Hi Everyone.

In the early stages of planning a trip to France next fall. Looking at flying to Paris, on to Beaune/Dijon for a few days, Sarlat area for a few days and finally Loire Valley. This would be a 2 week trip total including 3 days in Paris.

The drive from Dijon to Sarlat is too long(about 500km) and we need a suggestion of good place to stopover. Any ideas?

As you can see our focus is Burgundy, Dordogne & Loire and we are looking at Beaune, Sarlat and Amboise as our home bases.

Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

Lyon..? Bourges...?

Hi R,

6 hr is too long?

Clermont Ferrand is 1/2 way.

You might want to consider Vichy or Thiers.

Do you want to spend a day or two? If so, you could explore part of the Auvergne. Spend a night at Michel Bras in Laguiole?

Thank you Travelnut, Ira and ekscrunchy will check out your ideas.

Any recs for hotels in these areas?

What kind of price range?

vichy was an extremely interesting place

venerable spa houses in verdant setting and like Ira says a perfect stop about half-way and you also drive thru the Massif Centrale - a wild area of old volcanoes - stop by Mont Dore for the peak of the Massif Centrale

ekscrunchy - would like to stay around 120 euros per night.

Also maybe would prefer to stay on outskirts or in small charming type of lodgings.

PalenQ - do like rural or different settings especially if it's just a day or so. Not sure what you meant in your answer - please elaborate.

Thanks everyone

The Massif Centrale is a wild rural place - austere and known for its puys or ancient volcano lava piles that dot the landscape

It a storied part of France for the French i believe

I drove thru it from Vichy to the Dordogne actually

remember stopping by Mont Dore, a resort town and taking an aerial cableway to the summit

probably no autoroutes however so may be slower going but it's a starkly beautiful place IMO

Look into the town of Puy de Dome...and take a look at this thread on the Auvergne:



http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34960220

escrunchy, how was the food of Michel Bras? We almost made it there one year when he first opened.
Chefs adore him.

Thanks Everyone for your helpful suggestions.

Am checking them out and will keep you posted.