kansas

I find I always need to be planning a trip to France...

We went to Toulouse, Rocamadour, Sarlat and Paris last September. We missed Carcassonne, Albi, St. Antonin Noble Val, Bruniquel, and Penne. We also did not get to Gouffre de Padirac or Martel. We never made it to Lascaux II or Brantome or Chateau de Hautfort. You are probably wondering what we DID see!!

Anyway, next trip is beginning to form in my mind. I would like to spend 2 nights in Albi, several nights around the Gorge du Tarn. See the Millau Bridge. Perhaps stay in Belcastle in the Aveyron. See the Gouffre de Padirac,, etc. and back to Sarlat. I would like to do this with 14 nights of hotels or B and B's. I think I would like to spend 5 or 6 nights in Sarlat. My husband wants to have plenty of time for a canoe trip this time, too.

Is this a good plan? Any ideas of the best direction to accomplish my wish list?

I do have Stu's Languedoc itinerary. I have read Images2 excellent trip report.
St. Cirq, you mentioned in another post that you knew a really good B and B in Florac. Could you please tell me the name of it?

I have lots of time...sadly this years slush fund was used for major foundation work on our house and building retaining walls to keep the basement walls where they belong! I am thinking ahead to 2013. But, heaven knows, I do LOVE the planning and thinking!
Thanks for any help you can give me.

StCirq

kansas, the B&B is La Baume, in St-Private-de-Vallongue.

StCirq

Sorry, St-Privat (not Private)

Michael

You might want to look for a B&B or <i>gite</i> around Brantôme to see that area.
Plan on a Wednesday morning for the Périgueux market, lunch at l'Essentiel (reservations required), and then a visit of the old town and la Vésunna.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...82383670/show/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...21148969/show/

taconictraveler

Michael- your pictures of Brantome and Bordeilles are just marvelous! We particularly loved Bourdeilles, and might have gone there because of you!

kansas

Thanks for the info, St. Cirq. I will put that on my list of good possibilities. And Michael, your photos have always inspired me. I have poured over them many times. And, finally, taconic, I remember you writing about Bourdeilles in your trip report. I have hotel Les Griffons on my list of possibilities.

I will need to figure out which direction to head first. Then the tricky part of being in the right place on the right days!

Michael

I wish we could edit our own postings. Here's the web site for l'Essentiel, and yes, the dessert does look like that:

http://restaurant-perigueux.com/gast...e-perigourdine

StCirq

It's funny that you even mention Bruniquel. It's just a dot on the map. Not like you missed anything, really. And I never got the attraction of St-Antonin-Noble-Val. And never even heard of Penne. I think there are lots more places in that neck of the woods that merit attention.

kansas

St. Cirq, I think St. Antonin, Bruniquel and Penne are all short stops....the main attraction, I believe, is the view and the drive along the Gorge de l'Aveyron.

I would like to get the "skeleton" of this future trip figured out so I can later fill in all the wonderful details.

I am thinking of starting again in Toulouse (two nights to get over jet lag). One night in Albi, three nights in Belcastel (in Aveyron), one or two near Rocamadour again, then on to the Dordogne for the remainder of our trip. Last night spent near Toulouse Blagnac airport for early morning flight home.

I am hoping to make day trips from Belcastel to go to Conques, Figeac, part of the Gorge du Tarn, and the Millau Bridge.

Does this sound reasonable? We do not like tearing around checking off items on our to-do list. A relaxed trip is much more enjoyable for us.

StCirq

Sounds like a good "skeleton" to me. But here are some other places I would consider - and I'd rank them ahead of St. Antonin, Bruniquel, and Penne - Cordes-sur-Ciel, Olargue, St. Guilhem-le-Désert, and the Grotte des Demoiselles.

And two nights near Rocamadour would be good for visiting Martel, Collonges-la-Rouge, and the Gouffre de Padirac.

kansas

Thanks, St. Cirq. I always trust your advice. We did stop at Cordes-sur-Ciel last September. I would certainly go back in a heartbeat. And we were in Rocamadour, but missed the villages/caves you mentioned.

Thanks again for your input!

Rosemary