alone! My main objective as a Lactation Consultant is to provide you with a solution to the challenges you and your baby are facing and to make sure you are confident again about your feeding choices.

I offer, according to your needs:

– An antenatal preparation session – Getting prepared for the breastfeeding journey before the baby arrives or if the last breastfeeding experience didn’t go to plan.

– Breastfeeding Consultations (at home with your baby).
Usual duration – 1.5 hours

o Personalised one-on-one support to achieve your desired feeding outcome

o Providing a sensible, manageable and realistic feeding plan for the family to work with

o Consultations include follow up contact either by phone, SMS and or email

– Workshop about breastfeeding topics: breastfeeding and returning to work, etc.

Fees

– Antenatal preparation session: 30 euros (1 h 30)

– Breastfeeding Consultation: 50 euros (1h30 consultation + follow up)

– Workshops: 30 euros

I also work in an association “les Bébés des Capucines” where I provide workshops for young children 0-3 and 3-6 yo (story time in English and French, painting, cooking, etc.) and more coming in the next few months.

Thanks and hope to chat soon!

Here are all the details…

My personal website: www.vcouenon.wixsite.com/conseil-allaitement

The members page for the association: www.lesbebesdescapucines.fr

Contact

E-mail : virginie.couenon@gmail.com

Mobile: 06.88.92.14.53

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BILINGUAL SCHOOL CHARTRONS BORDEAUX

Chris Tighe — Fri, 17 Feb 2017 08:38:00 +0000

Located right in the middle of Chartrons, The Bilingual School of Bordeaux is opening soon and they are hiring!

They will provide an educational program entirely in English with native English-speaking teachers. The school will open its doors in September and will welcome children aged three to six.

Extra-curricular activities in English will also be on offer every Wednesday and during school holidays. These activities are open to all children, whether they are enrolled in the school or not.

The BSB is part of the Stewart International School network and will employ a methodology that has been in place for over 40 years in London and Paris. The Bordeaux school will be the fourth in the network to open (after two in London and one in Paris) and will be followed by a second school for primary age children later on.

The Petite Ecole Bilingue welcomes children from age three upwards for all day sessions, which will take place on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Native speakers will carry out activities in both English and French. In order to provide a truly foreign-language education, the Petite Ecole Bilingue is a private, ‘off contract’ establishment. The program conforms to the official instructions of the National Education Board. All teachers will be qualified and hold degrees.

The focus of the school will be on small class sizes with qualified, attentive and devoted staff members. The material will be personalised, based on the learning rhythm of each child and will provide a certain amount of autonomy. Language learning will be at the heart of the teaching and children will be able to get involved in a large range of cultural and sporting activities from visiting staff members.

Early childhood is the best time to learn a new language. It is the age when a child’s aptitude to acquire the foundations of language is at its highest, when the formation of the child’s phonetic language base is in full swing. The school’s methodology is founded on children learning a second language by using it to express themselves during the various activities that are on offer.

The school aims to provide the best possible foundation for a child to pursue their educational future.

For further information, please don’t hesitate to visit the website: www.ecolebilinguebordeaux.com

You can pre-register here (limited number of places):

Ecolebilinguebordeaux@yahoo.com

Tel – 06 82 65 90 47

Cours de la Martinique

Chartrons

33000 Bordeaux

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Family Day Out – Amusement Park – La Coccinelle

Mike Foster — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 19:28:00 +0000

With the school holidays under way, parents surely must be going out of their heads with the kids hanging around the house all day. A relatively cheap and not too far outing is to head towards the bassin d’Arcachon and the amusement park ‘La Coccinelle’.

The park itself is located in Gujan-Mestras, approximately 50 km south west from Bordeaux, and has been around since 1985. Even though the decor may seem to be a little frayed around the edges, it does provide all you could need for the little ones to run around like crazed monkey children.

The visit begins with farmyard attraction where kids can pet & feed animals. The petting farm is rather small but there is a good selection of different types of animals and you are able to get close up and enter the enclosures.

