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VAISON LA ROMAINE and AMBOISE over 2 days where should we spend the overnight?

We are driving from Vaison la Romaine to Amboise (~7 -10 hrs depending on the way you go) and want to take 2 days to do it.
Where should we stop to spend the night & half a day between the two cities? I think that there is at least 2 routes that we could take: via A71 thru Clermont-Ferrand, and via A9/A20 thru Sarlat (~10 hrs over 2 days)

Is one preferred over the other? is there a better route? looking for the best halfway stop between VAISON LA ROMAINE and AMBOISE. I will send a postcard to all that assist, Thank you in advance.

Francis & Kelly

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7258 posts

I would definitely not go all the way through Sarlat. It is a very long detour and the region deserves several days.

Along the fastest route via St Etienne, Clermont, Bourges, the main point of interest is Bourges IMO but this is already quite close to Amboise.
If you prefer something around halfway, I suggest going via Le Puy en Velay. It adds about 1 hour of driving time, maybe 1.5 hours if you get unlucky with slow trucks. The roads leading there from the east (i.e. from Provence) are twisty; N102 is the easiest option whatever Google Maps says. Le Puy to Amboise is smooth-sailing. Le Puy en Velay is perfect for a few hours of exploring, a large town with some striking religious landmarks.

Another option, if you are OK with a very small village, is Charroux. It is super cute, I never slept there but there are B&Bs and a few restaurants.