My Unique 10-Day Southwest France Itinerary: Dordogne, Lot, Albi, & Toulouse

I’ll be honest I had a hard time figuring out a name for this road trip. Yes, it is a 10-day Southwest France itinerary. And that likely makes a lot more sense than what I originally wanted to call it: The Castles, Caves, and Medieval Hilltop Villages Road Trip.

While this road trip primarily covers a good chunk of the Occitanie region of France, we also pop over to Nouvelle-Aquitiaine. We’re in the Dordogne Valley for a lot of it, but we’re also in Albi and Toulouse. It’s such a mixed bag that I’m just going to name it the Southwest France road trip and call it good.

Enough about the title of this trip! What I will gush about is just how AWESOME it was!

We explored ancient caves, sipped Malbec in its birthplace, and walked on cobblestone streets in the most charming hilltop villages that were all but empty in April.

And we visited filming locations from my favorite movie as a kid: Ever After!

I know I probably say this about every road trip that I take in France…but this may be my best work yet. And I think you’re going to love it too.

I’m going to share with you my epic 10 days in the Southwest of France covering Sarlat-la-Canéda and the Dorgogne, Rocamadour, Cahors, Albi, Carcassonne, Toulouse, and more so that you can copy this for your own castles and caves adventure! 

Who is This Southwest France Road Trip Best For?

This road trip is best for those who love adventure, relaxation, ancient history, wine, and castles. It really does have it all! If you prefer city hopping, this isn’t for you, especially as we’re visiting smaller towns for the most part. 

But if you love kayaking, walking in caves, and frolicking in castles, I think you’re going to love this road trip!

Southwest France Itinerary Summary

Before we get into the day-by-day details, here is a quick overview of our trip:

• Day 1: Train to Toulouse and drive to Sarlat-la-Canéda
• Day 2: Kayak, Château de Beynac, & Marqueyssac Gardens
• Day 3: Lascaux IV, Château de Hautefort, and La Roque-Gageac 
• Day 4: Gouffre de Padirac and Rocamadour 
• Day 5: Pech Merle, Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, & Cahors
• Day 6: Cahors Wine Day
• Day 7: Cordes-sur-Ciel and Albi
• Day 8: Saissac Castle, Carcassonne, & Toulouse
• Day 9: Toulouse
• Day 10: Back to Paris

Day 1: Train to Toulouse and Drive to Sarlat-la-Canéda

What To Do:

• Train to Toulouse
• Drive to Sarlat

Drive Time: 2.5 hours

Distance: 124 miles/199 km

This is a pretty simple day, as you’ll just be getting to Toulouse and then heading to Sarlat (short for Sarlat-la-Canéda). 

I was in Paris the day before, so we got a morning train down. It was about a 5-hour train ride, and we arrived just after 1 pm, picked up our rental car at the Toulouse Matabiau Train Station, went to a hypermarché outside of Toulouse to pick up things for dinner, and then we drove to Sarlat!

Book your rental car here!

We made it to Sarlat in the early evening. We ended up staying at an Airbnb and our place came with a free parking spot in a garage about a 7-minute walk from the place. Our host actually picked us up and drove us from the parking garage to our place and helped with our luggage.

Then, we wandered around the charming town of Sarlat, listening to the birds, admiring the wisteria (we were there in April), and being instantly charmed by the architecture of this Medieval town. 

We ended up eating dinner in our Airbnb with things we picked up at the store, including some aligot (kind of like super cheesy mashed potatoes from the southwest of France)!

Where to Stay in Sarlat:

This Airbnb: This is where we stayed, and it was in the heart of the old city! It was easy to walk everywhere in Sarlat that we wanted to go, and it was about a 7-minute walk to our car in the private parking garage (which is included). Plus, it has a small kitchen, air conditioning, and a washing machine!

Book it here!

Plaza Madeleine & Spa: This hotel has quaint rooms and even a pool, hammam, and spa. So if you’re looking for relaxation in between exploring, this is the place! It’s also walkable to everything and has air conditioning. They have reserved parking for a fee, and you need to reserve beforehand.

Book it here!

La Villa des Consuls: This place offers both rooms and apartments with air conditioning. They serve breakfast with as many local products as they can, and everything here just looks super charming. They have parking for a fee, and you need to reserve. This is also in the city center.