There are also a variety of rides and slides that are adapted for children as young 2 years old up until around 12 years. The rides are small but still pack a wham for thrill seekers, with the Log Ride plummeting into a river of water or the roller coaster train rattling along for around a 40 sec thrill.

Along with the big kid attractions, there are also rides and trampolines dedicated to the little’uns, which is always a good mix if you have children ranging in age.

If you do head out there for the day, take a packed lunch as the canteen services are expensive and could put a damper on the day money-wise.

The park closes in the winter period and opens again in the spring (April until 5th November).

Prices:

0-14 years: €12 (€13 in peek season)

+14 years & adults: €13 (€14 in peek season)

LOCATION: La Coccinelle, Parc de loisirs, La Hume, 33470 Gujan-Mestras
www.la-coccinelle.fr
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Bordeaux Food Truck Festival 2018

Mike Foster — Thu, 31 May 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Street Food meets Wine Tourism in what is an unexpected but very satisfying affair!

The Bordeaux Food Truck is now it’s second year of existence, and the organisers have set out an exciting and diverse program.

The festival offers five free events that will take place from June to September, in four major wine-producing Châteaux in the region with the final event being staged at the racecourse (l’hippodrome) of Bordeaux-Le Bouscat.

The Bordeaux Food Truck Festival is the largest gathering of food trucks in Nouvelle Aquitaine with nearly sixty food trucks registered spread over the 5 stages of the tour.

Participating Wineries, specialising in wine tourism, will be offering visitors free tastings in association with reasonable priced and quality food specialities catering for festival goers exotic palates: Vietnamese, Brazilian, Breton, etc.

Also on offer are concerts, exhibitions and free activities, as well as guided tours, escape games, introductions to wine tasting or wine-making workshops.

The festival is the brain child of Sebastien Labat, creator of events agency BLAST BORDEAUX and ex resident of the USA.

Bordeaux Expats spoke with Sebastien as to the how and why of the upcoming Bordeaux Food Truck Festival.

Bordeaux Food Truck Festival – 2017

Where did the idea for the Food Truck Festival come from?

This is a funny story. Initially, in 2017, I created the “Bordeaux Bike and Run” sports event. After a few weeks, I realised that the registered runners would need food for their meals and I decided to gather a few food-trucks I called that the “Bordeaux Food Truck Festival”. Immediately, there was a buzz on Facebook and 4 days later, 4000 people were signed-up for the event. I realised it was a good idea and I started to develop the concept further. Based on my previous job at Bernard Magrez, I had the idea to propose that event to a few chateaux involved in wine tourism and they liked it!

Even if Food Trucks have been in France since the 1960’s, it’s really in only 5-7 years that there appears to be an increasing popularity with them. What’s your experience with the American style Food Trucks?

When I visited New York in 1993, I fell in love with the US and decided I wanted to go back there. I did go back and lived there for 8 years in Chicago. One of the things I had fallen in love with during my first trip to New York was the breakfast truck that was located in front of my hotel. My mum, my brother and I used to stop by this truck every morning to get an early breakfast before going around NYC to visit! This is an awesome memory

What will the visitors get to experience from the events?

Of course, quality food from around the world at a very reasonable price thanks to about 12 to 20 trucks at each festival depending on the size of the place either chateau or racecourse.

The wine experience : wine pairing, wine tasting, wine workshop, escape wine, tours of the chateau

Entertainment with DJ’s, street bands concerts, mölkky tournament, axe throwing, escape games, fashion designer or shows, special areas for kids to play while parents eat or taste

See below for the program over the next few months and check out their website for more information.

