14 days in extra-sunny Dordogne, Provence, Languedoc and Nice - Trip report from mr_go/ms_go
Jun 21st, 2006, 11:35 AM
#23
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 903
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks so much for your wonderful report! I'm very impressed that you posted so quickly. We returned from the Dordogne on Monday and I haven't started working on my mine yet. I'm organizing the photos first to help jog my memory.
You went to many of the same places that we did, including the famous and very cute St-Cirq-le-Bugue. Perhaps we crossed paths.
You went to many of the same places that we did, including the famous and very cute St-Cirq-le-Bugue. Perhaps we crossed paths.
Jun 21st, 2006, 11:50 AM
#24
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 23,390
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for a most helpful report. I will save it to use when we visit the Dordogne in October. One question about the car rental; the price you paid seems very good for an automatic. Do I understand that you contacted Autoeurope and that their price was much higher; did they offer to match the Hertz price? This is good to know, as I am also an AAA member. Lately I have been booking with Autoeurope without checking other agencies but I will not make that mistake again! Thanks again for the tip and for an extraordinarily well arranged and helpful report.
Jun 21st, 2006, 12:27 PM
#25
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,699
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi ms go,
>I just came back from the store. Trader Joe's only had one French rose,
Lucky you. You have a Trader Joe's.
From here in Madison, GA, we generally have to visit 6 or 7 stores to find a rose' that is not white zinfandel.
Even when we ask to have a case ordered, it is often not possible.
>I just came back from the store. Trader Joe's only had one French rose,
Lucky you. You have a Trader Joe's.
From here in Madison, GA, we generally have to visit 6 or 7 stores to find a rose' that is not white zinfandel.
Even when we ask to have a case ordered, it is often not possible.
Jun 21st, 2006, 02:34 PM
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,412
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks, again!
moolyn - we took the laptop along this time. That's the only way we were able to get the report together quickly. It also came in handy for downloading the 4Gb of photos.
Ira - actually the one variety of French rosé was an endcap item right now. They must have known I was coming.
ekscrunchy - I priced AutoEurope first, then Hertz using the discount. I have a Hertz #1 (free) membership, so I logged in with that, then entered the AAA discount code. I did not go to the extent of asking AutoEurope whether it would match the Hertz price. I figured it might not in this case since the Hertz price was based on a negotiated discount with AAA, but perhaps I should have. I also checked prices using my National Emerald Club membership, since it usually produces pretty good deals, but in this case it did not.
Some photos coming soon, I promise.
moolyn - we took the laptop along this time. That's the only way we were able to get the report together quickly. It also came in handy for downloading the 4Gb of photos.
Ira - actually the one variety of French rosé was an endcap item right now. They must have known I was coming.
ekscrunchy - I priced AutoEurope first, then Hertz using the discount. I have a Hertz #1 (free) membership, so I logged in with that, then entered the AAA discount code. I did not go to the extent of asking AutoEurope whether it would match the Hertz price. I figured it might not in this case since the Hertz price was based on a negotiated discount with AAA, but perhaps I should have. I also checked prices using my National Emerald Club membership, since it usually produces pretty good deals, but in this case it did not.
Some photos coming soon, I promise.
Jun 22nd, 2006, 06:29 AM
#29
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,412
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Okay, as promised, I have started to add some photos. This is very preliminary - much work to do, and I haven't even gotten to the Dordogne photos yet.
Three small albums available here: Provence, Languedoc and Nice.
http://community.webshots.com/user/go_family
I apologize in advance for the advertising that may appear around these. When I'm logged in, I don't see it and sometimes forget it is there.
More to come soon, I promise. For now, I have to tend to my clients.
Three small albums available here: Provence, Languedoc and Nice.
http://community.webshots.com/user/go_family
I apologize in advance for the advertising that may appear around these. When I'm logged in, I don't see it and sometimes forget it is there.
More to come soon, I promise. For now, I have to tend to my clients.
Jun 23rd, 2006, 05:46 AM
#30
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,412
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
One more thing to add here...
I've tallied up the cost of the trip - always an eye-opening experience - and am providing some summary information in case it is helpful to anyone in the future.
Airfare, including one revenue ticket and taxes on two FF tickets: $1,490
Accommodations for 13 nights: $2,450, or roughly $188 per night
Expenses* for 14 days: $2,700, or roughly $65 per person, per day.
Car rental for 13 days: $850 (and likely to go higher
amp; )
Expenses include restaurants, groceries, admission fees, parking, tolls, gas, taxis, souvenirs, etc. I did not keep good records of cash expenditures (about 60% of total), so I can't break this down any further.
Our most expensive meal (and certainly not the best one) was about $125; the only meal over $100.
In terms of daily averages, this trip ended up being a bit less expensive than our trip to the Amalfi Coast last year.
Now, back to work. More photos over the weekend.
I've tallied up the cost of the trip - always an eye-opening experience - and am providing some summary information in case it is helpful to anyone in the future.
