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Drive from Burgundy to Dordogne ?

We plan to fly to CDG , train to Region of Burgundy, rent a car for a few days then, either train or drive to the Dordogne region. Any suggestions on preferable action? We do love the smaller villages but only have about 2 weeks. Thanks

Posted by
3656 posts

I would probably drive to the Dordogne from Burgundy. Without knowing exactly where you are staying in Burgundy and where you plan to make your first stop in the Dordogne, it is difficult to be precise but it is a 6 to 8 hour drive -- for example about 6.5 hours from Dijon to Perigeux. This is one of the times when the train trip will be a bit longer because you will probably have to change in Paris to get from Dijon to a location in the Dordogne and not only will you have to change trains you will have to change stations from Gare de Lyon to Gare Montparnasse or Austerlitz. Plus, you will probably need a car to explore the towns in the Dordogne region so why not keep the one you already will have rented. If you are flying back from Paris, you could drop the car off in Brive-La-Gaillarde or Libourne and take a train back to Paris.

Posted by
108 posts

If you are starting in the Burgundy region, there are flights from Lyon to Bordeaux. You could easily take a train or drive from where you are to Lyon & stay a night or 2. Then fly to Bordeaux & pick up a car at the airport. From there you can drive (a much shorter drive) to wherever you're planning to stay in the Dordogne (we stayed in Sarlat). You would also be able to stop in St Emilion on the way if you wished. You can return to Paris (depending on where you're staying) by train or air. HOP airline flies from Brive to Paris & there are trains from Brive to Paris. We did this this past Sept. Hope this helps. Frankly, I would not want to do the long drive from Burgundy to the Dordogne. And Lyon is nice. Ashley

Posted by
6431 posts

If it were my trip I'd drive from Burgundy to Dordogne, using major roads to save time. The Michelin route planner estimates 6-7 hours between Dijon and Sarlat, depending on the route. That's probably an underestimate, but still it should be doable in a long day. Enjoy the countryside and whatever stops appeal to you. I'd like that drive a lot more than trains via Paris or a flight between big city airports. And you'll need the car in the Dordogne. Two weeks is plenty of time for those two regions. Work your way to Bordeaux and TGV back to Paris. Or, if your flights aren't set, maybe you could fly open-jaw from Bordeaux back to the US.

Posted by
62 posts

Thanks for the input. Driving does seem to be the better option.