The Dordogne is actually farther north or at the same latitude as Portland OR, Yellowstone NP, Minneapolis, Montreal Canada, & Acadia NP/Portland ME. So a pool might not get much use in early/mid June. However, the last 2 mid Junes have been scorchers in France. Plus - you have very little time "on the ground" in any of your destinations. I would rather spend my limited time exploring a medieval castle (which we do not have in the SF Bay Area), or seeing 20,000 year old cave art - than in a swimming pool (which we have).

Never use Google for time estimates. Use www.viamichelin.com .

Stu Dudley

Thank you geetika! I just looked. I cannot imagine that this change will do anything to lower the fares, thought it does possibly simplify fare shopping.

Totally, Stu! I agree. It's just that my kids are fanatical swimmers and could sight see all day and still have energy. Throwing them in there sometimes calms them down for the evening and allows me time for a cocktail. I'm thinking pools were possibly invented for that reason. :) Though I too would rather see more medieval sites.

I assume you know that there is little chance that the pool will be heated. When we were in Provence in mid/late June 2017 during record temps - our pool was too cold to spend a lot of time in. I used it mid-day to cool down from the 90+ temps.

Stu Dudley

We take OUIGo trains all the time. I don't think you should have any concerns. It's not as though they run on different tracks or anything - they're just renamed, same old reliable service. Well, usually reliable (if you take as many trains as we do something occasionally goes wrong).

I can't even dip my toes in our pool in June, but kids probably wouldn't have a problem.

Montignac is a really nice town, with plenty to keep you occupied. Sarlat, however, has about 10 times more in terms of sightseeing. And Montignac is just a bit out of the serious tourist loop, except that a gazillion people pass through to visit Lascaux.

I sure wouldn't reduce my time in the Dordogne to only two nights. That would be shameful.

Last year in Sarlat we stayed just up above the city in a nice place called the Hôtel Le Mas del Pechs: 10 route des Pechs, 24200 Sarlat-la-Canéda, FrancePhone: +33 5 53 31 12 11 I booked it through booking.com.

https://www.sarlat-hotel.com/en/home/

It has a pool and if you are ambitious you can walk down to Sarlat itself-although a climb back up. We had a car and were able to park in public lots right around the city. We stayed at the end of June-the 24th or so and we definitely did use the pool. We have stayed in Sarlat a lot but this was the first time we stayed away from the hustle and bustle and it was really a nice stay! So maybe that is the compromise-you will be almost in Sarlat but still have a pool. If you want to be even closer to Sarlat, the Best Western Hôtel Le Renoir also has a pool and is on the flats as opposed to up in the pool. They don't have any parking so you will still have to put the car somewhere in a lot or on the street a bit further out of the center-but it wasn't too bad in late June anyway.

Hôtel Le Renoir ? Sarlat - Accueil

Thank you, I'm reading all of these! I'll comment more tomorrow as we have a busy day with our kids performing in a musical. But, wanted to thank people especially about the comments on Sarlat. We have decided to stay there instead of Montignac. It does look more interesting. I have a reservation, but I will also check out the other hotel suggestion because I am not locked in. More soon!

and we booked the OUIgo train
 

Thank you for the feedback about OUIgo. With the train tickets purchased on the OUIgo going back to Paris CDG (and 2 trains after it same day) we are now in good shape. We only need to book a rental car. Any suggestions about companies? I started looking at Avis and it had negative reviews at Gare du Nord in Paris, so I'm broadening my search.

I'm looking into some restaurants, and taking notes, but I don't think I'll make reservations before we are on the trip. I'm sure we will have some street food and market food during the trip.. But, if anyone has suggestions I would love them. We've also decided to forget about stopping the night in either Narbonne on the route south, or Poet Laval on the alternate route south to, Arles. We're going to make the drive in one day from Sarlat, and stop somewhere in the middle for a nice break.

I'll make sure to post a final itinerary so all of you kind people can see how your advice helped us out tremendously!

melissa, use AutoEurope, a broker based in Maine. I would not book directly with a car rental company in Europe unless I were fluent in the language and could read the fine print on rental contracts. Auto Europe never let me down in 35+ years of rentals with them.

You are going to drive from Sarlat back to Paris? Why? You couldn't find a more boring, long experience. Take the train, relax and enjoy. Drop the car off in Bordeaux if you want and take the TGV. Or drop it off in Brive. Drive? No no no.

