Anything interesting between Amboise and the Dordogne?

Thanks. That is on the way. Seems a bit morbid but may do it. My wife isn't that much into WW II history (I am, though).

Another vote for Oradour sur Glane. Or Brantome. It’s alongside a river with a lovely Abbey. Nice places for lunch riverside. Great for a short time visiting.

I'd say it's more solemn than morbid. Leaves a lasting impression.
Like you, my wife is not that much into WW II history, but I am. Still, I've heard her telling people how moving it was to visit Ordour-sur-Glane.
Much closer to your destination, and therefore maybe not suitable for a driving break, are the Gardens at Eyrignac. If you like gardens, I highly recommend this one.

We stopped at Oradour-sur-Glane. It was incredibly moving and certainly leaves an impression.
Not as difficult as visiting a concentration camp in Germany- but the story of Oradour-sur-Glane is haunting and very interesting.

If you'd rather stop somewhere more upbeat, the small town of Uzerche is very picturesque and right off the main A20 highway. Much further north and closer to Amboise, Loches is a worthwhile stop too: impressive medieval dungeon and old town.

Richard, Bob, Christine and Balso, Thanks for the suggestions. Lots to consider.

It might be a little detour from Amboise to Dordogne but St Emilion is worth visiting - lots of old wineries plus the town is very nice

Thanks Michael, Yes, St Emilion is wonderful, worth a visit but it's part of a Bordeaux trip for another time.

To each his own. I don't schedule downers on my vacations. I'm interested in the history just not as a destination during my valuable vacation time.

I'd suggest La Rochelle. It's slightly out of the way but a coastal stop would be a good addition.

I really like St. Emilion. The town is beautiful and has more sights than most towns its size. The rock church was surprisingly huge inside and the tour was interesting. To climb the bell tower, go into the TI. They hand you the key.

I prefer medieval architecture. Brantome was newer so less interesting. There are some nice viewpoints but nothing particularly special. Too many places are labeled "The Venice of ..." simply because a river flows through it.

I prefer the Lot Valley to the Dordogne for the same reason. Much of the Dordogne was the battle line during the 100 years war. It makes for more castles but most of the towns were partially or completely destroyed. What you see are relatively new towns. The Lot has centuries older medieval towns. Plus you can visit Peche Merle, for actual cave art, rather than Lascaux for a reproduction. I also like that the Lot draws fewer visitors. You will beat the crowds in May but it may be rainy and cool. I was there last June and the tourist rush hadn't kicked in (but they were preparing for it).

If you're planning Rocamadour and have time to drive a little further, visit Conques. IMO Conques is everything good about Rocamadour but better. My sister, who studied in France, said the Romanesque church in Conques (Holy Faith Abbey) is famous. I don't know why but it was one of the best Romanesque churches I've visited.

I feel like I am the USA rep for this agency in France because I push it so......but believe me, it has made a HUGE difference in our car travel through France over the past few years. A friend put me on to THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VILLAGES IN FRANCE organization. It is a group of towns that meets criteria of history, beauty, age of buildings, etc. These towns are all over France.....you can go on their website and see the map of where they are located in the country. When my husband and I drive on our France trips we make it a point to try and go through as many of these villages as possible. They never disappoint.....and they are everywhere, the most being in the Dordogne area. We have discovered small cafes in the afternoons and stopped to enjoy a pastry and coffee....a nice respite as you drive. They look like picture postcards that time has forgotten. We drove from Mont St. Michel to Hotel Le Manior Les Minimes in Amboise....loved that place......and took day trips from there to the castles.....don’t miss Villandry!
The official website is Les Plus Beaux Villages de France.

Jane, thank you! That is wonderful. There are about 20 villages on the list within less than 30 km of our route. Too many to visit all but we'll get to a couple at least.

I also found Minerve on the list and added it to later in our trip as we had some dead time before turning in the car and getting on the train in Montpellier. I was there in 2000 and want to show it to my wife. Stunning setting.

They really are worth the stops Phil.......don’t know why other European countries don’t form the same organization and market their small villages as well. Remember that there is a book they have written.....I ordered mine on EBay......if you are interested in having a permanent copy.....the book highlights the villages by region on a map and gives a small 2-page description on each one. I think each year people vote on their favorite one in some type of contest.

It's just slightly out of the way, but we enjoyed Fontevraud Abbey, a UNESCO WH site. If you are not out-Chateau-ed in the east, you might consider Azay and Villandry (especially for garden fans.) A smaller, hotel-chateau in Tours, Château de la Bourdaisière specializes in tomato varieties and dahlias, if you are there in the right month. The gardens and forest trails do not require a hotel stay.

I have a copy of the beautiful villages of France book. It wasn’t for that I wouldn’t of found this amazing little small village named Mortemart. And because of the book we found this lovely little B&B ran by Raymond who converted a section of an old convent. He had four rooms but we were the only ones there for the night. He charged €60 per night and another €20 per person for dinner including wine. It was an amazing one night stop over on our way to the Dordogne. I want to go back sometime and spend at least a couple of nights. He is British and a former chef. Just one of those magical evenings in life.

If you are open to a different route, Poitiers has some fantastic churches. I remember liking Angouleme but haven’t been there in many years.