From what I%26#39;ve read of Sarlat I have mixed impressions -- that it%26#39;s beautiful and picturesque and that it%26#39;s overrun by tourists. I%26#39;m looking for a charming town that would make a good base for a couple of days of exploring the Dordogne region. We%26#39;ll be traveling in late June-early July, the height of the tourist season, with our two kids, 9 and 13, who love medieval stuff and would probably love the caves as well. I%26#39;m looking for recommendations for hotels in/near Sarlat, as well as other towns that may be less touristy (and perhaps less expensive). We%26#39;ll be coming from Carcassonne and going to Paris and we%26#39;d like to keep the driving to a minimum.
Also, what%26#39;s the best %26quot;real%26quot; alternative to Lascaux II.
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Just had a similar discussion to this with another member ---- check the discussion titled: %26quot;dordogne - need advice on caves / places to see%26quot; posted by janeharriot in the %26quot;Dordogne Valley forums%26quot; (click above to access this).
Listed in that post , are some very good cave , castle and general info websites for these areas. The castle website I listed gives rental info as well as having an interactive castle map of the Perigord (Dordogne) region and describes castles that can be visited for a nominal fee. The picturesque village of Les Ezyies de Tayac is Neanderthal central --- hundreds of cliff dwellings (some accessible , some not).
June %26amp; July will be busy in Sarlat but August will be the busiest. This entire area (the Black Perigord) is a good choice for a basepoint. You may have better luck at one of the other nearby yet , not as well known villages like Les Ezyies , Domme or La Roque Gageac. Gageac (on the river) has canoe rentals and some unique boat cruises as well as being in a storybook village. Sarlat is definitely worth a visit (crowded or not) but there are many many other things to see and do in this region as well (you%26#39;ll see these on the listed websites). As for expenses , you%26#39;ll be pleasently surprised to see your money goes farther here than in the cities.
Great places to visits -- have fun.
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Another possibility is to base in Perigueux (interesting in its own right, and just as old -- the area around the circa 13th c. church looks a lot like Sarlat streets but without the %26quot;museum%26quot; feel). From there you could drive all along the Dordogne and just do a day trip to Sarlat and the surrounding areas. Definitely agree about the caves (per post above). Also be sure to see Domme, Castelnaud, Beynac, etc. Check on the Dordogne Valley forum and you will find many ideas for places to visit.
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If you think Sarlat may be %26#39;touristy%26#39; be prepared for Carcassonne, it has been spoilt by the amount of %26quot;tourist%26quot; shops it now has.
One of the advantages of staying in Sarlat is that you can forget about your car after a day%26#39;s sightseeing. As you can walk to the restaurants, cafes, shops etc. With two young children they may be bored being stuck out in places such as Les Eyzies or Roque Gageac for instance. June is busy in Sarlat but not overly, it is really late July when the UK school holidays start and of course August.
The best %26quot;real%26quot; alternative to Lascaux II is Font de Gaume at Les Eyzies but you will need to pre-book and I strongly suggest you do that sooner rather than later. Here is a link where you can make a reservation.
showcaves.com/english/…Font-de-Gaume.html
Don%26#39;t even bother trying to ring these people, they never pick the phone up, try and book either by fax or email. It is worth the hassle - well worth seeing.
One of the postings suggest staying in Perigueux,and quite rightly it does have an %26quot;old%26quot; area of the town, but it is a large working town, so don%26#39;t expect quaint.
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Perigeux is also at least an hour%26#39;s drive from any of the caves or most beautiful villages of the Dordogne -- it%26#39;s very nice, but very far from all of the places you mention.
I would second La Roque Gageac -- in July the entire area will be very busy, but there are places that are at least a bit more %26quot;away%26quot; tthan others.
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