I just did a quick search on the cost for a one way ticket from Paris to Dordogne by train and was surprised to see it cost 250 Euro for a one way ticket. Why would I want to take the train? It looks like it would take 5-6 hours by train. I am not sure how long it would take to drive - but a car is only $40/day. Plus when I get to Dordogne I have read that I should rent a car anyway. Am I missing something?

Also, do I need an international driving permit to drive there? I am trouble finding if I really need one or not. I am leaving tomorrow morning for Paris - so I dont have too much time to work out the details :~

I don't know where you're trying to go in the Dordogne, but a ticket from Paris to Brive (4 hours) shows to be 60€ on the SCNF website. It was easier for us to train to Brive, rent a car there, and drive to our location. An international driving permit is not necessary in France. Just be sure you have your US license with you.

You will want to reserve your car from the US as it will be much cheaper. We rented a car from Kemwel (Auto Europe's sister company), and the agency was just down the street from the train station in Brive. Good luck!

If you order your non-refundable non-exchangeable tickets three months in advance, the price will be much lower, and definitely lower than the $40 per day rental plus gas and tolls. Go to viamichelin.com to get a sense of the travel cost above the rental itself.

On the other hand, if you are interested in stopping along the way, perhaps to visit a couple of chateaux in the Loire valley or stop by Bourges or Chartres to see the cathedral, then driving makes more sense. Generally, the drive is not the most scenic.

There is no way a one-way ticket should cost that much. Did you use the website for the French rail system? It's at scnf.com. I put in a destination of Brive, and got a one-way fare, for second class, of 60 Euros. Yes, it's easiest to travel within the Dordogne with a rental, but it's easier to get TO the region by train. Also, your car rental prices will be lower if you rent a car beforehand. I really like AutoEurope, and have used them for the past 10 trips or so.

I don't know the current requirements in France for an international driving permit. Depending on where you are, you may not have time to get one, so it may be a moot point.

Hi JP,

>...the cost for a one way ticket from Paris to Dordogne by train ,,,, 250 Euro<
Someone saw you coming.

www.voyages-sncf.com has PREMS fares from Paris to Libourne for about 25E.

You can rent the car in Libourne (see www.kemwel.com) and drive to Sarlat in a couple of hours.

We spent a few days in the Bordeaux area before a week in the Dordogne.

Enjoy your visit.

It is possible that the 250 price is for all the members of your party. The French SNCF site does that...gives you the total cost, not the per ticket cost.

We drove to the Dordogne from Amboise, taking the scenic route. While it was memorable and we enjoyed our stops, we didn't get to our gite until almost 7pm. I think you have to figure out what is important to you in terms of time spent where...on the road or actually in the Dordogne.

I would not drive - it's long and just not that interesting or scenic. The train should cost about a fifth of what you found (where did you ever find that amount?). Depending on where you're headed, take the train to Brive or Libourne or Bordeaux (and from the last two you can take the local train to Périgueux).

As noted, you should rent your car from the USA (assuming that's where your home base is) - MUCH cheaper than renting once you get there (with very few exceptions, like if you only need a car for a day or two), and you have English-speaking people to help you out with contract details, problems with the car once you get there, etc., if that matters to you. You do not need an IDP for France. You DO need a car once you get there.

Have you considered flying? We flew from Orly to Brive on airlinair (www.airlinair.com) We rented a car at the Brive airport, which is about the size of your living room.

Not sure when you're going but I did a quick check and saw some 70 euro one-way tix.