Driving Sarlat to Brive--gas station fill up?
 

We will be driving from Sarlat to Brive train station to return car rented from Kemwel.

It has happened to us many times that we get near a train station and can't find a gas station to fill up. Very frustrating when we have to pay in excess for returning half empty.

Any comments on where to fill up going into Brive will be much appreciated.

First of all, you should be filling up at supermarkets, which are cheaper than gas stations. There are several around Sarlat, Champion in the north end, Casino going southwest, Leclerc going south. If you fill up at any of those as you leave Sarlat, you will still have a full tank when you arrive in Brive. If you prefer to wait until you get to Brive, there is a Champion hypermarche where the D89 joins the Autoroute, A20 (first Brive exit as you go north on the autoroute from Sarlat.)Just follow the signs from Centre Commercial.

Thanks Carlux----Just the info I was looking for and thanks for the tip on supermarkets vs. gas stations.

Another question---do the supermarkets take cash or US credit cards? We do not have a card with a pin.

They take cash and many take US credit cards but only during opening hours, which vary but generally 9:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 18:00 or 19:00.

Although the store may stay open over the noon break, the service station cashier's window is usually closed. There may be exceptions, particularly during summer, but you can't count on it.

' There are several around Sarlat, Champion in the north end, Casino going southwest, Leclerc going south. If you fill up at any of those as you leave Sarlat, you will still have a full tank when you arrive in Brive. If you prefer to wait until you get to Brive, there is a Champion hypermarche where the D89 joins the Autoroute, A20 (first Brive exit as you go north on the autoroute from Sarlat.)Just follow the signs from Centre Commercial.'

Sorry, for Champion read Carrefour. Sarlat supermarket changed name recently, and as for Brive, my mind had a blank. But they are definitely both Carrefour supermarkets. And both sell gas.

Noted

When we did this in March we couldn't find a station open in Brive with an attendant before our 9AM train so we had to turn it in without filling up- only down a quarter of a tank luckily. In June we found a mini-mart with pumps for not much more than at the Carrefour in Sarlat. It is on the main road leading into Brive-after the first turn to the train station on your left.

What we had planned to do is go to the Carrefour in Brive which was beyond the train station. They have an attendant after 8am so that is another option.

All of these places have a lot of billboards to help you find them. Never forget that with just about any car, you can drive 30-40km (or more) and your petrol gauge will still show that the tank is full.

This is not advice to cheat, but just information that you don't have to worry about it if you fill the tank before you get to town.

Yes, as I said, you shouldn't have any trouble getting from Sarlat to Brive with a tank that still shows full.