I want to buy a map(s) to plan our trip to the Dordogne next fall but I've run into a dilemma:

Our first preference is to purchase the France Motoring Spiral Atlas. We know it's heavy but we have found the spiral maps much easier to use than fold up maps. However, on Amazon the 2006 Atlas takes 4-6 weeks to ship. Amazon also says that the 2007 Atlas will be out in January. I also found that one book store has the 2006 edition but I think I read somewhere that it might really be a 2004 edition with a 2006 reprinting. Do you think the 2006 edition will suffice or do you think there have been some new roads or changes to road numbering that would make it worthwhile to wait for the 2007 edition?

Thanks alot. The lack of a good map is really driving me crazy.

Try purchasing what you need directly from Michelin, at the viamichelin.com web site.

Find Cahors on the map. If the map shows a completed A20 freeway from just south of Cahors to north of Cahors, then it is an adequately current map. If is shows dotted lines ("to be completed in 2004&quot then the map is too old. The freeway around Perigueux was recently completed & now extends just short of Condat (east of Perigueux).

Map #329 covers a large amount of the Dordogne. It doesn't quite cover as far as Figeac, however.


Stu Dudley

Thanks you Underhill and Stu.

Stu, your info is exactly what I need.

I can't tell you how many fold up maps I've managed to rip upon the very first use. It's embarrassing. But at least I know my limitations.........

Actually only the new autoroutes tend to be missing from maps of the last 5 years. The 2006 Atlas, whether a reprint of 2004 or not, should be sufficient.

wj1, as much as I like the Michelin 300 series, I can understand why you might prefer to have an atlas rather than a folding map. There is an alternative to that huge and heavy spiral atlas of France.

Michelin publishes regional atlases. I have one for the Auvergne-Limousin region that measures 4.5 X 10 inches and contains 64 pages. The scale is 1:200,000, which is the same as the big driving atlas. All cities, towns and villages are indexed and there are detailed maps of all the major cities. No folding, just page turning, and it weighs about four ounces.

What isn't clear to me is which one you'd need for the Dordogne. Number 624 covers Aquitaine, while number 625 covers Midi Pyrénées.

Anselm

Here's another good source for Michelin maps and atlases:

http://www.travelguidewarehouse.com/

We waited until we got there, then bought the spiral atlas for 20 euros in a bookshop, saved the weight oflugging it over. Loved having it, and used it extensively all the way from Mediterranean to Paris.

We got ours on sale in one of the big Le Clerc supermarkets.

A thought: if you don't want to lug an entire heavy atlas, just photocopy the pages for the area where you'll be traveling.

We have even removed pages rather than take the entire atlas. Think we took the atlas when it was new - then began removing pages - just replaced them in the atlas when we got home. It's much easier than lugging the big atlas.