Me, myself and Dordogne – 2 weeks in the Beautiful French Countryside
Nov 9th, 2011, 05:43 AM
#21
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,707
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes, I do indeed live in Carlux - although right now we're in not so sunny Cape Town. When I go into Sarlat I always take the road through Ste Nathalene. I think it's the D47. Much nicer than coming in from the south, especially if you dont need to go to that end of town.
Nov 9th, 2011, 06:36 AM
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 382
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<b>Day 5 – June 29 – Gouffre de Padirac, Chateau de Montal and Driving to Sarlat (Part I)</b>
I woke up to dark gloomy skies with rain in the forecast. Although another sunny day would have been preferred, I was glad the temperature will finally cool down after the storm. After breakfast and packing up my luggage to be stored at Domaine to be picked up later that day, I headed to Gouffre de Padirac following Christine’s (proprietor of Domaine) advice to be at the Gouffre as soon as it opens at 9:30 to avoid the long queues.
I arrived at the Gouffre around 930 and there were already a few other cars in the parking lot. There was no line at the ticket office and I was soon descending into what felt like a subterranean world. It was pretty amazing to be standing at the bottom of the chasm and looking up at the giant gaping hole towards the sky. As you’re going inside a cave that is underground, it is cold inside so be prepared to wear a jacket (I wore a trench coat and pants that day) and make sure you have shoes with proper grip (ie: no flip flops!) . Unfortunately the tour was in French (I don’t think English tours were available or at least none was offered to me!) as you have a guide for the boat trip and the same guide stays with you for the entire visit (ie: you cannot wander off on your own). Although I was lost in translation, it didn’t distract me from enjoying the caves. I figured if I wanted to know about the caves, I can always read up on it on the internet afterwards.
In case you’re interested, here’s the link to the official Gouffre de Padirac which I thought was done very well to promote the cave. I wasn’t sure about going to the cave at first but I was sold after seeing the website the day before! I highly recommend coming here if you’re staying in Rocamadour.
http://www.gouffre-de-padirac.com/
I exited the cave in about 90 minutes. Sure enough, there was a long line outside the ticket office. I would say the wait would have been at least 30 minutes. I was glad I wasn’t going to be standing in line in the rain!
Knowing that I still had a few hours to kill before needing to head back to Domaine to pick up my bags and head to Sarlat, I decided to drive to St. Cere (where I drove through the day before) to have a look around. It was a bit difficult to find parking at first so I had to circle around the block a few times before finding a spot in one of the lots near the tourism office. After getting a map, which comes with its own self-guided walking tour, from the tourism office, I set off to find the Hotel de France restaurant for lunch. As I’m writing this trip report, I referred back to the Michelin Green Guide to check if the Hotel de France was mentioned in there and it is not. Hmm..I wonder who or what recommended Hotel de France? Anyway, the Hotel de France is a hotel (obviously) with a restaurant that is Michelin recommended. The hotel was a normal looking 3-star motel type accommodation so I checked the menu posted outside to make sure the menu was indeed appetizing because I really wanted some good food!
The dining room was empty when I entered and the décor was a bit dated (think pink carpet and leather-trimmed chairs upholstered in the same shade of pink as the carpet). I ordered the menu for 25 euros with an added 5 euros supplement (totaling 30 euros) since I chose the foie gras for the appetizer which comes with a small glass of sauterne. For the plat, I had themMargret de canard served with these chewy pancakes (delish!) and a tart berry sauce. For dessert, I opted for (of course) the Rocamadour chevre served with a side of salad. The food was fresh and of high quality. I thought the meal was a steal at 30 euros!
To be continued tomorrow...
I woke up to dark gloomy skies with rain in the forecast. Although another sunny day would have been preferred, I was glad the temperature will finally cool down after the storm. After breakfast and packing up my luggage to be stored at Domaine to be picked up later that day, I headed to Gouffre de Padirac following Christine’s (proprietor of Domaine) advice to be at the Gouffre as soon as it opens at 9:30 to avoid the long queues.
I arrived at the Gouffre around 930 and there were already a few other cars in the parking lot. There was no line at the ticket office and I was soon descending into what felt like a subterranean world. It was pretty amazing to be standing at the bottom of the chasm and looking up at the giant gaping hole towards the sky. As you’re going inside a cave that is underground, it is cold inside so be prepared to wear a jacket (I wore a trench coat and pants that day) and make sure you have shoes with proper grip (ie: no flip flops!) . Unfortunately the tour was in French (I don’t think English tours were available or at least none was offered to me!) as you have a guide for the boat trip and the same guide stays with you for the entire visit (ie: you cannot wander off on your own). Although I was lost in translation, it didn’t distract me from enjoying the caves. I figured if I wanted to know about the caves, I can always read up on it on the internet afterwards.
