odie1

Continued to try for something more centrally located like Saint Enimie but the one hotel I did find that would be open, wrote to me and said that there will be no restaurants open when we will be there.

Is Millau a good choice to stay in? I think we will be doing an awful lot of extra driving if we stay here though.

Was considering scrapping the idea of the Gorges du tarn and maybe considering Bordeaux instead, Thoughts on that?

menachem

You could try the Gorges de la Dourbie, from Millau to Nant, then drive to La Cavalerie and from there to La Couvertoirade: both beautiful templar strongholds.

I like Millau, but ymmv of course. Gorges du Tarn is only one example and perhaps the most famous one, but the entire landscape is beautiful there.

StuDudley

We actually stayed for a week in a Gite on the "other" side of Mallau from the Gorges du Tarn, and getting to the Gorge was no big deal.

If you spend any time in Toulouse, I would want to see something other than a "big city". Bordeaux is a big city. I actually prefer Toulouse over Bordeaux.

Stu Dudley

odie1

We are spending no time in Toulouse, just the final evening.

All restaurants in Nant will be closed as well. Hermitage Saint Pierre says we would need to drive to Millau for dinner. This also creates an issue for finding food for lunch as we are doing our day drives. I suppose if we stay in Millau, we can find a boulangerie or something to get some food to bring in the car for lunch.

If I do not end up scrapping the whole idea of this area, then this is what I am thinking:
Nov 19-Albi
Nov 20, 21 and most likely 22-Chateau de Creissels with day drives to surrounding area.
Nov 23 (and maybe Nov 22)-Laguiole
Nov 24 -visit Pech Merle at 2:00 on our way to spend the night in Toulouse.

StuDudley

You don't want to spend Sun Nov 19 or Monday morning in Albi. It will be dead, dead, dead. Cathedral & Toulouse Lautrec museum will probably be open - but all shops will be closed. Perhaps stay in St Cirq Lapopie (tourist town - never closes) and visit Pech Merle then.

Laguiole isn't very exciting - I assume you'll visit Estaing, Conques, and Figeac before returning to Toulouse.

Or you could visit Albi & Conques after the Gorges du Tarn.

In about 3 hrs, we depart for a month long vacation in Italy.

Stu Dudley

Michael

<i><<Sarlat and the Dordogne>>

At the end of November? No.</i>

I do not see the Gorges du Tarn as any better. I would stay in Toulouse and do day trips: Albi, Montauban/Moissac, Carcassonne, even a long day to the Pyrenees might be OK depending on the weather.

StCirq

I totally agree with Michael. There's no need to trek to Bordeaux. If your logistics can't work out staying in the Gorges du Tarn, stay local. Visit Castelnaudary, Revel, Graulhet, Puylaurens, Castelnaud-de-Montmiral, Albi, and all the other fantastic towns and villages close by.

I don't understand spending no time in Toulouse. It's w really wonderful city!

odie1

We were trying to focus more on nature this trip versus a city. Was willing to throw in a few small villages, interesting sights as well. I was thinking of areas in the Bordeaux region not as much as Bordeaux itself but perhaps I would run into the same issue. I can't really see us wanting to drive in and out of Toulouse everyday either...

Better rethink the area!

StCirq

Well, I gave you a whole passel of interesting villages around Toulouse. You're not going to find that around Bordeaux. unless you go to the coast and trundle around Arcachon and Cap Ferret. Trust me. I live here.

odie1

thank you stcirq, I appreciate it.