Last min Sept trip itinerary advice needed > Paris > Cote d'Azur > Dordogne > Paris

fly Nice → either to airport in Bergerac (EGC) or Brive-Souillac (BVE)

Flights from Nice to Brive only operate on Fridays until August 28. There are no flights available in September.

Bergerac Airport only handles flights to and from the United Kingdom, with no flights to or from any airport in France.

From Nice, the only way to get close to the Dordogne is by taking a flight to Bordeaux or Toulouse, and from there it is about a 2.5-hour drive.

There are no direct trains to Paris from any train stations in the Dordogne (Périgueux, Bergerac, Sarlat-la-Canéda, etc.). All train trips departing from the Dordogne require at least one connection.

You can forget about the Dordogne anyway, spending 1.5 day or even 2.5 days there is completely pointless. You would need at least 5 full days.

Stayed at Hotel Du Levant, Paris in May and loved it.

Cluny is right up the street. Keep walking and you get to the Pantheon with St-Etienne right behind. Cross the street and you are at Luxembourg Garden.

Back to the hotel. In the opposite direction, you are around the corner from Notre Dame.

Without a nightly budget in Euros it's difficult to recommend hotels. Wherever you book, be sure it has proper AC.

I agree with JoLui. You need to give the Dordogne more time. You don't have 3 days. Your first and last day are consumed by travel. You barely have a day and a half.

I have to agree that with the limited time available, and given the transportation logistics, the Dordogne doesnt seem like a good choice. One of your bases has to go. Would you consider 2 or 3 nights in Provence instead of the Dordogne? Perhaps Aix or Arles?

Yes, I agree this is a packed and tricky itinerary. The cave paintings in the Dordogne have long been on my wish list so I am intent on keeping the Dordogne as part of this trip despite the logistic issues.

Have you already booked your flights?

Fly directly from US to Nice first. Save all your Paris nights for the end of your trip. This will give you more time for the Dordogne.

Los Angeles 641,
As much as I love the Dordogne, it needs far more time than you have to give it. Plus, getting there is not as simple as getting to Nice or Bordeaux or Strasbourg, for example. You are losing pretty much a whole day getting there from Nice. Even coming from Paris is not a quick move. To do it any justice at all, I would wait until I had at least five full days there (6 nights). Better yet, skip the Cote d'Azur and go straight from Paris on the 21st or 22nd to the Dordogne via Bordeaux (TGV train just over 2 hours) and rent a car for a 3 hour drive to the area near Sarlat, e.g. You would then have from mid to late afternoon on on either the 21st or 22nd until the 27th. Drive back to Bordeaux, drop the car, and take the TGV back to Paris for your last night.

If you want to keep Nice/Cote d'Azur, then add those Dordogne travel/visit days to Paris or the Cote d'Azur. (By the way, your itinerary says 4 days in the Cote, Sept 22-25. You arrive morning of 22nd, but leave the 25th, so only three days there: 22, 23, 24. Count nights, not days. Likewise, you say Dordogne 3 days, but you would arrive late(r) in the day on the 25th, and have just the 26th if you are leaving the morning of the 27th.

Wherever you decide to spend your ten days, I am sure you will have a wonderful time. Just plan well so you don't use up a lot of your time in transit. Amusez-vous bien!

The cave paintings in the Dordogne have long been on my wish list.

Which caves with paintings would you like to see in the Dordogne? There are approximately 10 open to the public.

By taking a flight from Nice to Bordeaux on September 25th and then renting a car, you will arrive in the Dordogne no earlier than 4 PM.

You will then have the following day to visit one or two caves (the most interesting ones require advance booking).

September 26th is a Saturday

Lascaux IV has tours in French at 10 am, 11 am, and 2 pm.

Lascaux II has a guided tour in English at 1 pm

The Rouffignac cave is open with a guided tour in English at 11:30 am (27 visitors max).

The Villars cave is open, with admission limited to 25 visitors.

The Combarelle cave will be closed.

The Cougnac cave will be closed.

The Font-de-Gaume cave will be closed

The Cap-Blanc cave will be closed

Don't expect to go kayaking you won't have enough time.

The next morning you will need to return to Bordeaux to return the car and take a train to Paris.

Hi there! Just to see if I understand, you will have:
Paris - 4 nights
Nice - 3 nights
Dordogne region - 2 nights
Paris - 1 night (to be there before flight)

What if you did this:
Nice - 3 nights (Fly directly to Nice to start your trip.)
Dordogne - 3 nights (adding a night from Paris to give you time to visit a cave or two and kayak)
Paris - 4 nights (including night before flight, take taxi in am to airport from hotel.)