In case you’re interested, here’s the link to the official Gouffre de Padirac which I thought was done very well to promote the cave. I wasn’t sure about going to the cave at first but I was sold after seeing the website the day before! I highly recommend coming here if you’re staying in Rocamadour.
http://www.gouffre-de-padirac.com/
I exited the cave in about 90 minutes. Sure enough, there was a long line outside the ticket office. I would say the wait would have been at least 30 minutes. I was glad I wasn’t going to be standing in line in the rain!
Knowing that I still had a few hours to kill before needing to head back to Domaine to pick up my bags and head to Sarlat, I decided to drive to St. Cere (where I drove through the day before) to have a look around. It was a bit difficult to find parking at first so I had to circle around the block a few times before finding a spot in one of the lots near the tourism office. After getting a map, which comes with its own self-guided walking tour, from the tourism office, I set off to find the Hotel de France restaurant for lunch. As I’m writing this trip report, I referred back to the Michelin Green Guide to check if the Hotel de France was mentioned in there and it is not. Hmm..I wonder who or what recommended Hotel de France? Anyway, the Hotel de France is a hotel (obviously) with a restaurant that is Michelin recommended. The hotel was a normal looking 3-star motel type accommodation so I checked the menu posted outside to make sure the menu was indeed appetizing because I really wanted some good food!
The dining room was empty when I entered and the décor was a bit dated (think pink carpet and leather-trimmed chairs upholstered in the same shade of pink as the carpet). I ordered the menu for 25 euros with an added 5 euros supplement (totaling 30 euros) since I chose the foie gras for the appetizer which comes with a small glass of sauterne. For the plat, I had themMargret de canard served with these chewy pancakes (delish!) and a tart berry sauce. For dessert, I opted for (of course) the Rocamadour chevre served with a side of salad. The food was fresh and of high quality. I thought the meal was a steal at 30 euros!
To be continued tomorrow...
Nov 9th, 2011, 04:20 PM
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 382
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Kansas, thanks for your kind words. Oui, le histoire de chateau de montal est tres triste. 
How did you like the Dordogne in September? What time did the sun set? Just doing some thinking for my next trip to France and am debating if May/June or September is a better month (I avoid traveling in July/Augst due to the crowds, high fares etc).
How did you like the Dordogne in September? What time did the sun set? Just doing some thinking for my next trip to France and am debating if May/June or September is a better month (I avoid traveling in July/Augst due to the crowds, high fares etc).
Nov 9th, 2011, 05:16 PM
#25
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 412
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The weather was fabulous. Most days were sunny and quite warm, just on the verge of hot! There were no crowds to speak of, and I absolutely want to go back! A new trip is forming in my mind already. We missed many of the things you have mentioned: Albi, Autoire, St. Antonin Noble Val, Gouffre de Padirac to name a few...
I do not remember what time the sun set...we were in the area from September 4th to the 15th, then Paris till the 19th. I believe it certainly was still light out around 8:30 p.m. or later.
I do not remember what time the sun set...we were in the area from September 4th to the 15th, then Paris till the 19th. I believe it certainly was still light out around 8:30 p.m. or later.
Nov 9th, 2011, 07:40 PM
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 382
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Kansas - I really enjoyed your trip report btw. Thanks for sharing. I also used your queston from April 2011 to help plan my dordogne trip =)
Good to hear te sun was up until 830 or so...hmm maybe September sounds like a wonderful time to be in this part of France.
Good to hear te sun was up until 830 or so...hmm maybe September sounds like a wonderful time to be in this part of France.
Nov 9th, 2011, 09:40 PM
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 382
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<b>Day 5 – June 29 – Gouffre de Padirac, Chateau de Montal and Driving to Sarlat (Part II)</b>
After a very satisfying meal at Hotel de France, I needed to burn off all the calories I had consumed so I did the self-guided walk in the tourism office map around St. Cere’s old town. There were some old half-timbered houses and other old character houses lining the streets. The walk was interesting but I much preferred walking around Autoire and Loubressac.
