Stopping in Paris for a few days in early April to adjust to time zones before heading to Africa. I've always wanted to see the caves. Doable to have flight arriving on a Wednesday mid-day, hop train to the region arriving late in day (I see it's 6 ish hours by train), rent a car, and see several caves, maybe La Roque St Christophe - all by Saturday evening when I'd need to be back in Paris for next flight? So essentially, Wed. and most of Saturday are lost days - that leaves Thursday and Friday to tool around. Obviously that's a lot of travel time, but .... I want to see the caves :-)
Posted by
France Southwest
2319 posts
If you want to save time, instead of going to Paris from CDG to take a train, take an Air France flight to Bordeaux or Toulouse. It's a 1 hour flight.
You could have arrived in one of these two cities before your train has left Paris. From Bordeaux or Toulouse, where you will spend a 1st night, it's about 2 hours drive from your favorite caves.
The same thing for your return to Paris. You could even return to Paris taking a flight on Friday evening after your caves tour.
Posted by
4 posts
Be sure to make reservations at the caves. Lascaux 4 is certainly worth the time, even if it is a reproduction (done extremely well and tour is very informative). Font de Gaume is smaller but original and only allows small groups in with a limited overall daily number. We had great English Tours guides in both caves.
Posted by
Maryland
24 posts
Let me preface my answer by admitting that visiting the cave at Cougnac, near Sarlat la Caneda, was one of the most moving experiences of my life. Standing in a place that was clearly sacred to people 30,000 years ago (and returned to for more than 20,000 years!) was truly humbling. I understand why you want to go. But save it for another trip. Spend at least 3-4 days or a week in the Dordogne, canoe and swim in the crystal-clear river, enjoy the lively street entertainers while you dine on the square in Sarlat, browse the pottery shops in Domme, see the castles, relish the delicacies... it is a wonderful, fairytale region of France. The strawberries alone are worth the trip there. (End of June/early July.) If you rush there and rush back to Paris, you will WISH you could have spent longer, and you'll want to go back--but then you'll say to yourself, "ohhh, but I've already been; I guess should go somewhere new..." it will be hard to justify returning when the world is so big and waiting to be explored, and you will end up missing out on the Dordogne. HOW ABOUT instead the Grottes d'Arcy-sur-Cure in Burgundy? It's about 2 hours from Paris.
Posted by
Long Beach, Ca, usa
1327 posts
Maureen,
What madlori said.
Posted by
san ramon, ca, usa
286 posts
Also agree with madlori. I am planning to visit LasCaux yet it will not be open while we are in the Dordogne. So we'll either have to go back when it is open or visit a different cave; or maybe both. Agree that flying might be a better choice. Or if not, the TGV from Paris to Bordeaux is 2 hours 4 minutes. Then you can get a tour from there. Lots of options for your dream to make it happen.
Posted by
France Southwest
2319 posts
"The TGV from Paris to Bordeaux in 2 hours 4 minutes"
Note that 2h04 is the average journey time from Paris Montparnasse station, from CDG airport it's 3h50 on average with a direct train.
Posted by
OP
New Carlisle, Ohio
46 posts
All good thoughts, thanks for the input. I ALWAYS want to spend more time than I have. Alas, this is just a bonus stopover to adjust to time zones, and Paris is where I have to catch my flight to Africa, so I figured, what the heck. I have been to France quite a few times, just not Bordeaux region. I just spent 3 weeks in France in May with my daughter, so I'm not particularly wanting another week in Paris, so I figured wander the countryside and see some of the caves. I ended up finding inexpensive and quick flights that fit perfectly, so I'll be in Bordeaux easily from early Wednesday to early Saturday. Yes, the area deserves more time than 3 days, most of them do.
Would love to hear anyone's favorites of stops to make, which caves they like best, views, restaurants, drives, B&Bs/hotels, patisseries, ... :-)