Help with 3 weeks in France

I've done some solo traveling in France. If you're looking primarily in the south/Provence, consider Avignon as a base. I could have spent three weeks just right there! The main city center is compact and easily walkable and right on a main train line. When I was there I took day tours to places like Arles, St-Remy, Pont du Gard, etc. There is a tourism office in the main city center where you can easily book tours, no need to stress about booking them way in advance.

Avignon is right on the Rhône, so there is beautiful, peaceful scenery with a big park overlooking the river for picnics or "gentle" walks on a beautiful autumn day.

The Dordogne can only be explored by car. The practically nonexistent trains and school buses won't help you for sightseeing, given that 90% of the sights, caves, castles, villages, and so on are only accessible by car. That's what gives the region its charm; otherwise, it wouldn't be all that interesting.

You could hire a private tour service to act as a chauffeur, but it will cost you a fortune compared to renting a car.

Also, keep in mind that Sarlat is just a town, a kind of visitor center located in a tiny corner of the Dordogne. It’s not going to give you a "local immersion" experience unless your idea of immersion is being surrounded entirely by other tourists.

As a senior, solo, car-free traveler, I found Cote d'azur and Provence in October perfect for the kinds of things you desire. For Cote d'azur, day trips from Nice by public transport are cheap and easy, and there are excellent art museums in Nice (Chagall, Matisse and more) and beyond. Provence is a little more challenging without a car but very doable with a little planning and some day tours. I liked staying in Arles and Uzes, but some prefer Avignon which is also a very viable option. In case it is useful, my trip report is here.

There are so many options. Sometimes I just pick a region (Languedoc-Roussillon, Burgundy, Provence, Brittany, etc.) and look at a train map of France to brainstorm my route and possible day trips.

I agree with the other poster that Avignon is very well positioned to see a lot of interesting sights - Nimes, Arles (Van Gogh connection), Orange, St. Remy (more Van Gogh connection), Provence villages, Pont du Gard, Les Baux, Uzes, etc.

If you do end up in the Dordogne and travel east to Avignon, I will put in a plug for spending a couple of nights in Albi. It's a gem of a town, the cathedral interior is spectacular, and the Toulouse-Lautrec museum is very interesting.

I also think that Nice is a good home base, an interesting city in its own right, but also easy train connections to other Côte d'Azur towns (Antibes, Menton, etc.) as well as to Monaco.

Theresa,
I concur with JoLui. The Dordogne region definitely needs a car. But anywhere in the Cote d'Azure, particularly Nice, has a lot to offer. I personally would split my time between the Cote d'Azur, and Arles/Avignon. Day trips in the Avignon area are many, and either town has much to offer. ( I prefer Arles, but this is an ongoing debate on the forum.) You could also spend 4-5 days of your time in Brittany, a unique part of France with its own language and culture. Base in Dinan and/or Quimper. The weather in Brittany in October and November may not be to your liking however. It is very "Atlantic". (I kind of like the personality of Breton weather, but it is not for everyone. Coming from drought-burdened Southern California, the gray and rainy days are refreshing.)
What a joyful problem to have! Three weeks in France any time of year are great!

Hi Theresa,
I also agree with JoLui. It is tricky to explore the Dordogne area without a car even in high tourist season. And with your trip being at end of October-beginning of November, you will also be met with many businesses closed as your dates are after the tourist season.

Avignon is a good suggestion as a base for the type of trip you seek. When we've been there, we were able to easily visit so many places in the region without a car (we've also done with a car.)

Thank you all so much! This is exactly what I’m looking for. Looks like Avignon definitely belongs on my list.
I mentioned Sarlat relative to the Dordogne because I thought it would make a good home base for the area.
Can anyone mention (is it allowed here?) specifically memorable local tours for anywhere?
I’m also thinking of Strasbourg area (Colmar), Lyon, Carcassone, and others. I’ve done enough Euro trains and western euro traveling that I can deal with that part of this planning. I also know I’m starting pretty late.
Thank you all again. I love this forum.

Alsace or some parts of Provence are definitely better suited for a traveler without a car, and given the time of year, Provence will probably have "less bad" weather. As for Carcassonne, it's just a small town with a medieval citadel. Once you're there for a few hours, there's nothing else to do except take a car to explore the region. Stick to major cities with a decent public transit network like Strasbourg, Lyon, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Rennes, Nice, and Montpellier.

I'll add another vote to Avignon. We spent a few days there a few years ago and found plenty to do in the region and in the beautiful town itself.

I highly recommend it, especially as the weather cools.

Nice also sounds good although we haven't yet been. We will be there the last week of October this year.

I'll join the crowd agreeing that the Dordogne would be very challenging without a car, and that Avignon and Nice would be good bases for exploring Provence and the Riviera. I'll also put in a plug for Lyon, with lots to see and good public transport, and good rail connections to Paris and Provence.

Given how soon you're going, you may already have set up your transatlantic flights. If not, you might consider alternatives to CDG. I had a very good experience recently flying to Nice via Heathrow, and back from Lyon via Heathrow. All the big European hub airports are difficult, but looking beyond CDG might open up better scheduling and cost options. And "open jaw" flights can save you time and money by avoiding backtracking. Of course, if your plans include any time in Paris you might as well fly into or out of there, or both.

you might consider alternatives to CDG. I had a very good experience
recently flying to Nice via Heathrow

Nice is nice! Seriously, what a nice airport to arrive into France. Right on the beautiful Côte d'Azur, and a pleasant ride into town from the airport compared to....well, we all know CDG....

I guess I'm the lucky one because I can fly DIRECT into Nice on Delta from Atlanta. Don't know what other American carriers have direct flights to Nice, but anyone who can get one might consider it.