After the St. Cere walking tour, it was 2pm and I didn’t want to get back to Domaine until 3:30pm for what I thought would be an easy drive to Sarlat (I stupidly thought the drive to Sarlat was only 45 mins from Domaine de la Rhue – more on this later). So I decided to check out Chateau de Montal which was situated just a couple of kilometers outside of St. Cere.
There were numerous rooms inside the Chateau. The furnishings were old and unrestored which I actually liked because it added to the character of the chateau. The chateau features a double spiral staircase which is said to be the most beautiful in France. The chateau was built by Jeanne de Balsac between 1523 and 1534, for her son who had gone to war; her desperate motto "plus d'espoir" (no more hope) which is carved above the door into the castle, suggests that he never came back.
I then headed back to Domaine to pick up my luggage and was en route to go to Sarlat. Now, this is where the confusion sets in. Google map shows the drive to Sarlat was 1 hour (just checked on gogole maps again) but my trusted GPS was showing the drive to be 1hr 30mins! At first I didn’t notice the driving time discrepancy between google maps and the GPS. I only noticed something was up when the GPS wanted to take me down this rural looking road that didn’t seem quite right. So I turned the car around and the GPS usually recalculates a new route if it sees that you’re heading into a different direction. But to no avail this time! It just kept telling me to turn around.
To make a long story short, I ended up listening to the GPS (I actually didn’t have a map with me for the entire trip which worked out fine except for this incident and another GPS incident for Sarlat which I will go into more details later. The GPS was invaluable otherwise). To this day, I’m not sure if I had taken the “right” route from Rocamadour to Sarlat. I guess I will have to find out the next time I’m there.
I was looking forward to this drive from Rocamadour to Sarlat but it ended up being the worst drive of the entire trip! I couldn’t wait to get to Sarlat and get off the windy roads which felt like they were never ending. Now this is something that is quite unusual for me because I love driving normally. I don’t know what it was – maybe it was the overcast skies coupled with the disobedient GPS?
Needless to say, I was not in a good mood when I arrived in Sarlat. I was staying at a B&B called La Lanterne on Rue de Montaigne. The Bowens (B&B proprietors who are English) had given me the heads up that parking is not available directly outside the B&B since they are located inside the old town but parking was available some 30 feet away in a lot. I found parking right by Rue de Montaigne without fail (thanks to the GPS who is now behaving properly) and decided to walk to the B&B first without my luggage.
When I entered the B&B other guests were sitting in the enclosed front yard having drinks and chatting happily. Roy (the husband) showed me to my room (85 euros per night excluding breakfast. Breakfast was 8 euros per person which can be ordered the night before) which was located up an individual staircase by the dining room area. The room was nicely decorated with a very high attic ceiling. The windows face the rocket-shaped lanterne des morts (translated to death lantern!) located behind the Cathedral. The bathroom was incredibly small with hardly any counter space except for a glass shelf above the loo and wash basin. The wash basin was one of those triangular corner ones and was so tiny – so tiny that I couldn’t do any hand washing in there which was annoying but I managed to hold off on the washing until my next destination.
My apologies if it sounds like I’m doing a lot of complaining about this B&B. In all fairness, the room was very clean and Terri (the wife) was a gracious host. Unfortunately I can’t say the same for her husband Roy and Terri’s mother who both made numerous sly and unwelcome remarks throughout my stay which I won’t go into details here.
My final verdict of La Lanterne: If you want to stay in the medieval part of Sarlat, then this is where you want to be because there are restaurants/sights within 2 mins from the B&B. I was told by Roy that other B&Bs are located at least 1km outside Sarlat on steep streets (not sure if this is true?) Rooms are nice but no wifi could get through the thick walls. But don’t expect top notch hospitality from Roy or Terri’s mother (I felt like I was being scolded by my grandmother in one of the “incidents” with Terri’s mother. Now that’s no way to make a guest feel.). Terri is lovely although she’s not around all the time (they seem to split their B&B duties 50/50). I’m neutral on whether I would recommend La Lanterne to others but I would unlikely return for another stay (partly because I wouldn’t stay in Sarlat again on my next trip to Dordogne).
Alright, back to the day in Sarlat….
It was already after 7pm after moving my luggage from the car to my room and doing some unpacking. I then set out to check out the town of Sarlat but really wasn’t in the mood for sightseeing. Still full from the very delicious lunch in St. Cere, I just ordered a take-out pizza from a pizzeria and ate it in the enclosed courtyard at the B&B with a cold beer. By the way, it’s funny how they don’t cut the pizza into slices here in France…
I had an early night and was excited to see my longtime friend H to join me in Sarlat for the next 4 days!
