Short stay in Dordogne
 

Family of four (2 + 2 teens) travelling across France this summer. Planning to spend two days in Dordogne. Want to stay in a nice but not luxury hotel w/view if possible. Some have suggested that Sarlat is too touristy. However, we would prefer to have some shops and an assortment of restaurants so I would rather that than a tiny remote village. Also, what sites would you recommend as the best for such a short stay. Am currently thinking Goeffre de Padirac, Chateau Castlenaud, canoe trip to ? (Beynac?), Les Eyzies. Would also love a restaurant recommendation or two. Not looking for a Michelin star experience, just good food at reasonable prices.

Sarlat is one of the most beautiful and interesting towns in all of France (and Europe too!).

Substitute Lascaux for Padirac. Font de Gaume should be on the list if still open to the public.

I am assuming you will have a car,right?


Lots of good eating in the area. There are a few recommendations in this trip report from 2006 when I spent a week in a rental house in Domme.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...paris-1006.cfm


On a return visit (no trip report) in 2007, I had a lovely lunch at Table du Terroir near Montignac.

http://www.tableduterroir.com/restaurant.htm

I mention a simple lunch place on a walnut plantation in Martel in the trip report. I've eaten there twice over a 5 years period and each time it has been wonderful and modestly priced. But Martel may be too far out of your range with only two days.

Sarlat is touristy, but beautiful. But for eating, you are better off outside the town. Just my opinion; others here know the area a lot better than I do....

ttt

Sarlat IS touristy in summer. And that's because André Malraux restored it to the height of its glory in the 17th and 18th centuries and turned it into one of the most beautiful towns on earth.

What is your budget for hotels? There are a gazillion to choose from. And what sort of "view" are you looking for?

The Gouffre de Padirac is too far for such a short trip (and talk about touristy!). The Château de Castelnaud has an excellent museum of medieval warfare, spectacular views, and often in summer there are trébuchet and other exhibitions. Canoeing is great, but the river is absolutely packed on warm days in mid-summer. Our favorite canoe rental place is in St-Vincent-de-Cosse, just west of Beynac. You certainly don't want to miss at least driving through Beynac and la Roque-Gageac, and Domme is worth a visit. You also shouldn't miss one of the fabulous markets that are held in the area. I'd take a miss on Les-Eyzies unless you're dying to see the Prehistoric Museum. Definitely do either Lascaux or the Grotte de Font de Gaume (which is right outside Les Eyzies, so I suppose you might want to stroll down its one street).

Plenty of places to eat well all over the place, with the notable exception of Sarlat itself, which doesn't shine culinarily. One of our recent favorite places (and I have a teen and a 21-year-old) is Le Chai in Limeuil. Le Mentalo, right down the street from Font de Gaume, is a great place for teens (pizza, pasta, local dishes - big portions, low prices). La Belle Etoile in La Roque-Gageac is a lovely place for a nice dinner, as are the Table du Terroir in La Chapelle-Aubareil; l'Esplanade in Domme; La Metairie on the road from Les Eyzies to Sarlat; l'Abbaye in St-Cyprien; l'Aubrevoir in Le Bugue.

My family has made several trips to the Dordogne and it is one of our favorite regions of France. For our last 4-day visit, we really enjoyed Hotel L'Esplanade (http://esplanade-perigord.com) in Domme as a base. I think it fits your requirements perfectly. Sarlat is wonderful, but I personally wouldn't want to stay there (a little too big and too touristy). Domme is more manageable for such a short trip: small enough to be explored in a few hours (but not TOO small), incredible views, a nice selection of shops and restaurants, and a good location from which to make day trips. L'Esplanade's restaurant is pricey and elegant, but there are plenty of other more casual places in town. We enjoyed Le Pot de Fer a couple of years ago - it had just opened at the time, so I hope it's still there!

The two castles you MUST visit are Castelnaud and Beynac. The canoe trip is also a great activity to do with teens. My family chose Padirac over Lascaux when I was a teenager and we were happy with the choice. My brother and I absolutely loved the caverns.