MRS

Hello everyone,
I need help planning our trip to Dordogne in this coming May. We will be driving from Sarlat-la-Canéda to Toulouse, and I developed to itineraries based on all the post and trip reports I’ve read on this amazing board. I would appreciate feedback and suggestions, this is our first visit to the area, and I am kind of lost at the moment.
Here are my two plans, I think the first one is too ambitious as far as the second day goes, and the second may be a bit slow.
Thanks,
MRS

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first version
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05/28 Sat, day 1

Leave Sarlat-la-Canéda, France-
Martel, France-
Carennac, France-
Gouffre de Padirac, Le Gouffre, Padirac, Francia-
Rocamadour, France ,
stay overnight Rocamadour
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05/29 Sun, day 2

leave Rocamadour, France -
46330 Cabrerets, France (Grotte du Pech Merle) -
St-Cirq-Lapopie, france-
Bruniquel, France-
Puycelci, France-
Castelnau-de-Montmiral, France
Cordes-sur-Ciel, France,
stay overnight at Cordes-sur-Ciel
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05/30 Mon, day 3 leave Cordes-sur-Ciel- arrive Toulouse -
stay overnight Toulouse, France
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05/31 Tues,day 4 - daytrip visit to Carcassone or Albi,
stay overnigth Toulouse
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06/1 Wed,day 5 fly to 10:40am fly to Paris
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second version
================================================== =============
05/28 Sat, day 1

leave Sarlat-la-Canéda, France-
Martel, France-
Carennac, France-
Gouffre de Padirac, Le Gouffre, Padirac, Francia-
Rocamadour, France ,
stay overnight Rocamadour 52 miles, 2 hours drive
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05/29 Sun, day 2
leave Rocamadour, France - at 11 am (i would love to get a morning view)
46330 Cabrerets, France (Grotte du Pech Merle)
St-Cirq-Lapopie, France
stay overnight at St-Cirq-Lapopie, France 40 miles
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05/30 Mon, day 3
leave St-Cirq-Lapopie, France -
Bruniquel, France-
Puycelci, France-
Castelnau-de-Montmiral, France
Cordes-sur-Ciel, France,
stay overnight at Cordes-sur-Ciel 66 miles 2 hours drive
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05/31 Teus, day 3 leave Cordes-sur-Ciel- arrive Toulouse -
stay overnight Toulouse, France 60 miles 2 hours drive
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06/1 Wed,day 5 fly to 10:40am fly to Paris

tomboy

Sounds great, especially the last nite before Toulouse

Piccolina

bookmarking!

StCirq

I don't get it when you say Gouffre de Padirac, Le Gouffre, Francia...

Anyway, I would just pick where you want to end up at at the end of the day and take it from there, stopping wherever it strikes you to stop. Those are tiny little places - Bruniquel, Castelnau-de-Montmiral - that will probably merit 15 minutes each. I don't see the need to get so granular about this. Just wander around and make sure you have a place to stay at the end of the day that's appealing to you. It's really not an area for an overplanner to go wild about. I do like the idea of spending the night in Cordes-sur-Ciel rather than St-Cirq-Lapopie, which holds little appeal for me, or Rocamadour, which is tourist central.

