annhig

tom, here's another vote for the gouffre.

there are a couple of restaurants at the top, which looked reasonable and were full of french people.

maitaitom

Our spring trip will now take place in fall. It will also have to be a little shorter.

I know you can't predict the weather, but in the last week of September and first two weeks of October, what could we expect for our Dordogne and Languedoc? We have 17 total nights.

So here's the new itinerary:
Day 1 through 6 - Fly to Paris (after spending the night, take an early train to Limoges - arrive about 11 a.m., pick up car, see Oradour-sur-Glane and Chateau Hautefort, then drive to Sarlat where we spend five nights and see the region via day trips. We have already booked an apartment at Villa des Consuls in Sarlat.

Day 7-8 -Drive to Albi/Najac/ via Figeac and Conques - day trip to Toulouse Cordes-sur-Ciel from Albi

Day 9 - Carcassonne (to skip or not to skip, that is the question)

Day 10 - Carcassonne to Montpelllier via via Peyrepertuse & Quéribus Châteaux (perhaps could skip this long day by visiting a closer Cathar fortress and going to Montpellier or another base town)

Day 11, 12, 13, - Montpellier area (see Grotte des Demoiselles, Grotte de Clamouse, St Guilhem le Desert, La Couvertoirade, Roquefort, Millau/Tarn Gorges/Aven Armand, Nimes, Pont du Gard)

Day 14 - Drive Avignon (Pont-du Gard, Palais des Papes, maybe Chateauneuf du Pape

Day 15 - train Avignon to Paris (three nights Paris)

Fly home

Am I close to a reasonable schedule? Thanks.

ParisAmsterdam

Personally, I rather like Carcassonne. Yes, Leduc didn't restore it exactly as it had been (who could have?) but it's still an impressive place.

Doing a day trip to Toulouse from Albi then on to Carcassonne doesn't make sense to me. You're backtracking a lot and will cover much of the route again the next day. Spend the day in Toulouse then drive the hour or so to Carcassonne for the night. The Cite is lit at night and does not close... it almost always quiet and interesting late in the evening.

Judy

We were in Dordogne last year the end of September. We had what we consider perfect weather for traveling.....mid to high 60's during the day with cool evenings. WE had an occasional warmer day and very little rain.

Looks like a great trip!

taconictraveler

Beware of weather changes, Tom. We were in Dordogne from 23 September to 3 October this year, and the weather was mostly mid 80's by mid-day and we were dying for the pool!! ( or diving for the pool)

Didn't chill off again til we got back to Paris on 4 October.

More comments later when I return.

TPAYT

bookmarking and taking in all of this good advice

maitaitom

Thanks Judy and tt. We usually enjoy autumn trips, but due to my schedule this one starts a week after I had wanted it to start so goes about 14 days into October. Of course, if it rains, there's always vin rouge.

PA - Good advice on Toulouse. What would be some recommended day trips from Albi area?

Still contemplating doing a long day going to Peyrepertuse and/or Quéribus Châteaux.

Thanks.

kja

I can't comment on most of your itinerary, as I haven't been to some of these areas yet, but:

I think your plans for Paris and Sarlat make sense - enough to see the best of Paris and to see many of Dordogne's highlights, while still leaving enough time to explore and experience some other parts of France.

> Day 7-8 -Drive to Albi/Najac/ via Figeac and Conques - day trip to Toulouse Cordes-sur-Ciel from Albi

It depends on what you want to see and experience, but this schedule seems very tight to me!

I visited Figeac and Cordes-sur-Ciel before arriving in Albi, but not on the same day. If I recall correctly, I spent about 2 hours in each and could easily imagine enjoying at least one more hour in each.

I thoroughly enjoyed Albi, where I spent an evening (wonderful meal at Le Clos Sainte Cecile) and better part of the next day to see the Cathedral, Toulouse Lautrec Museum, and a bit of a walk through the city. BTW, I thought the audio guides for both the Cathedral and Museum well worth it. And be prepared for a very long lunch-our siesta during which basically nothing will be open except restaurants!

I left Albi mid-afternoon, headed for Toulouse. I had the rest of that day and then one very, very full day before an overnight train. I would have loved more time in Toulouse! Great museums and churches and streets and parks and a wonderful feel to it. (And some great memories of my wonderful dinner at Le 19.)

Hope that helps! And hope the delay isn't related to your experiences of last year. None of us want you going on THAT journey again!

taconictraveler

I'm with you up to Day 7 & 8, and then you lose me, partly because I haven't been to a lot of those places, but also because it looks like a huge chunk to bite off.

I might skip some of that in order to spend more time in places like the Cathar area, totally fascinated us, intriguing history,and we did it on a day trip from near Nimes, where we stayed with friends.

Places that I have been and recommend would be Nimes, (very big on my list: Roman amphitheater, the stunning Roman "Maison Caree, with the new Nimes Library/Museum, a modern riff on the Maison Caree across the square, (and a rooftop garden restaurant for that lunchtime wine break)

Next I loved small towns, like St. Guilhem le Desert, memorable as a perfect small town, with a memorable concert, and lastly La Couvertoirade,atiny perfectly preserved (not restored) walled town.

I'll check your sched out more tomorrow, to see if I can add anything very useful....

taconictraveler

I guess I can't add much more. Carcassonne is pretty touristy, but I 'll bet its lovely in evening and early morning. I'll be glad to hear what your final route is.

julia1

All this planning-talk starts me yearning to return to the region again! Most of my trips to this area have been in late September and/or first half of October and the weather has been lovely, except for one year when we had a day or two of rain.

StCirq

I like the idea of heading to Carcassonne in the evening and spending the night there when the hordes have gone. Be sure to check out the lower town as well as the castle.

I think Days 7 and 8 will be jammed.

I love the whole area within the triangle formed by Albi, Toulouse, and Castres: Graulhet, Lavaur, Puylaurens, etc.

As an aside, I would stay away from Montauban, the city of no left turns. I've spun around there more times than I care to remember, and I don't recall there being much of anything of interest (though I could have missed something if it was to my left). Also Mazamet - shudder.

Michael

Montauban: Place Nationale of the same era as Place des Vosges in Paris. The Ingres museum in the former bishop's palace.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...57623877915948

Michael

I meant in the bishop's former palace.

StCirq

That does look like Place des Vosges! I'll probably never find my way to it, though.

TDudette

Just skimmed through so sorry if this is a repeat or no longer applicable:

Hubs and I stayed in New Hotel du Midi ( http://www.new-hotel.com/en/hotel/du-midi ) in Montpellier in 2006. It is right on the edge of the Place de la Comedie ("Egg") so a hop, skip and jump to the opera house, much food and shopping and the tram to the station. We went to Arles and Avignon from there.

At that time, there were mixed reviews on TA about it, but our room was newly redone and cars were allowed on the street there to at least drop off stuff. Since we never drove, my memory is that public parking was underground and there was some issue about that. We ate breakfast on the Egg because it was too expensive at the hotel.

One day we took a diff tram to the university area and then walked back via St. Come Plaza. Stopped at a cheese shop and sampled Tomme du Haut, Barry Avignon Kolo (23 euros/kilo)--it was sooo good. We thought Montpellier had a great college vibe and we actually saw one of the student demonstrations as we ate our lunch. French college boys in dresses made us realize the seriousness of the situation...

Michael

My recollection of Montauban is that it is best to park near the river. The center of town is not that far.