erez

We are planning to visit Provence and the Dordogne in August. We are looking for nice places to stay for about six days in eacg area. We prefer a castel or something special, any suggestions? <BR>Thanks for every tip.

cmt

"Special" places to stay: <BR> <BR>Provence: <BR>Hotel de Guilles - outskirts of Lourmarin <BR> <BR>Dordogne: <BR>Chateau de Roumegouse - Gramat (fairly near Rocamadour) <BR> <BR>I stayed in several other very nice, historic places in both regions, but if you're looking for the really out-of-the-ordinary places, I'd suggest these two. <BR> <BR>Some other places that had a lot of character and history and that I liked very much (but a few people didn't): <BR>Hostellerie le Belfroi (Vaison-la-Romaine, Provence) <BR>Hotel CroMagnon (Les Eyzies de Tayac, Dordogne)

Terry

I would recommend Crillon le Brave in northern Provence and Mas de la Brune in Eygaliere near San Remy. Both are very special. Please e-mail me if you need more information.

Terry

Sorry, had typo on email address. Again, I would recommend Crillon le Brave in northern Provence and Mas de la Brune in Eygaliere near San Remy. Both are very special. Please e-mail me if you need more information

Rex

In (kind of) Provence (at the entrance to the Gorges du Verdon), Château de Trigance - - http://www.relaischateaux.com/site/u...cCode=trigance <BR> <BR>And in the Dordogne, Château de Mercuès - - http://www.relaischateaux.com/site/u...RcCode=mercues - - for a truly special location and property. <BR>

Diane

My favorite chateau is Chateau d'Arnac. It is located south east of Brive. I will be stayin there for the second time in March. Great deal at 440 FF for a huge room. Do a search to find them on the internet. <BR>The owners are English, but if Jill is cooking when there, the table d'hote is wonderful along with extreme comfortable surroundings. Not palacial, more of a fortress.

Barb

In the Dordogne region, we loved Le Vieux Logis in Tremolat. It is not a castle, but an old country summer house. It's very beautiful and filled with personal items. We had a red suite and there was a picture painted by Rembrandt's son or grandson as a thank you note to the owners. You really feel like you are in someone's guest house. The restaurant there is fantastic as well. The staff was warm and welcoming in the restaurant and the hotel. We also stayed at the Chateau de Puy Robert which is a castle. We did not like it as well because the decor is very monocromatic. The same fabric is used on everything, bedspread, chairs, curtains, pillows, really everything. I expected a castle decor with some antiques and personality. I tried to stay at the Chateau de la Treyne which is another castle right on the Dordogne. They may require that you eat some meals there, not sure. They were full for our travel dates. If I went to the Dordogne region again, I would try for Chateau de la Treyne and stay at Le Vieux Logis again. All 3 of these are Relais and Chateaux properties, so they are not cheap, but we splurged in the Dordogne and went cheap in Paris with lodging to compensate.

erez

Thank you all for your help. I will check every sugesstion. If you can add some good resturants - it would be a great tip to a (hopefully) great trip. <BR>Erez.

jo ann

Another vote in the Dordogne for Chateau de la Treyne. I stayed there in 1990 as part of a bike trip and thought it was probably the most special place I had ever been - headed to France with my family in summer, 1999, and stayed there again, and we all had that reaction. The setting, the decor, the staff, dining on the terrace overlooking the Dordogne river with their lab dog lounging on the stones beside you....take me back! Can't remember if they required you eat there, but would highly recommend it regardless.

Sue

In Montignac, we very much liked the Relais du Soleil d'Or. It is the home to quite an upscale restaurant, but we preferred the cafe in front, which had wonderful one-dish specials (like American meals) for under 50F. After a full day of touring, it was nice to be comfortable and eat great food, plus we enjoyed seeing the local gendarme there every night at dinner.

Pam

We stayed at a wonderful chateau in St Remy last summer - Chateau des Alpilles. I recommend it highly. <BR>Also, ate at a 2 star restaurant outside of Les Baux - its a Relais & Chateaux property and is also a hotel. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name but the meal was by far the most memorable part of my first trip to Provence. The hotel was lovely - reminded me of a Roman palazzo. Check the Relais & Chateaux website to figure out the name. <BR>Enjoy!

