Getting to Sarlat sans car
 

I am staying in Aix-en-Provence, and after making reservations for 3 nights at a hotel in Sarlat, discovered that I cannot go by train from Aix to Sarlat. I could leave Marseille at 7 in the morning for a 9-hour, three-train ride, but I'm thinking there must be another way. Connection from another city in the south of France? A bus? Please help~ I have about 2 hours before I can cancel my reservation without penalty. Thanks~!

lily;

Tough one here. I drove :-)

Have you looked into a flight from Marseille to Limoges (might have to leave from nice), or Bergerac (don't think there are direct flights) or even Bordeaux, and then a train?

That is all I can think of outside of your bus option, of which I have no knowledge - sorry.
.

Hi Lil,

www.bahn.de shows that you can get from Aix to Souillac or Brive la Gaillard is about 7 hr by train.
There is a shuttle - twice daily from Souillac. I don't know about buses from Brive.

www.viamichelin.com says it is about 6 hr by car.

You can do it, but not easily. The date I looked at on http://www.voyages-sncf.com/ there was a train about 6 a.m. As you say, several changes - Marseille, Montauban, then to Souillac, where you can either take a long taxi to Sarlat, or the shuttle - which usually goes more than once a day - it tends to meet the trains coming north and south. That will take you into the centre of Sarlat.

The other option of course is to rent a a car, and drive yourself there. You will need one to get around the Dordogne, assuming you want to spend a little time outside Sarlat. There is very little public transportation here. And it would be a shame to miss seeing some chateaux, villages, markets, etc.

I agree with Carlux. I am not fond of driving abroad, but you really can't see much in Perigord without a car. Fortunately, the driving is really easy. Once you are there.

I would aim for one of the major railway junctions like Brive by train, then rent there for your time in the area.

Thank you so much for your replies. It does seem as if a car is necessary, but I'm not comfortable doing that. Also, my real aim is Josephine Baker's castle museum in Castlenaud~ I'm scoping it out to find out about taking a class (which will be based in Paris) there next year. The Museum owner told me that Sarlat~ at 16 km away~ was the closest place to stay. I was already resigned to a long and probably expensive taxi ride. I'll only have about 6 students in the class but this seems logistically very difficult unless I hire a van and driver for a couple of days. Or I may just put the trip off until I can come with my husband, who has no qualms about driving in foreign conditions. Ackislander, you say the driving is "really easy", but isn't the area mountainous? Anyway, thank you so much for your detailed responses.

It is hilly, not mountainous. I don't remember any precipitous dropoffs anywhere, and certainly not between Sarlat and Baker's chateau. Roads are narrow, except for the main highways, and they are not superhighways, but there is very little traffic off the main routes. Our only dangerous driving experience in ten days was coming around a blind corner and finding a gypsy wagon in the middle of the road ahead of us. Parking can be a problem, but not driving, in our experience.

Gosh, no, it's not mountainous. Somewhat hilly, but mountainous absolutely not. And driving in the area is completely delightful, except in August when the roads are clogged. Besides, whoever told you that Sarlat was the closest place to stay was nuts. You can actually stay right AT Les Milandes (Josephine Baker's castle) - there are cottages there for rent. The castle is owned by the area's richest citizen - he owns all the Intermarchés and Bricomarchés in the Périgord and has quite an empire. And there are places to stay in Castelnaud and nearby villages as well. Staying in Sarlat and taking taxis is kind of nutty, IMO.

St C is very knowledgeable about the region.

((I))