I hire a car in France every couple of weeks. Often at Bordeaux. I use Holidayautos.com and Rentalcars.com for price comparison. Use both as sometimes the same deal is much cheaper on one of the sites.
I generally pick the cheapest but I buy an annual car hire excess insurance policy – £38 pa from icarhireinsurance. Otherwise they will try and charge you about £20 a day for the same cover at hire desk.
To avoid queues trick is to get off the plane first – sit near front or back doors and then peg it passport control and then to hire desk. Check the airport layout online before you go so you know which way you are heading.
If you fly in on a budget airline to Bordeaux you will fly into the basic terminal. Out the door and back into the main terminal for some of the hire companies but others are in the car park just outside arrivals.
Photograph the car before you take it and again when you return it – make sure the hire desk notes all marks on it.
Avoid Goldcar.
hth