Dordogne region
 

We are planning on staying 5 days from a thurs to a tues in the dordogne region and would like any suggestions on what to do with two adults and a 15 and 18 year old.
We will have access to a car.

I'll keep this short, since my expertise is based more on reading here and lsss on psersonal experience (about a day and a half, earlier this summer) - - and others can beat that experience base by ten- or twenty-fod (if not a hundred!)

My leadig recommendation may prove impractical for family of four: www.air-chateaux.com - - absolutely awesome!

Since you are there over a weekend, I'll recommend the Sunday morning market in St. Cyprien.

And among the many towns you should simply "experience", I'll recommend Domme strongly.

I'd think you will likely want to include the Musee du Prehistoire in Les Eyzies (though we didn't actually make it in there).

My omission of other well-known places (Sarlat, Rocamadour, just to name two) doesn't mean a thing - - just can't speak from experience.

Best wishes,

Rex

Things that might appeal to the teens as well as parents: canoeing on the Dordogne; the castles at Beynac and Castelnaud; the Gouffre de Padirac; Lascaux II and Font du Gaume; la Roque St-Christophe. Another prehistoric cave that might appeal, with its miniature railway, is at Rouffignac. If cost is not a factor and the weather is right, a hot-air balloon ride would be a memorable experience. There's more than enought to fill the 5 days.

We love this area and envy your 5 days: Lascaux II and Font De Gaume caves (make reservations early), Allo Philippe Taxi (if you need someone to drive), buy walnut oil for salads(get the first pressing) watch them force-feed geese (not my thing, but...)Sarlet, canoe the river,go to the site where people built homes in the rocks to escape the vikings, Domme had a very nice hotel with a 3 or 4 star restaurant. Our room overlooked the valley. Assume it is still there.

What do you mean by "access to a car"? You'll need a full-time car to get anywhere in the region.

Markets: Friday in Montignac; Saturday in Sarlat and Le Bugue; Sunday in St-Cyprien.

I don't see any pressing need to take an aircraft over the region - that's something rex did because he had only one day to spend there. You can stick to land and see the sights "for real."

And when are you traveling? If July or August, I'd forget Domme. It will take you half a day to get in and out of its fortified walls because of traffic, though it's a beautiful hilltown the rest of the year.

I also wouldn't bother with the Musée de la Préhistoire in Les Eyzies. The signs are only in French at present, and unless you are a huge prehistory buff, you can see the same sort of artifacts at any number of sites.

You really need to buy and read a guidebook on the region that will outline the best of the sites. To my mind, in 5 days those would include a visit to the Font-de-Gaume cave in Les Eyzies (reservations essential in summer), Lascaux II if possible (reservations essential in summer), and La Roque St-Christophe, as bare minimums for prehistoric sites. Then you need to see the "plus beaux villages de France" sites of Beynac, La Roque-Gageac, St-Léon-sur-Vézère, and the bastide towns of Belvès and Monpazier if you have the time.

Castselnaud and Beynac castles should be visited, particularly Castelnaud with teenagers. In summer there are exhibitions of medieval warfare, including the firing of the trébuchets at Castelnauds.

Take a canoe or kayak trip down the Dordogne from St Vincent-de-Cosse to Allas-les-Mines.

Take them to Le Chai in Lemeil for an incredible selection of ice creams and sorbets.

When you say we need reservations for the caves can this be done the day of the trip or day before or week before?
What are the markets for?
What do they sell?

I think that for Font du Gaume you need weeks before, maybe as many as 3, 6 or more weeks.

The markets sell fresh, preserved and reasy-to-eat foods; items unique to the area, and "ordinary" flea market/bazaar items. We bought a little knife, and various canned "terroir" items (confit, duck fat, goose fat and cepes) - - I really love this kind of market, so we stayed there an hour and a half, at least.

If you want an English-language tour of Font-de-Gaume, you need to reserve a few months in advance if you are visiting in high season (when ARE you visiting?).

The markets sell everything imaginable - fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, charcuterie, wine, oils and vinegars, arts and crafts, clothing, you name it, it's all there.What are they FOR? Well, they are for the same thing they've been for since about the 12th century - to provide needed goods to the local populace. And these days, to entertain the tourists.

Whoops - - that word is reaDy-to-eat (in case anyone was thinking I was trying to say &quot;<b>g</b>reasy to eat&quot;!

I just got back from France which included 4 nights in the Dordogne region. For my 15 and 11 year old boys, I think they enjoyed this part of France the most. We stayed in Sarlat, which is a wonderful medieval village (Villa des Consuls is a very nice place to stay, centrally located). Places we visited:
Day 1 - Les Eyzies - my kids and I found the Musee de Prehistoire interesting even though signs are not in English. One the same day we also visited Fond de Gaume, La Grotte du Grand Roc (unfortunately tour was only in French since we were grouped with some schoolchildren), La Roque St. Christophe, and St. Leon sur Vezere (very brief visit, and the village seemed devoid of any life).
Day 2 - Gabarre boat ride from La Roque Gageac, Castelnaud, Chateau de Milandes for the falconry demonstration
Day 3 - Rocamadour and Gouffre de Padirac (get there early!)
Day 4 - Pech Merle (the best of the caves, although tour was only in French so for my kids it was a bit frustrating).

Thanks for the info. Did you have reservations for any of this?
Did you go to any of the markets?

mde - Loved David and Villa des Consuls. Stayed there for 2 weeks in February. WE live in Beynac now but we still go back there every month to exchange English language books at his lobby lending library. It certainly was the best deal in town for a week or two plus you have the free use of the laundry. Saved many euros.

Hi mrk,

&gt;Did you have reservations for any of this?&lt;

You will need reservations for ,

Lascaux II
email [email protected]

Fonte de Gaume
phone 011 33 5 53 06 86 00

Pech Merle
email [email protected] www.pecherle.com

((I))

How far ahead do you have to make reservations for the caves?..and are there English tours?..

If you're going to be there in high season, you need to make reservations a couple of months in advance.

Lascaux II has fairly frequent English tours. Font-de-Gaume has about one a day in the high season; the rest of the year there are either no English tours or very rare ones.

Don't know about Pech Merle, but there are only two tours a day there, so I assume you'd need reservations pretty far in advance.

Font-de-Gaume used to keep some slots open for last minute arrivals on that day. We arrived half an hour before opening and were able to choose between several time slots for reservations. If all else fails, try Rouffignac.

Hi Lois,

&gt;How far ahead do you have to make reservations for the caves?..and are there English tours?..&lt;

I made our reservation 60 days in advance.

Some do, some don't.
We have an english tour at Lascaux II at 15:10. (Had to change our itinerary to get it.)

Don't worry about the language of the tour. The early Homo Sapiens didn't speak English or French. :)

((I))

Other reccomendations in this area:

Gardens of Eyrignac and Marqueyssac
Village of Saint Genies
Saint Amand de Coly

A little bit further:
Chateau d'Hautefort
Collonges la Rouge
Turenne
Curemonte

Don't miss them. For me, better than the caves.

I just got the address for the house we are staying in Dordogne.
Les Bourdeillettes Hautes
Bourdeilles 24310
France
Now can you tell me better what you would recommend doing from this location?

mrk:

Do you realize how far that is from the main attractions of the Dordogne? You're way north, near Brantome. Not a bad area in and of itself, but definitely not close to any of the sites people have been discussing on this thread. You can visit the lovely town of Brantome and the chateau at Bourdeilles, but not much else without long drives.

Is there a reason you chose Bourdeilles? Do you have a map?