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We will be visiting the Dordogne (2 couples) the second week of October and want to visit one or two of the famous caves. Can't decide which ones.....we will also be spending part of our time in the Lot area so could visit a cave there. Any help would be appreciated. Marie

If the chromatic caves are your primary interest, don't miss Font-de-Gaume in Les Eyzies. I personally would also go to Lascaux II - even though it is a replica, it is magnificent, and the tour will explain a good deal about the lives of the painters and their techniques. For other fascinating sites, visit La Roque-St-Christophe or some of the caves with engravings like Bara-Bahau or Rouffignac. There are also shelters (abris) where you can view dwellings and in some cases sculptures. It depends on what your greatest interests are - there are more than 150 prehistoric sites along the Vézère alone. For the major sites, you should make reservations, especially if you want an English-language tour.

Finding info on each cave is a pain (I did it three years ago), but look what I just found: http://www.perso-internet.com/showcave.com/france-en/ After September, some of the caves have limited hours, so be sure to check times carefully. I'd do at least one of each - one "people" cave (drawings, dwellings, etc.) and one grotto type like Padirac. I've visited several caves (big famous, teeny unknown) and never been disappointed. St Cirq and I should start a fan club for this region...no, wait, let's not. The Aquitaine/Dordogne/Perigord part of France is relatively undiscovered and maybe we ought to keep it that way...

That's a great website from Elvira - thanks! But here's another (Elvira's, oddly, doesn't have Font-de-Gaume on it - at least I couldn't find it) http://www.arachnis.asso.fr/DORDOGNE/tourisme/sites/Sitpreh/Eyzies/msngrot0.htm

We visited the Dordogne area Aug.10-12. It is a beautiful and unusual area, very popular with Europeans. The entire region was rather crowded with people on holiday. We visited Grotte de Pech Merle and Grotte de Cougnac, both of which had original Cro-Magnon art. I had made reservations for Pech Merle (mandatory). It was quite a drive from Beynac down to the cave. Only about 70-80 miles, it took almost 3 hours (mostly because of a tremendous traffic jam-up at Cahors). Cougnac is almost as good as far as cave art--and requires NO RESERVATION! We were first in line at 9:30am and were treated to a private tour by William, a very knowledgable young college student! We also enjoyed La Roque-Gageac, Castlenaud, and La Roque Saint-Christophe (the two La Roques are fascinating examples of Troglodyte dwellings). An intriguing area to visit.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessages.jsp?fid=2&tid=1286584&numresponses=29&s tart=0&searchText=caves+in+dordogne a bigger thread on this topic

Le Gouffre de Padirac near Rocamadour. It is the best. And when it rains it is even more beautiful.

Thanks for all the help! Will make the decision which cave(s) to visit soon and make the appropriate reservations. We will be spending a week in Provence, too, so if there are any special places we shouldn't miss, let us know! Marie

To St. Cirq- We are thinking of going to the region next year, and I was searching for inexpensive accommodations for our family of four. I stumbled upon a listing of 3* campgrounds that have wooden bungalows or mobile homes for lodging at about 300E a week. Have you seen any of these? Are they clean, safe? We'll have a car, so we don't have to be in the center of things.

I am only familiar with the two campgrounds near my house, though I believe they are representative of campgrounds in the region because I have driven by many others that looked equally nice. One, the Brin d'Amour, is, I believe, a 3*. We go up there sometimes when there is a local vin d'honneur. It is imaculate, with an enormous swimming pool and clean shower facilities and bathrooms and very secluded, large sites. I don't believe they have bungalows - if they do, they are farther down the road into the camp than I have wandered. The other, la Rivière, is a 4* and for a campground it is truly spectacular. We go there when the Tour de France or Coupe du Monde is on because they have a large outdoor tv. It features not only tent and trailer sites (also large and secluded), but also rooms in a beautiful old périgourdin refurbished manor house. It also has a nice little restaurant/café, a huge pool with waterfall, a playground, and a canoe/kayak facility on the Vézère. You would never know you were entering a campground when you drive it - it looks like a fancy hotel complex. It is beautifully and immaculately maintained. That said, If you camp in the Dordogne in summer, bring your strongest mosquito/bug repellent and I'd stay away from campsites that are directly on the river.

Thanks, so much. I'll look into them.

Padirac has also a nice campground 4* "Les Chênes". They rent campers, bungalows, tents and have cottages for hikers. There is a pool with slider and they also rent kanos, cayacs and bikes. In Rocamadour (L'Hospitalet)there is a correct little campground "Le Relais du Campeur". It is a campground with only 2 stars, but they have hotelfacilities, with even familyrooms. It is clean and there is everything what you need: a pool, a shop, a little restaurant, even laundromates.It is very close to the historic center,upon the rock. It is very good situated. I can't tell you the exact price, but I know it is certainly not expensive. If you are interested, I can let you know teir adress.