After a very satisfying meal at Hotel de France, I needed to burn off all the calories I had consumed so I did the self-guided walk in the tourism office map around St. Cere’s old town. There were some old half-timbered houses and other old character houses lining the streets. The walk was interesting but I much preferred walking around Autoire and Loubressac.
After the St. Cere walking tour, it was 2pm and I didn’t want to get back to Domaine until 3:30pm for what I thought would be an easy drive to Sarlat (I stupidly thought the drive to Sarlat was only 45 mins from Domaine de la Rhue – more on this later). So I decided to check out Chateau de Montal which was situated just a couple of kilometers outside of St. Cere.
There were numerous rooms inside the Chateau. The furnishings were old and unrestored which I actually liked because it added to the character of the chateau. The chateau features a double spiral staircase which is said to be the most beautiful in France. The chateau was built by Jeanne de Balsac between 1523 and 1534, for her son who had gone to war; her desperate motto "plus d'espoir" (no more hope) which is carved above the door into the castle, suggests that he never came back.
I then headed back to Domaine to pick up my luggage and was en route to go to Sarlat. Now, this is where the confusion sets in. Google map shows the drive to Sarlat was 1 hour (just checked on gogole maps again) but my trusted GPS was showing the drive to be 1hr 30mins! At first I didn’t notice the driving time discrepancy between google maps and the GPS. I only noticed something was up when the GPS wanted to take me down this rural looking road that didn’t seem quite right. So I turned the car around and the GPS usually recalculates a new route if it sees that you’re heading into a different direction. But to no avail this time! It just kept telling me to turn around.
To make a long story short, I ended up listening to the GPS (I actually didn’t have a map with me for the entire trip which worked out fine except for this incident and another GPS incident for Sarlat which I will go into more details later. The GPS was invaluable otherwise). To this day, I’m not sure if I had taken the “right” route from Rocamadour to Sarlat. I guess I will have to find out the next time I’m there.
I was looking forward to this drive from Rocamadour to Sarlat but it ended up being the worst drive of the entire trip! I couldn’t wait to get to Sarlat and get off the windy roads which felt like they were never ending. Now this is something that is quite unusual for me because I love driving normally. I don’t know what it was – maybe it was the overcast skies coupled with the disobedient GPS?
Needless to say, I was not in a good mood when I arrived in Sarlat. I was staying at a B&B called La Lanterne on Rue de Montaigne. The Bowens (B&B proprietors who are English) had given me the heads up that parking is not available directly outside the B&B since they are located inside the old town but parking was available some 30 feet away in a lot. I found parking right by Rue de Montaigne without fail (thanks to the GPS who is now behaving properly) and decided to walk to the B&B first without my luggage.
When I entered the B&B other guests were sitting in the enclosed front yard having drinks and chatting happily. Roy (the husband) showed me to my room (85 euros per night excluding breakfast. Breakfast was 8 euros per person which can be ordered the night before) which was located up an individual staircase by the dining room area. The room was nicely decorated with a very high attic ceiling. The windows face the rocket-shaped lanterne des morts (translated to death lantern!) located behind the Cathedral. The bathroom was incredibly small with hardly any counter space except for a glass shelf above the loo and wash basin. The wash basin was one of those triangular corner ones and was so tiny – so tiny that I couldn’t do any hand washing in there which was annoying but I managed to hold off on the washing until my next destination.
My apologies if it sounds like I’m doing a lot of complaining about this B&B. In all fairness, the room was very clean and Terri (the wife) was a gracious host. Unfortunately I can’t say the same for her husband Roy and Terri’s mother who both made numerous sly and unwelcome remarks throughout my stay which I won’t go into details here.
My final verdict of La Lanterne: If you want to stay in the medieval part of Sarlat, then this is where you want to be because there are restaurants/sights within 2 mins from the B&B. I was told by Roy that other B&Bs are located at least 1km outside Sarlat on steep streets (not sure if this is true?) Rooms are nice but no wifi could get through the thick walls. But don’t expect top notch hospitality from Roy or Terri’s mother (I felt like I was being scolded by my grandmother in one of the “incidents” with Terri’s mother. Now that’s no way to make a guest feel.). Terri is lovely although she’s not around all the time (they seem to split their B&B duties 50/50). I’m neutral on whether I would recommend La Lanterne to others but I would unlikely return for another stay (partly because I wouldn’t stay in Sarlat again on my next trip to Dordogne).