This flipped itinerary would give you a bit more time to experience the Dordogne. Flying in to Bordeaux from Nice is a good idea, then rent a car to drive out to Sarlat area. Take a look at Gîtes of France to find some lovely, local places. In the greater Dordogne area there are many Michelin Star restaurants should you wish to celebrate your anniversary there instead of in Nice (and the prices are less than in big cities with typical local menus.)
Happy planning!

If you do go to the Perigord (Dordogne region) for a short visit, I would do a forum search for something like "prehistoric caves of the Dordogne", filter for travel forum, then one year or less. Mine the responses to check out the various caves to decide which ones are your first then second choices. Many require a reserved time spot which you should do before your travel. Also, your (truly) one full day there, besides a cave visit, can be accompanied by a kayak trip, but plan on a good 3 1/2-4 hours for that (and a long day). And you need to wear waterproof shoes (your feet will get wet getting in and out of the kayaks) and have a couple of towels in your car. You will need a car there in the Perigord. Public transportation really isn't an option. If you don't kayak, or canoe you might visit one of the two main castles which figure prominently in the Hundred Years War...Castelnaud-la-Chapelle or Beynac Castle. Between a prehistoric cave visit, and a kayak trip OR a castle exploration, your one full day is truly full.
If you decide to give more days to this area, there are many prehistoric caves to visit, some chateaux with beautiful; gardens, markets for finding yummy eats (pate, truffles, honey, walnut treats, mushrooms and strawberries, but perhaps no strawberries in Sept.) Many beautiful villages, a Prehistory museum.....lots to do and see.

Looking at the times for the cave tours, a kayak trip won't be feasible on the same day you visit a cave. A castle visit, or a second cave visit are possible that same day.

Sept. 21, 9:25 PM — Depart Paris via overnight train to Nice (1 night
overnight train)

The Paris-Nice overnight train takes 13 hours and 30 minutes to get to Nice (on Sept. 21 it leaves at 7:40 PM, not 9:25 PM). Why not take an earlier direct TGV instead, which takes half the time and gets you to Nice a day earlier?

By moving your departure from Nice earlier to Wednesday, Sept. 23 or Thursday, Sept. 24, you'll have more options for visiting the caves (avoiding Saturdays when some are closed) and more time in the Dordogne.

Nice-Bordeaux flights are operated exclusively by EasyJet. To have enough time to drive to the Dordogne from Bordeaux, you need to take the 6:00 AM flight on Sept. 23 or 24 (arriving in Bordeaux at 7:35 AM).

This allows you to arrive in the Dordogne a little before noon.

There is also the option to take an EasyJet flight from Nice to Toulouse on Thursday, Sept. 24 at 9:55 AM (arriving in TLS at 11:10 AM).

The driving time to the Dordogne from Toulouse-Blagnac is similar to the drive from Bordeaux-Mérignac.

Note that EasyJet is a low-cost airline. All luggage, even carry-on bags, incurs an extra fee that can triple the base price of your ticket. Check the baggage size policy as dimensions are checked at the airport.

If you stick to your current itinerary, whether you're in Nice or the Dordogne, you'll barely have time to check into your hotel, unpack, spend a few hours exploring, and then you'll already have to get ready to head to the next train station or airport.

That night train is miserable. The last one I took was in the 1970s when I was young, spry, healthy and broke. With such a short time period, you should fly. Even the day train is 6 hours.

You don't have enough time for all three. Drop either Nice or the Dordogne. Your active days are the 18th to 27th, 9 days. Too short for three places.

JoLui: could you link where you saw the openings and closings for the caves. That's good information for everyone.

Finally, elebrating an anniversary in Paris isn't too bad. My husband and I are going to Paris for a significant anniversary dinner on the Calif with Parisian friends (good traditional food, not gastronomic food).

JoLui: Could you provide a link to where you saw the opening and
closing times for the caves?

Links to the websites for booking visits to the caves (with or without paintings) and other sites in Dordogne are available on this map; simply select the specific caves or sites.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1OdPOg8AgsNn0Jlv1cNHkujaWv9p_Jpc&usp=sharing

These comments and suggestions have been most helpful and given us a lot food for thought. Thank you for all the feedback! After much consideration, we have decided to forego Nice/Cote d'Azur entirely. And are seriously thinking of spending a little time in Bordeaux en route to Sarlat, where we'll be staying. Would love any input on Bordeaux. We're not wine drinkers so winery visits and wine tastings won't work, which seems like a major reason to visit Bordeaux.

