Help with itinerary, please...Brittany, Loire and Dordogne?
 

Our October trip is fast approaching and we're making some final decisions for our days in the countryside. I would appreciate your comments on this itinerary. Too much?<BR>We are three active ladies in our 50's.<BR><BR>After our first week in Paris:<BR>Take the TGV to Rennes, rent a car and drive up to Dinan or Saint-Malo. Stay in Dinan 2 nights. <BR><BR>Drive down to Vannes or somewhere on the southern Brittany coast for 1 night. <BR><BR>Over to Saumur for 2 nights. <BR><BR>Down to Sarlat for 3 nights (2 1/2 days).<BR><BR>Take the TGV from Libourne and back to Paris for 2 final days. Total trip 17 days.<BR><BR>OK, have at it!<BR><BR> <BR><BR>

Sounds pretty good - what do you want to know? Two and a half days in the Dordogne is way too little, but if it's all you can spare, it'll have to be enough.

Yeah, I'm really torn about so little time in Sarlat. The alternate plan would be to drop Brittany and spend the first few days in Chartres and the chateaux region. Then we could do 5 nights in the Sarlat area. We may just have to flip a coin. <BR><BR>

From Sarlat to Libourne, stop for an hour in St Emilion.

why go to Libourne just to return a car and catch the TGV? Can't you do it in P&eacute;rigueux which has a direct train connection with Paris? Perhaps not the TGV, but fast enough.<BR><BR>From Sumur to Sarlat, I would recommend a stop in St. Savin to visit the Romanesque church and its frescoes. If you have the time, a stop in Brant&ocirc;me or Bourdeilles (I prefer the latter).

I agree - drop the car in P&eacute;rigueux rather than drive all the way to Libourne. Most of the car rental agencies have offices right at the train station. Then you hop on the delightful slow train back to Paris through Limoges.

I was concerned about that train change at Limoges (with luggage). But now that I think about it, it's probably not a big station so not a problem. Thanks for all the input.

Jeanne: Nine times out of ten it's not even a change of train - the train just stops for 10 minutes while they hook up extra cars. If it does involve a change, it's almost always get off the train and walk three feet to the next train which is immediately adjacent.

That's the kind of information which make this board so priceless. Thank you...that means we can enjoy another half day in the region!

Your itinerary seems very sound to me..