Rocamadour to Sarlat-la-Caneda

Rocamadour is not in the Périgord but in the Lot.

First of all, are you sure you want to stay in Rocamadour? While the place is worth a few hours' visit, it's not really a place where people stay, but a very touristy day trip destination (lots of coaches on organized trips arrive there every day and leave at the end of the day).

The restaurants are mostly tourist traps. Most of the shops are nothing more than cheap souvenir stores and a few local artisans.

Sorry, maybe I shouldn't influence your plans, but I just want to let you know.

You should know that regional transportation depends on two different regions: Rocamadour is on the liO network (Occitanie) , and Sarlat on the Nouvelle Aquitaine network.

If you're sure you want to stay in Rocamadour, I'll tell you how to get to Sarlat. There's a bus route (with 1 connexion). By train, it's too complicated, as you've noticed.

You won't find Uber in these rural areas, and taxis are quite rare.

Thanks for correcting my geography. Having never visited south central France, the various department borders are a little blurry in my mind. But Yes, we have already booked two nights in Rocamadour. I realize it's a tourist destination but I am still curious to see it. We are also tempted by Brive-la-gaillarde (in the Corrèze), because of its marché les halles, but it is even further away from Sarlat as the crow flies. Likewise, with Périgueux. Google Maps says there is a bus, but my fear is that it won't be convenient for those with baggage OR that it may not be operative yet the first half of May. Thanks for your input.

Hi Wmmoeck,
Is it possible to change your hotel reservation to a more accessible town? Or would you be able to rent a car? Honestly it is a pain to take public transport in this area. Not impossible but definitely not ideal.

I would rethink the two nights in Rocamadour. It's really not a pleasant place to go aside from the religious buildings, and how much time does it take to see those?

I liked Brive and Perigueux, as well as some other places of similar size. Not having a car, I had a hard time getting to the really small towns/villages. Unfortunately, Rocamadour was one of the little places I made a point of seeing. The nearest public-bus stop as of 2019 was a very, very long walk from the town along a 2-lane highway with no paved shoulder. I made it, but I had no luggage. Perhaps that situation has changed, but I'd research bus availability very carefully, because I'd say you really cannot get to Rocamadour without a car. And it's absolutely not worth the effort unless it's an absolute must-see for you for religious reasons. In that case, I'd try to find a bus tour I could take from one of the larger towns in the area rather than isolating myself in the cringingly touristy Rocamadour.

We're not supposed to be this negative about a poster's plans, but I just can't help myself in this case.

"Google Maps says there is a bus, but my fear is that it won't be convenient for those with baggage". . .
I have had limited experience traveling by bus in Spain and England and never in France, but on those busses, my luggage has simple been stored under the bus where there was ample room. I looked at Rome2Rio which says that the bus from Rocamadour to Sarlat-la-Caneda would be under three hours which sounds reasonable.

Ahh, I just read acraven's response of "The nearest public-bus stop as of 2019 was a very, very long walk from the town along a 2-lane highway with no paved shoulder. I made it, but I had no luggage." Perhaps that's why you're hesitant to take a bus. That does sound dangerous. I hope that you can make it to Sarlat since it is a sweet town with some wonderful restaurants.

There should be bus tours from Sarlat to Rocamadour--probably also stopping at other places; whether you can find a reasonably-priced public tour or would have to pay for a private tour, I do not know.

All of these rural areas can only be visited by car (or bicycle or canoe), which is essentially what makes them so charming.

Most of the places to visit are not served by public transportation. Apart from schoolchildren and students, locals use their cars or carpool with their neighbors.

To get from Rocamadour to Sarlat in May, I can't think of a better option than the following:

• Go to Rocamadour-Padirac train station, which is 5 km from Rocamadour, then take the train to Brive-la-Gaillarde (45-minute journey).

• Then take the train to Souillac (25-minute journey).

Once at Souillac train station, there is bus 335 to Sarlat (the bus stop is in front of the station). The bus takes about 45 minutes to reach Sarlat.

Of course, this all depends on train and bus schedules.

You can take the bus with your luggage. I'm not sure if you'can store it in the compartment under the bus. But luggage will be the least of your worries. What matters is the bus schedule because buses are used primarily for school transportation, and their schedules are therefore adapted to school hours and school vacation dates.

