We have a 2 week trip: four days Paris, 1 day tour Loire Valley, 2 nights Bordeaux for a winery/chateau tour, 2 nights Sarlat/Dordogne/cave paintings, 4 nights Nice or Cannes... I have one extra day, should I spend it in Paris, where my husband has never been, or in Sarlat so I can make the Saturday market day and have 3 days in Dordogne but then only 3 full days in Paris?
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
"2 nights Sarlat/Dordogne/cave paintings" is one day (!) there, for which you will spend two days traveling to and from. If that reflects your priorities then do yourself a favor and save the Dordogne for another trip. Because these five destinations are so physically separate, I think you are planning too much for a two-week trip. There are three days completely devoted to travel, leaving you only 11 on the ground. Logistically, the Riviera is the outlier this trip and leaving it off would give you 4 actual days to add to the Dordogne and perhaps Paris and/or the Loire. 5 days were you to fly home from Bordeaux. But perhaps Nice is a priority, in which case I would trim whatever is the least important to you. It wouldn't be Paris if your husband has never been.
Posted by
OP
la, ca
34 posts
You might be right; Loire Valley is a taste, one day tour from Paris hotel; We will fly from Bordeaux to Nice, and Nice to Paris/home so that should save some time, non? My husband has also never been to Riviera, and I've never been to LV and cave paintings so trying to get something (all right too much) in for both...
Posted by
OP
la, ca
34 posts
actually i'm mostly interested in cave paintings
Posted by
Atlanta
3262 posts
If you're not locked in, could you delete the day trip to the Loire Valley from Paris? That would give you an extra day in Paris. Add a day to Sarlat/Dordogne for the Saturday market and to explore the cave paintings.
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6713 posts
Suzan, I wouldn't spend an extra day in Sarlat just for the Saturday market. There are many great street markets every day in Paris, and much more else to see there. On another thread (you have several going, non?) you asked about basing in Sarlat vs. small nearby towns and I suggested basing in Sarlat so that you don't spend your one day going there instead of to caves. I agree with others that you're trying to fit a lot of places and cover a lot of ground into a couple of weeks. You're saving time by flying, but missing countryside. Many people like to keep moving and "hit" a lot of places. We prefer spending more time in fewer places, which saves money as well as in-transit time. Chacun a son gout. But, imho, spend the extra day in Paris instead of Sarlat.
Posted by
OP
la, ca
34 posts
Well then what should I do? I hate to give any of it up... Paris is a must, I want to see Dordogne, and the Riviera would be nice... Maybe the Loire Valley can wait for another trip when I can do it right and with a car. I could take a train straight to Sarlat through Brive (get a car there as others have done), this way I save the 2 days in Bordeaux and the 1 in Loire Valley... and i can enjoy the countryside!