Here it is - see Stu's response the 11th post, regarding canoeing.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...amp;dirtyBit=1

Murphy

As someone who lives in the area, I can assure you that you cannot see most of it without a car. Trains do exist to some (but not very many) of the places you will want to see, but they are not very frequent. There is virtually no bus service anywhere from Sarlat - I have checked several times with the Tourist office to confirm this. Cycling is possible, but you will have to be fit, it's pretty hilly here! Train from Gare d'austerlitz to Brive is good, only 4 hours, rental agencies are right outside, and it's not hard to leave the city. It would be a shame not to see the most beautiful locations by not having a car.

Canoeing from one place to the other is not really an option in my mind. It would take a stiff walk to get up to the sites along the river, with the exception of La Roque-Gageac and the town, but not the castle, of Beynac. We rented a canoe from above Sarlat to Beynac, leaving around 10:30 and just making it for the last pick-up at 4. The only stop of any length besides lunch was in La Roque-Gageac.

Well, I think the canoe ride would be possible, and maybe even fun, but there would indeed be a good amount of hiking up steep cliffs, starting with Domme, then La Roque-Gageac, then Beynac, then Castelnaud. All of those would require strenuous uphill hikes if you actually wanted to see the towns/fortresses, etc. You can beach the canoe in all of those places, and there is at least one canoe outfit that will let you start in Cénac (at the foot of Domme) and will pick you up in Allas-les-Mines, which is just a bit downstream from Castelnaud. It would be a long, arduous day, but a good one.

But murphy, you really do need a car. The area is very hilly and unless you're a professional biker or aren't going to stray far from Sarlat you just won't get to see the area "properly." I don't know how else to say this, but if you plan to visit the Dordogne you NEED A CAR.

Hi Murph,

Although not as vertical as the Amalfi Coast, the Dordogne is hills and valleys.

Bicycling is good if you are an avid biker, but not for the amateur.

You can find distances at www.viamichelin.com and www.mappy.com.

In general, cars go about 30 mph because of the steep, winding roads.

((I))

Sorry for jumping in, but I read this thread with lots of interest. I would not llike to have to pay 300 E. to have an automatic dropped off in Perigeaux; am I correct in understanding that rental agencies in Brive would have automatics in their fleet? (We are renting a house in Domme next fall).

Who told you it would cost 300€ to drop an automatic off in Périgueux (just curious - we had friends come visit us one summer and AutoEurope arranged an automatic to be brought to Périgueux for them at no charge).

Sarlat would be closer, but Brive is certainly a good option if they can't provide one in Sarlat.

St Cirq, I read about this sucharge in THIS thread..post by cmt. It really surprised me.

Hmmmm, yes, there it is. Maybe they impose that fee when it's going to be a big deal for them to obtain one, or maybe my friends just got lucky. At any rate, I'd ask AutoEurope or whatever company you're renting from. It's certainly true that there's a very small fleet of cars in Périgueux - maybe 6-10 at any given time.

Some comments on car rentals. We havent done a lot with Perigueux, but I suspect there are a number of agencies there. Certainly virtually all of the major agencies have branches in Brive. They will usually accept the return of a car picked up somewhere else with no extra charge. Renting an automative is always a bit of an issue, as they are not common in France, but it can be done with pre-booking. There are only two car rentals agencies in Sarlat, Europcar, which is small, and Hertz, even smaller, in a garage staffed by the most unhelpful people I've come across. So, take the train from Austerlitz to Brive, wander around small roads (you could see Turenne, and Collonges la Rouge leaving Brive before you even get into the Dordogne) and see where you end up. I also dont recommend Bergerac. It's Ok, but there are so many other wonderful places to see. Dont miss St Leon de Vezere, the most beautiful Romanesque church in the area, with picnic tables, geese, and the river in front, and a chateau behind.

Thanks very much, Susan and St. Cirq. Your informative responses and part of what makes this forum so great! I will ask some additional semi-realted questions on another post soon.