Dordogne France

[richardfinegold]

I got very useful advice from here last year when planning a Belgium trip so here I go again. We are planning a France trip in September (hopefully after the Olympics tourists have departed). We are going to fly into Paris and after a few days do a River Tour of Provence for 1 week, end up in Lyon. We then plan to drive from Lyon to the Dordogne region. I have long wanted to see the Cro Magnon Cave Art.
We haven’t decided how many days to spend in Dordogne, and what else to prioritize while there, so advice would be appreciated.
And Mickey, if you are reading this, I would love to have a chance to meet up with you in Arles

[Ein Heldenleben]

If you are visiting the River Dordogne I would recommend La-Roque Gageac, Rocamadour, Les Eyzies , Loop of Tremolat, Sarlat , St Cyprien and Dommes.*
if you are visiting the department the list of places is potentially endless as it’s a big Department . I know the area stretching from Brantome down to Perigeux very well and , in some ways prefer it to the above chiefly because it’s a bit cooler.
The caves need booking in advance . Les Eyzies is a good base for that. I hope you enjoy it - spent about six weeks every summer from 67 - 1980 there.
* late addition Beynac

[richardfinegold]

If you are visiting the River Dordogne I would recommend La-Roque Gageac, Rocamadour, Les Eyzies , Loop of Tremolat, Sarlat , St Cyprien and Dommes.*
if you are visiting the department the list of places is potentially endless as it’s a big Department . I know the area stretching from Brantome down to Perigeux very well and , in some ways prefer it to the above chiefly because it’s a bit cooler.
The caves need booking in advance . Les Eyzies is a good base for that. I hope you enjoy it - spent about six weeks every summer from 67 - 1980 there.
* late addition Beynac

How do you get there? We will be coming from Lyon

[Ein Heldenleben]

How do you get there? We will be coming from Lyon

Historically driving from Calais or from Roscoff. These days I guess a lot fly to Bergerac or train it to the nearest HGV station which I guess is Bordeaux then a local train but here my knowledge runs out !

Lyon is a long way from the Dordogne. I would just try a Google search tbh.

[oddoneout]

If you are visiting the River Dordogne I would recommend La-Roque Gageac, Rocamadour, Les Eyzies , Loop of Tremolat, Sarlat , St Cyprien and Dommes.*
if you are visiting the department the list of places is potentially endless as it’s a big Department . I know the area stretching from Brantome down to Perigeux very well and , in some ways prefer it to the above chiefly because it’s a bit cooler.
The caves need booking in advance . Les Eyzies is a good base for that. I hope you enjoy it - spent about six weeks every summer from 67 - 1980 there.
* late addition Beynac

Oh, that list has stirred some memories... As a child Whitsun holidays were spent camping in France, and one year we were based in Perigord. Lovely weather, glorious countryside, and an abundance of inexpensive fresh food - an important consideration given the financial constraints - some real, most imposed by my father's foibles. I don't remember if it was because we camped nearby, but Sarlat was visited several times and I have never forgotten it - the feel of the place as much as the sights. Rocamadour is another memory, it was a warm day and quite a climb with 3 young children, but we were allowed icecreams on the way down - 60 years later I can still taste that fresh strawberry sorbet double cone.

[HighlandDougie]

If you intend to drive from Lyon to Brive-la-Gaillarde or Sarlat or Périgeux, there is some impressive scenery and lovely countryside en route, almost irrespective of which route you might take. I'll PM you with some suggestions - and some ideas for Lyon, which is worth more than a quick stop (an immensely civilised city, IMUO).

[Barbirollians]

That's a long drive Lyon to the Dordogne -

My family have a house in the Northern Dordogne and agree about its loveliness and it is a good deal less touristy than the south

I would recommend Les Eyzies, Lascaux of course at Montignac for those cave paintings, Bergerac for its lovely spot on the Dordogne good restaurants and wine . Brantome is not to be missed the Venice of the Perigord it likes to call itself and just over the border into the Charente - Aubeterre. Perigueux is also a lovely city .

[richardfinegold]

If you intend to drive from Lyon to Brive-la-Gaillarde or Sarlat or Périgeux, there is some impressive scenery and lovely countryside en route, almost irrespective of which route you might take. I'll PM you with some suggestions - and some ideas for Lyon, which is worth more than a quick stop (an immensely civilised city, IMUO).

