Hello

My husband and I traveling to France in May and June 2012 for about a month. We have chosen three regions plus Paris with the plan to stay in each area for about a week. I am looking for a recommendation for one night stay between Sarlat and Bayeux. We will leave Sarlat on Saturday (it is a Sat-Sat rental) and the drive to Bayeux is about 7 hours according to viamichelin. So we would like to drive about 3-4 hours and stop for at least one night (possibly two) before continuing on to Bayeux. I know based on experience that on Sunday a lot of things are closed in France, but if you have a recommendation for town/city that is interesting to explore, has a Sunday market or has some interesting sites nearby I would like to hear about them.

Thank you so much for your help.

The Loire valley would be a good choice, giving you the opportunity to visit chateaux that were not built as defensive castles, as most were in the Dordogne.

Loire would be my choice also.

We've driven from the Dordogne to the Loire twice - easy drive on the peage. If you want to stay in a city, I would choose Blois or Amboise - not Tours. Stay 2 nights so you don't have to rush to get to the chateaux before they start to close.

Stu Dudley

<i>easy drive on the peage</i>

No péage until Vierzon if taking A20/E9 unless this has changed since the beginning of July.

What do you call the A20 freeway/peage from Souillac to Vierzon???

Stu Dudley

I took the road from Limoges to Vierzon and did not pay anything because I got off before the first toll booth. Maybe there is a toll between Souillac and Limoges.

Actually, there is no toll on that section of the A20 according to viamichelin.

I was trying to find out the French word for what we call a "freeway" in Calif - a fast multi-lane road with limited on/offs (they are usually "A" roads in France). Personally, I alternate between "freeway" and "peage" when giving navigation instructions to my wife (who does most of the driving), but both words are obviously wrong because there may or may not be a toll on the "A" road.

Stu Dudley

We did a similar trip last spring, but went to Brittany first before moving on to Normandy.

We stopped mid-drive in the very cute little town of Angles-sur-l'Anglin, staying the night (and having dinner at) the Relais de Lyon d'Or (www.lyondor.com). The inn is very nice and the dinner (especially the wine) very good. Google images of Angles-sur-l'Anglin, you'll see what sold me.

At the suggestion of our hostess we stopped in St. Savin to see the Abbatiale church; it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We were blown away by the beauty and uniqueness of this church, its painted ceiling and abstractly painted columns and walls. Here's our photos: http://tinyurl.com/3vcnqsk

Eventually we made it to Bayeux, which we enjoyed a lot despite the rain. Had a memorable lunch at Le Pommier.

Stu - <i>autoroute</i> would seem to fit the bill. Peage, then, would be an autoroute with tolls.

As for the OP I tend to think Amboise is vastly overrated on these boards, Blois less so - it really is a great little city but can get congested. Chinon is another alternative for a smaller city still and one overloaded with charm. It is also the location of one of my favorite independent hotels in the whole of France, L'Hotel Diderot. Not only a wonderful hotel but incredibly well priced too. Chinon is well placed for a trip into Amboise should you wish to join the coach parties tramping up and down the main street and infesting the Chateau with their cagouls and inane chatter.

Dr D.

If not using the A20 or deciding to slow down at one point, Mimar has a good suggestion, that can be amplified by visiting the Romanesque church in Poitiers.

Limoges has an important porcelain museum and Oradour-sur-Glane is close by.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7623276890499/

A = autoroute. N = national. D = départemental.

I would head for La Rochelle and then go up to the western Loire around Angers, which is one of my favorite Loire destinations.

Good call, Michael; Oradour-sur-Glane should <b>not</b> be missed.

Quoting from a previous posting of mine on the matter:- <i>"[Do] not miss the opportunity to visit Oradour-sur-Glane, about 25km NW of Limoges.
The town was destroyed by the SS on the 10th June 1944 as they moved north to counter the Normandy landings. The entire populace (bar a handful) were massacred; men, women and children all- in barns, sheds and, the women and children, in the church.

The entire town has been left as it was when the SS marched away that evening. It is an awful and awesome sight.

I can not recommend strongly enough that you should try to visit this town - it's certainly a sombre morning or afternoon (there's an excellent visitor's centre attached which tells the story) but one which will live long in the memory and make a lasting impression I am certain.

For more info search this sight for "Oradour" in the search box - I am sure I have contributed to a long and well reasoned thread on the matter.

Alternatively visit this web site (English) for an in-depth investiagation of all the facts and contributing factors with some excellent and evocative photographs:-

www.oradour.info </i>

And there's more info here:-

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rench-town.cfm


Dr D.

Thank you all so much for your replies (it is so cool when you receive responses to your posting). You have given me many choices to think about and research, which is half the fun when planning a trip.

You may not like this particular sort of travel, however as we never hire cars in France but always travel by public transport, we often take the small bus (8-10 people though often less) tours run by the local Tourist Offices. The guides are always extremely knowledgeable and well educated and we learn a great deal that we could never know just travelling ourselves. You also get to ask questions you've been dying to ask about the local area that otherwise can remain unanswered. No parking hassles either.
If you stay in or near Tours, you can take half day or full day tours to selected chateaux in the Loire, and/or vineyards. We had a fantastic guide and some wonderful days, and actually we took several trips with them from there. You can check the website at http://www.tours-tourisme.fr/index_en.php where you can also get help with hotels. You usually need to book these trips, though not too far ahead.