Book it here!

Day 2: Sarlat–Kayak, Château de Beynac, & Marqueyssac Gardens

What To Do: 

• Kayak on the Dordogne
• Visit Château de Beynac
• Brief visit to Marqueyssac Gardens

Drive Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Distance: 28 miles/45 km

Today, you’re having a bit of an adventure on the river! But first start with a fantastic baguette and chocolatine from Maison Lissajoux.

I prebooked a kayak ahead of time with Perigord Adventure Loisirs to kayak on the Dordogne River!

They offer various kinds of routes based on how much time you want to spend on the river. We opted for a 2.5-hour trip from Vitrac to Beynac. However, due to river issues near Beynac, they switched me to a route from Carsac to La Rogue-Gagaec.

Either way, I still got to kayak by a castle, so I was happy! It was so peaceful, because in early April in the morning, there was hardly anyone on the river! The birdwatching here is fabulous too! 

In fact, I saw a large goose fly right past me on the kayak!

It was an incredible morning kayaking, and I remembered that they filmed Ever After along the river too!

This part of the trip is a little Ever After heavy!

After a lovely morning/early afternoon of kayaking, castles on the hill spotting, and birdwatching as I paddled on the river, it was time to head back to Sarlat to clean up. They picked me up from here.

Note: If I was able to kayak as planned to Beynac, I likely would have just ended in Beynac, had lunch there, and then gone to the castle. 

We then went to Château de Beynac, arguably one of the most famous castles of the region, particularly because it is so well preserved and it sits perched over the Dordogne River.

It dates back to the 12th century, and you can take some time to explore both the exterior and interior of the castle. Oh, and FYI, it was where the engagement scene of Ever After was filmed! They have a little room discussing movies filmed here!

We definitely took our time here, and then we wrapped up by visiting the picturesque Marqueyssac Gardens.

Now, I need to warn you: these gardens are massive! Much larger than just the little section you may see on social media. In fact, there are walking routes that can take 45 minutes or so just to walk to the very end.

We did not have time to do this. We instead saw the famous hedges and beautiful building with its purple shutters, and wandered through the gardens for a bit before having to leave before closing. 

If you want to do all of this above in 1 day, and you don’t really need to walk the whole gardens, then you’ll likely need to cut Marqueyssac Gardens short too. But if you want to take your time, I’d either skip Marqueyssac Gardens OR Château de Beynac. 

Then, it’s time to head back to Sarlat for dinner. I went to La Couleuvrine, and it was pretty good, but I’ve had better duck confit elsewhere. However, the crème brûlée with fois gras was good!

Day 3: Lascaux IV, Château de Hautefort, and La Roque-Gageac 

What to Do:

• Sarlat Market
• Tour of Lascaux IV
• Château de Hautefort visit
• Dinner in La Roque-Gagaec

Drive Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes

Distance: 86 miles/139 km

Today, you’ll be stepping back in time by 21,000 years! But first, if you’re here on Sarlat’s market day (Wednesday morning or Saturday), it’s a treat to explore that!

Then, drive up to Montignac-Lascaux to visit Lascaux IV. The original Lascaux is no longer open to the public since the 1960s because of damage to the paintings due to it rapidly deteriorating from the vast amount of visitors. 

Since then, they have made an 85% replica of the cave at Lascaux II, and then Lascaux IV was opened in 2016 as a complete replica of the original cave. In case you’re wondering, Lascaux III is the traveling exhibit.

You can visit both Lascaux II and IV, but we chose to do Lascaux IV this day. It was well worth it! I originally worried that it wouldn’t be as awe-inspiring because it isn’t the actual cave, but it was amazing! 

You go via a tour (they offer tours in French, English, and sometimes other languages) or visit with an audioguide, and photos are not allowed in the cave itself. But we learned all about what the topography of the land was like 20,000 years ago (spoiler alert: it was a steppe and was similar in climate to what you’d find in the arctic portions of northern Europe today). 

We learned how the Cro-Magnon people painted in caves using candles made with animal fats, the pigments they used, and the fact that they didn’t actually live in caves but painted there.

We even learned about its discovery–4 teenage boys in 1940 found it! 

