Charming small town or village between Paris and Bordeaux
 

We will be in France June-July 2012 and after a few days in Paris we will drive down to Bordeaux to visit family. "We" includes my husband and my 5 year old son.

We want to stay overnight in a small town to break up the trip and see the area (even if only for an afternoon and the next morning). We are looking for a charming small town/village with restaurants open in the evenings.

We've been to Bordeaux several times and enjoy visiting Saint Emilion --- Is there anything similar to Saint Emilion on the drive from Paris to Bordeaux? I've read fordorite suggestions regarding Angles-sur-L'Anglin, which we are considering. Anywhere else?

Many thanks!

If you head due south, you can stop for the night in the area around Chateauroux (www.chateauroux-tourisme.fr/).

Or keep heading south and stay a one of the villages in the Dordogne.

I wouldn't drive from Paris to Bordeaux, given that the train is so cheap and fast, but if you must, Chateauroux is a good town. Or take the coastal route and stop in La Rochelle (or take the train there first, then continue on to Bordeaux).

Rober2533 - Thanks for suggesting Chateauroux. We plan to do some day trips to the Dordogne area from Bordeaux - we'll be staying in Bordeaux for 2 weeks.

StCirq - Thanks for the suggestion about the train, although we will rent a car so that we can do Dordogne area day trips during our stay in Bordeaux.

I love La Rochelle, but Saintes is another option. Great architecture, Roman ruins, beautiful river walk area, several important abbeys & churches. Nice and varied restaurants.

Hi, psy_dr. Yes, you'll have to have a car to see the Dordogne from Bordeaux, but what I meant was I wouldn't rent a car in Paris and drive it to Bordeaux, as it's a long boring drive. I'd rent the car once I got to Bordeaux.

Angles-sur-Anglin is a beautiful village in the Vienne
your son would enjoy the birds of pray show that takes place in the castle.

Thanks for the info Kondiketoo!

StCirq- Our experience taking the train from Paris to Botdeaux in December 2010 was not pleasant. The station is open so there was no heat in winter --- I can't imagine being there in June waiting for a train in the heat! Also, the train was filthy - by the time we were 1/2 way to Bordeaux, the bathrooms were awful!!! Urine (& worse) everywhere - not just toilet seat but around the floor. I walked down the train to 4 bathrooms & they were all the same! And it was costly...we were told to reserve our seats ahead of time due to the lousy weather across Europe which caused heavy Christmas delays, so we did --- we paid over $400 round trip in "coach" seats. Maybe it was just our luck that day but I would rather rent a car this time around and not risk the train. Thanks anyway!

Thank you all for your suggestions! We decided on Angles-sur-Anglin as our overnight stop between Paris and Bordeaux. We hope to visit nearby St Savin on our drive from here to Bordeaux. Thanks!!!