My husband and I will be staying in the Dordogne region for 3 nights April 2017. We will be driving there. Would love some recommendations on places to stay (hotels and/or B&B's). We have never been to France and hope all of you, on this forum. can advise!
Many thanks~
Jane
Bonjour!
A few years ago, we stayed at the Hotel le Perigord in La Roque-Gageac. We had a room on the back side of the hotel and we could see the lights of Domme at night. It was so quiet and beautiful to look up at the lights. The hotel is mentioned in the Dordogne section of the RS book.
On Trip Adviser, it is rated #2 for hotels in R-G. I am sure Hotel Belle Etoile is rated higher with higher prices. It is also located in the town of R-G. Hotel le Perigord is outside of R-G but not far! I believe Hotel le Perigord is less expensive. It is part of the Logis chain. Some of the Trip Adviser postings commented on refurbished rooms. I believe this would have been done since we were at the hotel. Plus, the food was really good at the restaurant. We used it for breakfast and dinner. There was a large self parking lot. We had a car so it was easy for us to visit lots of other sights.
From R-G, towe were able to drive to Sarlat, to the Lascaux II. Even though Lascaux II is a replica, I thought it was very interesting. We did not go to any other caves. We had lunch in Les Eyzies-de-Tayac. The National Museum of Prehistory is located there. I wish we had gone to the museum, especially after seeing RS visit it on his Dordogne TV segment.
We took a boat ride (not a canoe trip) on one of the small tour boats that are on the Dordogne River. At one time, the style of boat used was for transporting goods down the river. We also visited a "fois gras" farm. We saw the geese and ducks being fed. The geese didn't seem to mind too much because of their long necks but the ducks were not happy! The price paid for enjoying "fois gras".
I hope this helps with a bit of information for you. We really enjoyed this area of France and do plan on returning at some point.
Au revoir!
Since you are driving, I would heartily recommend Le Petit Versaillles in Benac-Cazenac. It is a little hard to find the first time but well worth the effort. The location is nice, the room we had was fantastic and the people were very helpful. Now would be a good time to reserve for April as like many Rick Steves recommendations you do not just show up and get a room. When we were getting out of our car a couple was walking away and said, "Don't bother, they are full." We just smiled and went in. Would happily stay there again.
La Roque-Gageac is definitely a contender for one of the cutest villages in France. The boat ride was great and the village is really something to see both during the day and at night when the cliffs are illuminated.
While you are in the area, one sight that is not in Rick's book is the Chateau des Milandes. It was once owned by Josephine Baker and has been beautifully restored by a Parisian family. We toured the building and had lunch there. Very easy to get to by car and once you have heard the story, you will never forget the place.
Don't forget your IDP, GPS and some good maps.
Have a great trip.
We also enjoyed Le Petit Versailles very much. The hosts were friendly and helpful, the breakfasts outstanding, the view from the terrace over the valley was wonderful, especially in the morning. It's a bit northeast of "downtown" Beynac, takes an effort to find by road, but there's a short downhill path into the village with several restaurants. We stayed five nights and explored the area. An advantage over Sarlat as a base is not having to drive through much traffic to get to the countryside. (This would also be true for La Roque-Gageac.) Wherever you choose, I'd urge you to stay in one place all three nights if possible, rather than spend time checking in and out, packing/unpacking, etc. It's not that far to anywhere you want to visit.
Thank you so much Bev, Irv, and Dick. As I did some research today, I often came came across La Petite Versailles which always had great reviews. Another B&B, closer to St. Emillon with great reviews was Beau Sejour. Do any of you, or others, have any knowledge of the place?
Irv - definitely we will travel with a GPS, but IDP . . . not sure what that abbreviation is?
Again, many thanks~
Jane
Beynac would be a good base. We just spent a week there at a house we rented, and enjoyed the village and its location. Below is a link to my travel blog entries covering that week. As to an IDP, it's an International Drivers Permit. Formerly only recommended in France, now it's essentially required.
http://mainelywinenews.blogspot.com/2016/04/end-of-week-in-dordogne.html
Re: Beau Sejour. Looks like a lovely place, but it's not well situated to explore Dordogne. You should try to stay somewhere east of Bergerac. Driving is slow in this part of the world because the roads are often narrow and twisty. Luckily, April won't be inundated with tourists, adding to the slow travel. However, Dordogne is extraordinarily beautiful and the food/wine are superb. Well worth the effort.
Thank you Robert and Mamm Gretch. Very helpful information. Robert your blog is very nice and so enjoyed reading it and the fabulous pictures. Where did you stay? I would love to be centrally located to see the area, but limit boring driving.
Again . . . many thanks to all~
Jane
Jane, here's the link to the house we rented in Beynac, but I think it may be only by the week. But there are hotels, and maybe B&B's, in Beynac, and it's a great location.
https://www.vrbo.com/916642a?utm_campaign=VRBO_TRV_INQ_HASC_replyBlank_PPS&utm_content=propid_text_o_lprop&utm_term=20151028&utm_source=SYS&utm_medium=email
I can recommend La Lanterne in Sarlat for your three nights. Sarlat is quite central to the Dordogne and a lovely town. Terri is a wonderful hostess and the property dates from 1503. It is a delight.
I'd like to second the recommendation for La Lanterne. The building and rooms are beautiful (at reasonable rates), breakfast is lovely, and the hosts couldn't have been more gracious or generous. Richard even packed us a lunch when we left!!
Thank you Schteffi and Dorothy. I will look into La Lanterne - looks wonderful!
We had a lovely stay at Les Cordeliers in Sarlat. Chris and Amanda are wonderful hosts. The rooms are generous in size with big, comfortable beds and A/C. Delicious breakfast is included and free snacks/beverages available 24 hrs. Highly recommend.
Another enthusiastic vote here for La Lanterne. See my review on TripAdvisor.
