The weeklong stay began with a incredibly nice introduction. Guillaume picked me up at the train station and had a wonderful conversation about the kinds of opportunities there were in the Bordeaux region. When we got to the apartment, he had wonderful local gifts awaiting. This includes: local pastries to sample, also fruit, bread, butter, jams, and waters in the fridge (in case I didn't have time to search for breakfast items in the grocery store when i first arrived). Not least, he had maps for me and business cards of local places so that he could point out some areas that I should consider visiting.
The apartment is beautiful and elegant and roomy for two people. It provides a great perch upon which crowds of people can be watched going by as they traverse the leafy square across the street.
The kitchen is really well stocked. And the towels in the bathroom are new and soft and plush.
The neighborhood is chock full of restaurants, bistros, cafés, brasseries, patisseries, cheese shops etc. so it is worth exploring beyond the nearby old city to the north. Also wander 3 to 4 blocks in every single direction from the apartment to discover other very nice opportunities in your own neighborhood.
For example, exactly one block away is a cooking school "Atelier des Chefs" that offers 2-3 hour hands-on cooking classes, followed by dining on your own prepared lunch or dinner. If you can manage through an all French-speaking, class, it is a highly recommended advantage of this neighborhood.
When I am next in Bordeaux, I will be reaching out to Guillaume for certain!