Dordogne back to the States?
 

Planning family trip to Dordogne this fall. The plan right now is for the 2 of us to fly with my parents to Paris, rent a car, spend a week traveling down to Sarlat (Loire, Bordeaux, don't really have this part planned yet). Then rest of family will meet us in Sarlat, stay there a week, then all of us children (all adults) will fly back to States and parents will drive car back to Paris and stay awhile longer. I'll have plenty more questions about this trip as time goes on, but my question right now is can we get from the Dordogne back to the States in the same day, and how? I've been noodling around the aa.com site, but I'm having trouble getting very far. Can you help? Thanks! annieladd

Are there flights from Bordeaux? Or can you catch a very early TGV in Bordeaux in time for a early afternoon flight to the States from CDG? Use Mobissimo or Kayak for flights, and the SNCF site for train schedules.

The only way to get back to the States from the Dordogne in one day is to get up around 3-4 a.m. and drive to Bordeaux, fly to Paris (or London), and catch an early afternoon flight home to the States.

I stopped doing that years ago. Hey, it's SO much nicer to take a train back to Paris, spend a couple of nights there and then go home.......

Thanks for the info, at least that clears things up. So, for those flying into Paris, they'll take the train to Bordeaux, and pick up a car. Then, plan on dropping the car off in Bordeaux, train back to Paris, and stay a day or more. Does this sound like the right plan?

That's what we did last year, getting PREM tickets 2 months ahead of time. We also used a different CRX as a car rental broker, which was cheaper than Autoeurope, but the car had to be returned to the same location (the Bordeaux train station).

I meant that we used CRX as a different car broker.

I agree that it's not possible to get to Paris and out again on the same day. However, if you are in Sarlat, which is on the eastern edge of the Dordogne, it's much easier to get the train from Souillac, about 25 km. from Sarlat than to have to go to Bordeaux and change there. (the train goes directly north through Limoges, Orleans, to Paris.) There is a bus from the Sarlat train station that goes to the Souillac station, - designed to connect with the train going to Paris. Or if you have a car to take back to a rental agency, you can drive to Brive, about 45 minutes from Sarlat, leave the car there and take the same train to Paris. 4 1/2 hours from Souillac, 4 hours from Brive.

Four us will be renting a car in Paris, eventually arriving in Sarlat, so that shouldn't be a problem. But, the other folks will be flying into Paris then taking the train to pick up a car, but where? Bordeaux, Souillac, or Brive, or somewhere else? Which is the best combination of shortest time from Paris to Sarlat, and best choice of car rental. Susan, if I understand correctly, you think Brive would be the best option? I'll check out CRX as well. Thanks, annieladd

My strong preference is to get a PREM fare from Paris (eithe the airport or Gare de Montparnasse) to Bordeaux, then catch the local train to Périgueux and pick up a car and drive from there. But I'm headed to Le Bugue, not Sarlat, so that's shorter for me. You'd have to judge whether Souillac or Périgueux is closer to where you're staying (could very well be Souillac).

Forgot to add that AUtoEurope has been my choice of car rental outfit for more than a decade.

If you want to pick up a car, I think Brive is best. Four hours from Gare d'Austerlitz - no changes. Then an easy drive to Sarlat - especailly since last week a new part of the A89 (east-est) Autoroute opened that connects to Brive. If by chance you are meeting someone coming from Paris, they should stay on the train another half hour, till they get to Souillac, only 25 km from Sarlat. That's 4 1/2 hr.

If I arrive in Brive by train, will I be nearer the airport or Avenue Jean Jaures (downtown location) to pick up the car?

Looks like everything in Brive is closed on Sundays in terms of car rentals.

If I take the train from Paris to Bordeaux to Perigueux, do I end up at the Perigueux Downtown office or near the airport for Autoeurope? The DT location is also closed for Sunday pick up.

Although car rentals in Brive are closed on Sunday, you can pick up a car if pre-arranged. They leave the car in the station parking lot, keys with the hotel opposite the station. Rental agencies in the US dont always believe this, but I've arranged it for a number of people here (we do Sunday changovers for some houses). You have to provide in advance the information you would normally give to the office when you arrive - drivers license, credit card etc.

I didn't see your question about location of rental agencies in Brive - they're virtually all on Rue Jean Jaures, which runs up from the train station. So it's usually a short walk - 50-100 yards.

Susan, is the train station located near the DT station in Brive?

I hope I'm not being rude by "piggybacking" on annieladd's post but mine is a very similar dilemma. We want to go San Francisco to Dordogne but have to go into Heathrow, make a one-day visit to Portsmouth area (social requirement) and then head for Sarlat. Return then from Sarlat to SF best way. Target date is mid April. I am all confused about best way to rent car (UK, France, etc?) take Chunnel or try to fly from Southhampton etc. Of course cost is a consideration. Have no desire to visit London city or Paris; just get to Dordogne after stop in Southhampton.
Really appreciate any advice. Thanks.

Annie:

I've picked up cars in Périgueux on a Sunday by pre-arranging.

Andy - is that you (it's Mellen here)??? If so, you can email me directly (or call) - maybe I can help.

If it's not, sorry.........

You can fly from Brive as well as several other small cities in the Dordogne on Air-Linair to Paris Orly. There are two or three flights a day. Air France can book these tickets. Best of all there is a Hertz rental car agency right at the Brive airport. It is a relatively short ride to Sarlat. We stayed at a wonderful hotel outside Montignac called the Manoir Hautegente - beautiful grounds, swimming pool, stream in front of the hotel and great food. By the way...the flight from Brive to Orly is less than an hour.