Simone101

Does anyone have any recommendations for these destinations? We plan to use Bordeaux as a home base for 3 nights and visit Limoges on one day and St Emilion on another.

Should we spend more time in Bordeaux? Dump a day trip?

Thanks in advance for your input!

rhon

Three nights in a place means two full days. So one day for Bordeaux itself, perhaps a wine tour.

http://www.viamichelin.com/

This gives the trip to Limoges as almost three hours one way. Is there a particular reason you want to spend six hours in the car on one day of your brief time in Bordeaux? Have you considered closer day trips eg Arcachon as well as St Emilion.

Jeff801

What Rhon said.

Not only is the trip to Limoges nearly three hours in most normal traffic, it is not a pretty or even pleasant drive IMHO.

If you are going to St. Emilion, you can do a wine tour there and enjoy the urban sights in Bordeaux for a full day.

Arcachon is only an hour's drive and the cross bay ferry is a far better alternative to driving around the bay.

pariswat

Hello

The drive to Limoges is awful.
We did it 20 years ago and it hardly changed according to friends who do it regularly.

I second opinions that Limoges is not beautiful.
If you want to buy some plates etc it is interesting.

Bordeaux is a beautiful city, I'd spend 2 days there (we did and I had a taste of too little time sepnt there).

If you do the trip, I'd suggest sleeping somewhere around...
Stop at Angouleme (very nice city) then at Oradour sur Glane (in memory of all their inhabitants killed by Nazis 'Das Reich' division in 44, the village has been left as is on that fateful day).

Then come back via Rocamadour, Sarlat...

But it will take 8 hours drive so you need to sleep somewhere.

Simone101

Thanks guys, this helps!

Our itinerary is far from complete but already I think I will dump Limoges from the plan. I was dubious about it from the start.

I will look up Arcachon and see if I like it.

(p.s. - no car, all by train)

Thank you.

Gretchen

Limoges is our sister city and we spent a number of days there. Even if you wanted to buy a plate or two, you can do it cheaper in the US.
We did enjoy our time there-the factories are interesting and Oradour sur Glane was a memorable side trip,

Christina

I spent a couple days in Bordeaux and never did a wine tour, there is enough to do/see in that time that has nothing to do with wine.