Jana

We are planning to be in St Remy in July and have booked a room at the Hostellerie Du Vallon De Valrugues. Has anyone heard of this hotel? They said it is a 10 min walk to town. Also--Any rec's for a restaurant for my husband's 30th in St. Remy? Any suggestions on St Remy are welcome.

wendy

I just got back- I stayed in Les Ezyies at the Hotel Du Centenaire. FABULOUS. First rate restaurant with fresh truffles, walnuts and foie gras. Central to many prehistoric caves (Font-de-Gaume) and near charming streams, hiking and ferme auberges. <BR>Wendy

Mike

Stayed at Mercues - on the Lot rather than Dordogne, and, if you're that far south, I still would have to go for Les Loges de L'Aubergade, the seminal restaurant/meal of my life about ten years ago, and a fantastic hotel as well. Mercues is history. Michel Trama took a C12 palace, tore the insides out, knocked down half, and made it a chic modern hideaway in the middle of nowhere - fantastic. History is bunk? Well, you can be imaginative with it. <BR> <BR>I say "still" because his star has slipped quite a bit recently - Gault Millau have knocked him quite hard. It remains unique in my experience, but time may have changed things. <BR> <BR>Centenaire at Les Eyzies was good, just nothing like as good. <BR> <BR>If you're flying back from Bordeaux or Toulouse, Les Loges is a good last stop. It is a bit out of the way for a week.

Angela

I stayed a a nice place in Dordogne last September. It wasn't a castle, but it's a beautiful country home owned by an American couple. Their website is http://lenclos.hypermart.net The town is called Pragelier and it was the setting for the film 'Ever After'. It's right next to the Chateau Hautefort and a good location for traveling to other towns in the Perigord region. <BR> <BR>Enjoy your trip! <BR>Angela

jane

Hi Erez- noticed your post and I wonder how you are planning to travel between Dordogne & Provence? We too are planning to visit both regions this summer but I still haven't figured out what is the best way to go from one region to another (i.e. train, car, route, etc.) <BR>Thanks.

erez

Hi Jane <BR> <BR>We will defenetly need a car to travel in both areas, so the best way, I beleive, will be to go by car from one region to the other. In the way we are planning to visit Carcasson and stay one night their. Other then this stop we will drive the highway, so I don't except any problems - it is about 500 km and we are breaking it to two days. <BR>What do you think? <BR>Have you find any special places to stay in? Any other tips (places to visit, things to do)? <BR>Erez.

DP

In Aix-en-Provence, there is Villa Gallici which is a relais & chateau hotel. Very special residence with impecaable Provencal decoration. Feels like the provencal residence of a rich cousin. <BR> <BR>One of my biggest regrets was not spending a night in Les Baux de Provence. Do it and it will be very memorable.

Rex

to the top... for Jane ([email protected]) <BR> <BR>Postscript: If this forum had an easier way to locate and direct readers to a specific (previous) posting by a unique identifier (timestamp), it would not be necessary to top (and repeat) information so tediously. This is my new crusade, and I am thinking about adding this postscript (when applicable) to every new reply I make here. If you agree with me, then please write to Danny Mangin or David Downing - - [email protected] - - and encourage them to move forward with this improvement (and any others they have up their sleeves) to this best-on-the-web travel forum! <BR>

StCirq

Regarding the Dordogne, as nice as they may be - and they are - I would not recommend staying in a hotel in Rocamadour or one near Cahors, as these are far from the main sites of the Dordogne that presumably draw your interest. Neither would I recommend the Crô-Magnon in Les Eyzies. I live within a couple of kms of Les Eyzies and my experience with the Crô-Magnon has been inconsistent service and a rather arrogant staff attitude (keep in mind, I don't use the hotel, just the restaurant and sidewalk café). And as spectacular as it may be (it's the "best" in the Dordogne), I wouldn't stay at the Centenaire either, for the simple reason that it doesn't have the local character that becomes so dear once you are visiting the Dordogne. Book lunch or dinner there for an unforgettable meal, but stay instead (as others have posted) at the Château de Puy Robert or the Château de la Treyne or the Vieux Logis (though I think there are places in the Dordogne with equal appeal for far less money than this last one). There are also a host of fabulous hotels in the mid-priced range, and I'd be happy to steer you to some of them if this is what you're looking for. My favorite restaurants are La Table du Terroir in La-Chapelle-Aubareil, Le Relais des Cinq Châteaux in Vézac, l'Esplanade in Domme (also a fine hotel, but Domme is impossible to get in and out of in summer because of the tiny stone gates), La Bastide in Monpazier, L a Métairie on the road between Les Eyzies and Sarlat, Le Bois Safran in Audrix, Le Tournepique (on the bridge over the Dordogne beneath the Château de Cstelnaud - very much a locals' hangout for Sunday lunch), La Belle Etoile in La Roque-Gageac, and gosh there are so many....!