Hi, all. My husband and I are planning a trip to Dordogne in October. I've ready many many posts recommending places to stay, but none that addresses our short list of requirements. We simply, but specifically, want a charming, clean, small to mid-sized hotel (not a B&B, not a VRBO) that is in - or an easy walk to - an historic village center, one with local shops and restaurants, maybe a marketplace. That's it. We will have a car and plan to take day trips within the region. I'd appreciate your advice.

Do you know the Logis de France chain? They might be able to help you out. They have small hotels which are generally family-owned, in all kinds of locations, and in various states of 'charming'. But often they are in historic centres, and most also have an excellent restaurant with local specialities. I would start by looking there in an area of the Dordogne that interests you. Sorry I can't be more specific, I don't know the Dordogne, but I have used this chain in lots of different areas in France and all the hotels have had an aspect to be commended for.

Lavandula

You might look at L'Esplanade in Domme:
https://www.esplanade-perigord.com/f...ign=mybusiness

This looks like an intelligently curated list of hotels, from the web site of a bike agency we considered using.
https://aquitainebike.com/where-to-stay/
Agree with their assessment of St Cyprien as a town that would meet your criteria, and there are a couple of charming hotels there, des Augustins and l'Abbaye, that perhaps didn't pass their bike-friendly test.
Since we ended up choosing a gîte I can't offer personal testimony.

I have stayed in a rental house in Domme and know the hotel linked, above.

While the hotel is very nice, I would NOT stay in Domme again.

In mid October, many shops and eating places had closed and the town was pretty deserted as far as local life. There is a weekly market but that' small and not all that interesting. The village in beautiful, of course, but it is a Bastide town, situated on a hilltop, and much walking requires navigating steep streets, as does driving into the town. So its not perfect for day trips.

My experience was about 15 years ago so it's possible that the town has become more lively in the fall, but it certainly will have those hills.
There are many other lovely towns in the region; I was with about 6 other people and we all regretted having chosen Domme as our base.


Would you consider Sarlat? It's a large town but we ll loved it; easy to take day trips, lots of local life year round.....
I've only been to the Dordogne three times but the time we based ourselves in Sarlat was wonderful.

I admit that I don't know what Domme would be like in October. I just know that I LOVED that hotel.

I agree that Sarlat would be a good choice. I was pleased with my stay at the Hotel Montaigne, but I think it's been re-done since I was there and so I don't know what it's like now. IIRC, when I was there, it wasn't a full service hotel -- but close! It's certainly convenient, it has parking, and it had much to appreciate. It would, I think, be worth considering.
https://hotelmontaigne.fr/en/

Thank you.

The hotel looks lovely. And Domme would fit the bill for the type of village we're looking for?

Sarlat has been mentioned to us before as a good option. Your endorsement encourages me to look into it further. Thanks.

Loved our week long stay in Sarlat. Lovely town, lots of shops and restaurants, convenient location to drive to many sites.

We stayed in an apt. not a hotel so can’t recommend one, but I will recommend our favorite restaurant in Sarlat , Chez Le Gaulois, our favorite of the whole trip, and there are so many great dining experiences.

https://bestof-sarlat.com/chez-le-gaulois-en/

Lots of photos
https://restaurantguru.com/Chez-le-G...Caneda#gallery

Sarlat is certainly historic and in October will not be flooded with tourists as in the summer, but will still have a good range of restaurants open.

We stayed at a B&B in Domme one night about 10 years ago.
I don't remember a single historic-y thing in the whole town.
Didn't seem to have a lively market square.
Struck me like a suburb of Sarlat, where if someone wanted something (tools, dinner, etc), they'd go to Sarlat.

Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately, they have no hotels in the towns we’re considering

And those towns would be.................?

Here's another vote for Sarlat. I would say that there are many charming, historic towns in the Dordogne, but we like a town that is slightly bigger, so that we can walk around before and after dinner, and have a larger selection of restaurants. Sarlat fits that requirement for us. It's also easy to get in and out of, and parking is easy to find (if your hotel doesn't provide it). The two previous times we've stayed there, we stayed at B&Bs, and you specifically do not want that. This Spring, we will be visiting Sarlat and staying at Les Cordeliers, which looks great but I haven't stayed there yet. Also, it's a chambres d'hote, which is pretty much a B&B, so doesn't fit your criteria in that respect. There are a couple of hotels in Sarlat. I would say that Domme is, like Sarlat, a charming town that is a historic market bastide, but it's smaller than Sarlat, and every time you go anywhere, you're driving up and down from the hilltop - though not a huge chore because it's a beautiful drive.

Also, as you may have also read about Sarlat, it has two very well-known markets, on Saturday (bigger) and Wednesday (smaller). They are well worth a visit. There's also a permanent covered market that's open daily.

We stayed at l'Esplanade years ago, and my recollection was that our room was charming, though I think in a nearby building? On a subsequent visit, we stayed in Sarlat but took our 10yo child for their birthday dinner at l'Esplanade. The dinner was very good, but the best part was sitting outside during dinner, overlooking the countryside, and watching a thunderous lightning storm approach us from far away. The guests and staff were fascinated, and the staff was great about moving everything inside, but letting the guests stay outside for as long as possible to watch the spectacle. Those are the experiences that can't be planned!

At this point, I think we’re leaning heavily towards Sarlat. I also checked for Lyon, but nothing there that meets our needs.

Exactly. I think Sarlat will fit our requirements as well. Thank you!

You checked hotels in Lyon for a trip to the Dordogne? I'm confused!