Alright, back to the day in Sarlat….
It was already after 7pm after moving my luggage from the car to my room and doing some unpacking. I then set out to check out the town of Sarlat but really wasn’t in the mood for sightseeing. Still full from the very delicious lunch in St. Cere, I just ordered a take-out pizza from a pizzeria and ate it in the enclosed courtyard at the B&B with a cold beer. By the way, it’s funny how they don’t cut the pizza into slices here in France…
I had an early night and was excited to see my longtime friend H to join me in Sarlat for the next 4 days!
Nov 10th, 2011, 05:03 AM
#28
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,707
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, I think the owner of La Lanterne was bending the truth a little. There is at least one other B&B in central Sarlat, Les Cordonniers, plus of course lots of hotels. Since Sarlat itself is in a valley surrounded by hills, there are others which are not within walking distance - but which escape the crowds and noise that guests at La Lanterne would experience in July/August.
I can imagine the rooms must be small - we looked at this house some years ago, and several owners ago, and I dont remember any spacious bedrooms. It sounds like you may have been in what what once the library, separate from the other rooms, but tiny.
Also, I live in an 18th century house with thick walls, and Wifi works fine. I dont see this as an acceptable excuse.
I was going to give you my opinion on the various sly and unwelcome comments, but it's probably better that I keep my mouth shut. Suffice to say that I sympathize, and am not completely surprised.
I can imagine the rooms must be small - we looked at this house some years ago, and several owners ago, and I dont remember any spacious bedrooms. It sounds like you may have been in what what once the library, separate from the other rooms, but tiny.
Also, I live in an 18th century house with thick walls, and Wifi works fine. I dont see this as an acceptable excuse.
I was going to give you my opinion on the various sly and unwelcome comments, but it's probably better that I keep my mouth shut. Suffice to say that I sympathize, and am not completely surprised.
Nov 10th, 2011, 05:46 AM
#29
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 412
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You may remember from my TR that we stayed at Les Cordeliers in Sarlat. It is only a very short walk to the medieval city center. We loved everything about it. It is too bad about your experience. I would definitely stay in Sarlat next time, thanks to the welcome we received at our B and B.
Nov 10th, 2011, 05:54 AM
#30
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 382
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Let's just say I think the owners of La Lanterne think they are the hottest thing in town...they have a bit of the "take it or leave it" attitude which I think is unacceptable if you are in the hospitality industry.
have you met the bowens (owners of la lanterne) before? the world is a small place...
yeah, don't even get me started on the sly comments...some of those comments were offensive actually. i wish i had something cheeky to say back but i was so caught off guard with those comments!
suffice to say, i will not stay there again for reasons mentioned above...
have you met the bowens (owners of la lanterne) before? the world is a small place...
yeah, don't even get me started on the sly comments...some of those comments were offensive actually. i wish i had something cheeky to say back but i was so caught off guard with those comments!
suffice to say, i will not stay there again for reasons mentioned above...
Nov 10th, 2011, 08:41 AM
#33
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,123
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
+1 for Carennac, Domaine La Rue, and Gouffre de Padirac
Some photos from our July 2011 vacation
http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/...gne/?start=all
Some photos from our July 2011 vacation
http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/...gne/?start=all
Nov 10th, 2011, 06:29 PM
#35
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 382
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<b>Day 6 – June 30 - Chilling in Sarlat</b>
The clouds have lifted from the skies and so did my bad mood when I woke up the next morning to another beautiful sunny day in the Dordogne. Today turned out to be the most relaxing day I’ve had since being away from home for 2 months.
I made coffee from the Bowen’s Nespresso machine and sat out in the shaded courtyard to use the wifi (since wifi wasn’t accessible in my room!). During such a long holiday, it’s great to just sit back and do nothing. It was nice to take a break from sightseeing! I was also in no particular rush to see Sarlat since I would be here for another 4 nights!
At around noon, I strolled down to the cathedral to see what the restaurants were offering for lunch. Chez la Gaulois looked particularly appetizing and not too touristy (it was bustling with patrons the night before and their charcuterie platter looked amazing) so I ate down at one of their outdoor tables. I ordered a platter that comes with an individual fondue (which was DIVINE!), potatoes, cold cuts and salad which was washed down with a glass of red Bergerac. My table was perfect for people watching and soon the outdoor tables were filled with other diners. The heaviness of the potatoes and the fondue soon put me into a food coma and I walked back to La Lanterne for an afternoon of napping and being lazy in general. This is what being on vacation is all about right?!
