First time in the French countryside--seeking advice
 

OK, here's the scenario: I'm taking my mom to France for about 10 days in mid-May to celebrate her retirement. We plan to stay in Paris 4-5 nights (at the end) and the rest in a couple of outlying areas (2-3 days each). I went to Paris for 5 days last fall, but mom has never been, and her main wish for the trip is to see some smaller towns/villages in addition to Paris (she refuses to be any more specific than that!). I do plan to rent a car for the time we spend outside Paris, but I'm having a hard time narrowing down the places to visit in the countryside. I do think we'd both love the area around Lyon--great food and the older Roman and middle-ages ruins nad villages. The other area I'm leaning toward is the Dordogne. (I really want to the see the prehistoric sites).

So, my questions are:

1. Would it be best to pick up & drop off the car in Paris or to take the TGV to & from our first/last stops in the countryside? (We're from Texas, so we're used to driving 4-5 hours to get from one place to another, but I figured taking the train would be faster and maybe cheaper given the price of gas.)

2. Can anyone recommend good bases (towns and/or specific lodging) for the time spend in the Dordogne and around Lyon? We'd like a B&B or chateau for these stays, since we'll be staying in a typical hotel in Paris.

3. Any tips for driving in France? This will be the first time I've rented a car in Europe.

Thanks, gang! My mom and I are really excited about this trip.

If going to the Dordogne, take the train to Bordeaux or Limoges and then rent a car. Look for PREM tickets (non-refundable low cost tickets) on www.sncf.com.

You can sometimes get a discount on car rentals by doing them through the SNCF site as well. There are many stations which have Avis renatl desks. Otherwise, I'm sure lots of people will recommend using Autoeurope.

One possible problem with renting a car at CDG (other than getting out of Paris which isn't necessarily an impossible mission) is that the cost may be higher than if you wait and rent elsewhere such as in Lyon or elsewhere.

I like your plan. I have rented a car in Paris and driven to the Loire valley, it took me about 2 hrs to get there (a few detours along the way). I still think of that trip as my best ever. Small villages, winding country roads, beautiful scenery, lots of chateaux, getting lost and loving it, good food,and cheap accomodations. My only 'mistake', even though it turned out out be an experience, was renting a car from a location on Rue Rivoli in downtown Paris. Getting out of Paris was fun, but also "hectic" :). So if I had to choose, maybe I would have rented at CDG. As for Lyon, I was there last October. I flew in to CDG and took the TGV to Lyon, stayed near the train station, use Metro to see all of Lyon (~3 1/2 days) and even took a local train out to Chambery (scenic route). The train system in France is so good, that I would consider it as a sole means of trasnport, assuming I was going to be doing "town to town" visits. If I was going to be wandering (and getting lost!) a car would be more conducive. So...TGV to your start location (if its not within 1/2 hts of Paris, then car/train depending on how you want to see the countryside.

Hope this helps,
Mike
PS I think Lyon is an undiscovered gem. I thought I would not find many things to see/do, it turned out that it has a lot to fill 3-5 days.

The flight from Texas is a long one. Consider staying in Paris first for a few days to get over jet lag. It's easier in a city where there are lots of activities day and night. Book a central hotel so you can crash mid-day if needed.

Then take a train to your next destination and rent a car there. If your mother wants small villages, the Dordogne would be ideal. Sarlat is a nice center. I'd skip Lyon this trip since you're going to Paris and don't have much time.

Hi g,

You will want at least 3 days in the
Dordogne.

You will need a car.

You can train to Libourne (smaller town than Bordeaux) and either take a train to Perigueux and pick up a car or drive from Libourne directly to the Sarlat area.

It will take 6-7 hr to get to Sarlat.

For things to do and see, my trip report might help you:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34676645

((I))

I believe that most (if not all) of the Dordogne caverns with authentic prehistoric paintings are not accessible to the public. You can, however, visit a cave with excellent reproductions (I believe it is called Lascaux II), but it is obviously not the same.

Still, the Dordogne has much to offer. The landscape is remarkably similar to the Ozark region of the US - rolling hills of hardwood forests dissected by rivers bordered by limestone cliffs. Of course you won't discover a hidden centuries-old chateau in the Ozarks (the Belcastel Chateau is particularly impressive). You should also see plenty of the famous Dordogne Geese and nearby Rocamadour is one of the most spectacularly situated towns in Europe.

The best driving advice I can offer is to beg, buy or steal a copy of the book Signposts French by Baer and Wightman. Actually, you can forget the begging and stealing and just order it from Amazaon. It is fairly inexpensive. The book is one of a series (there are Spanish and German editions) and has hundreds of pictures of the most common signs, each accompanied by a translation and explanation. The book is organized into chapters that address specific activities. There are separate chapters on driving and parking. Understanding the most common highway signs you are likely to encounter will make your driving experience less stressful and confusing. The Signposts book also has equally useful chapters on shopping, restaurants, hotels, safety, etc. It was one of the best travel books I have ever purchased, despite the fact that I can read French fairly well (I also have the German edition).

Hope this helps and best of luck.

Just to keep the record straight, I believe Belcastel is in the Aveyron rather than the Dordogne...but very near and well worth the detour!

I agree with the "train to Libourne" suggestion after your Paris stay. You can avoid the high traffic of Bordeaux, stop off at St. Emilion if that interest you and enjoy the lovely Dordogne.

Do a search on the cave visits here on Fodors, though. There is lots of information already available on threads, and you will want to have reservations ahead of time.

Don't try to do both Lyon and the Dordogne in only 5 days. I'd pick the Dordogne. There are loads of prehistoric sites, including caves, open to the public (Font-de-Gaume, Combarelles, Castel-Merle, Grotte de St-Cirq to name a few of the caves only).

I wouldn't drive to the Dordogne from Paris. Take the TGV to Libourne and then the pokey local train to Périgueux or Sarlat and pick up a car there.

Base yourself within about 20 kilometers of Sarlat, preferably to the west. Or stay in Sarlat itself.

If you do a search on this board you should get reams of info about accommodations in the Dordogne near Sarlat.

For those who favor the train over the car for the trip from Paris to the Dordogne: What are the advantages of the train?

Depending on how many persons, the train is cheaper when one takes into account the rental + the fuel + the tolls. On the other hand, the car allows for sightseeing on the way, such as stopping in a chateau or two in the Loire valley.

Wow--thanks for all the great replies!! I'm glad to know I wasn't way out in left field with my plans. :-)

Michel: Thanks for the info on Lyon. I'm really looking forward to seeing that area.

Ira: As usual, thanks for the pithy advice and the trip report (I'm printing it for reading later). I think we will do 3 days in Dordogne and 3 in Lyon. We won't see everything everywhere, but that's fine with me--provides incentive for future trips. ;-)

Mimar: Thanks for the concern, but I usually sleep pretty well on the flight over, and I want to be in Paris at the end since that is where we are flying out, so the countryside will come first. I think the more leisurely pace will get us over jet lag better than the hustle of Paris. :-)

smueller: Thanks for the tip on the travel book. I'm going to look for it right away. I read French pretty well too, but advance knowledge of the road system sounds like a very smart idea.

All: Thanks for sharing your experiences and tips. If you think of anymore, please feel free to continue to contribute!