See the 335 schedule below:

https://transports.nouvelle-aquitaine.fr/sites/default/files/timetable_files/SPECIAL%20Rentr%C3%A9e-Fiche%20horaire%20Cars%20r%C3%A9gionaux-Souillac-Sarlat-la-can%C3%A9da.pdf

In early May, there are two public holidays: the 1st and the 8th. Sunday and public holiday schedules are specific.

If you absolutely must stay in Rocamadour, it's up to you. It's your vacation.

The Brive-la-Gaillarde market is an excellent idea, in my opinion just as good as Rocamadour's, but be aware that it only takes place on Saturdays (the famous one in the George Brassens market hall).

Brive-la-Gaillarde is quite nice, and its historic center is mainly pedestrianized.

We stayed in Rocamadour for two nights in May 2023.
Perhaps we are easily pleased, but we enjoyed it very much. The view from our hotel room was quite lovely and the service and meals we had were very good. The town wasn’t too busy with tourists, certainly they are mostly there during the day so the early mornings and evenings are quieter. Granted, it doesn’t have a lot of big name sites to visit, but we found it pleasant enough to wander.
We visited a number of small towns in the Lot area, and very much enjoyed our time there. Can’t help with getting around as we were on a self guided walking tour. We walked to Rocamadour and the company organised a taxi to take us to Souillac station afterwards. Doesn’t really answer your question, but I thought I’d chip in to say that not everyone finds Rocamadour awful.

Wmmoeck,

JoLui is giving you very good advice. If you can change your bookings to a town with bus tours to Roc, you will fulfill your needs.

That being said, we did spend a night in Roc since we had a car, on two separate trips twenty years apart, and it was very very worthwhile. The sanctuary with the pilgrims' stairs was incredibly moving, especially in the early morning hours before the tours arrived. And the music in the church was like angels. I am very happy to have stayed there, twice. Absolutely lovely town. The whole area is stunning, one of the treasures of the world.

You wondered about services being available in early May. We traveled in April, and yes some things were pared down, but we thought it was great. We were the only guests in one of our hotels, and on a cave tour, which made it a private tour! Superb!

wmmoeck,
I must concur with those who recommend changing where you are staying. Being without a car is not easy in the Dordogne/Lot region, but if you are without one, I would recommend Sarlat-la-Caneda as your base. It can be touristy, yes, but not nearly as much as Rocamadour. And Sarlat is a much prettier town with better options for restaurants and walking around. I have been to Sarlat 3 times and Rocamadour once. Once was plenty for me. If you are able to change your location I believe you will have a more happier stay. And the comments about the bus schedules are spot on.

Best of luck in your planning.

Many thanks to all for the various input, especially to JoLui for the link to the 335 Bus schedule, I was well aware of the different national holidays next May, which is exactly why we are spending two nights in Rocamadour rather than one--to avoid traveling on a major day-off. It is also useful to know that to the Souillac bus strop at the train station and that to get there, one can also take the train from Brive-la-Gaillarde, all the more reason to spend a day or two there sampling the goodies at the food hall and the marketplace. Our longer stays in the area will be at Toulouse and then Bordeaux. In traveling from Toulouse to Cahors and from Cahors to Rocamadour, my main goal was not to have to backtrack through Toulouse to pass to Sarlat. Voila! ça y est.

Again, this forum put my mind at ease that getting from one town to the other was do-able! Merci beaucoup!

Since you'll be taking the train several times in the Occitanie region (liO network), you might be interested in the "Occitanie Rail Tour" Pass. You'll find the details below:

https://www.visit-occitanie.com/en/rail-tour/

This Pass is not valid on Intercités and TGV train. It is only valid on regional TER trains on the liO network. There are no reservations on these trains; you can sit wherever you want.

There's a map on this page that allows you to see all the train lines and stations. Click on Discover the Map and then click on All the Stations.

The train line you're interested in for the Toulouse-Cahors-Souillac-Brive section is the "Lot and Dordogne" line. You can click on the name for more information.

However, this line does not go to Rocamadour. To get to Rocamadour, you must take another line, the Causses du Quercy line from Brive (the one in blue on the map).

