heidikona

My parents are flying into Paris for a week in May, then taking the train towards Limeuil for a 4 week stay, before flying out of Bordeaux to Milan. What would be the best train station destination for Limeuil, where they can pick up a rental car? They will also be dropping the car off in Bordeaux. I think our options are Perigueux and Brive for proximity to Limeuil, but will there be a substantial fee incurred with dropping off the rental car in Bordeaux. Would they be better off taking the train from Paris to Bordeaux and getting their car there?
Thanks in advance!

Michael

There should be no fee for dropping the car off in Bordeaux. Just check Autoeurope or Kemwel for their one way rates. On the other hand, expect the same 37€ fee for picking up the car at a train station, even though the likely actual rental agency, Europecar, is not located in the trains station itself. That fee, plus a road tax, plus a possible environmental tax, is added to the price of the rental agreement with Autoeurope or Kemwel.

Carlux

Your options are definitely Brive or Perigueux, both of which have car rental agencies. There is no extra charge usually for leaving the car at another agency.

However,according to Mappy, Brive is about 1 1/2 hours drive - I think this is a bit optimistic. I don't know that we have done it that fast. Perigueux is closer, at about 48 minutes. Don't know, as we've never gone that way.

I think it might be easier to get the train to Bordeaux and pick up the car there. Should be about 2 hours. It depends on what the train schedule is like and how it fits with their plans.

StCirq

I almost always take the train to Périgueux and pick up my car there. Limeuil is just about the same distance from Périgueux a my place, and depending on traffic it normally takes about 45 minutes to drive. If you rent the car through AutoEurope or Kemwel or probably other large companies, there's no drop-off charge for picking up in one French town and dropping off in another. And Michel, I've never paid the 37 euro fee for train station pickup. The pickup spot isn't actually in the station, as you mentioned, but it's about a 10-second walk around the corner.

The problem with picking up in Périgueux is that they'll have to take a regional train (from the Gare d'Austerlitz), through Limoges (with a possible, but not always, change of train there or a sit-on-the-train-for-10-minutes stop before it moves along to Périgueux). The other way to get to Périgueux is to take the TGV from Paris to Bordeaux and then the Corail train to Périgueux. Which begs the question: should they switch to the Corail train to Périgueux or just get off at Bordeaux (or actually, better yet, Libourne - easier to get out of by car)?

No matter how you skin this cat,it.s 5.5-6 hours door to door Paris to Limeuil, so I would just compare prices for the various options.

Michael

<i>And Michel, I've never paid the 37 euro fee for train station pickup.</i>

That was my experience last summer.

StCirq

Well, I wasn't there that recently. Perhaps they've recently started adding it on. Tant pis!

heidikona

Oh, thank you all for all of the helpful information! I'll have to compare some prices and times and run this information by my parents. It seems it comes down to a decision of taking a train with multiple stops and possible changes in order to have a quick and easy drive to Limeuil. Or, taking a direct train to Bordeaux and having a longer drive to Limeuil. Do you think they would have a great deal of traffic in mid-May on the drive from Bordeaux to Limeuil? By the way, StCirq, I really enjoyed your Dordogne trip report!

StCirq

Which one, heidikona? I've done dozens!

BTW, no, they won't have a great deal of traffic between Bordeaux and Limeuil, but do keep in mind that it's way easier to get off the TVG in Libourne and navigate out of town than in Bordeaux (though Bordeaux isn't that bad once you get over the bridge). They can even buy a PREM ticket from Paris to Bordeaux and just get off at Libourne - no conductor is going to blink if you get off the train earlier than where you have a ticket to (sorry for the terrible grammar).

BTW, and I sincerely don't mean to scare your parents or you, but the two roads - the one from Bordeaux in the Périgord and the one from the train station in Périgueux to Limeuil, are two of the most dangerous roads in France. You will see, as you drive on them, these hideous black wooden figures shaped vaguely like humans with red paint drips on their faces or elsewhere, designating a place where there was a fatal accident. If more than one person was killed, there are more than one figure. It's really gruesome, but a reminder that some of these roads really are a menace.

Personally, since it doesn't take me any longer than any other route and since it usually costs me less, and since I don't mind hanging out in Limoges for 10 minutes on the train or 20 minutes in the station (even though it's a fairly grungy station), I usually opt for the Austerlitz to Périgueux station on the regional train. The scenery's prettier for one thing. And I kind of like the multiple stops - the towns just get prettier and prettier as you head south, and you get to see some small stations in small towns. Really depends on what kind of rail travel you prefer...and the costs.