MRS

Hello everyone and thank you for your responses,
StCirq, I was looking for comments like yours, because the very reason for this post is to find out how much we can do in a day and schedule hotel stops around it. We are more of “slow travelers” type, not in rush to see it all, love to have a picnic in the park or by the river, but there are places I really would like to visit. I am an early riser and would like to be at Rocamodour at 9 am in the morning and see the view from the top before everyone arrives, and I’d like to visit Grotte du Pech Merle and St-Cirq-Lapopie. Map says its 106 miles and more than 3 hours drive from Rocamodour to Cordes-sur-Ciel. I imagine by the time we will be at St-Cirq-Lapopie it’ll be 4pm, and we will have 66 miles to drive. I’ll probably skip (pass by) Bruniquel, Castelnau-de-Montmiral on our way, happened to us before, and we still wondering about those places we missed. I usually plan 1-2 hours for stops, this why it seems so much in one day. Gouffre de Padirac, Le Gouffre, Francia – is what Google maps force me to enter for Gouffre de Padirac, sorry I am Ukrainian, and it’s all French to me, but I am trying to learn.
Also I have a question about Bordeaux: we are arriving in the evening around 8 pm, and it was my plan to leave next afternoon and stop for overnight at St Emillion on our way to Sarlat-la-Canéda. Does it make sense to get a car at the airport and drive to the hotel in Bordeaux, or it is better to get a car next day before leaving town. I am planning to book a hotel in the city, any suggestions? How much taxi from the airport to city hotel? We first looked into visiting Arcachon or Cap Ferret, but they looked like Santa Barbara to me, where I can go any weekend, much harder to arrange it for Périgord Noir.
I was able to find a place in Sarlat, and will move my dates around, to leave Sarlat on 5/27. We are arriving in Bordeaux on 5/18, will be renting an apartment in Sarlat 5/20-5/27, and then from 5/27-5/31 drive to Toulouse.
Thanks again for you input, open to suggestions.
MRS
P.S. I may be planning, thinking and writing too much, but on another hand this is how I’ve learned- from reading answers to all kind of questions. Hope my discussion will be helpful for others.

StCirq

I would pick up the car at Mérignac and drive into Bordeaux. There are plenty of municipal parking lots, and coming from that direction getting into the city central isn't that bad.

We like both the Hôtel Bayonne and the Hôtel Etche-Ona, both right off the pedestrian-only city center near the rue Ste-Cathérine. Both owned by the same family, the Bayonne is modern, the Etche-Ona very old-fashioned Basque.

MRS

StCirq,
Thanks a lot! My husband will be sooo happy, every time I say “We’ll get a taxi”, his reply: “Let’s get a car”...

StuDudley

I think your first version is better than your second version. However, you may have time to visit Albi after Cordes on the way to Toulouse. That will allow for a visit to Carcassonne.

Like StCirq stated, Bruniquel and Castelnau-de-Montmiral are quick but worthwhile visits - Bruniquel maybe 30 mins & Castelnau 15. Cordes may take 1 hr including parking & getting to the village. Same (1 hr) with St Cirq Lapopie.

The train station in Bordeaux where you may have to pick up the car if you choose a "downtown" pickup location, is not in an area of Bordeaux where you will want to stay or visit. We had to take a taxi there to pick up a car. The airport is probably the best, and most likely won't cost you any more that the train station pickup (both have sur-charges).

Stu Dudley

MRS

Stu,
Thanks for the advice. Your faithful follower is back, your itineraries guided us trough Val d'Orcia and Provence, and we loved Aveyron. May I e-mail you with a request for Dordogne itinerary?
It seems you where mentioning Albi is dead on Sunday and Monday, I need to play with my schedule. Also , Carcassonne is around 110 miles drive (round trip), is it time well spent, remember reading it’s a 3 hours visit, although a friend of mine was driving to Nice trough Carcassonne and he said it was beautiful in May.
Is it wise to leave to be in Sarlat 20-27, or we should book through 28th? Trying to see Dordogne the right way – enjoying, not a big fan of changing hotels every day.
Also in Bordeaux what is a good area to stay? I can book Mercure Bordeaux Chateau Chartrons with my American Express points, is it a save area? Its 1.5 miles from Best Western Bordeaux "Bayonne Etche-Ona" recommended by StCirq, may be not that convenient, but we will have a car and StCirq mentioned there are municipal parking lots.

Michael

Najac, between St. Cirq-Lapopie and Cordes-sur-Ciel might be a good compromise as an overnight stop.

http://www.najac.com/

StCirq

The Mercure Bordeaux Château Chartrons is at least 2 kms from the city center, which kind of defeats the whole purpose of going to Bordeaux in the first place. It's also pretty much a business and tour group hotel, as far as I know. I'm sure it's safe - it's just not desirable in terms of atmosphere or location.

winnick

MRS,

We are also planning a trip to Dordogne (in mid June) (our first to this area), and have planned very similar to your itinerary. We also have put to good use all the great recommendations from Stu, St. Cirq and other fellow Fodorites.

