Firstly, apologies - we know that it is still November but don’t we all need something to look forward to at the moment? A little extra sparkle in our lives?  The BordeauxLife team continues to help clients relocate to their new homes but, for obvious reasons, time away from our desks is a little less than usual due to the restrictions we have to work under at present.  

Our thoughts are turning towards Christmas plans, both corporate and personal, and we thought we would share details of how we are trying hard to support our local businesses in a time where they clearly need it more than ever!  Here are just a few of our favourite ideas for something to make this Christmas a little bit special:

Visit a virtual Christmas market: many of the local Facebook groups are hosting virtual markets this year, giving group members a helping hand to advertise their products free of charge:
Mums Space France  : Mums Space France Virtual Market
Ladies in Business in France:  Ladies in Business in France
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Treat your friends or family to dinner.  Of course not at the moment, however many restaurants and bars are now offering gift cards/vouchers, which could be the perfect Christmas gift, quite honestly, as it’ll give the recipient something to look forward to when we are able to get out and about again:

Cent 33 is a wonderful fine dining restaurant near Jardin Public and their gift vouchers are easy to order.  Top tip - don't miss out on their tasting table which is excellent and seriously good value for money. 
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Visit an online bookstore.  Personally I love receiving books at any time of the year.  Cookery books, coffee table books etc.  Mollat - Mollat Bordeaux is the biggest bookstore in Bordeaux who offer a fantastic range of books and you can order online or ‘click and collect: alternatively, Bradley's Bookshop is a small independent English bookstore who offer an online delivery service and have an excellent choice of books for both children and adults.
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Online classes are booming at the moment - from yoga workouts to cooking classes, language classes to creative writing courses, many businesses are now offering their services online. So why not source a course that suits your loved one, sign them up as a Christmas gift, and help support an independent organisation in the process?
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Handmade gifts are a super idea, whether you are on the search for jewellery, posters, mugs or blankets, there are so many handmade businesses out there just waiting to be discovered. So why not swerve the usual big brands and instead shop online via sites such as Etsy France.  Alternatively, for friends and relatives in the UK who are missing their holidays in France have a look at Jane Hunt’s Etsy page Bougies d'Aquitaine - she has some wonderful Christmas candles on offer this year, I have one burning as I write this just for a little inspiration!
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Flowers are a welcome gift at any time of the year and our go to florist in Bordeaux is Caroline at Oya Fleurs - she speaks fluent English and offers a super fast delivery service around Bordeaux. We adore her dried flower couronne which makes a lovely gift and lasts forever!

Surprise, surprise, Christmas is a time when our thoughts also turn to food and again, we are trying to support our local businesses when planning our menus and treats for the season - check out the links below for a few of our favourites:

Maison Franco is a wonderful neighbourhood traiteur in Le Bouscat and a firm favourite of ours.  They are continuing to offer a take-out option during confinement and are a godsend over the holiday period with everything from ready made dishes, roast meats with vegetable sides and (ignore the calories) their amazing pain perdu!
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Cupcakes are not just for children or birthday parties, The Sweet Life Bordeaux  makes them to order. Both their cupcakes and individual creations taste just as good as they look.  The owners are in the process of setting up their business so keep an eye out for them instagram #the.sweet.life.bordeaux and at your local Bordeaux markets.
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For those among us who crave something quintessentially British at Christmas, Toast Food Truck are taking orders for mince pies and Christmas cakes (free delivery in the Bordeaux area). 

Finally, please don’t forget that it’s not enough to shop from these amazing small businesses: you need to tell the world about their outstanding service and unique products, too. Share your photos and thoughts on social media, leave a review, tell your friends about your new discovery, share your thoughts with them via email, and help others find them!

Trying to get your full deposit returned at the end of your tenancy can be a frustrating and sometimes costly experience, especially when you feel that your rental property has been left in the same condition it was at the beginning of your lease period.  The team at BordeauxLife thought it would be useful to share some of our experience with you about the steps you can take, throughout the duration of your tenancy, to ensure that deductions are kept to a minimum.

Maintenance Issues
Make sure that all maintenance issues have been reported, in writing, to your property manager (agent or landlord). If issues go unreported and this leads to the item in question deteriorating faster than it would have otherwise, there could be reasonable cause for the landlord to try to make a claim on your deposit.

Picture Hooks/Holes in Walls
We see this being claimed for frequently. Even if permission has been given for you to hang pictures, please make sure that you have used the correct picture hooks. Double check your tenancy agreement as it will usually contain a clause relating to the hanging of pictures and the removal of hooks and making good of walls. 

Marks and Scuffs on Walls
A certain amount of marks to walls are acceptable. After all, you do need to be able to live in your property without constantly worrying about touching anything! An allowance must be made for fair wear and tear - basically the marks made during the general day to day living in a property. The level of fair wear and tear allowed depends on the number of people living at the property and the length of the tenancy.

