Doing the above-mentioned Turenne daytrip which includes Martel & Carennac from Rocamadour instead, I could substitute Padirac/Autoire/Loubressac in a curve on the way to Sarlat, which is actually a shorter route than visiting Padirac/Carennac/Martel on the way to Sarlat. Stu, your puzzle pieces can fit together in a variety of great ways! (Of course this means skipping Castlenau/Montal & St. Cere, but one can't have it all.)

Moneyburns, I know this is backwards from the direction you're traveling, but maybe you could flip something like that for your own purposes.

>>Interesting, Stu, that you liked Chateau Castlenau more than Chateau Montal as opposed to Carlux' viewpoint.<<

Just a matter of taste - just like art, movies, food etc. We enjoyed the more "rustic" elements of Castelnau (visited it twice). Thought the Montal tour was a little slow & tedious - which really doesn't make it a "lesser" castle, but the tour didn't engage us as much (visited only 1 time).

>>Of course this means skipping Castlenau/Montal & St. Cere, but one can't have it all.)<<

You'll see better or equal castles in Burgundy, Beaujolais, and the Dordogne - and better villages also. Castles with guided tours and lunch-hour closings can consume a lot of "wait" time. We've vacationed in the Dordogne area for 11 weeks total (plus 2 just south in Quercy) - so we don't mind wait times.

Stu Dudley

Sap,

Yes we have our accommodations which I booked back in February. In Sarlat we are staying at Les Cordelers - lovely look, great reviews and helpful owners. I just thought it would be nice to spend the first couple days in town where I could glean even MORE information out of folks, haha

Then I am moving about; against the recommendations of the forum- as nice and helpful as they are I could not bring myself to stay in one place.

I like staying in different types of lodgings from B&B's to Apts. to Chateaus to camping under the stars. I am a bit of a gypsy so we are moving over near Rocamandour to Domaine de la Rhue, which I believe, though cannot swear on it that StCirq recommended it as a place she likes near Roc.
SO I contacted them and they were on holiday but emailed me quite a bit, so I took that as a good sign. Again, a lovely looking property with interesting and helpful owners.

We are moving once again nearby to Ch. de la Treyne for 2 nights, as it is rather pricey and I felt 4 nights was too much. It is our anniversary so I wanted a splurge in a beautiful chateau. The manager and I emailed often as I did not have my dates set and she was most accommodating and helpful, even to the point of trying to help me with transport (we are renting a car) But they do get varied reports on other forums so we shall see.

Prior to Dordogne we are spending a week in Paris in a Paris Perfect Apt so you can see I am indeeed burning my money - in this case Euros.

I am feeling a bit like a C student in a honors class though, as I have not put down on paper a day by day itinerary. I have (for extra credit) printed out all the excellent advice given, have Stu's itinerary , Michelin book, the map (#3something), and information overload.

I do have 4 hours from Paris to Brive to put it on paper. Although I am thinking I could write a trip report called," Dordogne on the Fly,"

or" Dordogne and Surrounds as Experienced by a Gyspy Through Her Wine Bottle."

I did not plan my wedding (30 yrs) :)
and he is still around,:) :)
so maybe that way just works for us!

Be on the lookout - JUNE - for my report...

Tx all,
Moneyburns

MB, Les Cordeliers is exactly the place I had bookmarked for Sarlat, too. I will look forward to your report to hear about it and everything else. I'll have to check out Domaine de la Rhue as it hadn't crossed my radar yet.

I think your lack of overly detailed planning ahead of time is brave and refreshing. Like Stu said, these things are just a matter of taste. I'm an obsessive, information-gathering Type A person and trip planning is a great joy/hobby of mine. It's sort of a joke in my family and my husband is probably glad we can't afford to travel more often yet since we have three kids in college. As I bide my time while we budget vacations around those tuitions, the planning itself becomes my virtual escape.

As mentioned, I have to force myself to "go with the flow" once I land and hit the road as it does not come naturally to me. Anyway, you're certainly not a "C" student, you're just getting an "A" in another class.

I love your traipsing gypsy style. Truth be told, I would love to move in a linear fashion like that myself with just a backpack, but my travel partner rather likes to settle into one place for a little longer, so we have to compromise on that and do daytrip loops instead.

Good luck and let us know how it goes. You're going more than a year before I will, so I will be able to get tips & comments from you!

Sap, I laugh and welcome your comments! I wish I were more like you, but for some reason it is not in my DNA..
But funny, the one thing I zoom in on is where I stay? What is that all about...crazy..and then I see another place and go "oh no, I should have stayed there!"

So, we all have our idiosyncrasies- and yours is more likely smarter than mine; but in the end we can all share!

I understand Type A's and admit I am not one; maybe its all the wine I love to drink,haha
but it is really a loss I endured a while back that changed my frame of mind -and the one day at a time frame of mind; but that is another book :) however,I have a total understanding of "escapism" I am the queen of that in my family.

HOWEVER, the good thing is by you posting your itinerary I was able to download and print...and maybe even get to some of the areas; Who knows, I may end up in Spain!
I am just happy I am going to France after a few tough years.

Yes, with all the help I have received from
fodorites in planning this trip and again a trip to Africa in
Sept.,I will surely share with trip reports!