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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to cancel solo trip to Bordeaux?

21 replies

GoldenMirror · 02/07/2023 19:34

So, I’ve had a really very traumatic year, a family member was murdered and I’ve been left to deal with all the admin as well as the court case and grief.

i really need a break, so booked a trip to Bordeaux,first time there. just for me as no one to go with, to relax in a city centre apart, eat bread, drink wine, and heal. I speak a little French, and am usually confident there.

Now I’ve seen footage of proper rioting happening in the city centre. It’s really terrifying me, especially because of the recent violent death.

I don’t know what to do.

OP posts:
Heronwatcher · 02/07/2023 19:37

Honestly go, just try to avoid the city centre at night. Are you staying right in the middle of Bordeaux? If you can change accommodation you might want to stay outside the city where I imagine life goes on pretty much as normal!

Original poster
GoldenMirror · 02/07/2023 19:39

Staying bang in the middle of the city.

I’m loathe to stay in the country by myself tbh and would then need to drive

OP posts:
HollyBookBlue · 02/07/2023 19:40

Has the foreign office changed it's advice yet? If you cancel without that you'd loose your money. Is it a significant amount of money to you to loose? How long until you go?

Heronwatcher · 02/07/2023 19:41

Have you looked at French news? As I say I imagine that unless you’re right in the centre of town after 9/10pm things are pretty much as normal. Have you tried speaking to or emailing the hotel? Or if you booked through a company, them?

Whu · 02/07/2023 19:41

If you are worried about it then will that make the trip stressful?
Do you have cancellation cover? If so why not switch to a Spanish city and go and have a great time doing all the things you love without the stress.

Original poster
GoldenMirror · 02/07/2023 19:46

It’s an air b n b right in the middle of the city. Obviously I would not go out into any disturbance, but I’d be terrified huddled in the flat listening to it!

and yes, @Whu , it’s so stressful already.

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AgathaSpencerGregson · 02/07/2023 19:48

When is your trip? We are due to go to Montpellier in a month. I’m assuming the authorities will have it under control by then. They seem to be throwing the kitchen sink at it (good for them).

Original poster
GoldenMirror · 02/07/2023 19:53

Friday, I’m going

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LittleMonks11 · 02/07/2023 19:53

When are you due to go? My brother and family go to Bordeaux in two weeks from USA -and we meet them fuce days later in La Rochelle. I predict it will die down this week. I believe it reached its peak yesterday.

Original poster
GoldenMirror · 02/07/2023 19:54

I think I’d be much more confident if I was going with someone else

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LittleMonks11 · 02/07/2023 19:58

If you are t happy then can you postpone or get a refund?

notimagain · 02/07/2023 20:03

@GoldenMirror

Hopefully we're already now past the peak of these troubles.

Most cities have been quiet for the last couple of days, last night there were problems in a part of Marseille and police stopped any crowds forming in central Paris..other than that, pretty much zero trouble reported.

I've got one of the French rolling news channels on in the background and it looks like it's quiet across the nation tonight and I FWIW I was in a major city centre in the south west of France briefly this morning (not Bordeaux) and it was business as usual.

MoggyMittens23 · 02/07/2023 20:07

Will you get your money back if you cancel? I think I would tbh, just because you will be worrying the whole time.

Choux · 02/07/2023 20:28

I think that it could well die down over the next few days. I just googled and the only footage I saw from Bordeaux was dated 30th June. Have you been able to identify if there has been any violence / riots in the immediate vicinity of your rental?

I have been to Bordeaux alone for a city break and it was amazing. As I was alone I did most of my sightseeing daytime and had lunch out then ate in my apartment in the evening. Walk all day and get home exhausted.

There is an amazing moules frites place in the Marché de Capucins. Unless it escalates the next few nights get yourself there for Saturday lunch. Eat at the bar if you can.

notimagain · 02/07/2023 20:31

This is about the third thread in as many days with "shall I go to XXXX in France", so it's deja vu all over again....

I understand the concerns but there needs maybe to be an awareness that some media outside France is days behind with the story, are just maybe not giving the full picture and that headlines such as "France in Flames" are highly highly inaccurate and misleading.

Most of the trouble in some of the major cities was on a couple the middle week last night and was in relatively localised areas. As an example our only local disturbance, a half day, wasn't in the centre of the city, it was in one of the areas in the suburbs and passed pretty much unnoticed by the general public.

Nationwide it does very much on the wane - 45,000 law enforcement officers on the streets might explain why.

Anyone worrying about of visiting might be best advised to ignore some of the stuff in the MSM, and as suggested by a pp would probably get a better picture by contacting their hotel or host or, just maybe contemplating what some of us who actually live in France have or have not experienced..

Original poster
GoldenMirror · 02/07/2023 20:42

Thanks @Choux . That’s helpful abd I do love moules frites.

My rental is right in the middle.

@notimagain I asked on here specifically because I wanted to know the opinions of other than the media. I don’t know the renter of the apartment and felt they would not want a cancellation.

i know there was a curfew put in place, and public transport cancelled after 9. It all sounds far from the relaxing trip of planned

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Frenchfancy · 02/07/2023 20:50

I haven't heard about any problems in Bordeaux the last couple of nights.

We went to Bordeaux for a weekend during the gilet jaune protests. There was the smell of tear gas in the air but everyone was sitting outside drinking and eating as if nothing was happening. We had a great weekend, it's a fabulous city.

notimagain · 02/07/2023 21:12

GoldenMirror · 02/07/2023 20:42

Thanks @Choux . That’s helpful abd I do love moules frites.

My rental is right in the middle.

@notimagain I asked on here specifically because I wanted to know the opinions of other than the media. I don’t know the renter of the apartment and felt they would not want a cancellation.

i know there was a curfew put in place, and public transport cancelled after 9. It all sounds far from the relaxing trip of planned

Point taken....

FWIW there have been some restrictions on public transport in the city short drive road from us (somewhere which is a fair bit bigger than Bordeaux) but I gather from contacts/relatives actually living in the town that it was certainly possible to eat out in the open air at the city centre restaurants early yesterday evening without any whiff of tear gas or any hint of crowd problems. I was in the centre this AM and the restaurants were setting up for lunch as I was leaving (planned that badly)

Hopefully, fingers crossed etc, even the decrees limiting public transport will have been binned this week.

PixellatedPixie · 02/07/2023 21:16

Firstly, I’m so sorry that you’ve had such a horrific tragedy in your family.

We had a similar travel dilemma in 2018 when there were protests in Barcelona and we had an Airbnb in city centre. Airbnb cancelled and refunded us.

I think that if you’re going on holiday to relax you shouldn’t go if you’re going to worry as that defeats the object? I would move it to another beautiful city like Bruge? Also French speaking and amazing food!

Original poster
GoldenMirror · 02/07/2023 22:06

Thank you all, thoughts appreciated.

I shall think on it and decide. Bruges isza good shout as an alternative, just in case . So thank you everybody

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