First time posting here, but I've already absorbed a ton of useful info from you folks.

My wife and I will be making our first visit to France next June, and are building our itinerary around a week at Les Trois Chats (discovered thanks to reviews here). So far, that's all that's booked, and I'm trying to decide what to do with the other week or so (including travel time).

Originally, I had something like this in mind:

- arrive in Paris and spend 4 days seeing the sights
- pick up a rental car and head south
- stop for a night in the Loire valley, hopefully check out a chateau
- arrive at Les Trois Chats for a week
- after checkout, drop car in Bergerac or Sarlat and take the train into Bordeaux
- spend a day or two in Bordeaux
- fly home

But, the more I read about Aquitaine, the more Paris doesn't seem to 'fit', and would be best saved for a future trip (maybe something like a week in Paris, a week in, say, Barcelona courtesy of RyanAir's cheap flights. But I digress...). Instead, I'm thinking about spending the full trip in Aquitaine. What I'm thinking is this:

- arrive in Bordeaux
- next day, pick up a rental car and head for St Emilion for two nights. Spend a day touring the wine route.
- check out of St Emilion and head for Sauternes area. Spend the day getting there, maybe visiting a couple of wineries in Entre Deux Mers on the way.
- stay in Sauternes area for two nights. Again, spend a day touring the wine route there.
- check out of Sauternes and head for Les Trois Chats
- arrive at Les Trois Chats for a week
- after checkout, drop car in Bergerac or Sarlat and take the train into Bordeaux
- spend a day or two in Bordeaux
- fly home

Does the first bit seem too rushed? My wife and I are wine fans, so would like to spend a few days focussed on that. I could drop the trip down to Sauternes and instead spend all four days in the St Emilion area. We love Sauternes wine, though.

Thanks for any thoughts/suggestions.

Welcome! You're sure to love the Dordogne area.

I think both itineraries make sense and are quite doable in a relaxed fashion. However, the second is the "slower" of the two and I prefer it. Gives you plenty of time for long lunches with wine, and soaking up what the area has to offer. You would leave there feeling that you know the area well. I've never been in the Sauterne area or in Bordeaux, so can't comment on the merits of those locations, but we've spent time in the Trois Chats area and it has so much to offer.
Linda

The second itinerary also sounds more appealing.
St Emilion is not only a beautiful village but has beautiful surrounding. Can't you make it a longer base?
Another beautiful wine-growing village in the Bordeaux radius is Rions.
Bon voyage.

quote:

Originally posted by Americana in Parigi:
The second itinerary also sounds more appealing.
St Emilion is not only a beautiful village but has beautiful surrounding. Can't you make it a longer base?

I could, at the expense of Sauternes. I'm of two minds on that.

quote:

Another beautiful wine-growing village in the Bordeaux radius is Rions.
Bon voyage.

Looks like a nice location, right on the river; I'll look into that.

Thanks!

I’d do the Paris itinerary, but really, both are well planned trips and I think it’s just personal preference. Paris is hands down my favorite place in France and especially since your second itinerary is all country and almost no city, I think it would be a nice balance. I probably would take the train from Paris to Dordogne, though, and skip the driving and the night in the Loire—that to me just sounds like a hassle. But it sounds like you’re really into wine and there are specific things you’d like to see, so if you know you can spend that much time in wine country and stay interested, then that’s a valid option. I personally wouldn’t spend much time in St. Emilion, though. It’s cute but SO touristy. Most stores are wine stores and the rest are gift shops.

I think Christy's suggestion is great. Go ahead and do enjoy some days in Paris, skip the Loire to keep things simple, and head for the southwest. That might be the best plan yet. I think you're going to have a great trip - you know what you like, and you're doing some great planning.

By the way Christy, I have made careful note of your Pyrenees B&B review recently posted. We're looking to explore a new area of France - the Pyrenees, anything south of the Dordogne area, is new for us. And we're wanting to keep it cheap. Viewing the Tour de France the last couple of days inspired me to explore that area. We're always suckers for the Tour, despite all its problems.

Linda

I haven't been to the Pyrenees! So I can't take credit for that.

Christy's suggestions were great, better and more detailed than mine.
By the way, in slowtrav, all the rental reviews under the region heading "Pyrenees" are not necessarily in the Pyrenees. It is (not the most correct or standard) name encompassing the Midi-Pyrenees region. For example, by default, a rental in northern Lot will be under the "Pyrenees" heading in slowtrav but it is nowhere near the Pyrenees.
Instead of calling it Pyrenees and showing Midi-Pyrenees in paratheses, it would be clearer just to say Midi-Pyrenees. I have suggested this before and am repeating myself…

ScottW, if you want to go to Sauternes, I say go there. You don't want to return to the U.S. with the feeling you had your chance but didn't do it.

Paris, another time, I understand. Paris is a destination unto itself. There's not much point in making it a simple stop-over point. Go later.

Same with the Loire Valley. It's its own destination, not a stopover. You can't see much unless you spend a few days or a week. Or longer.

Ken

Here's another point to consider. The highway drive from Paris to the Dordogne area is not the most interesting. It's OK, but probably not worth the effort.

Loie, Elizabeth and I went from CDG to Puy L'Eveque in our rental car, figuring with three people, and our luggage, it would be easier and cheaper than training or flying down. And of course we were going to have the car in the Lot. (There are other threads here about those choices.) There may be more scenic routes that would take a lot longer than the obvious A roads. The "most efficient" route we took was a pretty boring drive, all told.

Wow, thanks for all the suggestions. I'll have to think about this a bit, but I appreciate all the feedback so far!