After reading about your plan to stay in Cordes-sur-Ciel we may decide to switch from St.Cirq-Lapopie. We too are trying to reduce the number of 1 night stays. Please post your trip report when you return. I will be anxious to read your thoughts before we leave for the area.

We also thought about whether to pick up the car in Toulouse on arrival on wait until we leave the city. We have better options on car types at Toulouse airport so we are picking up on arrival.

I think your first version sounds good.

We are doing the following upon arrival in Toulouse before we check into our apartment in Sarlat (for 10 nights):
Day 1: Arrive Toulouse later afternoon
Day 2: Toulouse
Day 3: Toulouse to Carcassone, Castlenau de Montmiral, Albi
Day 4: Albi, Cordes sur Sel, Brunique, Puycelci, St. Cirq Lapopie
Day 5: Pech Merle, Figeac, (back to St. Cirq Lapopie)
Day 6: Drive to Cahors, do Stu's lot drive-Luzech, Puy'l-Eveque + Bonaguil, drive to Rocamadour
Day 7: Rocamadour to Carennac, Martel, Beaulie-s-Dordogne, Collonges-la-Route (return to Rocamadour)
Day 8: Padirac, Chateau de Montal, Castlenau Bretenoux, Autoire, Loubressac (arrive Sarlat late afternoon)
Day 9-17: Sarlat day trips
Day 18: Sarlat to Toulouse

Have a wonderful time. Look forward to your trip report!

CaliNurse

Winnick, MRS,et al--this is great advice for me too as i'll be in the area late May early June .

Will be traveling from Toulouse up to Sarlat at end of May.

We wondered about where to p.u. rental car after arrival. I'm an old dog and didnt want to learn a new trick, i.e driving a stick shift. We'll take the Navette Bus into Toulouse to spend the night, and back to airport next day to get the car. Didnt want to hassle with driving into and parking (cost) in the city, especially with limited sleep post long flights.
Seems like backtracking, but Navette supposedly takes only 20 mins to the airport from the center (Jeanne d'Arc Metro). The helpful Fodorites warned there's absolutely nothing to do right nr airport, so we nixed an overnight airport hotel stay there, preferring to be in the town. We dont want to waste even an hour...even a jet-lagged one.

If anyone has opinions on this plan car pick up plan... feedback welcome!

StuDudley

>>May I e-mail you with a request for Dordogne itinerary?<<

Sure [email protected]

>>It seems you where mentioning Albi is dead on Sunday and Monday<<

Yep. Albi is a very interesting town. Museums & Churches are open Sundays & Mondays - but you would miss quite a bit if you were there when not much else was happening. One of the times we were in Albi (we've visited it twice) was during lunch - and it quite dead then too - except for the restaurants.


>>>Carcassonne is around 110 miles drive (round trip), is it time well spent, remember reading it’s a 3 hours visit, although a friend of mine was driving to Nice trough Carcassonne and he said it was beautiful in May.<<

Time well spent??? That depends on who you talk to. We've been there twice & have enjoyed it. Others think it is too fake, crowded, & touristy. You can bypass the touristy stuff and the crowds if you arrive first thing in the AM - before the shop keepers load up the streets with their "trash" & before the bulk of day-trippers & tour buses arrive.

>>Is it wise to leave to be in Sarlat 20-27, or we should book through 28th? Trying to see Dordogne the right way – enjoying, not a big fan of changing hotels every day.<<

You have a nice itinerary after Sarlat. I would stick with that & leave on the 28th - that gives you 8 days in the Dordogne, which is fine.

>>Also in Bordeaux what is a good area to stay?<<

We stayed in the Old Section & enjoyed it.

