mjsamherst

Oooh somehow I ended up in the United States forum - humm, not sure how that happend?? Anyway, ok I tweeked our itinerary again. We will be traveling up from Carcassone on Sunday and staying 2 nights about 1/2 west of Cahors,then traveling up to Sarlat where we will be staying 4 nights. So if I do Pech-Merle, St. Cirq LaPopie and Rocamandour on Monday, Tues on our drive up to Sarlat we see Montpazier, Montflanquin, Domme and LaRoque Gageac, Wednesday Sarlat and Les Eyzies, Thursday Sarlat again and Friday a free day does that sound a little better? I guess our goals are to just enjoy the heart of France at a leisurely pace - try and avoid the touristy trap areas and enjoy the beautiful villages. My family also likes the walled villages and we want to visit several castles.

Michael

<i>Tues on our drive up to Sarlat we see Montpazier, Montflanquin, Domme and LaRoque Gageac</i>

That is a lot. I would stick to Domme and La Roque-Gageac on that day (sorry, but they are very touristy) and add Beynac if you have the time. You might be able to do Monpazier on your free day, and include Belv&egrave;s, Cadouin and Biron (south of Monpazier) at the same time.

StCirq

Good suggestions from Michael. And forget about avoiding the touristy places - you're headed straight for all of them, but it won't matter because it will all be new to you.

Are you going to Les Eyzies for the museum or to see caves, or what? Because there is NO good reason to go there unless prehistory is on your mind.

mjsamherst

Thank you Michael, I think on our drive up to the Sarlat area we will see Montpazier, Belves, Candouin, and Biron. That will work won't it? We are going to Les Eyzies over Lascaux because I have heard it is the original cave.

Michael

Thursday in Sarlat is probably excessive. You'll have seen in it on Wednesday and will see it in the evenings.

I suppose you mean Font de Gaume for the cave in Les Eyzies.

mjsamherst

yes, Font de Gaume, Is it worth it over Lascaux? Since we are seeing Pech-Merle, I didn't want to do overkill on the caves.

Michael

I think that Lascaux is much more impressive, even though it is a reproduction; but the reproduction itself is impressive.

Lexma90

I just noticed this post. On Font de Gaume vs. Lascaux, there's a very helpful thread here on the exact choice you're trying to make. A search for &quot;Font de Gaume&quot; should locate it for you.

We visited Font de Gaume several years ago, when we first went to the Dordogne, and it is one of the top 10 sites I've seen in my life. We didn't go to Lascaux, because to me, it's still a reproduction. We're taking our son to the Dordogne NEXT MONTH (yay), and after viewing the websites, he said Font de Gaume looked boring. But after reading the thread, he's decided that Font de Gaume is his first choice for the area (we're also planning to visit Pech Merle). If we're not all caved-out, we'll also visit Lascaux.

mjsamherst

Well that was my thinking also Lexa90, We have reservations at both Pech-Merle and Font Gaume because like you we really felt strongly about seeing the originals and not a reproduction, and I felt like 2 caves was enough. I did go to Barnes and Noble and buy the Cadogan book on the Dordogne and I think its my favorite thus far. I would like to know if anyone has any idea approximately how long a drive it would be to make the drive from Sarlat to Martel, Collagnes La Rouge, Turenne loop?

Michael

I used to think that way too about Lascaux II, but then I should not visit many villages in the Dordogne, and elsewhere, that have been heavily reconstructed.

ira

Hi MJ,

&gt;how long a drive it would be to make the drive from Sarlat to Martel, Collagnes La Rouge, Turenne loop?

See www.mappy.com and www.viamichelin.com

Re Lascaux II.

You will quickly forget that it is a reproduction - it is that well done.

hausfrau

If you've never been to the Dordogne and you like castles, you simply MUST include Beynac and Castelnaud on your list. You should be able to fit them in since as Michael said you don't need to spend Thursday in Sarlat.

mjsamherst

I am thinking of allowing one long day for the drive starting at Sarlat to Martel to Collognes La Rouge to Turenne loop. That would allow Friday to visit a castle or two and then an afternoon canoe trip. Does that sound easily doable? And another question. On Saturday - the beginning of our trip we will be driving up from Carcassone to the Cahors area - can any of you recommend a picturesque drive? Or would it be better to just get on the interstate and get there quickly? Everyone is just so helpful on this site !!!! Thank you, thank you.

Michael

Carcassonne to Mazamet via D118, to Casteres to Albi to Cordes-sur-Ciel to Najac to Villefranche-de-Rouergue to Cahors. This is a scenic but time cosuming road. Najac is a <i>plus beau village de France</i>. The road between Cordes and Najac is particularly scenice, but very twisty and narrow.

moolyn

mjsamherst, consider taking the canoe trip first thing in the morning when the sun is at your back and the river is less crowded. Then visit chateaux in the afternoon.

There's a segment describing our canoe trip down the Dordogne with photos in my Dordogne trip report if you're interested. Just click on my name.

mjsamherst

Now just another questions if I dare. We will be spending the one night just outside of Fugel and then driving up to Sarlat. Does anyone have suggestions as to a pretty drive? We would like to see Domme and La Roque-Gageac (sp) this same day.

Carlux

Assuming that by 'Fugel' you mean Fumel, I would suggest tht you take the D673 toward Montcabrier and Frayssinet le Gelat. You could go a few km. off the road to have a quick look at Chateau Bonaguil.

In Frayssinet, stop and have a look at the monument in in front of the church to Victims of Nazi Barbary - this is the site of one of the atrocities in June 1944 which continued throughout the area, ending in Oradour sur Glane.

Stay on DD673 through Montclera, tiny, but with a pretty (private) chateau you can admire as you go through. If you're ready for lunch you are not far from Les Arques, home of La Recreation, the restaurant featured in 'From here you can't see Paris' and of the Zadkine modern sculpture museum.

Continue through Cazals, attractive bastide town with a big open square, then Salviac.

Just outside Salviac there is a left turn to D6/46 to Domme. Another good restaurant on this road, the St Martial, in St Martial de Nabirat. You'll soon be in Domme.

We did some of this route this afternoon, heading off to our favourite nursery in Prayssac, and it's a pretty road. A lot of it is marked green on the Michelin map, and looking very attractive today in the sunshine.

Finally, I am assuming that you have or will soon get, the yellow Michelin Map no. 329, Correze/Dordogne - essential for driving in this area.

mjsamherst

Thanks Carlux, yes I did mean Fumel. I don't yet have that map but will pick one up tomorrow.

mjsamherst

Does anyone have any suggestions for a nice hotel near the Charles DeGaule airport in Paris?

cigalechanta

there's a'leather shop in Collonges La-Rouge where I bought my dog a red leather collar with silver hearts. My dog died, I adopted a new one I named Pastis who wears it now. Its a lovely village.