BORDEAUX FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL PROGRAM

2 – 3 June

Château de la Dauphine, 33126 Fronsac

Village size : 15 trucks

Theme: Nature & Biodynamics

Activities / Animations:
Street band
DJ / Guided Tours / Workshops
Wine Tasting
Mölkky / Kids Mini Soccer
Wine & Chocolate tasting
Escape Game (Evad Truck)
Apitherapy / Cooper Barrel Making

30 June / 1 July

Château Maucaillou, 33480 Moulis-en-Médoc

Village size : 15 trucks

Theme: History and Vehicles

Activities / Animations:
Street band
DJ / Guided Tours / Workshops
Wine Tasting
Mölkky / Kids Mini Soccer
Wine & Chocolate tasting
Escape Game (Evad Truck)
Wine Museum

22 July

Château Castera, 33340 Saint-Germain-d’Esteuil

Village size: 10 trucks

Theme : Bandas

Activities / Animations:

Jeep and Carriage Rides

Wine Casino / Mölkky / Visits

Wine Tasting

Bandas Concert / Croquet

Escape Game (Evad Truck)

Frères Jacks (Axe throwing)

8-9 September

Château de Léognan, 33850 Léognan

Village size: 15 trucks

Theme : Horse riding and Nature

Activities / Animations:

Street band
DJ / Guided Tours / Workshops
Wine Tasting
Pony Rides
Mountain Biking
Wine & Chocolate tasting
Escape Game (Evad Truck)
Frères Jacks (Axe throwing)

29-30 September

HIPPODROME DE BORDEAUX, Le Bouscat

Village size: 20 trucks

Theme : Street Food & Sport

Activities / Animations:

Street band
DJ / Guided Tours / Workshops
Wine Tasting
Pony Rides
Mölkky / Croquet
Bike & Run
Urban Trail 10km
Kids Sports

www.foodtruckfestival-bordeaux.com
www.facebook.com/FoodTruckFestivalBDX
www.instagram.com/bordeauxfoodtruckfestival

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It’s all gone Indiana Jones – Adventure Canoeing near Bordeaux!

Chris Tighe — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 07:00:00 +0000

For years now we’ve been hitting the paradise beaches and crystal clear warm water of Lac Cazaux (officially the Étang de Cazaux et de Sanguinet!). And the quickest route has always taken us through Mios, just off the main road to Arcachon.

As you leave Mios village towards Sanguinet, you cross a river and often see tons of people messing about in canoes on the banks. Well I finally decided to find out what they were up to!

Author: Chris Tighe

A gallery forest

The river in question is called the l’Eyre or la Leyre and is one of the region’s hidden gems. Nicknamed “Little Amazon”, the Leyre is formed by drainage from the Platiet marshes in the Landes (around Sabres) and snakes down 155km to the Bassin d’Arcachon across the Grande Lande and Pays de Buch. There are numerous tributaries and the river system is essentially a kind of delta, which covers around 3000 hectares across the Landes de Gascogne Natural Park. A vast mosaic of marshes, reed beds and salt meadows, it hosts thousands of migratory birds and culminates in the Teich ornithological park at the east end of the Bassin.

Until the 1960s, the Leyre was largely bordered by meadows, which have since evolved into a deciduous forest, called a ‘gallery forest’. Mainly made up of oaks, alders, and willows, the cool microclimate and soft light have a rich flora composed of water lilies, aquatic ranunculus, or rarer species such as the royal fern or the round-leaved sundew.

This green ‘tunnel’ forms a transition forest between the river on one side and the cultivated maritime pine forest or agricultural areas on the other. Narrow upstream, it widens up to one kilometre in the middle part of the valley.

An ecological oasis

Since its appearance, this hardwood forest has also become a habitat for many species, some of which are endangered, such as the European otter, the European mink, the European pond turtle, the common genet and bats.

In the middle of the river, the water is clear, shallow and sandy. On the banks, where the waters are muddier, there are aquatic meadows and the tree branches are heavily intertwined – ideal hiding spots for varied species of fish, such as pike, dowels, dace, minnows and eels.

The Leyre Delta was listed as a Wetland of International Importance in 2011.

Our day out!

