Llo to St. Crepin-et-Carlucet
 

In late September I will be driving from Llo to St. Crepin-et-Carlucet. My arrival time in St. Crepin is 5:00.
I am very open to suggestions of route to take, places to stop etc. along the way. I would prefer the non-autoroute roads. I know there are many interesting places along the way.
Thanks,
Joan

I should add that it will be a Sunday. That may make a difference for your suggestions.
Joan

In St. Crepin-et-Carluce you will be right next door to Les Jardins du Manoir d’Eyrignac. Check the web site.

topping for Joan

St-cirq, are you there?

Joan,

I suggest to drive directly (autoroute) to Toulouse, Montauban and before arrving to Cahors, stop in Montpezat de Quercy. Nice and non-toursty village with very interesting tapestries in the church. Then, drive to Lauzerte (another interesting village) and to Bonaguil (impressing chateau). From Boanguil to St. Crepin, you can stop at Monpazier, fantastic bastide in Perigord.
This is a suggestion, but there are a lot of possibilities more.

Àlex

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm not sure how the drive will go time wise. I guess I will just have to play it by ear with my stops here and there.
Joan

I understand your desire not to take the autoroute, but the difficulty is that you are coming a long way, and starting in the Pyrenees, where there are not many roads. However, one way to do it would be:
Dii8 to Axat, and then left on D 117 to Limoux/Quillan/Carcassonne. Just after you turn onto the D117, you pass by St Marin Lys, where we found a great picnic spot a few weeks ago, on a tiny island in the middle of the river. If you’re ready to stop, it’s charming.

Go past Carcassonne, where you don’t have time to stop, and where it’s pretty touristy anyway, then north on D118 to Mazamet, N112 through Castres, around Albi, and then onto Cordes by D600. Nice place to stop, as is St Antonin de Noble Val. Then west to the N20, where you may want to stop at Monpezat de Quercy.

Even if you don’t stop, all these roads are attractive in themselves. Great mountain views on the first bit, lovely rolling hills east of Carcassonne.

By now you may want to pick up the A20, as it’s an attractive part of the autoroute. I don’t know how your hosts at St Crepin have suggested you get there. Probably get off at Souillac, take D62 to Salignac (great view of chateau) then west on D60.

The advantage of doing this on a Sunday is that you can go around or through most of the large towns without meeting too much traffic,

Susan

When you get to St. Crepin, I hope you're staying at Les Granges Hauts. It's wonderful. Have Jean-Ives cook for you. His dinners are as good or better than any restaurant and incredibly good value.

Ditto on Les Granges Hautes. Jean-Yves' wife, Beatrice, made the BEST desserts and breakfast items. And are charming and gracious as well.
Paule

Yes, I will be staying at Les Granges Hautes..for 6 nights. I have French friends spending 3 nights, arriving on the Sunday that I arrive. We will be dining out at many of the great restaurants in the area. I will partake of the B&B one night after my friends leave.
Susan, Thanks for your info. Via Michelin says by their way would be 4 hours..the direct way, of course. Agreed re Carcassonne..been there, done that..actually stayed at the La Cite Hotel. Pretty in the evening when all the tourists have gone...horrible during the day!! I have been to Cordes previously , too. You have many suggestions for place where I have not been..thanks. I do have the directions on the website for Les Hautes.
I will check my maps for the route that you have suggested. Yes, I am glad that it is a Sunday for the city areas.
Next, I will be looking for a suggested drive from St. Crepin-et-Carlucet down to Sare.That will be on Saturday. If over to St. Emilion, what is a interesting trip down to Sare?
Thanks,
Joan

Susan,

I looked at the maps and your route seems to have some noted sight-seeing routes. I also checked the mileage and suggested time by via Michelin from Montpezat-de-Quercy. It was 113 km and 1 hr. 17 minutes. That can give me some sort of time reference when I get that far.
I will do some more Via Michelin checking for where I may be about lunch time.
Thanks for the help.

Joan

I checked and Michelin says it is 3hrs. 20 min. from Llo to Mazamet. This is putting me in the lunch time areas..on a Sunday...any ideas???

Does anyone know if it's possible to have dinner at Les Granges Hautes if you're not staying there?

Here is their website and e-mail address. Drop them an e-mail and ask..

www.les-granges-hautes.fr
[email protected]

Thanks so much!