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Bordeaux for 1 night or straight to Vitrac?

Posted by (California) on

Hi everyone,
Coming from a family member’s home in Annweiler, we are going by train to booked for 3 nights at La Bard Montfort in Vitrac and plan to rent a car to get around the area. My daughter is A-OK with driving stick, so that’s helpful. Our most efficient itinerary is to go from Annweiler to Frankfurt (FRA) by train, then fly Lufthansa 1-w: FRA > Bordeaux (BOD). In Bordeaux, we’ll pick up our car and make our way along the Dordogne. This particular day is a “travel day,” as it will consume about 6-7 hours of time on the go.

My Q is: At the end of this big travel day, should we rest in Bordeaux or drive to Vitrac directly?

Posted by
3066 posts

IslandGirl,
I think you should be okay. You're not coming off an overseas flight, so you won't be suffering jet lag. You can pick up your car at the airport. It is easier to depart Bordeaux by car from the airport than from the train station in town. The drive using the autoroute should take about 3 hours. (I add time to the suggested times on the websites.) If you take the D roads I would add another 30-60 minutes. After all the travel you would have already done this day, I would opt for the Autoroute (A89) to get to your lodging sooner and have a rest then. I hope you are leaving your German town early so you get to your final destination as early as possible.
With 3 nights, you will only have 2 full days there, so best not to lose one of those days staying overnight in Bordeaux. Have a wonderful time!
P.S. It isn't as hard finding a rental car with automatic transmission as it used to be, especially at a major airport. It may cost a bit more, however. Don't forget the IDPs for anyone driving.

Posted by
3694 posts

I agree with Judy, there's no point in wasting a night in Bordeaux given the short stay you'll have in the Dordogne.

If you catch the FRA-BOD Lufthansa flight around 8 am, you can reasonably expect to be on the road to Vitrac by 11 am. I recommend taking the D936 road that runs alongside the Dordogne River rather than the A89 motorway; it offers a much more scenic drive and gives you the chance to stop for lunch along the way. (It seems the earliest check-in time at La Barde Montfort is 5 pm.)

Be careful with the spelling of names, an incorrect entry into the GPS could lead you far from your intended destination.

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