Never knowingly underfed, we loaded out canoe’s waterproof ‘bidon’ with a copious picnic and hit the river around 11.00am! The current is surprisingly strong at first and it takes a while to get used to steering the canoe and avoid being swept into fallen trees and low-hanging branches. As genuine Indiana Jones wannabes, this inevitably did happen and we had some hairy moments where the language become livelier than usual.

The water itself is beautifully clear with a golden sandy bottom – you quickly find yourself immersed the tranquillity of nature with no sound but the lapping of paddles, birdsong and scores of bright blue dragonflies hovering around the canoe.

There are a number of deserted beaches along the way to stop for a rest or have a picnic. During our 3-hour descent, we only bumped into a handful of people and mostly had the entire river to ourselves. There are a couple of spots with ‘rapids’, which whisk you along at high speed for a minute or so. Apart from that, it’s plain sailing as you drift peacefully under the Arcachon motorway and SNCF railway bridge on the way back to Teich.

The final section is a sharp left turn up a tributary (le Bras de l’Eyre) and there is significantly less room to manoeuvre! There are several fallen trees blocking the main route and we had to edge our way through with our newfound adventurer-paddling prowess.

You end up at the bridge on Rue du Pont Neuf and just need to jump out and pull your canoe onto the beach (the tour guides pick them up later). Directly opposite there’s a natural lake where you can cool off with a welcome swim! From there, it’s just a short 3 minute walk back to the HQ and car park.

Practical info

We went with Villetorte Loisirs in Le Teich – who also organise mountain biking tours and horse/pony treks.

They offer both long and short river descents in canoes (up to 3 people) and individual kayaks.

Long tours start in Salles and leave at 9.00am – it’s €20 each.

And short tours leave at 10.45am and 1.15pm – €15 each. A shuttle takes you from the base to the start point.

You have to be at the HQ in Teich 20 mins or so before and should call a few days in advance to reserve (the river is sometimes too strong).

They provide all the gear: lifejackets, paddles and obviously a canoe… The guide also gives you a detailed safety brief in French at the start.

The minimum age for kids is 6 and they have to be decent swimmers…

And a couple of official ‘rules of the river’ – life jackets are a legal obligation and you get a €130 fine for not wearing one – cops apparently hide in the bushes to try to catch people. Alcohol is also banned and the police have been known to spot drinkers on the river then wait for them in the car park at the end to breathalyse them.

And don’t forget to take all your rubbish with you!

Lunch

There are plenty of places to moor up for a picnic and if you do the long descent starting in Salles, you can stop for lunch at the most epic roast chicken ‘n chips spot in the entire region, the Rôtisserie Val De L’Eyre in Mios, with a huge outdoor seated area overlooking the river..!

What to bring:

You have a large container on the canoe (the ‘bidon’) and can surprisingly pack in quite a lot of gear.

Essentials include: water, sun cream, mozzie repellent, towels, trainers-you-don’t-mind-getting-soaked, swimming trunks (to wear while canoeing as water gets in the boat!) a change of clothing for afterwards and food for a picnic. I also took a GoPro to do some filming!

The guides were very friendly and professional and the entire day went seamlessly. A fantastic day out from Bordeaux and highly recommended!

And finally…

Put your sunglasses in the bidon! Shades are the most commonly lost item for canoeists with over 2000 pairs per season apparently lining the riverbed. When the water gets really low off season the guides try to clean them all out..!

Here’s a video of the descent of the Leyre, taken by Mexico Loisirs, based upriver in Commensacq…

And the company we went with…

Villetorte Loisirs
30 Rue du Pont Neuf,
Le Teich
05 56 22 66 80
https://villetorteloisirs.com

About the author:

Chris Tighe lives in Pessac, loves the Sud Ouest and helps to run the voluntary blog and FB site, Bordeaux Expats. In his spare time, he works a cosy 36 hour week as a translator for a local tech company. He lives 35 minutes from the beach, a two-hour drive from San Sebastian and has successfully escaped his preordained destiny working 60 hours a week in London, commuting four hours a day on rammed medieval public transport – cheers ears.

