Hi--thanks in advance to the Fodors community for your help. As part of a 12-day-long Paris-Dordogne-Loire trip planned for next June/July, I'd like to ask for some assistance with the Dordogne section. Do you think this will be too rushed?


*Day 1--Arrive in Brive from Paris around 1:00, pick up rental car, drive to Sarlat and explore the town. Stay at Manoir de la Malatrie in Vezac.


*Day 2--See Gardens of Marqueyssac, have lunch at Gardens. Tour Chateau de Beynac, and La Roque Gageac. Have dinner at La Belle Etoille in La Rocque.


*Day 3--Three-and-a-half hour canoe trip with Canoes Loisirs in Sarlat, starting from Vezac. Return to hotel for relaxation and time at the pool. Tour Chateau Milandes and catch 4:30 falconry show. Sunset balloon ride.


*Day 4--9 am tour of Rouffignac cave, then on to Cave Font-de-Gaume. Lunch at de Laugerie Basse and then to Lascaux II. The pre-history museum may be a possibility this day, also.


*Day 5--Drive to Libourne, drop off rental car, catch 11:30 train to Tours.


Is this too much of a whirlwind? Should I add a day to the Dordogne?

You might stop at Collonges la Rouge just outside of Brive on Day 1.

The rest isn't too hectic, IMO. Day 2 might be a little "light". Maybe add Rouffignac or Font de Gaume because day 4 might be your most crowded day.

Where would you subtract a day if you added a day to the Dordogne to visit Domme, Castelnau, Jardins d'Eyrignac, etc.

Consider having dinner in Sarlat & exploring it again in the early evening when it is less crowded.

Stu Dudley

Hi M,

>Is this too much of a whirlwind? Should I add a day to the Dordogne? <

Yes and Yes.

Slow down and enjoy your overplanned visit.

Thank you, Stu! I will look into Collonges la Rouge and think about moving one of the Caves to Day 2. This is just the sort of guidance I was hoping for! I know that the amount of time I will have in the Dordogne is very short, and I hope to return in the future to do it more justice.

It doesn't sound too rushed to me, especially if you go in June. In July, traffic can be wicked.

If you're going to drive to Rouffignac (and you don't have to to see that sort of cave - Bara-Bahau in Le Bugue is closer, though it doesn't have un petit train), take the time to stop at St-Léon-sur-Vézère and La Roque-St-Christophe.

I can't imagine eating at the Laugerie Basse with all the tour groups. You can have a perfectly wonderful...and huge...sandwich at the Café de la Mairie, as I did yesterday, for a mere 4.50 euros, or if you want a really nice meal, Le Vieux Moulin.