Airfare, including one revenue ticket and taxes on two FF tickets: $1,490
Accommodations for 13 nights: $2,450, or roughly $188 per night
Expenses* for 14 days: $2,700, or roughly $65 per person, per day.
Car rental for 13 days: $850 (and likely to go higher
amp; )Expenses include restaurants, groceries, admission fees, parking, tolls, gas, taxis, souvenirs, etc. I did not keep good records of cash expenditures (about 60% of total), so I can't break this down any further.
Our most expensive meal (and certainly not the best one) was about $125; the only meal over $100.
In terms of daily averages, this trip ended up being a bit less expensive than our trip to the Amalfi Coast last year.
Now, back to work. More photos over the weekend.
Jun 23rd, 2006, 09:27 AM
#32
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ms go,
thanks for providing a fellow traveller with very helpful info.Regarding Pezenas, what sites did you visit from there? We want to see Carcassone and the Abbaye but wondered if we should visit Carcassone on the way to Sarlat. Thanks.
thanks for providing a fellow traveller with very helpful info.Regarding Pezenas, what sites did you visit from there? We want to see Carcassone and the Abbaye but wondered if we should visit Carcassone on the way to Sarlat. Thanks.
Jun 23rd, 2006, 12:47 PM
#35
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Great report. We just returned yesterday from many of the same spots--similar experiences, but you sound much more organized and energetic! Maybe you know the answer to a little mystery we discovered; we could pay easily with our American credit cards at a card only station on the autoroutes, but not at the staffed stations. The attendant would try to run our card, and then tell us that it didn't work. But at the automatic stations, the gate lifted and let us through, so we assume it worked!
Also, you mentioned economy saver award United tickets--that's frequent flyer? And you just had enough miles for Economy Plus tickets?
Also, you mentioned economy saver award United tickets--that's frequent flyer? And you just had enough miles for Economy Plus tickets?
Jun 23rd, 2006, 12:50 PM
#36
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,412
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks, everyone. Glad you're enjoying the photos.
bowserjoe - since we had such a short time there (less than two days), we really just spent one day visiting Abbaye de Fontfroide and Carcassonne and the rest of the time in Pezenas, itself. The Millau viaduct is probably just over an hour from Pezenas; we saw it on our way up to the Dordogne, but I believe one of the other guests at our hotel was going to make a day excursion to see it. We did consider driving down to Sete one evening - it isn't far - but our hotel had such a nice evening cocktail hour that we decided to stay in town. Also, Montpellier is very close by. Carcassonne is just a bit over an hour from Pezenas, if that helps in your planning.
bowserjoe - since we had such a short time there (less than two days), we really just spent one day visiting Abbaye de Fontfroide and Carcassonne and the rest of the time in Pezenas, itself. The Millau viaduct is probably just over an hour from Pezenas; we saw it on our way up to the Dordogne, but I believe one of the other guests at our hotel was going to make a day excursion to see it. We did consider driving down to Sete one evening - it isn't far - but our hotel had such a nice evening cocktail hour that we decided to stay in town. Also, Montpellier is very close by. Carcassonne is just a bit over an hour from Pezenas, if that helps in your planning.
Jun 23rd, 2006, 01:03 PM
#37
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,412
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks, traveller06. Hope you had a great trip. I wish I was back there right now, although the weather in Chicago is gorgeous today.
I'm afraid the tollbooth mystery continues. I think we only used our card (Mastercard) in the peage toolbooth station twice, once in an automatic lane and once with a person. It worked both times, but we were thoroughly confused by the signs with an X through the Mastercard and Visa logos. We asked the proprietor of our hotel in Pezenas (after the incident where we backed out of a lane and crossed about five other lanes to get to a manned station), and she said something to the effect of, "No problem, your card will work." Most of our tolls were small enough (<10E) that we just used cash.
Re: the air tickets, yes, they were United economy awards for 50,000 each. Daughter and I have Premier/Premier Exec status on United, so we are able to reserve E+ seating.
I'm afraid the tollbooth mystery continues. I think we only used our card (Mastercard) in the peage toolbooth station twice, once in an automatic lane and once with a person. It worked both times, but we were thoroughly confused by the signs with an X through the Mastercard and Visa logos. We asked the proprietor of our hotel in Pezenas (after the incident where we backed out of a lane and crossed about five other lanes to get to a manned station), and she said something to the effect of, "No problem, your card will work." Most of our tolls were small enough (<10E) that we just used cash.
Re: the air tickets, yes, they were United economy awards for 50,000 each. Daughter and I have Premier/Premier Exec status on United, so we are able to reserve E+ seating.
Jun 24th, 2006, 09:06 AM
#39
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,412
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi - some Dordogne (and a few Lot) photos are now posted. I'll probably refine this a bit when I have a chance, but for now I hope you enjoy.
http://community.webshots.com/user/go_family/0
http://community.webshots.com/user/go_family/0
