Help--How to split my stays in the Dordogne?
 

Hi, My husband and I will spend 5 nights in the Dordogne region ( only 4 and a half days on the ground). Our first day is to pick up the rental car at 3pm in Brive, start driving to visit Collonges la Rouge, Loubressac, and Autoire, then spend one night in Loubressac or Autoire. (Any suggestion about the place to stay?) The next morning, head to Rocamadour and visit St. Cirq Lapopie, then by late afternoon check in to hotel in Sarlat and spend the four nights there. Is it better to base all 5 days in Sarlat or spending one night in Loubressac a viable option? Any suggestion will be appreciated. By the way, prior to our arrival in the Dordogne, we will already spend 4 nights in Paris to get over our jet lag. Thank you in advance for your inputs.

I visit Rocamadour from the Hautefort area as a day trip. The same goes for Collonges-la-Rouge. Sarlat is much closer to these towns. I would stay in Sarlat and do day trips.

What Michael said.

I disagree.

Collognes is MUCH closer to Brive than Sarlat is.

Also - Autoire, Carennac, Loubressac, Rocamadour, and Padarac are closer to Autoire/Loubressac than Sarlat is.

It seems to me that if you arrive in Brive at 3, you can visit Collognes, then head to Loubressac, Autoire, Carennac, and Padirac - and then stay in this region for 1 night. Next morning visit Rocamadour (before the crowds arrive) and then head to Sarlat. This way you can finish with all these sites east of the A20 with a minimum of driving.

You could do St Cirq Lapopie/Pech Merle as a day trip from Sarlat, but I think I would add it after Rocamadour to save driving time.

Stu Dudley

There was no claim that Sarlat was closer than Brive to Collo<b>ng</b>es. The question is whether the OP wants to move after a single night or prefers to organize a day trip once settled in Sarlat.

>>Sarlat is much closer to these towns<,

I interpet your "words" differently than you do. I assumed that "these" were referring to all the towns & sites that the OP listed - including Collognes, Autoire, & Loubressac, etc. On my map, "these" places are a lot closer to Autoire/Loubressac, than Sarlat is.

If this was my trip & I didn't mind spending 1 night in a one location and 4 nights in another (OP didn't state any objection to this), I would certainly stay in Loubressac/Autoire the first night after arriving in Brive at 3PM.

Stu Dudley

Thanks all of you for your inputs. Just as StuDudley said, my plan to spend one night in Loubressac area is to cut back the travel time so that I do not have to go back to the east Dordogne area after arriving in Sarlat. Your inputs are always appreciated and helpful to my travel plan. Thanks so very much.