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Swimming with kids around Bordeaux

Chris Tighe — Tue, 24 Jul 2018 11:26:00 +0000

As the Bordeaux summer turns on the heat and the kids start to get feistier, it’s critical to get them to the nearest splash zone. Here’s the Bordeaux Expats rundown of the local coolspots!

The rulebook! Pools in and around Bordeaux

Pools in France are often compared to army boot-camps and you have to toe the line! Always make sure you have swimming caps for everyone just in case – these don’t need to be the head-shrinking silicon caps.. you can pick up cheap cotton elastic caps (incl. kids sizes) from all the sports shops and often vending machines in the pools themselves.. you’ll hardly feel you’re wearing one.
Also make sure you wear swimming trunks/a swimming costume and avoid shorts or any casual beachwear – you’ve been warned!!!
If you have kids that are learning to swim, bring all the necessary armbands etc. Some of the Bordeaux pools provide flotation devices, but don’t count on it.
All pools obviously have lockers, but I always take my bag into the pool so I can smuggle in a bottle of water and snacks. Although you’re officially not allowed to eat, you can get away with it if the lifeguards aren’t looking. Kids also tend to get ravenously hungry after an hour or so going mental in the water!
For the entry fees, it’s cheaper for residents of a particular commune (Bordeaux, Pessac, Talence…) so bring a proof of address that’s up to date – electricity bill etc…

Piscine Judaique

I’ll start with the big one… Located half way down rue Judaique behind Meriadeck, piscine Judaique has a large kids pool, baby pool, waterslide and big buckets full of balls, floats, armbands etc. The colossal glass roof opens up on hot days, there’s a large space for sun loungers and even a spacious jacuzzi which is open to kids after 11am! The waterslide is for kids age 6 and above but they let younger ones on as long as they can swim and go by themselves. The water in the kids pools is also really warm!

Address: 164 rue Judaique

Practical info: here

Parking: it’s the centre so expensive apart from Sunday mornings, which are free.

Getting there without a car: the nearest tram is St Bruno (next to Meriadeck) and you can get bus no.3 from Quinconces. It’s 7mins on foot from place Gambetta.

Annoying bits: the lifeguards here are the strictest in the region and there’s no room to manoeuvre… sometimes there are actually more lifeguards staring intensely at the pool with their walkie-talkies than there are swimmers… They’re on the ball though and I’ve seen them dive in to grab people at the drop of a hat.

Fun bits: it’s in a gorgeous art deco building dating back to the 1930’s and there’s tons of room for everyone including one of the only 50m pools in the Sud Ouest. The St Bruno club trains there if you’re keen and they have a water polo club that trains a few times a week. They also do scuba diving courses…

Piscine du Grand Parc

This one’s really child-friendly as well and has a large kids pool, complete with palm trees and a flowing river to float around. They supply a range of floatation devices and sometimes put out a large floating mat for kids to run across the water. The changing rooms are modern and lifeguards aren’t as menacing as piscine Judaique!

Address: 60 cours de Luze

Practical info: here

Parking: Grand Parc has limited paid parking although Sunday mornings is usually fine as well as free. Avoid the burnt-out cars and itinerant vans parked everywhere.

Getting there without a car: the nearest tram is Emile Counord (8mins walk) and you can get bus no.15 from place Victoire/Gambetta or the Jardin Publique.

Annoying bits: it’s at Grand Parc… and the water can get a bit chilly after an hour or so. You need a swimming cap!

Fun bits: the floaty river is very relaxing and there are massage water jets to sort your back out. There’s also a baby pool with a rock adventure slide for small kids.

Stade Nautique Pessac

Just outside Pessac, the Stade Nautique has a medium kids pool, baby pool and water slide alongside the adult 25m pool. The lifeguards are far more relaxed than in the centre of Bordeaux and they let parents take their kids on the water slide. They also don’t seem to mind parents and kids jumping and bombing into the main pool off the diving blocks and generally causing total havoc. You don’t need a swimming cap either. They have sun loungers (why would you want to lie on a sun lounger in the winter in Pessac?) and even put on rocking tunes from time to time!

