Hi
We are three women friends (and a husband) being chauffeured by a son in a 7 seater, travelling from Paris to Avignon.(The son is coming just so we can visit the beautiful villages, of Dordogne)
Can anyone help with the ideal number of days to stay in one, two or three places on the way that could also be a mini base for visiting each area. I don't think we really want to travel for 5 hours on freeway to get between any two paces, 3-4 hours would be ideal.

Sarlat is on one of our bucket lists, as is Monpazier, or maybe Lyons but is looks too big for a couple of nights.

Our other option was to do the same type of trip but via Burgundy


Really looking for help so thanks for any suggestions

I may be obtuse but why are you taking 6 days to get from Paris to the Dordogne when you don’t know what you want to explore in that time? The Loire valley is about a 2 hour drive from Paris and the Dordogne another 4+ hours. How long is your trip? You could TGV to Bordeaux than drive to the Dordogne. You might also want to consider renting a station wagon with four adults instead of a 7 passenger van to explore small villages.

Six full days in just the Dordogne would not be too much. Just zipping in to run by Sarlat and Monpazier is hardly worth it. And a 7-seater van in the Dordogne will be a PITA once you get there. I would also take the TGV from Paris to Bordeaux, or better yet, Libourne, and start your journey from there. The drive from Paris to the Dordogne is less than enticing unless you have a couple of weeks and can mix it up with a trip to the Loire Valley, the Atlantic coast, Poitiers, and other places, but with only 6 days (and needing to continue on to Avignon), you are very short on time.

You also haven't said what time of year you're going, and it makes a big difference.

I’m sorry but I am brain dead and recently arrived in Tokyo but I misread your query to mean 6 days from Paris to the Dordogne on the way to Avignon. Just how much time do you have for this trip?
You can easily take a week or more to explore the Dordogne and the same goes for the area around Avignon. Mel is also right that time of year is important. In any case I suspect that using the train or even flying might work better at least for part of your trip than using a 7 passenger van to explore France unless you have a lot of time for this journey

If going via the Dordogne, stop in the Loire valley to visit a couple of chateaux and then drive down to the Dordogne. If most of the time is spent there, it will be a long day's drive to Avignon. If purchasing non-refundable non-exchangeable tickets three months in advance, the suggestion of taking the train to Bordeaux might save money and time.

I would get to Sarlat and spend 6 nights there. Do day trips from there.

En route from Sarlat to Avignon make a stop in Carcassonne( a bucket list must see in southwest France ).


https://goo.gl/maps/PeinV6jbqNw

Burgundy IMO would be great if you like wines that is- you could head to Vezelay (primo medieval pilgrimage site/village in medeival state - maybe stay in Auxerre a town nearby

then tool over to Burgundy and wind down the Alsace Wine Road via Beaune - great base for few days - via Macon to Avignon. Nice little wine towns all along the way and of course wineries to stop at and really pastoral countryside.

Avignon of course is a great base for many sweet sights - spend at least 3 days or so there - many folks here love St-Remy-de-Provence near Avignon as a neat smaller town base better for driving in and out of but don't miss Avignon either.

<i>Burgundy and wind down the Alsace Wine Road via Beaune </i>

Two different regions in that phrase.

Of course meant Burgundy Wine Road! Alsace would be way out of the way.