Self Guided France Walking Tour- Burgundy, Provence or Dordogne?

We just got back from the Dordogne and loooved it. We drove, but there are many locations compacted together that may make a walking tour very good.

I would suggest diving into the Rick Steves France guidebook since he covers each area very well. Burgundy is wine centric, the Dordogne has the prehistoric sites as well as well preserved castles and architecture, Provence has its Mediterranean charm. All are worth a visit and I doubt you will be disappointed with any choice. The food is excellent in all three places and your chosen time frame is a good time to visit. I would say it is your personal choice depending on your own particular interests.

Each of these regions in France offers something unique for a self-guided walking tour. Here’s a breakdown that might help with your choice:

Dordogne: Known for its historic villages, prehistoric caves, and scenic rivers. It’s perfect if you love walking through medieval settings and enjoying pastoral landscapes.

Provence: Famous for its lavender fields, vineyards, and beautiful weather in early fall. It combines rustic charm with a Mediterranean feel and vibrant towns like Avignon and Aix-en-Provence.

Burgundy: Offers beautiful countryside with rolling vineyards and rich wine culture. Great for scenic walks combined with wine tasting and classic French gastronomy.

Without a car, all three regions are ideal with a tour company handling logistics. Provence might be best if you prefer warmer weather, while Dordogne and Burgundy are ideal for history and wine lovers.

reference: transfer easy cab

I've not used them but this company gets pretty good reviews. Looks like they do self-guided walking tours in Provence and Dordogne, not sure about Burgundy but maybe if they don't they can steer you to someone who does.

This French travel agency based in Burgundy offers self-guided walking tours.
in Provence, Burgundy and Dordogne:

https://www.detours-in-france.com/self-guided-tour/walking/

Thanks, all. We would be using Detours in France if we go. I am thinking that the Dordogne trip would be nice for us, with possibly a few days in Bordeaux on the front end.

Some information if you choose Detours in France and the Dordogne:

They pick you up and drop you off in Brive la Gaillarde or Souillac.

These two cities are directly accessible by train from Paris (Austerlitz station) but not if you transit via Bordeaux.
The journey Paris → Brive takes about 4h30.

Souillac is located on the same train line that goes to Brive (Paris↔Toulouse) but further away, so you don't need to go to Souillac and spend 30 minutes more on the train, besides Brive is a pretty good city with a nice pedestrian center (and a very large and famous food market on Saturday mornings) if you have the opportunity to spend a night there.

Brive is accessible by direct train from Bordeaux but the trains are less frequent and the journey takes at least 2h30.
Souillac is not directly connected to Bordeaux by train

Unless you have a special reason to go to Bordeaux you can also consider Toulouse, the pink city, where there are plenty of things to do and see.

There are many direct trains from Brive or Souillac ↔ Toulouse. The journey takes between 2h and 2h30.

https://www.toulouse-tourisme.com/en/

As for the weather, the best time would be around mid-September in my opinion. October can be nice (we have a few days with 30°C / 85F in October) but although the weather is unpredictable, in October the mornings and evenings can be chilly and the risk of rain is greater.

Note that there is also a regional airport in Brive with direct flights to/from Paris Orly

https://www.aeroport-brive-vallee-dordogne.com/

Unless I am misreading something I am seeing a few daily direct trains from Bordeaux to Brive.

I am seeing a few daily direct trains from Bordeaux to Brive.

Yes, that's exactly what I said.

Yes, sorry, I misread your post. Thank you for this information!