I didn’t emerge from my room until it was time to pick up H, who was scheduled to arrive around 6:30pm, in the Souillac train station from Paris.
After picking up H from Souillac and driving back to Sarlat, we hurried back to Chez le Gaulois (I made a reservations for that evening during lunch!) because H was on the verge of passing out from hunger. We had a wonderful meal of potatoes and fondue (I couldn’t resist ordering it again!), assorted charcuterie and more Bergerac wine. By the time we’re finished at the restaurant, the sun has already set. We took a walk around Sarlat which was very atmospheric at dusk.
I couldn’t have asked for a better evening of catching up with an old friend over great food and wine under the atmospheric evening light of Sarlat!
The clouds have lifted from the skies and so did my bad mood when I woke up the next morning to another beautiful sunny day in the Dordogne. Today turned out to be the most relaxing day I’ve had since being away from home for 2 months.
I made coffee from the Bowen’s Nespresso machine and sat out in the shaded courtyard to use the wifi (since wifi wasn’t accessible in my room!). During such a long holiday, it’s great to just sit back and do nothing. It was nice to take a break from sightseeing! I was also in no particular rush to see Sarlat since I would be here for another 4 nights!
At around noon, I strolled down to the cathedral to see what the restaurants were offering for lunch. Chez la Gaulois looked particularly appetizing and not too touristy (it was bustling with patrons the night before and their charcuterie platter looked amazing) so I ate down at one of their outdoor tables. I ordered a platter that comes with an individual fondue (which was DIVINE!), potatoes, cold cuts and salad which was washed down with a glass of red Bergerac. My table was perfect for people watching and soon the outdoor tables were filled with other diners. The heaviness of the potatoes and the fondue soon put me into a food coma and I walked back to La Lanterne for an afternoon of napping and being lazy in general. This is what being on vacation is all about right?!
I didn’t emerge from my room until it was time to pick up H, who was scheduled to arrive around 6:30pm, in the Souillac train station from Paris.
After picking up H from Souillac and driving back to Sarlat, we hurried back to Chez le Gaulois (I made a reservations for that evening during lunch!) because H was on the verge of passing out from hunger. We had a wonderful meal of potatoes and fondue (I couldn’t resist ordering it again!), assorted charcuterie and more Bergerac wine. By the time we’re finished at the restaurant, the sun has already set. We took a walk around Sarlat which was very atmospheric at dusk.
I couldn’t have asked for a better evening of catching up with an old friend over great food and wine under the atmospheric evening light of Sarlat!
Nov 11th, 2011, 01:28 PM
#38
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,552
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think you win Rookie of the Year award if this is really your first trip report Piccolina. There have been some good recent trip reports about the Dordogne and yours is certainly among them. Not just because of the great places you saw but the way you write about your experiences. I assume you were keeping a diary because the day by day details are great. I haven't spent enough time in the Dordogne so thanks for giving me some ideas. I have a bunch of places on my list but you've given me some new ones. Waiting for more adventures.
Nov 11th, 2011, 04:45 PM
#39
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 558
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm really enjoying your report, your style and your experiences too.
All the more so because I was in the same area last July too (see my own trip report for details) and if I'm not mistaken, we have a personal connection so I'm particularly looking forward to your take on your next destination
All the more so because I was in the same area last July too (see my own trip report for details) and if I'm not mistaken, we have a personal connection so I'm particularly looking forward to your take on your next destination
Nov 11th, 2011, 05:17 PM
#40
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 382
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
TDudette - thank you for reading! please stay tuned for more
FMT - Your words are too kind. Yes, I also experienced these "ghost" towns but I guess I was expecting more people in yours because of your closer proximity to Paris (I don't know why I thought that!) Hope you make it to Dordogne some time soon. I think you and Mrs will really love it there.
Eigasuki - thanks for reading! I'll read yours too. Isn't great to read a trip report that reminds you of your own travels? BTW, when you say "we have a personal connection", do you mean we know each other from somewhere?
FMT - Your words are too kind. Yes, I also experienced these "ghost" towns but I guess I was expecting more people in yours because of your closer proximity to Paris (I don't know why I thought that!) Hope you make it to Dordogne some time soon. I think you and Mrs will really love it there.
Eigasuki - thanks for reading! I'll read yours too. Isn't great to read a trip report that reminds you of your own travels? BTW, when you say "we have a personal connection", do you mean we know each other from somewhere?
