leslieq

We're thinking of staying at the Chateau de la Caze in the Gorges du Tarn area for one night, and worried that it will not be enough. We'll be staying around Sarlat and will drive to the Chateau on the way to St Remy.

I am so entranced by the Gorges and the Chateau, but after checking out distances, etc. see that it's about 3.5 hrs from Sarlat and another 3.5 or so to St Remy. Yikes. That seems like it would leave us little time to relax and enjoy it with drives both before and after.

Has anyone stayed there recently? Are there hiking or walking trails nearby? Am thinking of trying to squeeze another night into this area if so. It would be frustrating if all we'd be able to do would be just to drive around in this beautiful area.

For some reason am having a hard time finding more detailed information on the Gorges area.

We have a little over two weeks for a trip that started out as just visiting the Dordogne area and Provence, but my husband insisted on adding four nights in Paris at the start. I might just have to give up the Gorges if this is trying to do too much in a short time.

Thanks, and sure appreciated the advice on the Paris hotel in my previous post.

kansas

Leslie, I checked Via Michelin, and see the driving time from Sarlat to Chateau de La Caze is a little over 5 hours. The Gorge du Tarn is such a beautiful area, it would be a shame to just have one night to spend there.

StuDudley

According to viamichelin.com, it is 5 hrs from Sarlat la Caneda to Ch de la Caze. I would budget 5 3/4 hrs for pottie breaks, lunch, etc. That's longer than I would want to drive all-at-once in one day - especially if it was followed by a 3 1/2 hr drive the next day. Exploring the Gorges du Tarn would take some driving also. No time for rest & relaxation.

I would do the fast autoroute to St Remy (6 hrs) with a 2 1/2 hr stop at Carcassonne about half-way.

Stu Dudley

historytraveler

We stayed at Chateau de la Caze three years ago, and it was magical. We loved it. I think there are enough activites and sights nearby to warrant two nights.

Christina

I don't think driving 5-6 hours is that bad myself, but it does leave you little time in the area if you leave next day, of course. I don't mean to cite the obvious, but there seems to be enough tourist info online, like

http://www.tourisme-aveyron.com/en/d...orges-tarn.php

http://www.karenbrown.com/Trip_Plann...du_Tarn/29.php

http://walkinginfrance.info/?page_id=13521

http://www.causses-cevennes.com/randonnee/accueilUK.htm

http://www.terdav.com/ps-france/rn-m...ges-tarn-jonte

http://www.labalaguere.com/randonnee...arn_jonte.html

http://www.linternaute.com/voyage/fr...orges-du-tarn/

some of those may be only in French

leslieq

Wow. Using Google Maps, I got only 3.5 hrs drive from Sarlat to La Malene and using the viamichelin link from Stu it does give 5 hours as he and Kansas say above. Wonder why so different? I used Sarlat to La Malene for both searches. I agree that it's more driving than we'd like to do in a day on this trip. It also makes it absolutely clear that one night would for sure not do it!

I do like Stu's suggestion of the drive through Carcassone, which is what we were planning as an alternative.

Christina, thanks so much for the links. I had not seen the first aveyron link.

Since I posted this, I decided to write to the Chateau owner and get some more information. She sent me some wonderful links and maps (all in French, but you can see the walking paths and understand where to go). There sure is plenty of nice walking around there.

Now we just need to decide which alternative to take. I just love the Chateau and the Gorges area, and hate to give it up.

It sure was easier before my husband wanted to add Paris to this two week trip, but how can you complain about going to Paris for the first time??

Thanks for your responses. These were particularly helpful.

If anyone is interested in the information sent to me from Chateau de la Caze, I would be happy to forward their email to me.

StuDudley

There is a town called Sarlat, and another called Sarlat la Caneda. Sarlat is about 1 3/4 hrs northeast of Sarlat la Caneda - and closer to the Gorges du Tarn. Sarlat la Caneda is the one you want - in the Dordogne.

We've stayed within 45 mins of the Gorges du Tarn when we were on the Lot River near Espalion for 2 weeks about 5 years ago. The gorges look different in the morning than they do in the later afternoon. We visited them several times, at different times of the day. In 2015 we have a 2 week trip planned for the Gorges - staying for 1 week just east of the Ch de la Caze, and 1 week near Millau.

Stu Dudley

leslieq

Hi Stu,

Am jealous of your upcoming trip!

One thing that seems to be different about viamichelin vs google and yahoo maps is that both of the latter seem to have a fairly straight looking route through Gourdon and on through Figeac, while the viamichelin takes a loop up through Souillac, Soulange, and Gramat before dropping down into the same route as google and yahoo.

Does that make sense and why the viamichelin route is longer? I did get the same 5 hrs as you did with viamichelin. We do have the right Sarlat all three times. Maybe you could make sense of this if you have the time as I just have the three maps to go by without knowing anything else about why one route would be preferable. I do think we'll go ahead and spend two nights in the Gorges as I just don't want to give this area up!

Thanks, Stu. You've been really helpful already.

StuDudley

I'm just guessing that the Michelin "quickest route" uses a slower average driving speed than the Google one does. The Michelin "quickest route" goes south from Souillac on the A20 to Caussade, and then east to Ch de La Caze. 5 hrs 9 mins. I usually beat the Michelin time if I'm taking an autoroute (A20) because Michelin has you going no faster than the speed limit - and I drive faster than that (but I've received 3 speeding tickets).

Google goes through Gourdon - which I think is a prettier drive and the road to Gourdon is quite good (and fast) - but no autoroutes. 4 hrs 47 mins.

I try to take the autoroutes if I have a drive longer than about 2 hrs, because I find them easier to drive on for long stretches. If you take the Vimichelin "quickest route" (not "recommended route") you might stop at Villefranche de Rouguergue if it is their market day - which is Thursday am. They have a very scenic market in the center square. There is info about it in my Languedoc guide.

If you take the Google route, it goes through Figeac - which is one of our favorite towns in France. Get a walking map from the tourist office & follow it (you can skip sites 22 through 25 to save some time). Figeac will consume a little over 1 hr if you don't have too much trouble parking.

Stu Dudley