Saumur might be familiar through its excellent sparkling wine which some people prefer to Champagne, but it has a lot more going for it than just bubbly.
In the western section of the Loire Valley, you’ll find one of the pretty but less well-known towns. The distance is 80 km (50 miles) and the drive takes around 1 hour 30 minutes. Next Stop: Drive from here to Lacave and the fabulous Château de la Treyne. If you’re here for the weekend, don’t miss the Saturday market in Sarlat-la-Canéda which fills the streets of this pretty old town. Look at the views from the Hanging Gardens of Marqueyssac, then go deep underground down into the Gouffre de Padirac, a vast sinkhole where you take a boat ride through the silently flowing river. Or visit the Château de Milandes, where the American dancer Josephine Baker spent many years, some happy, some towards the end, desperately sad. Lascaux II takes you on a walk through the prehistory of this region Château Beynac is one of the castles that once ruled the area. Read guest reviews, compare prices and book at Le Vieux Logis with TripAdvisor.įrom here the sightseeing choices are endless, so take your pick.This old manor house is now one of the most comfortable and charming hotels in the area offering a warm welcome and top dining in the garden where a small stream provides a gentle background sound. The region is famous for its bastides, or fortified towns that defended every community in the Middle Ages when baron fought baron and the French and the English fought each other.įor sheer luxury spend the first night at Le Vieux Logis in the small village of Trémolat. The Dordogne is a beautiful region, covering Périgord where the living – and the food is rich. Take the ferry from St Malo to Portsmouth. From here it's an easy drive to St Malo for a night or more in this lovely fortified seaport with a superb history. From here, head north into the Loire Valley and stay in the western end in Saumur. Then go into the glorious Dordogne where there are spectacular hotels to enjoy. I recommend driving from Santander to Bordeaux, via Biarritz, and spending 2 or 3 nights in Bordeaux. You can also do this easily from Paris, or add it on to your trip to Spain. Take the ferry to either St Malo, or my favorite route of Santander, and you'll only have on a major drive. There's the glorious Atlantic coast with its unexpected islands where time stands still places like Ile d'Aix where Napoleon spent his last days in exile very chic Ile de Re, and delightful Noirmoutier, cut off from the mainland at high tide.Īquitaine is one of the most beautiful areas of France, with surprises like Puy du Foy (one of the best theme parks in the world).Īnd all this before you get to the northern part of west France and glorious Brittany which makes a tour in itself.īut to make it easier, I did a road trip but only going one way from the UK. West France offers so many different experiences that it's difficult to decide where to go.
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