Lightbulbs (seriously!)
This is another claim we see on a regular basis. It is down to you, as a tenant, to replace any blown light bulbs at the end of the tenancy. If this isn’t done before the property is handed back then a charge will be made for the cost of the light bulbs plus the cost of a contractor to fit them!

Cleaning
A rental property should be handed back to the landlord in the same state of cleanliness as it was at the beginning of the tenancy, as shown in the Etat des Lieux Entree (incoming inventory). It is  always a good idea to arrange for a professional cleaning company to carry out an end of tenancy clean as they will include steam cleaning the carpets, cleaning the windows inside and out and kitchen appliance cleaning.  We always recommend that you pay particular attention to toilets, baths, showers etc - basically anywhere that involves water.  Remember that Bordeaux is an extremely hard water area and heavy calcium deposits are difficult and expensive to remove.

Missing Items
If you have rented a furnished property, all items listed on the incoming inventory must still be in place at the end of the tenancy. If you wish to dispose of anything at all make sure you contact the agent or landlord in writing to ask the question and ask them to confirm in writing to you that it has been agreed.

Items Left at the Property
Before you leave your rental property make sure that you have completely removed all of your furniture and personal items and ensure that all rubbish has been removed. Claims on your deposit can be made for the removal of any remaining rubbish.

Damage
This is classed as anything that is considered above fair wear and tear, for example, issues such as a dent to a fridge door, broken tiles or scratches on wooden floors would be considered as damage.

If you would like to learn more about our services, which include assistance with notice to terminate rental, your outgoing Etat des Lieux, cancelling utilities and insurance and much more, then please don't hesitate to get in touch via our contact page.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse
This oil contains seven plant oils and has wonderful hydrating properties. Free of preservatives and 98% natural - we use it on everything from top to toe!  

The Alternative:

Caudalie Huile Solaire
Not only does this smell gorgeous, it offers sun protection along with hydrating and anti-ageing properties.  It’s a little less greasy than the Nuxe Huile and gives your skin a wonderful post sun-bathing glow.

Biafine
Ahh - who can live without the marvel that is Biafine.  Like many who have made the move to France - this product has been a revelation.  We use it for everything from stove top burns to sunburn; soothing rashes; keeping wrinkles at bay (note to self: use more); scarring from minor grazes - the list is endless.  No self-respecting French household would be without a tube of this in “that'' kitchen drawer.

The Alternative

Homéoplasmine
Another skin-rescuing tube of dreams. Enriched with plant extracts and Vaseline to soothe dry hands, calm light burns and skin irritations.  Many use it as express-plumping lip balm or an overnight mask for dry lips - ideal for those long haul dehydrating flights (if we ever get on a plane again!).

Dry Shampoo Klorane
An absolute essential for the busy working Mum or for a quick spritz before that last minute invitation to an evening out.  It’s very gentle and doesn’t leave the residue that some other dry shampoos can - ie you don’t end up looking like you’re heading out to a Halloween party.  

La Roche-Posay Disinfectant Hand Gel
If you can get your hands on this (pardon the pun) as it is selling like hotcakes at the moment for obvious reasons, it’s definitely the best antibacterial gel around, soothing and moisturizing.  Expensive compared to other products on the market but absolutely worth it.

The list is endless, from Avene to Bioderma, the Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc range (their hand creme is a life saver in the winter) and all Caudalie products - not just well priced and lovely to use but a by-product of the wine industry and local to Bordeaux.

Two of the best Bordeaux city centre parapharmacies (combined with a pharmacy) and both open on Sundays (bonus!) are Pharmacie Principale, 10 rue Saint Catherine and Pharmacy Grand Hommes, 1 Place des Grand Hommes.

What are your must have parapharmacy favourites? We’d love to know.

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​Many of our relocating clients are travelling with their four legged friends and we are often asked about where to find specific brands of dog food, the best local dog walks, do’s and don’t for dog owners in Bordeaux, recommended veterinary clinics and so on.  Whilst this is, by no means, a definitive guide, as dog owners ourselves we thought we’d share some of our recommendations and experiences.
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The Gourmet Woof
The BordeauxLife dogs are all fussy eaters (read spoilt!) and supermarket food just doesn’t cut the dijon with them. Duffy (a “too smart for her own good” Berger Picard) has finally decided that the Belgian brand Edgard Cooper is her preferred choice, whilst Wogie (a wise and wonderful Black Labrador) heads more in the direction of Lily’s Kitchen, interspersed with medium rare steak hache and the odd boiled chicken breast.

