Books on vacation - how to procure in Dordogne?
 

I will be in Dordogne for 7 weeks and am wondering how to get my hands on reading material (like books) in English - the thought of packing a supply of novels for 7 weeks makes my back hurt. Does anyone who lives in the area might have a few really long good novels I might borrow while I am there? Or any ideas for a really nice 12+hour read on the plane from California (travel/france/fiction/favorites?) Thanks!!

BLT will you be in Paris BEFORE going to the Dordogne? If so, a stop at Shakespeare & Company with used books in English may be in order (Montmarte district I believe). Certainly, it would be an easier schleep....Also, guessing here, you might be able to set-up a "mail order" with them to get your items shipped to your residence in Dordogne.

When does your 7 weeks begin?

Now THIS one I can understand:)

There are a couple of websites with fora occupied by English expats. They are Living France and Total France (I'm sure tehre are more. It's just these are the ones I know about)

If you go on there, you'll find they're broken down into geographic area- at least bits of them are- and you can ask that question there.

There WILL be an answer. If you were in "my" bit of France, I would tell you that "Le Grocer" in Trie runs a swap arrangement, and there's a stall in Mirande market every Monday run by Brits, who sell second hand books.

You'll also find quite a big English language section in any big Leclerc. Problem is, they cost a bomb.

War and Peace for the plane?:)

Seriously, if you haven't read it, try "A Suitable Boy" for the flight

Amazon.fr is quite efficient and usually there is free shipping on English language books.

Labyrinth (sp?) by Kate Moss (not the model) is a fat (700 page), juicy book that mixes historical fiction with a modern-day thriller and search for the holy grail (better than Da Vinci Code) is good. It's set near Carcassone, which is (relatively) near the area you will be staying.

On Tuesdays at the outdoor market in Cenac, there is a book vendor that has a large supply of English books.

Stu Dudley

THANKS ALL! 7 weeks begins June 1. I am now getting jitters. Sheila - right up my alley - War and Peace I tackled to Burgundy last year - it was perfect. I will find both "A Suitable Boy" and "Labyrinth" before flight. Thanks. I will be at the Cenac market first thing Tuesday. Cheers.

The Cenac market has the largest mobile seafood vendor I've ever encountered - easily over 40 varities of seafood.

Stu Dudley

At the Sunday morning market in Cazals, there's a stand selling a great selection of English-language books. (The people who run it have a bookstore in a neighboring town, but I can't remember where.)

The bookstore on the rue de la République (La Traverse) in Sarlat has plenty of English language books. And the maison de la presse on the rue de Paris in Le Bugue has an English language section.

If you run into other English speakers, offer to trade books with them. Funny how people do not think of that.

My daughter was in France for a year for her junior year. A friend and my daughter were both bemoaning the lack of English books. I looked at the two of them and said, "Why don't you trade?" They did. I also shipped a box of books to her after she got there to keep her busy.

It can be very expensive to buy English books in Europe. I always bring "throw away" novels with me. If I finish one, I leave it where I finish it or give it to someone. Of course, if you are home exchanging with Austrian English teachers (as I am this summer) they have a lot of English language books and you only need to bring two novels for the planes there and back. While you are there, you read theirs. :-)

There's a 2nd hand English bookshop in
St. Antonin Noble Val - it's on the
'main' street and not hard to find.

There is a bookstore on the main street in Sarlat. I saw books in English there, but as we were on a short trip didn't stop in to look.

I've been reading William Gaddis's <i>The Recognitions</i> for about a hundred years now, so you may want to consider. I raced through his other (also long) novels, but this one is really slowing me down.

Have a great trip if I haven't said so already.

If you're looking for something specific you can just order from Amazonuk (I often use it for British titles not available in the US).

St-Antonin-Noble-de-Val would be a helluva long way to go for English books!

Also check the market stalls. There's a bookseller at every big market selling used and new books, and there are always some English-language ones in there. I think the Maison de la PResse in St-Cyprien has a smallEnglish-language section now too.

Check the train station when you run out of books. As has been said, English books are expensive in Europe, but then with the dollar being in such bad shape, so are foreign language books. I bought German mystery novels this summer and paid an arm and a leg for them.

When are you going to be there, DLT? If it's when I'm in residence, you're welcome to come by and plunder my bookshelves, but I'm not sure what my plans are for this summer and fall.

I live in Europe and don't find buying English language books at all expensive (my husband might disagree:))

Seeing the words &quot;books&quot; and &quot;Dordogne&quot; in the same sentence prompts me to ask: has anyone read &quot;Next Time Round in the Dordogne&quot; by Ian Norrie?

If you are here in August, another option is the Amnesty International sale in Sarlat. They have a large book sale, with lots of English language book - we keep trying to whittle down our collection, and so we give to them - but then I buy from them too. Really good prices. If that fits your time frame, I can check the date with a friend.

Thanks, everyone! I will certainly look around at all these places you suggest. I would love to find something at the markets. StCirq - I will be there June 1-July 13. What is your email?

Twoflower - haven't heard of or read &quot;Next time Around in the Dordogne&quot;. I have enjoyed though, &quot;A Castle in the Backyard&quot; by Drain and Hindon, as well as &quot;Cast Off&quot; (author escapes me) and A &quot;Dream House in France&quot; Anne Barry. Oh, and &quot;Madamoiselle Benoir&quot; by Conrad; all set in the Dordogne/Lot. I will look for this title! The thought of running out of reading makes me itch (would have to spend late nights reading this forum!). THANKS!