Hi,
My husband and I are travelling over to France in Feb and will be starting off in Paris wanting to travel to Bordeaux and are looking at staying a couple of days in the region to visit a few of the towns, wineries and sample the food of the region.
We are looking at Perigueux, would this be a good base it is about an hour drive from Bordeaux and we would be looking at hiring a car to travel through the region.
Any suggestions on places or is Bordeaux a better place to stay and just do a day trip to Perigueux, Sarlat etc...
We would then look at heading to Southern France what mode of transport, ie car or train would people recommend?
Cheers
Sara %26amp; Paul
Adelaide - Australia
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I would recommend splitting your time by staying in or near Bordeaux to go to wineries, etc... then staying further east to visit the villages around Sarlat. Sarlat is a 2-3 hour drive from Bordeaux and is worth more than a day tip. Keep in mind that many attractions will be closed in February, so check websites for opening times/days. Bergerac or St.Emilion would be better places to base yourselves, in my opinion, than Perigieux.
You need appointments at most wineries for a tasting/tour as well.
If you stay in Bordeaux, the Tourist office has bus trips to select wineries in the area.
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I notice that Australians travel in the winter and I understand why but, frankly, this is the worse time of the year to see France! The weather from January to the end of April is more often than not grey and with lots of rain! even if the sun shine it will be cold. Not to mention of course that most touristy places will be closed or only open for a few hours. That said I agree with previous posters that you should divide your visit in the Southwest in at least 2 sections. Bordeaux itself has a lot to offer, with lots of beautiful 18th century buildings, medieval churches, good museums and great shopping along pedestrian streets. . The area nearby, both just East and South, is famous for the vineyards but also for the Bastides, small medieval towns with streets on a rectangular grid and a central square with sidewalks sheltered under the buildings%26#39; second floor. Then of course there are famous castles. Perigueux is the capital and heart of the Perigord region, also known as Dordogne. This area is famous for prehistoric caves, many with wall paintings. there are lots of medieval towns, including the justly famous Sarlat, more bastides, and LOTS of medieval castles, often high up on a hill. By coming in February you will miss the numerous resorts along the Atlantic Ocean and nearby lakes. Driving from Paris will take at least one day as you must stop in a few great places along the way. If you take the TGV (fast train) it takes about 3 hrs from Paris to Bordeaux. While Perigueux is not too far from Bordeaux the scenic roads have interesting towns, castles etc. every few kilometres.
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Although the weather is not the greatest in February, depending on your personal preferences there can be worse times to visit the Southwest. For example, if you really want to avoid crowds, August can be a month to avoid.
(And don%26#39;t worry that you%26#39;ve just made a bad choice in month and regret not coming several weeks later in March; even April shows little difference. Having spent three years living in Paris I can tell you that the song %26quot;April in Paris%26quot; might as well be called %26quot;February in Paris%26quot;--it%26#39;s the same weather.)
Dividing your time between Bordeaux and the Dordogne is a good strategy, especially at this time of year. However, if I%26#39;d suggest making Bordeaux your base in the summer months, the idea of using Dordogne as your jumping off point in February is a much better idea. Bordeaux%26#39;s vineyards are particularly bleak in the winter, whereas the villages in the Dordogne take on a different type of atmospheric charm.
Since good, rich, tasty, wonderful food is one of the Dordogne%26#39;s major attractions, you%26#39;ll be visiting at the best time of year to take full advantage of this style of cuisine: coming into a good restaurant from the cold and tucking into a hearty helping of chestnut soup, duck or goose confit, furred or feathered game, and all of it flavored or incorporating wild mushrooms, foie gras and truffles.
Obviously, trying to enjoy such fare in the hot summer months is not ideal, but in the winter you%26#39;ll be able to take best advantage of all this.
As for attractions, in Bordeaux all the châteaux you%26#39;d probably want to see are open for visits and you%26#39;ll have an easier time in getting the necessary appointments. I%26#39;d certainly recommend spending a day there, probably in Saint-Emilion, since it is the closest of the great Bordeaux vineyard areas to the Dordogne. (And don%26#39;t overlook the great Dordogne wines from around Bergerac.)
Similarly, in the Dordogne, attractions such as the caves of Lascaux II should be open again after their annual January closing, and they%26#39;ll be much more accessible. You%26#39;ll appreciate this when you see the long line of barriers behind which visitors wait for access to the cave%26#39;s guided visit; you%26#39;ll be able to just walk right in. There%26#39;ll probably be the added plus of having fewer people sharing the underground space with you, which will enhance the visit immensely.
I%26#39;d certainly recommend a car to get around, since although the regional rail system is particularly good around here, there will still be little villages like Rocamadour, Domme, and Beynac-et-Cazenac that are not directly served by the train.
Enjoy your time in the area, and don%26#39;t eat too much.
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