Happy to provide restaurant recommendations for the Dordogne, but know that Sarlat is hardly known for its culinary prowess, oddly enough. There are plenty of amazing places to eat nearby, though.

I have lost track of your final, final itinerary. But I saw the Dordogne, Provence, and Riviera there.

My wife & I spend 2 months in France every year visiting various regions. We normally spend 2 weeks in one region, before we move on to the next. We have vacationed for 13 weeks in the Dordogne, 22 weeks in Provence, and 21 in the Riveria. I developed a 35 page itinerary for Provence & the Cote d'Azur, and a 20 pager for the Dordogne. I have sent my various itineraries to over 6,000 people on Fodors. If you would like a copy, e-mail me at [email protected] & I'll attach them to the reply e-mail. Specify which ones you want - I have others.

Stu Dudley
Go Warriors

We just got back with two 15 year olds and when we started to cram TOO much into a day... they were not happy. Unhappy kids = unhappy parents. And of course... don't forget to factor in travel time and being in limbo as you wait for your new place to be available. It ate up more time than I thought. Better to have less bases to explore from imho. Check out my trip report Paris to Provence by a Parent of teens. You will see that even though my boys are New York City kids and pretty museum savvy... we often burned them out which becomes no fun for anyone. Sometimes they are happy to just poke around or spend an hour in a cafe.

My recent experience with AutoEurope was not great. You can read it in my trip report but we will not use them again. And even though I had FULL insurance from Generali Global Assistance with a car rental rider.... I was made to buy more insurance.

No one is ever "made to buy" anything. Sorry you had a bad experience with them. I'm trying to figure out how many rentals I had with Auto Europe and nearest I can figure is about 140, with probably 5 or 6 issues (side mirror torn off, hood bashed in by kids in a parking lot, serious motor issue, flat tire...) all of which were resolved to my complete satisfaction quickly and efficiently. I LOVE that company. Sorry I don't need to rent cars anymore.

Aren't you the folks who managed to spend 170 euros for an average set-menu lunch in Paris for 4 people? Not sure I'd be hanging on your coattails for travel advice. Anyway, I stand by my recommendation for AutoEurope.

Per your TR the problem was with EuropCar -- did you actually contact Autoeurope to straighten things out?? It doesn't sound like it. That is one of the MAIN reasons we use Autoeurope - they provide wonderful 24 hour customer service and if the local vendor drops the ball they take over and solve things.

I have had AutoEurope pay me $$$$ out of their own pockets when Europcar/Hertz/Avis were dragging their feet with solving a problem. I can relate about 4-5 problems when Europecar/Avis/Hertz totally F----d u-p and walked away with trying to resolve the problem. You need to do minimal management with AutoEurope - but they want to keep "happy customers".

Stu Dudley

I've traveled extensively with kids (click on my username for trip report) and I still think you are doing a lot.

I copied this from your itinerary:
Day 8 (June15): Morning, nice breakfast and possibly relax a little, let the kids swim before checking out, then spend time near Amboise and Tours. We have nothing specific planned but it looks like there is a lot to see and do in that area. Mid-afternoon/evening, take a long drive down to Dordogne where we will stay in a very interesting guest house near THERAC. It's in a vineyard with its own little medieval chateau and pool on the grounds.

Write out exactly what that looks like:
breakfast and relax: 8-10am?
swim before checking out: 10-12pm?
drive and find a place for lunch 12-12:30 - drive and find lunch/ 12:30 - 1:30 - lunch/ 1:30 - 2 - get back to car and on road again
spend time near Amboise and Tours: 2pm - arrive. do what at that time? shop? souvenir hunt? walk around?
take a long drive down to Dordogne - 4 hours? - 4pm - 6pm - drive, then stop for dinner - 7pm - 9pm - finish driving

That is a long day.

I find - anytime we move locations - it is about 1/2 a day. So, your 2-day trip to London will be taken up by 1/2 a day on the way there and the same on the way back. You should look at it like you are basically going there for 24 hours. Again, stop and go through the logistics:

7:00am - breakfast?
7:30am - depart hotel for Gare du Nord
8:00am - arrival at Gare du Nord (check in for train closes 30 minutes in advance, so this is about the latest you want to play to be there)
8:43 - train departs Gare du Nord.

