Canoeing the Dordogne in March?

It may be cold and rainy in Dordogne and u will prob need a car to see most of the area. If that is ok then find your lodging poss near Sarlat. Check to make sure caves and castles are open that early in season. Warm ? not in March. Think Sicily or s. Portugal or S Spain for warmer.

I'd be surprised if canoe rentals are open that early. We have done this in May and there were not many canoes on the river even then. Why don't you look at various rentals on line and contact them to see if any have availability this early.

With just 9 days in all, personally I'd want to spend less time traveling out of Paris and back, so the Loire Valley would be my choice. The gardens won't be flourishing much in March, but the architecture and especially the interiors will be lovely as ever.

The Loire is best seen with a rental car, and the general advice is not to drive while jetlagged, so how about spending your first 4-5 days in Paris and then heading to the Loire? I'd recommend picking up a rental car at Orly Airport as it's right near the Autoroute on the southern side of Paris -- the better to avoid navigating in city traffic or circling all the way around the city. The night before your flight home you'll want to return your car and sleep somewhere near the airport (CDG in that case, yes?).

If drifting along a river is a high priority for you, see if La Belandre boats near the Chateau of Chenonceau are operating in March. Their 1-hour cruise takes you under the chateau's iconic arched bridge on the River Cher. You'll need a car to drive to the dock.

I'd do the opposite of the above i.e. immediately train to the Loire, spend the night and then pick up the car next morning. Finish in Paris so you don't waste the second to last vacation day rushing back to Paris for your flight. That first day is a jet lagged waste; use it to get to your furthest point (with 4 hours between ETA and train out of Paris). This doesn't guarantee you'll make it, but you will without unusual delays. There is a cushion for the normal issues that arise.

Thank you all for your thoughts! If driving is required, but not recommended on the first day-why don't we go straight from the CDG airport to Versailles, to stay in the town for a night, get to see Versailles at night (if they're doing the lights at that time of the year), and then get the car rental at the ORY airport? Or can we get off our flight and take a train to Loire and rent a car there and turn it back in before going back to Paris? If in Loire, I was hoping to hit Chateaux as well as wine.. Seems a shame for one if us to be driving and but being able to enjoy the wine as much.. Public transport might be better for that??

Then I guess the next question is, of our 9 days, how long to stay in Loire and where before going back to settle into Paris.

Do you agree on leaving Normandy/St.Michel for a warmer month?

Thanks again!!