There's an article in today's New York Times about St-Emilion:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/world/europe/24bordeaux.html

ScottW,
I favor the second itinerary! While I also love, love, love Paris I think it warrents a separate trip and more time. And a one-day Loire drive-through could be spent tasting that Sauternes and having a relaxing lunch somewhere!

If you're looking for a hotel in Bordeaux at the end of your trip I can reccommend the Hotel Continental www.hotel-le-continental.com. At this moment their highest rate is 105 Euros. It is in a good location, is small and the staff is very accommodating and sincere. Also, our room was rather large with a big bathroom - unexpected bonuses!

Enjoy your planning and keep using the site, you'll get it all figured out.

Laura

quote:

Originally posted by chachalaca:
If you're looking for a hotel in Bordeaux at the end of your trip I can reccommend the Hotel Continental www.hotel-le-continental.com. At this moment their highest rate is 105 Euros. It is in a good location, is small and the staff is very accommodating and sincere. Also, our room was rather large with a big bathroom - unexpected bonuses!
Laura

Thanks for that link; looks like a definite possibility.

I'm starting to lean toward option 2 (forgoing Paris this time round). There's just so much to see/do in that part of France (or any part, for that matter)!

Bon Jour! We loved the Dordogne area so much, we bought a home 15 minutes from St Emilion 8 years ago. I spend 2 or 3 months a year and find something wonderful every trip. Before we bought, we used to rent a home for 2 weeks and get to really know an area. That gives you enough time to catch the weekly markets, maybe a village fete, a canoe ride, or tour a garden. Bordeaux is a great town these days, best deal is a book in advance through the tourist office, which gives you a room, with choice of hotels, breakfast, tours a bottle of wine. The villages are amazing, weather generally pretty good. Have a great trip.

You've had lots of good suggestions made by others on the forum. I would also take the TGV from Paris to Bordeaux and go from there. When I guide tours in the region, we always stay at B&B's, preferably those that offer the "table d'hotes" or evening meal with your hosts. It offers a different and very pleasurable experience, as well as chance to meet local residents.
If you go to Sauterne, I would suggest stopping at Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte near Martillac, along the way. You can make reservations ahead of time for a tour of their winery. We specify a tour in English. They make very good red & white Pessac Leognan wines, grow them organically, and even make many of their own barrels in a cooperage on the grounds.
St. Emilion has some good restaurants and is fun for a day, but I agree with another poster, it's very touristy.
Rions is a pretty town and centrally located between Bordeaux & Sauterne. I stayed once at a good B&B,called Le Broustaret (www.broustaret.net)in te country just outside Rions. The rooms were large, and there was a lounge for the guests with kitchen facilities, ironing board, etc... I believe the family had a vineyard just down the road as well.

Hi folks,

Well, we had a bit of a setback this weekend. Sue and Peter, the owners of Les Trois Chats, have sold it! Apparently, it sold much quicker than they expected, and the new owner will be converting it all to a private home. So, our planning is back to square one. Fortunately, we haven't booked flights, car, etc., so we're not inconvenienced, only disappointed.

Based on the helpful comments here, we had decided to forgo Paris and fly straight into Bordeaux and go from there. To stay a bit more off the beaten path, I was thinking of skipping St Emilion and instead visit Entre Deux Mers and Grave/Sauternes on our way to the Dordogne. Now, however, I'm wondering if the Lot might not be a better choice. Not as touristed as Dordogne, allowing for a more intimate visit (that's my impression anyway).

Aside from wine, we're interested in medieval history and good food. In June, would staying in the Lot for a week be a good idea? We're not concerned with seeing specific sites (Sarlat, etc.), just looking to really enjoy that part of France.

Pretty vague question, I know; just taking the opportunity to reassess our plan. Any suggestions appreciated, and thanks for all the help so far!

We're off to Greece in less than two weeks (!) and will be planning France in earnest on our return.

Cheers.

Lot is an excellent choice.
A few summers ago in the Lot we stayed at this cottage outside the riverside village of Marcilhac sur Célé, and loved it.
And simply there is not an ugly house on the river. Lots of hiking and canoeing possibilities along the river too.
Owner Brigitte who lives across the courtyard is very responsible and helpful.
There are man medieval sites in the villages on the river Célé, including the nearby exquisite Espagnac Sainte Eulalie. Nearby is also the well-preserved medieval village St Cirq Lapopie, my favorite village in France. A short riverside drive away is the town of Figeac with a great medieval center.
Our fave restaurant in that region is le Sombral in Saint Cirq Lapopie. But you can walk from the cottage to town (20 minutes flat road, saw a deer once!), to a lovely bistro called - LOL - Les Touristes. With such a ridiculous name, it has to be good (am serious). -- It is always packed with locals in fact.
Must not miss the prehistoric cave Pech Merle just down the river.

We love this area, have rented a house outside of the little town of Coutras twice, and haven't been bored for a minute. Consider a wine tour at either Cordeillon Bages or Chateau Rothschild (go on line, you'll find their sites), and lunch at the fabulous Cordeillon Bages restaurant. If you love medieval history, explore Le Roc (sorry, my spelling is always hit or miss) where Richard the Lion-hearted died, a gorgeous medieval preserve, and any number of wonderful romanesque churches, the little river village of Montignac, the cave paintings at Grotto Ruffinac, and a dozen other wonderful stops. To me, St. Emillion is worth a day's visit, but not more. Shop in the wonderful markets for picnics, you can get a list of market days from the aquitaine tourist site. Do give Bordeaux a day at least: we usually stay at the Hotel St. Catherine just around the corner from Parliament Square.
Save Paris, which deserves your full attention and has a very different "vibe", for another journey.