You do have quite a few options, which is good.

StuDudley

Here is another idea:
Paris to Brive la Gaillard
Lv 8:55 arrive 1:18
Lv 10:18 arrive 2:18
No train changes
Pick up the car in Brive & visit the nearby (to Brive) interesting towns of Collonges la Rouge and/or Turenne on the way to Limeuil. These two towns might be too far away from Limeuil to visit as a day-trip.

I would not go all the way into Bordeaux, if you decide to go that route. If your parents have not spent a lot of time driving in cities in Europe - I would not want them to start their driving vacation trying to get out of Bordeaux (we did that last year). Libourne, like others have mentioned, would be a better idea.

Do you have my 20+ page itinerary for the Dordogne??? If not, e-mail me at [email protected] & I'll attach one to the reply e-mail.

Stu Dudley

heidikona

Thank you for the advice on Libourne. They aren't the best European city drivers for sure, so I'll heed that advice! I'll look into Collonges la Rouge and Turenne for stops if they decide on Brive. It looks like Brive is only a slightly shorter drive to Limeuil than from Libourne. It seems we have several options, all with their own advantages and disadvantages. I'll run these suggestions by my parents and they can choose which route they want to take based on everyones input. They do have 4 weeks in Limeuil so they should have plenty of time to sightsee throughout the Dordogne.
One more question, if Bordeaux is very difficult to navigate, I am wondering if they shouldn't drop off their rental car in Perigueux and take the train to the airport in Bordeaux at the end of their trip, rather than try to drive to the airport and drop off. They have a flight departing at 2:00PM.
Thanks again!
Oh, and yes, StuDudley, you emailed me your itinerary last night. I already sent it on to my mom. It will be so helpful, as was your Provence itinerary for my own family last year. We had a fantastic vacation with our two young boys. Thanks!

StuDudley

The Bordeaux airport is on the "other" side of Bordeaux from the Dordogne. they won't have to drive through the city itself - but around the city on a ring-road.

Stu Dudley

heidikona

Thanks Stu! I'll be out of town for a few days but I'm sure we'll have more questions as the trip gets closer. Thanks for all the advice everyone!

Carlux

I actually hate that ring road around Bordeaux - the Rocade. It always seems to be under construction, which makes the lanes narrower than ever. That's one of the reasons we almost always fly from Toulouse, which is much easier to get to and from when you live in the Dordogne.

StCirq

I also hate that ring road. I haven't ever flown out of Toulouse, but if I had a choice between it and Bordeaux I'd choose Toulouse for sure.

StuDudley

Third vote for Toulouse. I've flown in & out of both airports several times. The Toulouse airport is on the Dordogne side of Toulouse. "Straight shot" on the freeway from the Dordogne region.

I prefer the "city" of Toulouse over Bordeaux too.

Stu Dudley

Michael

If Toulouse, one could also do some sightseeing on the way up: Moissac, Montauban, Albi, etc.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7623877915948/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7623313123155/

heidikona

It sounds like their best option is the train from Paris to Perigueux, and then get a rental car there. Does anyone know if there is a car rental agency near the Perigueux train station?
Thanks again!

StCirq

Yes, as I mentioned back in December, the Europcar office (which is where they'll be directed if the rent from AutoEurope or Kemwel) is just around the corner from the station (walk out the door to the main street, turn right, and it's right there). I think there's a Hertz office, too, though it may have moved a couple of years ago - can't recall because I've never used them.

You might want to give them a heads-up that they're going to encounter a dozen or more confusing roundabouts as soon as they get on the road. They should plot the route out carefully in advance and be very alert.

mamcalice

We stayed in Limeuil two falls ago and took the TGV directly from Paris to Bordeaux. It was longer than driving from Brive but we enjoyed the trip and the scenery. As I recall, it was about a two hour drive. We enjoyed Limeuil - it was a charming little town and very easy to get in an out of to all of the places we visited during the week.

heidikona

Thank you again! I think we may go with Hertz. I just looked very closely at the route on Googlemaps and it DOES look confusing. They may need a close print out of the route for that time. I appreciate the heads up!