Dordogne hotels?
 

For 3 days in the Dordogne region, any ideas on whether we should book Hotel de la Madeleine in Sarlat or L'Esplanade in Domme? I am unsure as to which makes a better location to base out of, or whether it even makes a difference.

Thanks!

Actually the places to visit are all so close and the roads so good Sarlat makes a good base.

Domme is lovely and the views are great but it is very easy to get to from Sarlat and a lovely drive.

Sarlat has more restaurants, shops etc and the market on Saturday morning.

A personal favourite is the Hotel Chateau in Beynac, really friendly, nicely decorated and I love Beynac.

ttt

I can't comment on Domme, but I did stay at Hotel de la Madeleine for 3 or 4 nights. It worked well for me as a base. Although I've read that there is some traffic getting in and out of Sarlat, I never found it to be a problem. There's a large free parking lot just uphill from the hotel that always had plenty of available parking. There are also a few places right in front of the hotel.

I stayed in Sarlat because it's a larger town with more to see and do. I also did half board at the hotel which worked well for me. The food and service was quite good, and I didn't have to think about where to eat at night.

I'd opt for the Esplanade in Domme unless it's late July or August, in which case I wouldn't choose either of those.

I don't like to be smack in Sarlat because of traffic issues, which are getting worse every year - major jams when I was home there in March of this year.

Besides, the restaurant at l'Esplanade is better than anything in Sarlat.

ttt

Thanks, everyone, for your responses. We've decided to go with l'Esplanade because of both the view and the restaurant. It was a close call. I've heard the traffic in Sarlat can be bad, but then I've also heard that about getting to/from Domme. Hopefully this will make a nice base from which to explore the area though. I will report back when we return!