Is there another town or city between Paris and Sarlat that might make better sense than Bordeaux? Or be more interesting in the short time we have?

Our revised itinerary is below.

• Sept 17: Arrive in Paris.
• Sept 17–20: Paris (4 nights) staying in the Marais
• Sept 21: Paris with midday train to Bordeaux
• Sept 21–22: Bordeaux (2 nights)
• Sept. 22 - full day Bordeaux
• Sept 23: Morning in Bordeaux. Train Bordeaux > Sarlat and rent car for Dordogne in Sarlat
• Sept 23–25: Sarlat (3 nights)
• Sept 25: reservations at Pech Merle & Cave of Font-de-Gaume
• Sept. 26: Sarlat Saturday market
• Sept 26: Late morning train Sarlat > Bordeaux > Paris
• Sept 26–27: Paris (2 nights)
• Sept 28: Depart Paris

Thanks again, everyone!

I understand that you want to break the train ride, and Bordeaux makes sense since it is the point of connection to Sarlat. Google or any guidebook can list the attractions in Bordeaux that aren't wine related. However if none of those attractions are, er, attractive, perhaps consider stopping at Tours and visiting a few of the Loire chateaux. There are direct connections to Bordeaux from the Tours St Pierre des Corps station , and thence to Sarlat.

Yes, I was wondering about Tours. I've been there, albeit a long time ago, and really enjoyed it. The Loire Valley could be a gorgeous stop in between the two locations.

On a side note: has anyone been to the Gouffre de Padirac? And if so, what are your thoughts? Many reviews express how incredible it is. With my compressed timeline, I'm wondering if it's possible and worth trying to squeeze in.

Tours is a good alternative to Bordeaux. However, if you want to take a train to Sarlat, it takes at least 5 hours, plus a change of trains, to go from Tours. From Bordeaux the train takes about 2 1/2 hours with no changes.

Re renting a car in Sarlat, there are limited options and a small inventory, so reserving a head of time is a must. Be sure to lock down your car rental ahead of time. If you do decide to rent in Bordeaux, lots of car rental companies are located at the train station (Gare St. Jean). The drive is about 3 hours from Bordeaux to Sarlat.

To do in Bordeaux... Visit or see the Bassins des Lumieres, Musee d'Aquitaine, Cathedrale-St. Andre, Eglise Notre Dame, stroll along the quais, stop at the Place de la Bourse, walk around the old town.

I see you now have a full day free in the Dordogne (the 24th). What to do? Kayak or canoe takes a FULL half day; Castelnaud-la-Chapelle or Beynac Castle; drive through some of les plus beaux villages de France; visit a goose farm or walnut orchard or winery; a gabarre boat ride; see the Chateau des Milandes and/or the Marqueyssac gardens; Domme; Prehistory museum at Les Eyzies. Lots of ways to spend that day. And these are just things fairly close to Sarlat. Lots more further east. Have fun!

A first note regarding car rentals: Look into it carefully before renting in Sarlat. There is only one rental agency in Sarlat: Europcar, with a limited selection of vehicles and restricted opening hours during the week. They are closed on Sundays. In my opinion, you should pick up and return your rental car at one of the many rental companies at the Bordeaux train station.

Another note regarding the Pech Merle cave, where I took some friends last week:

If you have a reservation for Pech Merle, I assume it's for the 10:30 AM English tour. Pech Merle is not located in the Dordogne Valley, but rather further southeast, in the Lot and Célé valleys. Coming from Sarlat, it takes at least 1.5 h to drive there, and given the type of roads which I know well, it will probably take you at least 1h45. You need to be at the cave entrance at least 30 minutes before the tour starts. Considering the 1 h duration of the tour, you won't be ready to hit the road for the Font-de-Gaume cave until noon, and it will take you about 2 hours to get there.

If you booked the 3:00 PM English tour at Font-de-Gaume, you'll need to be extremely efficient and won't have time to stop and enjoy the scenery.

I would have loved to suggest a few places to see around Pech Merle, but in this specific case, it's just not feasible.