We admired the cave before going into the interactive museum, where you can take photos and enjoy the replicas, and we even saw an exhibit on how these kind of paintings show up around the world!

Yes, the building you enter inside feels very modern and high-tech, which is a bit counterintuitive to the fact that the real cave is 20,000+ years old. But it was really well done, and I highly recommend a visit here for more context of the area and the cave. 

Book your Lascaux IV tour here!

After that, I’d probably grab a sandwich or something at a boulangerie nearby, because we didn’t and went to our next destination that said their kitchen was open all day… but they stopped serving lunchtime food when we got there and it was just desserts.

Important: In the countryside of France, lunchtime is usually between 12-2 pm. If you want to eat something between breakfast and dinner… you need to stop ASAP and get food. Otherwise, you’ll have to hunt down a boulangerie or something, eat snacks from a gas station or grocery store, or just go hungry. 

Anyway, we then drove north to Château de Hautefort. I will be the first to admit that Dordogne has SO many epic castles to visit. If we had another day, I definitely would’ve gone to more!

But, months before this trip, I saw an Instagram post from Explore France that shared filming locations in France. Ever After was one of those films, and they showed Château de Hautefort (the main castle in the movie). I knew it was made in France, but I had zero clue it was made in the Dordogne. So, I knew I had to visit the main castle if I could!

That’s exactly what we did! Did my friend and I almost cry as we walked up the gravel path toward the castle? Yes. Did we geek out as we walked under the little tree canopy thing and the tunnel? Absolutely! 

We wandered through the French-style gardens, and we of course had to go inside the castle itself! 

Now the interior of the castle wasn’t really used much in the movie, but it was cool to see the various rooms, and you also learn about the devastating fire that happened here in the 1960s. A lot of restoration work was done to make it look as great as it does today.

It’s a beautiful chateau on the hill to visit and I absolutely loved it! I recommend a visit regardless if you’re a fan of Ever After or not.

Then, we got back in the car and drove to the most charming town that I actually passed on my kayak tour: La Roque-Gageac. 

This is along the Dordogne River, and it is endlessly charming. Plus, there is the Fort de la Roque-Gageac carved into the cliffside to see! We didn’t have time to go all the way up and explore, but it’s cool to see from the town below too!

We wandered through town before having dinner at La Belle Etoile. This was a delightful meal, particularly the oysters and the walnut wine that I had! 

Day 4: Gouffre de Padirac and Rocamadour 

What To Do:

• Explore Gouffre de Padirac
• Wander the town of Rocamadour

Drive Time: 1.5 hours

Distance: 46 miles/74 km

Yes, with it being a “castles and caves” road trip, you’ll visit quite a few caves. This morning is no exception.

So you’ll be packing it up and departing Sarlat. On the way to Rocamadour, you’ll be stopping at Gouffre de Padirac.

While not a painted cave, this is still an epic ancient cave to explore. This is a massive complex with underground ponds, a river, and some of the coolest stalagmites and stalactites I’ve ever seen! 

Oh, and the best part? You literally get on a boat during your visit and take a boat ride on a river INSIDE of a cave! 

To do this, prebook an audioguided tour of the cave + Boatman ticket. They have English audioguides, and many of the boatmen also spoke English and did the guided boat tour in French and in English. 

10/10 this was a really cool cave system to explore. And with the audioguide, you learn about its discovery by cave explorer Edouard Martel. 

Seriously, this place was so cool, and the entrance, while a lot of steps, is a giant sinkhole!

We then ate lunch at their cafe called Auberge du Gouffre after our visit, and I was really surprised by just how good this place was! With local produce, their Rocamadour goat cheese salad and fries hit the spot before our next adventure!

Note: They asked us if we had reservations. We didn’t, and thankfully it wasn’t super busy so it was fine. However, if you’re visiting in peak tourism season in the summer, I’d make reservations ahead of time!

After lunch, it’s time to hop in the car to go to Rocamadour! We were able to drop off our luggage and park at our hotel (listed below), and walk down the path to visit the famous Sanctuaire Notre-Dame de Rocamadour.

This is a famous Medieval pilgrimage site, and it’s a popular stop for those hiking the France route of the Camino de Santiago. 

The chapel here is where you’ll find the famous Black Madonna, known for miracles.

