My husband has a trade show coming up in Bordeaux and we're starting to plan the logistics of the trip.

We tend to bookend our trips with stays in Paris, then do a drive/TGV combo (we love to drive in France). For this trip, we're considering driving <i>to</i> Bordeaux, then taking the train back.

We'll probably spread the drive over two days. Any recommendations on where to stop for dinner and a hotel (towns and/or specific hotels and restaurants)? I was thinking Tours, which is not quite midpoint, but we don't need to be too mathematically precise about it.

Any places between Tours and Bordeaux that you'd recommend? Many thanks.

Hi elle,

You might want to consider Rochechouart.

http://www.ville-rochechouart.fr/english/index.htm

If you have the time, I'd definitely go by way of La Rochelle. It's a wonderfully pretty town and it has loads of good restaurants.

Hmmm, maybe we should make the drive last <i>three</i> days. . .

Just saw an old Maigret episode, &quot;Maigret Goes to School&quot; I think it was called, that was set in a fishing village outside of La Rochelle. It did make me want to see the region.

You can head out of Paris through Le Mans, then on to Nantes on the coast. For there you head south following the coastline through La Roche-sur-Yon, Lucon, La Rochelle and Rochefort. At Rochefort you'll have to decide if you want to take the car ferry across the Gironde at Royan and tour the vineyards in M&eacute;doc, or drive along the river to Bordeaux.

There are a number of places to stay between La Roche-su-Yon and Rochefort that you might find interesting.

Enjoy the drive.

I also would suggest La Rochelle and highly recommend &quot;Les Flots.&quot; His father has the pricier &quot;Richard Coutanceau &quot;restaurant.

Though I enjoy Tours I've not driven into or out of it. It's supposed to be surrounded by some fairly unattractive suburbs and a lot of traffic. I wouldn't really recommend it.

In the last year or so I've been in La Rochelle, Cognac, Poitiers, Saintes and Angoul&ecirc;me.

Here are links to my two trip reports:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34546163

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34461207

La Rochelle was recommended by StCirq for my Nov. 2003 trip. It's a great city with its 3 medieval towers along the water front. Lots of dining is available. A few places along the water can be very tourist trade oriented but several are excellent too.

In the area is Cognac. It's a plain, little town but would make a great stop over if you're into cognac the drink. You could take a Cognac tour if you were in early enough in the evening or the next morning before you left.

In December I was in Saintes. It's a delightful town as well. Pleasant to stroll about with some Roman ruins, a few small museums and situated along the Charente River.

Poitiers is beautiful. The 4th century Baptistry and Romanesque Church are both fascinating.

I loved the food festival in Angoul&ecirc;me though it's only in December. The views along the ramparts are pretty and the old covered market is very nice.

So many choices, it'll be tough to decide.