So, If you are staying in Sarlat, you will need to leave by 8:00 a.m that day (this is another downside of staying in Sarlat if you want to explore more of the region than just the usual four or five surrounding villages). I’m not sure if you’ll have time to have breakfast; in any case, you certainly won’t have time for lunch or to enjoy any sights other than those two caves.
But since seeing the caves is a priority, that probably won’t bother you too much. (I hope so)

Ahhh! and one last thing: whenever I see the "Sarlat market" listed on an itinerary, I'm sorry, but I can't help but point this out:

I guess Rick Steves only saw and mentions the Sarlat market, but there are dozens of others that are just as good without the hordes of tourists. As you know, markets are not a tourist attraction it's a completely ordinary, everyday place where we go to do our grocery shopping once or twice a week. You'll find the exact same vendors and stalls as the ones in Sarlat at markets in other neighboring towns and villages depending on their respective market days. The only difference is that in Sarlat, they bring in a few street performers to entertain the tourists in the summer.

In the map link I shared in a previous message, there is a "Markets" section that lists most of the markets along with the days they take place.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1OdPOg8AgsNn0Jlv1cNHkujaWv9p_Jpc&usp=sharingar

As someone else suggested, it doesn't make sense to drive to Font de Gaume and Pech Merle the same day. Maybe you could take the train from Paris to Limoges, pick up a car and stop at Collanges de Rouges--it's gorgeous and different. You could also go to Gouffre de Padiric. We didn't because my husband thinks we've seen enough caves! Continue to Saint-Cirq-La-Popie and spend the night, we liked staying in Cabrerets. Get tickets for Pech Merle 1st morning tour, then drive to Sarlat.

Hi @JoLui! Really appreciate the very helpful, realistic advice. To answer your question about timing and caves, we will visit the Font-de-Gaume at 9:45 and Pech Merle at 2:00 PM. One of our tours is in French but offers downloadable guides in English, so no problem there. Does this timeline seem realistic? Very good to know about car rentals in Sarlat. I was debating whether or not to rent in Bordeaux or Sarlat. But with your advice, I think Bordeaux will be an easier and more convenient option. Plus, it will allow us to stop along the way to Sarlat, should we wish. The return drive to Bordeaux will be beautiful, too.

I've kept the 24th open at this point. It's our anniversary that day and I'm open to hearing ideas from the group as to how to spend that day. Personally, I think a half day kayak or canoe trip and visiting a few towns sounds delightful. But this group is in-the-know, and if anyone has any special or unique places in mind, please share. This is such a special region and I appreciate the group feedback from those living there and who have visited.

A note about visiting Sarlat's market, if it's really catering to tourists, then I'm not interested. Is that the case? If so, what other markets that cater to local residents are recommended? Thank you @JoLui for the market list! I will take time to review. I love visiting farmers markets so a market visit for me to better understand regional produce and products would be fascinating and very enjoyable. Thanks to all!

And thank you @Judy for the wonderful list of Bordeaux sights! :)

I thought you had booked all the cave tours in English. That's why my previous message regarding the timing.

So, if you have some extra time after Pech Merle, there are tons of places to see around here, including the highest concentration of "most beautiful villages" (Plus Beaux Villages de France). You won't have time to see everything, but since cindyeb mentioned it, you could check out Saint-Cirq Lapopie. It's a medieval village (very popular with tourists) perched high on a cliff above the Lot River. It’s about 15 minutes from Pech Merle. There's no need to spend the night there since you'll probably be staying somewhere else.

https://www.francecomfort.com/en/sights/350/saint-cirq-lapopie

I'm not an event planner for birthdays, so I'm not going to meddle in what you decide to do on the 24th. Going kayaking could be a great idea if the weather is nice. It all depends on where you're staying. As you drive along the Dordogne or Lot rivers, you'll see quite a few kayak and canoe rental centers. I've also listed a few on my map, just click on them to view their websites.
You'll want to check what routes they offer and how much time you have. And since kayaking/canoeing usually only goes one way, check how they handle the return shuttle (usually by minibus) between the starting / ending points. Pack clothes accordingly for a water activity.

Regarding the markets, quite a few vendors who set up at the local markets also have farms you can visit. It could be a duck or goose farm, a sheep farm, or a cheesemaker, basically anything edible (and hopefully good). Some places offer a visit of the farm (usually free), and many have an on-site farm shop.

For a good meal, I've also listed a few restaurants on the map, ranging from very simple spots to Michelin-starred places that require advance reservations. Once again, it all depends on where you're staying. If you're looking for something more authentic and traditional and don't want to end up in a restaurant surrounded entirely by tourists from all over the world, my advice is to avoid Sarlat. But it's up to you.

