Dordogne...Where to next?

In late June, we're leaving Beynac-et-Cazenac for Puycelci, check out Ancien Auberge there; a NJ woman with a B&B, restaurant, and bistro.

Given four days and a car, I would not be wild about a lot of driving south and its corollary driving back north to Paris. I just mean it's a lot of driving and very little sightseeing in four days. If you are willing to fly or take the train for the final leg of your trip, however, you could make your way south to San Sebastian or Barcelona, or head for Provence where the train will whisk you to Charles deGaulle airport in less than 3 hours. Depending on that, Carcassonne makes an interesting overnight stop, and/or the coastal town of Collioure. Enroute to the latter you can visit the Haut Corbieres in the foothills of the Pyrenees--these are crumbling medieval forts on the tops of small mountains, very dramatic and not for the height phobic. Perhaps you're best option would be to spend two additional days someplace BEFORE you arrive in the Dordogne and then (on Sunday, not Friday) just drive back to Paris. If you want to post your whole itinerary maybe we can advise. Dordogne is really great--do not shorten your stay there.

If you haven't been to the Loire Valley, I'd suggest driving there on your way back to Paris. The RS guide recommends Amboise as a good base and I'd agree, close to several of the great chateaux (Amboise, Blois, Cheverny, Chambord, Chenonceaux). The Leonardo da Vinci site in Amboise has exhibits of his inventions, including a little park with big versions that your son might enjoy. He might also enjoy the 4 PM feeding of the hounds at Cheverny, a powerful example of Darwinism at work. If you have time to stop at Chartres on your way back to Paris, the cathedral is wonderful. Another choice, in the opposite direction, might be Carcassonne, where little boys can become medieval warriors in a walled city. It's overrun with tourists and worth a day or an overnight at most, but we (sans children) enjoyed it.

Great suggestions here, thank you. It's nice to get a fresh perspective and pick your brains. Adam, our itinerary is: Day Date Town Monday 18-Jun Leave Denver Tuesday 19-Jun Arrive Paris Wednes 20-Jun Paris Thursday 21-Jun Paris Friday 22-Jun Leave Paris - Normandy Saturday 23-Jun Normandy Sunday 24-Jun Leave Normandy - Amboise? Monday 25-Jun Dourdogne Tuesday 26-Jun Dourdogne Wednes 27-Jun Dourdogne Thursday 28-Jun Dourdogne Friday 29-Jun LV Dourdogne - ??? Saturday 30-Jun Pyrenees? Sunday 1-Jul Pyrenees?
Monday 2-Jul Paris? Tuesday 3-Jul Leave Paris Hotels are already booked for Paris (first part of trip), Normandy, and Dordogne. Everything else is flexible. It was our plan to drop off the car in perhaps Bayonne and take the train back to Paris. Perhaps the Ossau Valley area?

Molly, I see from your constraints that you can't add time before you reach the Dordogne. So I find I do not have much more to add. I do think the plan to take the train back to Paris is a good one, though it will take you most of a day. The area that interests you - Western Pyrenees and southern Atlantic coast etc. - is not familiar to me. If that is your priority I think you can see what to do. Maybe others will be able to make more-specific suggestions. Carcassonne would be more on the way to Provence than to Bayonne. I would be a little concerned about all the driving you are planning. Do not underestimate how slow those mountain roads can be. Have fun!

Molly - For something different, you could try Arcachon and Cap Ferret. We stayed at a cute little hotel in Cap Ferret called Hotel des Pins and walked the beach with huge sand dunes. Arachon is also a nice town to explore. I haven't been to La Rochelle but it's a popular spot on the west coast. Your son might like some beach time and R&R before Paris.

My wife and I actually going in the opposite direction as Molly in mid-October, so thought we would piggyback on this post. We have accommodations booked in Paris, Normandy and Provence areas, but nothing yet in the Loire Valley or the Dordogne area. Any recommendations in these areas? we prefer B&B's, have a car and plan to spend 3-4 days in each area. Thx.

Hey Company Estes Park,
In the fall of 2010, we stayed in a GREAT B&B in Les Eyzes http://www.fermedetayac.com/ . Totally charming. And visiting the Font de Gaume was an experience I will never, ever forget.

Adam, we live in a mountain town at over 8000 feet, so no worries for us about those roads, we are well versed. Greir, Thanks for the suggestions, I wil check them out.
Company, we are staying at Le Moulin wile we are in the Dordogne. Their website is: http://moulindelabeune.com/ I will report back to you about our stay. Where are you staying in Amboise?

Dick, where did you stay while you were in the Loire?

We stayed in a vacation rental in St-Aignan, a town on the Cher just east of Chenonceaux. It was good central location for the sites east of Tours. I wouldn't recommend the particular rental though. We were there a week, if you're just there a couple of nights I'd suggest one of the RS-recommended hotels in Amboise, or someplace other posters know about. BTW I forgot to mention before there's a terrific zoo just south of St-Aignan, ZooParc de Beauval. We spent a fun day there and we're not normally big zoo fans. I've read somewhere that it's supposed to be the best zoo in Europe. Animals are in habitat-like settings with different species sharing a relatively big territory, sort of like real thing only of course no predator-prey combinations. Your son might like it. The link is http://www.zoobeauval.com/. Edit -- Re Chartres, someone on another thread reports that the cathedral is half-covered in scaffolding this year and not its usual glorious self. If so, maybe best to save for another time (assume you will return...).