Southwest France
 

We will be spending two weeks in Southwest France - near a tiny town called Luzech. I think it's about an hour from Cahors. Can anyone tell me if we can arrive and depart by train from Paris? Also, what sights and areas shoud we see duiring our stay? Thanks!

I know there's a wine area around Cahors that's worth visiting.

Train Cahors&lt;&gt;Paris, bus (coach) Cahors&lt;&gt;Luzech. Lots of info on this forum if you do a search. Try: <BR>Dordogne <BR>Aquitaine <BR>Perigord <BR>Cahors <BR>

I checked the French National Rail Service and it shows service from Paris to Luzech, but the train actually goes to Cahors and then there is about a 15-minute bus ride to Luzech. Evidentally, the bus is associated with the train because it shows it as part of the train ticket. Try http://www.voyages-sncf.com/indexe.htm and pretend to be buying the ticket. <BR> <BR>The price is 1544 FF (about $215--$108 each), roundtrip for two, and includes a 25% discount for "Decouverte a Deux" (two traveling together roundtrip). You will have to buy it in France (at the airport is the easiest). Be sure to ask for Decouverte a Deux. <BR> <BR>If, however, you are renting a car, I would rent the car in Cahors and drive from there to Luzech. <BR> <BR>Hope this helps and bon voyage!

HI Sweetbird!!! <BR> <BR>You can fly from Paris to Toulouse, and then take the train to Cahors. Don't miss St-Cirq LaPopie, named one of France's MOST BEAUTIFUL villages. You can visit it by bus from Cahors, just make certain you plan your visit according to the bus schedule, otherwise you can get stuck there for several hours. <BR> <BR>Any questions, feel free to E-Mail me. <BR>Have Fun!!! <BR> <BR>Ross. :-) <BR>

Why would anyone fly when they can take the train?

Cahors itself is quite renown for its monuments (especially the Valentre bridge) and its wine.I hope you'll have a car, since it will be very useful in this area. <BR> <BR>There's a lot of things to see : Rocamadour (an old pilgrimage village, impressive but crowdy), the huge pit of Padirac (you can visit it), the town of Albi, the medieval Cordes, Conques abbey, the scenic gorges of the Tarn river, the castles and towns along the dordogne river (Sarlat, Montpazier, Biron, Beynac, Domme,Collonges), prehistoric sites (Lascaux, Les Eyzyes)... <BR> <BR>It's amongst the most beautiful regions in france (my prefered region, to say the truth), very rich in history and scenery....

I second ClairO's comments (love that name)--love the region, and it is varied and beautiful (I think I read that there are more chateaux in the Dordogne than in the Loire--probably not quite so grand, however.)

<BR> I'd tend to think there's indeed more castles in this area than in Loire valley. The differences being that the Loire valley castles were royal residences (and so, more impressives)from the renaissance designed for pleasure while the Dordogne castles were medieval fortress <BR>designed for defense and belonging to local landlords and barons.