The real draw of the Stade Nautique though is the large wave pool and array of awesome outdoor waterslides that opens in July/August. This summer they have a new inflatable vertical slide drop as well.

Address: 13 Avenue des Aciéries, Pessac

Practical info: here

Parking: they have a large spacious free car park

Getting there without a car: the nearest tram is Pessac and you could also get the train there. It’s then up the road on bus no.4. Bus 4 runs from Jardin Publique and place Gambetta every 15mins or so all day.

Annoying bits: it’s €5 for Pessac residents with proof of address in the summer and more for non-Pessacais – there’s usually a queue to get in. The outdoor pool gets MINDBLOWINGLY RAMMED during peak hours so time your visit. The outside area is mostly in the direct sunshine so grab the shady areas before the locals do…

Fun bits: the outdoor bit is huge and there is a wave pool, kids pool with water jets and kids slide etc. They have a snack bar and large grassy area for picnics as well as an array of giant slides that kids go mental for. They also rarely check bags so you can bring in full picnics and the odd cheeky bottle of rosé..

Piscine Thouars (Stade Nautique Henri Deschamps)

Similar to Pessac, Thouars has a smallish indoor pool/kids pool that transforms into a megatastic outdoor waterpark in the summer! It’s all fairly relaxed and you don’t need a swimming cap, although still come in proper swimwear and not beach shorts etc.

There is a large outdoor pool, a diving pool with three heights of boards, a kids water play area with jets etc. and a kids pool (including sun loungers). There is a large grassy area for sunbathing and picnics and they have free table tennis tables and table football! Check out the kids playground/obstacle course as well.

To play the games, you need to exchange your locker key – the guy has floats and other equipment for free so just ask.

Address: 235 Avenue de Thouars, Talence

Practical info: here

Parking: they have a large spacious free car park

Getting there without a car: get to Peixotto tram and take bus no.20 (10mins up the road). Bus 20 also starts in Victoire for info…

Annoying bits: if you’re not a Talence resident, it’s €5 per person – kids under 5 are free. The changing rooms are very old skool and in need of a makeover. You have to get changed, then put all your stuff on a bizarre 1970’s red plastic clothes hanger and give it to the locker staff in exchange for your entry ticket. It also gets pretty busy on weekends and hot days!

Fun bits: there is loads for kids to do and they’ll be going crazy all over the place. Plenty of space and you can bring in a picnic and football for a kick around!

The best spots to swim outside Bordeaux!

Maguide, Lac Cazaux

The entire south-western side of Lac Cazaux (also known as Lac Biscarosse and the Étang de Cazaux et de Sanguinet) is a paradise for kids. The water is extremely shallow and warm for about 100 metres out until it cliff-drops down into the deeper lake. There are sauvage parts where you can set up your parasol and picnic gear in the trees or more tame beaches with large sandy areas and lifeguards/monitored swimming areas.

Maguide has an array of café’s and fun park activities such as kids bungee, bouncy castles etc. and there the giant inflatable Aquapark! You can also hire out canoes or paddle boards fairly cheaply.

Address: Route des Lacs, Biscarrosse

Practical info: here

Parking: there are large carparks the entire length of the SW of the lake above Navarosse which charge in July August – €2.50 for 4 hours and €4.50 all day – there are traffic wardens that check your tickets and you can come and go all day as you please with a ticket.

Getting there without a car: kinda tricky as it’s in the Landes… try co-voiturage.

Annoying bits: it’s an hour’s drive from Bordeaux but the return can easily turn into two hours if you get the timing wrong and hit the traffic coming out of Arcachon.

Fun bits: if you wanna catch some waves, simply pop over the hill to Biscarosse plage 10mins drive away. There are also plenty of decent places to stay and eat around the lake including the Slow Village and Olipopette!

