Thank you Stu...I feal so much bedder

Oh for heaven's sake, CRAZY, I wasn't the slightest bit nasty about mentioning the spelling error, and there's no need to go into martyr mode about how it cancels out all the great advice you've given. As I said, it was just bugging me because it appeared about 50 times - and people planning trips need correct spelling to do their research.

Honestly!

I guess that's partly the professional writer/editor coming out in you as well Call me sensitive..what can I say if I was a little offended since most of us are just trying to be helpful by sharing information.

OK! I think I have the highlights down. I'd like to keep it somewhat flexible too. I have the 1st 3 - 4 days pretty well planned but I have 5 more days to go plus the day we leave. That should leave plenty of time to get a feel for the area. Collonges la Rouge sounds good. It seems close to Brive, so maybe we could see that at the end of the trip, before we catch the train.

Stu, I did request your report & you were kind enough to email it to me. It's what helped me decide to choose Dordogne for this trip. The 4th "cave" was Gouffre de Padirac.
Robjame, thank for sending me the thread. I'm hoping that all the walking we'll be doing will counteract the effects of all that good food.

I appreciate everyone's comments. So many posters I've read on other threads seem judgemental or angry but you guys have been just great. I don't mind being corrected because searching for a town when you've mispelled it is futile. France has so many towns that have the same or very similar name that it gets confusing, even worse if there is a misspelling.

My big issue now is finding rooms. I would like to stay in the St Cirq Lapopie area but the closest I can find is in Cahors, which is about 45 min away by car. Does anyone have a suggestion? B&Bs are fine too.

Secondly, I need to choose the town that will serve as a base. I had thought Sarlat but I understand that there is lots of traffic & it isn't all from tourists. Suggestions?

I will have to keep good notes so I can post the results of all this work!

Oh I almost forgot.
Stu, or anyone. What map should I use? The ones you mention in your report (Stu) are no longer published. The replacements don't seem as detailed. If you had to buy it once you got to France, can you find maps of the Dordogne in the Dordogne? When I was in Florence I was trying to find a map for the Chianti trail & it wasn't available. They could order it for me, but my vacation just wasn't that long.

Michelin #239 - buy it when you get there.

St Cirq - it must be late in DC. It's map 329 (Correze, Dordogne), NOT 239!!!!!

Mimmel - the 300 series maps are currently published. Where did you see that they are no longer available? We were in France 2 1/2 weeks ago - and the 300 series are the "main" maps for France.

Stu Dudley

There are a few websites that might help:

Sarlat:
http://www.sarlat.com/eindex.html
http://tinyurl.com/2vwmhp

St-Cirq-Lapopie:
http://www.saint-cirqlapopie.com/en/mentions.htm

La Pelissaria
http://tinyurl.com/3456c3

Auberge du Sombral
http://www.lesombral.com/

Crazy, Thanks for all the web sites. I've emailed everybody. So far no answers but I should be able to find someplace for 1 or 2 nights.

Stu, I got the idea that the maps were out of print from the web site http://michelintravel.com/trade/out_of_print.html. Am I reading it incorectly?

I am still confused by Castelnaud (near Beynac?) and Castelnau (near Carennac?). Which one do you all recommend & why? Would you see both?
Thanks again.

You're welcome...I visited both the Castelnau-Brentenoux Chateau in the Lot as well as Castelnaud in the Dordogne.

I enjoyed Castelnaud in Dordogne more but I know you may get some that like one or another for various reasons.

Castelnau-Brentenoux Chateau in Lot is beautiful from a distance and sits in a very pretty position. You can do a tour of the Castle which is in French only. They have filled the rooms to the brim with period pieces...almost too much really...I found it too cluttered and dark. It is however interesting none the less and the views on a nice day would be lovely. With limited time, I would likely skip it.

The Castelnaud in the Dordogne was a complete ruin of a Chateau for many years. They show photos prior to restoration and a history of the project which is quite interesting. Some people would say that rebuilding it from almost scratch takes away from the authenticity. They did a wonderful job bringing it back to its full splender. They have an impressive collection of medieval weaponry...I was even impressed and that's not really my thing. They have a film presentation in English and some interesting interactive games and displays. It's a fun place for kids and adults. The views from here are spectacular as well.

Beynac Castle although low key with less in the way of displays seems the most authentic to me. They have an English brochure you can buy with your admission or you can do a guided tour in French. With the brochure, you can wander at will.

Airlinair [www.airlinair.com] has cheap flights between Orly and Brive, which is a very manageable little airport.

Stu Dudley's report is a great resource. Have fun.