You'll find a general map of the entire bus and train network in Occitanie below. Brive is at the top left of the map. Train lines are in white, colored lines are bus lines. The dotted lines are seasonal lines (July and August only).

https://storage.googleapis.com/is-wp-90-prod/uploads-prod/2025/09/280825_OCC_liO_depliant_plans_reseau_departementalises_Lot_600x420mm.pdf.

On this map, just below Brive you'll see Souillac, and to the left of Souillac, Sarlat which is "off the map" because, as I mentioned above, it is part of another regional network. You will find a map of this other networfk below:

https://static.neopse.com/medias/p/2645/site/9c/b7/16/9cb716e86971a29238f363ed86642c050fffe84f.png?v=v1

You will see Souillac to the right of the map, and the route of Bus line 335 to Sarlat, which you can also find here:

https://transports.nouvelle-aquitaine.fr/fiche-horaire/2201

The bus 335 stops in front of the small Souillac train station; you can't miss it.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/SmLm3Q3o9S3uHy5F7

This forum put my mind at ease that getting from one town to the other
was do-able!

From one town to another, of course, can be do-able (with a little luck), but the basic principle for visiting the Dordogne and Lot is precisely to avoid going into the towns.

If you are willing to send me a private message, I might be able to offer you a solution. Thanks!

Hi Jolui,
Since you brought up the very good idea about the pass LiO, let me ask you one question I had about it. My understanding of the site was that you bought a pass for 2 or 3 or 4 consecutive days, meaning that it only paid to get it if you were going to use it each and every day. I think we are too aged to want to do that much sightseeing. While we will be in Toulouse for a week, and not too far from the la Gare, I imagine we would want to be taking no more than 2 or 3 days trips--Albi, Foix, Castres are top contenders--but certainly not on consecutive days. In that case, if I understand the offer correctly, it would not pay to buy a pass. Am I misunderstanding it?

PS And double thanks for the two maps, which perfectly trace the itinerary I am making. After Cahors, it is thus far 2 nights in Roc, 2 nights in Brive, followed by 3-4 nights in Sarlat, before returning to the main train line of Bergerac-St.Emilion-Bordeaux. Your help was immeasurable, and again I thank you.

I mentioned the liO Pass in case you are interested since I didn't know your exact itinerary day by day. Yes it's useful for consecutive days. If you're not taking the train for at least three consecutive days, forget it.
You can still use the map on the website, which offers some tourist information about all the places served by the train by clicking on the train lines.
You can check train schedules and fares on the SNCF-Connect, regardless of the region of France. It's far too early to see those for May 2026.

https://www.sncf-connect.com/en-en

It's interesting that you mention Castres and Foix, I don't see that often on this forum. They are two nice little towns that are worth a few hours of visiting. I'm more used to seeing Albi and Carcassonne mentioned.
Note that Castres train station is a bit far from the historic center (about a 20-minute walk).

As an option, I would add Gaillac, which is also worth a visit, especially if you enjoy wine since you're going to Cahors.

https://www.la-toscane-occitane.com/en/visiter/villes-villages/gaillac/

I made a map for this entire area east of Toulouse. See if it can give you some ideas.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1SrAtdgxHVZnob6W3FwLoW4bqrLmZCuU&usp=sharing

Toulouse is worth a full three-day stay. I also have this map for Toulouse (I have tons of maps, lol).

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1Z1sSFFM4Injq9W_WArpkpYN_6SanFjw&usp=sharing

I have lived in this region for over 25 years, where I divide my time according to the seasons between two houses in the Dordogne and the Tarn, sometimes also being in Toulouse. But I am not a guide and I'm not financially interested in giving suggestions and advice.

I am late to the party, but if you are still gathering information for your trip, I will add that even without the Iio pass, the trains are very nice. We paid 1 euro each to go from Brive to Suillac, comfortable seats and pleasant staff. There was a short delay along the way and the conductor stopped by our seat to make sure we had understood. Another passenger was continuing on using their van service, though I'm sure that service isn't meant for tourists. While you are in Brive, look into having lunch or dinner at restaurant C. Forget, which is delightful.

Thanks for the restaurant tip. I have added Forgot to the short list of places to try, along with Chez Francis and Les Halles de Brive. When you took the train from Brive to Souillac, did you by chance attempt to take the 335 bus to Sarlat?