Airotel Lacanau

This is one of the best indoor/outdoor pools in the region and rivals Center Parcs. The campsite is quiet most of the year and you can pay to use the pool (€10 per adult and free for kids under 6). It has a large indoor glass dome full of trees and plants, a wave machine, jacuzzis, a flowing river, a range of slides and an outdoor rapid riverslide. There’s also an outdoor bit with a waterfall and a large outdoor pool with slides and kids aqua-park for the summer months.

Next to the pool you have a decent and cheap restaurant with a great kids menu and they love playing reggae!

Address: 24 Rue du Repos, Lacanau

Practical info: here

Parking: free parking in and around the campsite but it’s busy in July/August!

Getting there without a car: there’s a bus to Lacanau beach, then it’s a 20min walk or so…

Annoying bits: July/August are crazily busy and the pools are all totally heaving – watch out for well-fed drunk Dutch campers!

Fun bits: kids go ballistic in this place – it has a large range of activities and the outdoor pool is still open off-season in September.

Les Antilles de Jonzac

Jonzac is renowned as a spa town and the Antilles mixes this up with a splash of Caribbean flavour! It’s a large all-encompassing indoor pool complex, complete with jungles, a range of eating zones, a restaurant and a spa zone for big people. It’s only an hour away from Bordeaux and a great day out!

Address: Park du Val de Seugne, Jonzac

Practical info: here

Parking: large free car park

Getting there without a car: there’s a train from Bordeaux and it’s a 25min walk from the station through the picturesque village.

Annoying bits: it’s a bit pricey and two adults with a child will set you back around €28 – it costs more for the spa zone which is separate. Watch out for robbers as well as I’ve had goggles nicked on two separate occasions! It also gets really busy on weekends and during the holidays. The drive back to Bordeaux can be a pain if it’s raining.

Fun bits: it’s a massive water fun park and kids love it. Huge pool, wave machine, waterslide, hot jacuzzi, rubber rings, aquarium, jungle area, picnic areas, sun loungers and a snack bar. Oh and the restaurant’s not too shabby!

Happy safe swimming and if you have any ideas or suggestions, I’m all ears!

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ICE-SKATING AND SLEDDING IN GIRONDE

Mike Foster — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 09:28:32 +0000

Looking to get into the Christmas spirit with some ice-skating or sledding in Gironde?

It’s true, Gironde isn’t renowned for it’s snow fall or super frosty Christmas. However don’t let that stop you from trying for a white Christmas.

The Sud Ouest has kindly listed the ice rinks and ski slopes in the department of Gironde.

Toboggan runs

Libourne, Place Decazes.

Daily: 10 am to 1 pm / 3 pm to 7 pm
Monday 24 Dec: 10 am to 1 pm / 3 pm to 5 pm,
Tuesday 25 Dec: 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm

Soulac, Place Georges Mandel

Daily: 11 am to 12:30 pm / 3 pm to 6 pm
Free

Ice-Skating

Arcachon, Place Thiers

Daily: 10 am to 8 pm (Except 25th Dec & 1st Jan)
Until Sunday, 6th January
5 € per hour, skates included.

Créon, Ancien chai de la rue Geynet

Tuesday to Sunday: 10 am to 8 pm (Except 25th Dec & 1st Jan)

Lège-Cap-Ferret, Place de la mairie de Lège

21st December to 6th January
Tuesday to Sunday 2:30 pm to 6:30 pm (Except 25th Dec & 1st Jan)
€2 to €4 (includes helmet and skates – 30mins)

Langon, Place Kennedy
Tuesday to Sunday 10 am to 12:30 pm / 2pm to 6pm (Except 25th Dec)
€2 (includes skates – 30mins)

Saint-Loubès, l’école Hector-Ducamp
Daily: 10 am to 12 pm / 5pm to 6:30pm (Closed 25th Dec & 1st Jan)
Free entry with skates on loan – Gloves required

Saint-Sulpice-et-Cameyrac, Salle des sports
Daily: 5pm to 7pm (Closed 25th Dec)
Free entry – Until 31st Dec

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Organic Skincare Products Made in Bordeaux

Mike Foster — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 14:42:23 +0000

Created in July 2017, ONLYESS (“Only the essentials”) is a skincare brand entirely “Made in Bordeaux”. It is also the first brand to adopt a fully transparent policy with ingredients.