10:00am - train arrives London
- will take 30 minutes + to get off train, walk to tube, get tickets, and get on.
10:30am - 11:00am - tube to Tower of London
=> If this is on your list, I would start here. Lines at the Crown Jewels get long, so I would do it first.
11:00am - 2:00pm - Tower of London. This is probably ambitious because you will need a lunch break in here.
2:00pm - 2:30pm - travel to next destination: Westminister Abbey?
2:30 pm - 4:30pm - Westminster Abbey - be prepared for long lines. Can you buy tickets in advance?
4:30pm - 5:00pm - walk to Trafalgar Square
=> stop at St. Martins in the Field and do brass rubbings? photo ops in Trafalgar Square
at this point, you've had a full day, probably head to hotel and eat dinner and crash?
=> forgot you mentioned seeing a play. pick an engaging one so no one falls asleep!

8:00am - breakfast
9:00am - check out and head to destination
=> walk from Covent Garden to British Museum?
10:00am - British Museum ?
12:00pm - lunch
1:00pm - move to next destination... Churchill's War Rooms?
1:30pm - 3:30 pm - next destination
3:30pm - tube to St. Pancras for train
4:00pm - check in to Eurostar
5:00pm - 8:15pm - train back to Paris (get sandwiches or pack something to eat for dinner on train)
8:30pm - pick up rental car, drive to Chartres
10:00pm - Chartres arrival.

whoops, might want to take an earlier train!
----------------------------
I know this is harsh, but you are doing waaaaay too much. I get it - we want to go! and see! and expose our kids to everything. Aim for seeing less and experiencing more. I've always said, I'd rather enjoy doing less and find reasons to come back then overdo it and be exhausted.

A few fun things to investigate and add to your packed itinerary:
- cooking class in Paris with kids. so much fun! We've done this one and loved it.
https://cooknwithclass.com/paris/cou...ass-with-kids/

- You mentioned the bike tour of Versailles. Kids loved it. Just so you are aware, the going into Versailles part is last. By the time we went in, it was crowded and busy. We'd been outside all day and counted wait to blow through it. Loved biking the grounds of Versailles.

- book a cabana/igloo/whatever for lunch. Near the Tower of London. Big hit.
Tower Bridge | Coppa Club

- consider a scavenger hunt for either the British Museum or the Louvre. We've done a few and they are really fun! Follow them on IG before you go and get a sense of what they do. The owner has kids, so "gets it".
https://thatmuse.com/
https://thatmuse.com/british-museum/
https://thatmuse.com/louvre/

Instead of a show in London, how about something outside and active? My kids love this. We combine it with dinner at the O2.
https://www.theo2.co.uk/up-at-the-o2/climb

Paris Chocolate walks? We did a private walk, which was great, because it was customized to our time and our needs.
https://www.paris-walks.com/chocolate-walk.html

If you had longer in London, I'd suggest a visit to Greenwich. The kids loved standing on the prime meridian and we combined it with a trip to the O2.

In Paris, go walk around Palais Royale. Our kids loved jumping on the black and white pillars.
https://frenchmoments.eu/palais-royal-garden-paris/

hi surfmom, you have nicely articulated what i was thinking about this trip. I remember all too well how my DD had a melt down one night because we were having trouble finding somewhere to stay that night in the middle of a Parisian transport strike. In fact we found a lovely place in St Germain en Laye and had a great time, but we had learnt our lesson - no more adult -orientated touring holidays for us after that.

This is a very, very late reply and I think the discussion might be closed. Yes, my kids were young and we were busy with them and with eldercare, and then COVID came. We are grateful we did the trip before that time and very thankful for the advice. We did the itinerary as proposed with a few adjustments. We did not try to squeeze Genoa at the end (thank goodness) and just finished out in Antibes with the summer music festival. We had such a great time! Yes it was busy. The transitions were a little too much for my husband, but the rest of us loved it and we are especially thankful for the suggestions regarding Dordogne which was so fun with kids, including river kayaking and trips to the caves which we will never forget. The Loire Valley also was amazing and we found there are many interesting places to stay. We chose a hotel built into the sandstone. I am so glad we rented a car which provided us with a lot of flexibility and we broke up the hotel stays with an apartment in Sarlat where we could cook. I did most of the driving and that was fine with my French and GPS on our phones. With kids it helped that we booked some active things and found lodging with pools here and there. In Paris we used Air B&B experiences for a private Louvre tour, a bike tour to Versailles, and a walking tour through one of the neighborhoods. We even had a great time on our one night quick trip to London - we saw so much. Fast forward and my kids are both now avid travelers and my son looks forward to language camp in Austria this coming summer. Any questions, please ask. Europe is old so I am sure that things haven't changed very much since our trip.