>>I can book Mercure Bordeaux Chateau Chartrons with my American Express points, is it a save area? Its 1.5 miles from Best Western Bordeaux "Bayonne Etche-Ona" recommended by StCirq, may be not that convenient, but we will have a car and StCirq mentioned there are municipal parking lots.<<

There may be parking lots, but once you arrive & are parked at the hotel, you should only get in your car again to leave town for the Dordogne - not to drive to the section of Bordeaux that you want to visit or where you want to dine. We stayed at the Continental, which is 3 blocks from the one StCirq recommended. We dined at the l'Alhambra - which we really enjoyed.

Stu Dudley

MRS

All,

Thank you very much for interesting discussion, I appreciate all of your comments and suggestions. So happy to be part of Fodor’s community - generous, passionate and VERY patient community.

Winnick, thanks for posting your plans, there are few places you mentioned, I may think about.

CaliNurse, whatever desission you make about your car, please, make the one that makes you feel comfortable. It does not matter if someone drives for 4 hours after getting off the plain, important – what is best for you. We will waste some hours now and then, and sometimes more than we wish to, because we are doing it OUR WAY, not been hurried by departing tour buses. Our trips take us where our imagination leads us, we are in charge, and we are the decision makers.

It is very hard to be a tour guide when you don’t know the subject!
StCirq, Stu, Michael and countless others – thank you for helping.

Michael, I bookmarked your Dordogne pictures and for now enjoying them, until I take my own.

MRS

MRS

After securing apartment in Sarlat, I‘ve revised our driving plan.

Winnick, I based it on your latest tread, just flipped in around,
because we go in opposite directions, I think it works nice for both of us .
I would appreciate comments and suggestions,
it looks good to me, and I will be looking for places to stay in Albi and Najac.
I found useful website: http://www.francethisway.com/places/cordes-sur-ciel.php.
Thanks,
MRS

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05/27 Friday, day 1

leave Sarlat-la-Canéda, France
Lacave , France
Carennac, France
Chateau Montal , France
stay overnight Rocamadour, France , 65 miles, 2.5 hours drive
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05/28 Sat, day2

start at Rocamadour France- at 10 am (get a morning view)
Martel, France-
Turenne, France-
Collonges-la-Rouge , Francia-
Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne , France
Castelnau-Bretenoux Chateau, France

stay overnight Rocamadour, France , 66 miles, 2.5 hours drive

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05/29 Sun, day 3
leave Rocamadour, France - at 9 am
Figeac, France
Grotte du Pech Merle 46330 Cabrerets, France
St-Cirq-Lapopie, France
stay overnight at Najac France , 90 miles, 3.5 hours drive

St.Antonin Noble Val- sunday morning market will be missed!

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05/30 Mon, day 4

leave Najac
St.Antonin Noble Val France -
Bruniquel, France-
Puycelci, France-
Castelnau-de-Montmiral, France
Cordes-sur-Ciel, France,
Albi- stay overnight 82 miles 3 hours drive

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05/31 Teus, day 5 leave Albi arrive Toulouse -
stay overnight Toulouse, France 50 miles 2 hours drive
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06/1 Wed,day 6 fly to 10:40am fly to Paris

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StCirq

MRS, is all this after you spend time in the Dordogne? How much time do you have there?

Because none of these places is in the Dordogne.

StuDudley

Figeac will be dead on a Sunday. The tourist office where you can pick up an English walking map will be closed also. There really are not many shops you'll want to browse by/through anyway - but just be aware that there won't be too much "life" there. Just stroll around and admire the interesting architecture.

St Antonin might be a little dead also. Villages usually "close up" on Mondays - especially if their market day is Sunday which is the "normal" day in France for things to be closed.

No Grottes de Padirac???

Stu Dudley

MRS

We arrive to Bordeaux on May 18, stay a day in Bordeaux, and a night at St. Emillion. We rented apartment in Sarlat for a week, 20-27, 7 nights. I am rushing to make hotel reservations and have a lot of questions. In Rocamadour it’s between LES VIEILLES TOURS and DOMAINE DE LA RHUE, I like both. I love few places in Najac, i read your old posts about them (i think 2004).Chateau is too expensive, but others are not.

Thanks for your input.

MRS

O my God, thank you Stu. Of course Grottes de Padirac!
Thank you!