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How to get to Oradour sur Glane with no car

We have a 27 day trip in Sept/Oct. I've got it all sorted out except for a 2 night gap in the middle.

I really want to go to Oradour sure Glane. This would be in between 3 nights in Amboise and then showing up in Bordeaux to start a Road Scholar tour.

We can stay those two nights in Limoges - but we're making an effort to get there (two trains from Amboise to Limoge and then just one train from Limoges on into Bordeaux).

I am willing to do the travel but then, when I try to figure out how to get from Limoges to Oradour sur Glane and back, I start to feel like it's just too much effort to see one sight for about two hours.

I can't find good bus service or train service. No hotel has responded to my query about a driver.

I see that G7 cabs has an outlet in Limoges. I see that I can do UberX in Limoges.

To any that have been there: Is it reasonable to take a cab there and then assume I can call a new cab a couple of hours later to get back to Limoges? I'd hate to plan out an entire two day trip to a city that's not otherwise on my radar, only to find out that my taxi plan for Oradour sur Glane was not workable.

Thanks!

Posted by
2537 posts

Taxis in the French countryside should be arranged completely in advance. Drivers are rarely available upon immediate request or without reservation. The Office de Tourisme in Amboise should be able to help you with general arrangements, if not you can write the Office de Tourisme in Limoges

You could also contact the Office de Tourisme at Oradour s/ Glane but they seem to be virtually shut down as tourism has recently been nonexistent.

It would be far simpler to rent a car at Amobise, use it while you are there, and drive to Bordeaux, stopping anywhere you like on the way.

Posted by
6175 posts

There is a bus route, 12, between Limoges and Oradour sure Glane. Takes about 30 minutes.

Posted by
2613 posts

@Tocard - Thank you! That was exactly what I was hoping to find out. Is the same true for UberX? It gave me a price when I looked it up but I have not ever used Uber in France. As to driving - we don't drive on vacation - just our preference.

Posted by
2613 posts

@Badger - I will look at the bus again. When I looked before, it didn't seem to run often enough to help us both ways - just perhaps one way with some careful planning.

Posted by
6175 posts

I have not looked at the schedule so I don't know if it will work. But if the times fit your plan, one trip in each direction is all you need. I have done some day trips like that when the bus schedule was far from frequent, but suited my needs. But if it doesn't work, you can take the bus in one direction and a taxi in the other direction.

Posted by
2537 posts

In France, I use FreeNow or Bolt, avoiding Uber when possible. However, I have no experience with these services outside Paris. Consider having a backup plan if you use taxi or VTC.

In the countryside, bus service is often established to transport children to/from school. You may use the services, but they are often limited to early morning and late afternoon.

Posted by
5505 posts

Someone frequently on the forum, ACRAVEN, bused to Oradour sur Glane. She found the day very worthwhile. Hopefully, she'll respond and give you some advice.

Posted by
2613 posts

With all of your comments, I've gone ahead and priced cabs and decided that if we can't do it by bus, I am going to likely bail on the plan. I cannot find the bus schedule for bus 12. I've gone to what I think is the right website: http://www.stcl.fr/fr/

But I can't get a routing that makes sense. Can someone smarter/savvier/French-speaking see what the timetable is for Route 12?

Rome to Rio is only showing me one departure from Limoges most days. Maybe I am searching incorrectly?
https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Limoges/Avenue-du-10-Juin-87520-Oradour-sur-Glane-France?oDateTime=2021-06-17#r/Bus/s/0

Thank you!!

Posted by
5505 posts

Valerie, Rome 2 Rio isn't always the greatest. I use it as a first step. I would send ACRAVEN a private message if she doesn't post on this thread. A few days ago she and I were discussing Oradour sur Glane (via messages)

Posted by
7010 posts

This is the bus schedule from the bus lines website for Limoges to/from Oradour-sur-Glane. You need to open the PDF file for #12. It's in French and I can't translate most of it so it's hard to tell which buses run daily (except Sat&Sun) and which run on just one day a week. Hopefully you can find a way to translate it or if you know French yourself this may help you.

Posted by
2537 posts

Based upon the schedules referenced in the PDF for line 12 (for buses operating all year - toute l´année).

Traveling from Limoges to Oradour s/ Glane, bus 1201 operates M-F, departs Place Jourdan at 7h57. Bus 1215 operates on Saturdays only, Bus 1203 operates M-Sat (sauf dimanche or except Sunday).

Traveling back to Limoges from Oradour s/ Glane, there is bus 1204 operating M-F departing Champ de Foire at 6h55, Bus 1220 operating Saturday only, and buses 1206 and 1208 operating M - Saturday.

You could take an early bus from Limoges, Place Jourdan for example, arrive Oradour s/ Glane at 8h30 and return to Limoges on buses 1206 or 1208 at 11h55 and 16h55 respectively. The return buses do not operate on Sunday.

I would confirm any of these schedules with the Office de Tourisme.

I might add that the Office de Tourisme at Oradour s/ Glane does not currently have tours, but they offer folding maps to explain what you are seeing. I am sure that the maps are available in English.

Posted by
2613 posts

@Tocard - Thank you so much! That's the piece I could not sort out on my own! All right - I'm going to mull this over to see if it's just too much of a detour for that 2 nights.

Thank you all!!

Posted by
2537 posts

Basically, all you need to know is that Sauf SD means except Saturday and Sunday, S means Saturday, and Sauf D means except Sunday.

Posted by
26833 posts

As Jules said, I did make it work, though I spent so much time in the museum at the site that I had to rush through the abandoned town. It would probably be best to view the outdoor area first if you have a bus to catch.

Lomoges, incidentaly, is worth visiting itself. There's an atmospheric historic center, and the city has good decorative-art museums.