You’ll be in the region associated with the "French Paradox" (specifically the Southwest), which is renowned for the quality of its cuisine and produce and for the longevity of its inhabitants. Make the most of it!

Local markets vs tourist markets
Markets for people living in a place have the seasonal fruits and vegetables as well as the stock items grown in huge greenhouse complexes in Spain, Italy, and Netherlands. There will be a few bread vendors, cheese vendors, poultry, fish, all the usual stuff. Quality goes from what the vendors pick up at the wholesale market to markets that allow only producers to sell their own products or markets featuring only organics. The higher the income in the area, the more prepared foods and specialty foods.

In Sarlat, I saw vendor after vendor selling items that were geared to tourists, including French tourists: canned foie gras, pâtés, prepared dishes including cassoulet, things you could take home in your suitcase. These were made on local farms and they are less expensive when bought locally. For Americans, in order to pass the FDA, the products have to be canned, not in glass jars. So, in the long run, if you get tired of looking at our zucchini and tomatoes, you have a large choice of southwest products from which to choose in these markets.

As Elizabeth points out, there are nuances between the different local markets. Stalls where you might find strawberries and tomatoes in the middle of December certainly don't carry a "local" certification.

The market near my home takes place on Wednesdays and Saturdays. On Wednesdays there are only local vendors selling local products, eggs, vegetables, fruits, meat, foie gras, sausages, artisanal bread, cheese, and even live animals, mostly chickens.
Most vendors sell vacuum-packed foie gras that is properly labeled with all the necessary information, though I’m not sure if it meets FDA import requirements.

The Saturday market is bigger and attracts more tourists in the summer, you can even find takeout paella and couscous vendors. :-)

It is worth keeping in mind that locals don't always eat local food, and local products aren't always very good, despite an attractive labels designed to make them look authentically local.

There are also "Marchés de nuit" (night markets), but these only run in July / August, they are primarily an opportunity to eat and have fun (you have to bring your own glass and cutlery).

A lot of very good advice re making the best use of your time.

Re Bordeaux, the Bassins des Lumieres is not in the central part of Bordeaux, so decide if you want to spend your somewhat-limited time getting there. That same kind of thing is available in many locations - it was in my home city in the U.S. last year. You may be able to have a similar experience elsewhere.

My favorite thing in Bordeaux is the water mirror; look it up, and watch some videos. Make sure that you stay for the entire cycle of the basin/water mirror filling, becoming a mirror, the mist, then draining.

I went to the Museum of Aquitaine, hoping to see a lot about Eleanor of Aquitaine. There was not as much information as I had hoped, but it was very detailed on the history of Aquitaine and Bordeaux.

I really like Bordeaux; it's less touristy, great for walking around, and the riverfront is a great place for a stroll. And have some canneles!

In Sarlat, for your anniversary, go canoeing or kayaking if that's what the two of your enjoy. (I can do that activity at home, so have never chosen to do that in the Dordogne). You have many restaurant choices, but years ago we had a very nice birthday celebration meal at L'Esplanade in Domme, overlooking the countryside (make sure to book your meal for before it gets dark, so you can enjoy that view). We really like visiting chateaux / castles in the Dordogne; there are a lot of those to choose from.

For your husband's birthday, if you want to splurge a bit, be sure to reserve your table at the restaurant you choose at least 2 days ahead. When our son wanted to treat us (7 in the family on that trip) to a fancy meal, we went to Le Grand Bleu. It was in Sarlat, but by the train station in a nondescript building. The meal was exquisite, service impeccable. Pricey, but we really enjoyed it!
In La Roque Gageac there is the Belle Etoile, very well-known among tourists and locals. Reserve well in advance. Lovely location by the river, so especially popular. We didn't plan far enough in advance to get in.

I'm sure other posters can suggest other places to celebrate the birthday. And you don't need to spend big bucks to eat well in the Perigord. An area that specializes in both fois gras AND truffles is a special place on earth.
Amusez-vous bien!

Spent four nights at Sarlat in May and was underwhelmed by the market, which, as JoLui observes, is a three-ring tourist circus. Great if you liked visiting Versailles; less great, otherwise.

Los Angeles641,
Your travel dates approach. I hope that after you return home you will come back to the forum and tell us how it all went. For me, and for many others, it is enjoyable to hear about others' adventures in France and whether or not our input was helpful. Bon voyage et amusez-vous bien!