Neither of these brands are available in supermarkets (of course!).  Edgard Cooper can be bought directly from the supplier whilst Lily’s Kitchen is often available at J'ai Plus de Croquettes - a wonderful, pet friendly store in Merignac or via Wanimo.  Many garden centres have also started stocking the more “up-market” brands and your vet is also a good starting point but it is definitely worth shopping around to find the best price.

The Active Woof  
Both the BordeauxLife hounds love a good walk.  Wogie is a well trained, elderly gentleman and enjoys his daily walks around some of the local parks.  The Jardin Public is lovely and has the added bonus of a dog run for some extra socialising.  Parc Bordelais is perfect for a long walk but best avoided if your dog has a strong prey instinct. There are literally hundreds of rabbits there and a walk here with Duffy would result in an urgent appointment with the osteopath!  Duffy’s favourite walks are in Parc Bourran where she can commune with the geese, or in Bois du Burck - both are in Merignac but top of her list is a trip to the beach (off-season only) - chasing sand is the best thing ever.  We also love a walk along the Quay de Bordeaux, often with a stop for a little refreshment - for both dog and owner.

Almost all parks in Bordeaux have free poo-bags at the entrance but it’s always a good idea to carry your own just in case they run out as it’s never a good idea to get caught short!

The Social Woof
There are approximately 1 dog to 4 people in Bordeaux and this makes for a dog-friendly city.  Many restaurants welcome our furry friends and are happy to provide a bowl of water and a shady spot.  Our favourites are: Le Chien de Pavlov - a fabulous, traditional French bistro in the centre of town; Alma - perfect for a post-Quay walk; La Tupina - better to eat first and then walk off the calories!  To be honest the list is loooooong. There are so many options but if you are planning to eat inside then it’s always good to call and check first.

The Knowledgeable Woof
Okay - so our “woofs” aren’t that clued up really but did you know that you can take your dogs on public transport (not categories 1 & 2 - sorry!).  Trams, buses and even the Bat Cub boats welcome dogs.

Whilst we are always hesitant to recommend medical professionals - everyone has their own view on what they prefer, we are often asked about the availability of English speaking vets in Bordeaux.  Cristina Escudero in Pey Berland speaks English (05 57 85 95 55) and Clinique Veterinaire Alliance also has a couple of English speakers.

In our experience, many boarding kennels in the area have not always lived up to our expectations, however, if like us, you see your dogs as an extension of your family then a drive out of town to Les Chenils du Marmandais where Sue and Lee look after your dogs as if they were their own is your best bet.  Alternatively, signing up to sites such as Trusted Housesitters really is the next best thing.

If your woof needs more than a quick brush and scrub in the shower then J’ai Plus de Croquettes also provide dog grooming services and there are a few mobile groomers starting up around Bordeaux who will come directly to your house.

If you are planning a move to Bordeaux or the surrounding areas with (or without) your pets then please get in touch with us - we’ve been there, done that and would be delighted to help with everything from advising on current travel requirements; finding the perfect home for you, your family and your four-legged companions and everything else in between.

As the wine harvest (vendange) draws to a close, something in the air has changed and it is not only the weather. Those long summer days are coming to an end, beckoning in the crisp autumn air, but it is also a time of anticipation, excitement and celebrations.

Every year, Bordeaux has sees an influx of people coming in to work in the vineyards either  voluntarily in return for board or as a way to earn money. 

This year, my family and I were fortunate enough to be able to participate in Chateau Marjosse’ vendange in the beautiful appellation of Entre-Deux-Mers.  We arrived full of enthusiasm and ready for a hard days work. 

We were given the task of picking one row of Merlot. They hung deliciously red and full on the vines. Fully equipped with our secateurs and wooden baskets we all set off at a quick pace.  The weather was unseasonably hot and we had to work fast in the early morning to protect the quality of the grapes. The professional grape pickers had started their day at 3am (yikes!) to ensure the grapes remained at their best.

Making sure we only had the best grapes, our baskets were emptied into the chai. With Queen playing in the background (the 8 year old’s choice of music!), we started the laborious task of de-stemming. This process of separating the stem for the grapes before they are crushed is a long and tiring job and proved to be a little too much for the younger crew members, however time passes quickly with good company and good music and we were soon finished.
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We had fun with the children, encouraging them to "press" the grapes in an amphora (a beautiful handmade terracotta pot).  Unfortunately this is an ancient (Greek I believe!) method of pressing and whilst visually stunning is no longer a viable method - clean feet or not!  Our youngest crew member started the crushing process in the amphora and clearly enjoyed it!
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​A well-earned celebration brought the day to a close, with a delicious harvest lunch, cooked by our friends Alex and Pierre, accompanied, of course, by some of Chateau Marjosse’s earlier vintages. Let’s hope our ‘cuvee’ will reflect, all the fun, joy, passion and hard work that we put into the day.