ONLYLESS is the brain child of Aurélie who developed the idea over 5 years while she managing a company that had a chemistry laboratory at their fingertips. She became aware of modern cosmetics compositions and the long list of chemical based ingredients that were invading the family bathroom.

During this time, she felt a need to return to basics. However, she wasn’t able to find the simple and effective solutions that she was looking for in any supermarket or local shop…

Motivated by this need, she started studying what the skin needs for “skinfood”. She then met a series of local family run farms that enabled her to launched herself into the creation of our her own additive free products.

“As a longtime consumer of local and fresh food, I really appreciate the quality of products and I do recognise quality work on family exploitations and local farms.”

ONLYESS produce alternative skin products that are free from petrochemicals and locally produced.

Organic cosmetic oils, floral waters, bees wax and vegetable butters… their skincare products come direct from local small French farms and productions. Every plant or flower is treated in a manner that is thoughtful to the environment via mechanical treatment, with human intervention only.

Products range from daily non-greasy oil for face or body, to floral water to treat combined oily or irritated skin.

ONLYESS concept and values are :

Simple and effective : less ingredients, quality artisans and producers are carefully selected

Direct from the producer : locally grown plants, fruits and flowers

Gentle with respect for all skins : free from essential oils, preservatives or E vitamine, always less than 7 ingredients in the formulas

Every single product has been through a certification process (ECOCERT Greenlife) and has the COSMOS ORGANIC or COSMOS NATURAL label, as well as PETA Cruelty-free & Vegan

Where to find them?

www.onlyess.fr – www.facebook.com/onlyess – www.instagram.com/onlyess_cosmetiques
Local creators shop Specimen – 11 rue du Mirail in Bordeaux (France)
Contact person : Aurélie (from Monday to Friday / 9 am to 6 pm)
Contact mail : contact@onlyess.fr

Don’t hesitate to contact the shop ‘SPECIMEN’, to know when Aurélie will next be in store (4 times a month).

** All their labels are in French + English

BUY LOCAL – SUPPORT INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES

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SURFRIDER CLEAN UP IN AMBÉS

Mike Foster — Thu, 07 Feb 2019 12:36:59 +0000

This Saturday 9th the Surfrider Gironde association is organising a large scale clean up on the banks of the rivers in Ambés.

Following the high tides and rawkus weather at the end of January, a lot of rubbish has washed up on the banks of the rivers.

Approximately 80% of waste found in the ocean can be traced back to inland waterways and land masses.

The order of the day:

Saturday, 9th February at 10:30am
Meet up Route du Burck, Ambés – Bus stop “Le Marquis”

10:30am: Meet up
11am – 1pm: Clean up
1pm: Lunch “Zero Waste” bring your own recyclable contains / share is caring
2:30pm: Review and processing of collected waste

Who can participate? Everybody!
Young and old, solo or with family – Come one, come all.

What to bring?

Gloves will be made available
Picnic and plate / glass / covered
Warm clothes
Rubber boots for those who want to get swampy

Registration on this site:
https://www.initiativesoceanes.org/fr/my.php?v=collectes_d&c=12357

If you need a ride, check out the Facebook event comments to organise carpooling.

Surfrider Foundation is a worldwide not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the protection and enhancement of lakes, rivers, oceans, waves and the coastline. Founded in 1990 by a handful of local surfers, today it gathers over 12 000 members in Europe and is represented in 9 countries through its volunteer chapters. The Bordeaux Chapter has been active for 20 years and is one of the most active in the European network.

To get involved check them out over on their Facebook page. New volunteers are welcomed… get involved.

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