We love Lyon, but haven’t been there for 20 years. We will be be doing a Provence River Cruise that will loop fromLyon to Avignon and incorporate Arles and Aix, with 2 full days in Lyon. We intend to fly to Paris and after a few days there take a train to Lyon, and we could spend a few extra days there if we wish prior to the cruise. (It’s great not to have to rush back for work).
Further Googling reveals that it is impractical to train between Lyon and Dordogne so it will be a car, and then we have a car to tour Dordogne. I am suspecting that we will drive back to Lyon so an additional opportunity for sightseeing.

[french frank]

We then plan to drive from Lyon to the Dordogne region. I have long wanted to see the Cro Magnon Cave Art.

It looks as if some of the caves are 'temporarily closed' (acc. to google) and Lascaux has been closed to tourists since the nearby replica was built. It would perhaps be a good idea to contact local tourist offices for current news. If you're hiring a car that will give you maximum flexibility, especially if some of the sites are closed.

Apparently "Cro Magnon" is no longer a term used so I'm not sure whether you had particular sites in mind.

[Ein Heldenleben]

That's a long drive Lyon to the Dordogne -

My family have a house in the Northern Dordogne and agree about its loveliness and it is a good deal less touristy than the south

I would recommend Les Eyzies, Lascaux of course at Montignac for those cave paintings, Bergerac for its lovely spot on the Dordogne good restaurants and wine . Brantome is not to be missed the Venice of the Perigord it likes to call itself and just over the border into the Charente - Aubeterre. Perigueux is also a lovely city .

I must know the stretch of the Dronne from Brantôme through Bourdeilles and Ribérac to Aubeterre like the back of my hand. Sadly in the 80’s river levels started falling and the River is nothing like as pristine as it was. I was talking to a hotel owner back in 1992 and he was complaining back then about how deep local farmers were boring to get water for crop irrigation . During this summer’s Tour they cycled through Brantôme and the aerials revealed a fairly polluted , eutrophic river to my eyes. The Dordogne is a much bigger river and hopefully with higher water volumes is in a better state.

[Ein Heldenleben]

It looks as if some of the caves are 'temporarily closed' (acc. to google) and Lascaux has been closed to tourists since the nearby replica was built. It would perhaps be a good idea to contact local tourist offices for current news. If you're hiring a car that will give you maximum flexibility, especially if some of the sites are closed.

Apparently "Cro Magnon" is no longer a term used so I'm not sure whether you had particular sites in mind.

Might not be used but the Hotel Cro-Magnon in Les Eyzies used to be really good and probably still is !

[french frank]

Might not be used but the Hotel Cro-Magnon in Les Eyzies used to be really good and probably still is !

This looks like a useful site too:

https://www.francethisway.com/places/abri-cro-magnon.php

and where the name Cro-Magnon came from.

[richardfinegold]

It looks as if some of the caves are 'temporarily closed' (acc. to google) and Lascaux has been closed to tourists since the nearby replica was built. It would perhaps be a good idea to contact local tourist offices for current news. If you're hiring a car that will give you maximum flexibility, especially if some of the sites are closed.

Apparently "Cro Magnon" is no longer a term used so I'm not sure whether you had particular sites in mind.

As with many things, it is still easier to use the earlier terminology due to its ubiquity.

[french frank]

As with many things, it is still easier to use the earlier terminology due to its ubiquity.

Yes, I wasn't in any way suggesting that it shouldn't be used,merely that in context it wasn't clear which specific sites you had in mind to visit. I assume Les Eyzies where the subsequently named 'Cro-Magnon' man was first uncovered?

[Barbirollians]

It looks as if some of the caves are 'temporarily closed' (acc. to google) and Lascaux has been closed to tourists since the nearby replica was built. It would perhaps be a good idea to contact local tourist offices for current news. If you're hiring a car that will give you maximum flexibility, especially if some of the sites are closed.

Apparently "Cro Magnon" is no longer a term used so I'm not sure whether you had particular sites in mind.

I meant the replica. The museum at Les Eyzies was still calling them Cro Magnon last time I went there but that was in the 2000s