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September trip to France

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Hello! We are a young 70ish couple planning another trip to France! I would like to share the itinerary that we like to do, but wonder if we are a little short on days, your advise will be greatly appreciated. We will not have a car an plan to travel by train and local transportation.

Sept. 5 arrive Bordeaux for 3 night, maybe one day trip.
sept 8 Sarlat one night.
sept 9 Sarlat to Toulouse
sept 10 Toulouse for 5 night, includes day trips to Albi, Carcassonne and Lourdes
sept 15 Toulouse to Pau (or maybe another town in the Pyrenees?) overnight
sept 16 Pau?
sept 17 Biarritz or St.Jean-de-luz for 3 nights, maybe day trip to Bayonne
sept 20 Biarritz to San Sebastian, four nights including day trip to Pamplona
sept 23 San Sebastian to Bilbao for 2 nights
sept 26 Bilbao back to U.S.A.

Thanks in advance for your replies. Looking forward to spending a little time in France again. Merci!
Luisa Urioste

Posted by
7838 posts

The Sarlat to Toulouse part is a not well connected by rail. You would either have to take a bus or taxi to Soulliac to catch the train to Toulouse; that is short way. Or you have go all the way back from Sarlat to Bordeaux to get a train to Toulouse. Maybe save Sarlat Dordogne area for another trip.

Posted by
27111 posts

Pamplona's not a bad place, but it would be far from my first choice of day-trip from San Sebastian. I preferred Vitoria-Gasteiz, Hondarribia and the Zarautz-Getaria-Zumaia triumvirate. I mainly used Pamplona as a base for a day-trip (by bus) to the hill town of Laguardia, which is very atmospheric. Laguardia can also be visited (and more easily) from Logrono or Vitoria-Gasteiz.

If you find you have some extra time while in the Basque Country, consider taking the (very slow) Euskotren between San Sebastian and Bilbao. It runs through some very pretty countryside.

I haven't made it to the Dordogne yet (it's challenging without a car), but it's my impression that the area is not well-suited to one-night visits.

Just from looking at the map, it appears that you could save considerable travel time by visiting Lourdes from Pau rather than from Toulouse. However, I haven't looked at train/bus schedules.

Posted by
11294 posts

Before you spend three nights in St. Jean de Luz and four nights in San Sebastian, without a car, make sure you understand just how little there is to "do" in these places. I spent three nights in Bayonne without a car, and found that I had seen everything I wanted to in the area that was easily accessible in two days. These French Basque towns, including the "city" of Bayonne, are small and have very few "turnstile attractions"; the main activity is walking around and "hanging out." San Sebastian has more, but even so, it's more about atmosphere (admittedly lovely). Bilbao is much more of a city and has more to see and do.

Here's my trip report on the area. In it I say, "I inadvertently booked a trip I didn't want." Make sure it's what YOU want before finalizing your arrangements.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/basque-country-trip-report-bayonne-san-sebastian-vitoria-gasteiz-and-bilbao-may-2017

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