It is really cool to explore this enchanting basilica in the cliff. We spent time here before heading into the village below, where there are quite a few tourist shops. We saw many shops selling regional specialities like walnuts and walnut products (including walnut cake and beer!), foie gras, etc. 

After wandering through the picturesque village, my friend and I caught the paid elevator up. Now there are 2 parts to this system: one that goes from the main village to close to the basilica, and then you switch to take another elevator to the very top of the cliff. 

My friend continued on to the top of the cliff, but I decided to walk the Stations of the Cross up. It’s next to the basilica, and I walked all the way up, saw the tiny chapel in the cliff near the top and a fun lookout on the way, and even walked by the citadel at the top.

From there, we sat and enjoyed the garden of our hotel before going to a fantastic dinner at Bistrot L’Estanquet. This place has the best duck confit that I’ve ever tasted! 

It had a mushroom sauce on the side, and the duck skin was so crispy! We also got a cafe gourmand for dessert which was lovely. 

After that, we walked back, admiring the evening lights over the town before bed.

Where to Stay in Rocamadour:

Les Esclargies: This is where we stayed! It’s at the top of the hill and walkable to the citadel and even to the path that leads to the sanctuary. There is private parking, and it’s the cutest place. Breakfast here was also delicious, and the garden was the perfect spot to relax. It also has AC. 

Book it here!

Hôtel Beau Site Notre Dame: Located in the heart of the town, only a few minutes from the sanctuary, is this lovely hotel. It has a restaurant, several types of rooms, and air conditioning. No parking here, so you’ll have to find parking. 

Book it here!

Logis Hôtel le Terminus des Pèlerins: Located in the town and super close to the sanctuary, this place has lovely views, a restaurant with views, and air conditioning for your stay. There is parking, but it’s limited, so you may have to park elsewhere.

Book it here!

Day 5: Pech Merle, Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, & Cahors

What To Do:

• Guided Tour of Pech Merle
• Lunch & Explore Saint-Cirq-Lapopie
• End in Cahors

Drive Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Distance: 59 miles/95 km

Enjoy breakfast in Rocamadour before packing up the car and heading to Pech Merle! 

Note: You’re going to Pech Merle cave. This is in Cabrerets. There is another Pech Merle in France and not far from Rocamadour, so be careful when putting this into your GPS! 

Another day, another cave, and this time, you’re visiting a real ancient painted cave!

This cave is even older than Lascaux, at 29,000 years old, and it is known for its horse paintings!

There is also a handprint! 

Now I know what you’re thinking, because I thought the same thing: why can I visit this cave but not the real Lascaux cave? That is because they took precautions at the start of opening the cave to the public. It wasn’t as popular, so it didn’t get as many visitors, and now, they have strict rules for how many people can be there at any time and how long they can be there.

Only 700 people can visit per day in groups of 25 people max. You also only get 50 minutes in the cave. 

But also, Pech Merle is a larger cave, which helps with temperatures off of humans because the cave can handle it better. 

And Pech Merle isn’t the only other real painted cave in France that you can visit! There are others.

However, because of time constraints, this is the only one you’re going to. 

Now, being a real painted cave, you have to book a guided tour. They do tours in French and in English. They also offer audio guides and print outs of information in other languages too for those who don’t speak either language on the tour. 

The tour begins with a video about the cave and how it was discovered (hint: more children found it!), and then you descend into the cave to see the art, find cave pearls, and wander around this cave system. There is even a long tree root in the cave–you can see the tree when you come back up too! 

Fun fact: This particular tree stays healthy and green during the hot summers when other trees brown a bit. That’s because it has a big root in the cave, giving it water all the time. Our guide told us that there are likely quite a few undiscovered caves like this in the area, and they mark trees that stay green like this one with a question mark as it could have roots in a cave system! I guess we need more curious kids to find out! 

After your cave tour, there is a museum you can explore too. Just like with Lascaux, you cannot take photos inside the cave, but photography is allowed in the museum. 

Reservations are required. Book it here!

After the tour, we drove to probably the most beautiful village I’ve ever seen: Saint-Cirq-Lapopie.

It’s perched on a hillside overlooking the Lot River, with the most stunning views of the area!

We ended up going to Lou Bolat for lunch (the views here were lovely!) before exploring the town.

What I loved about this town is that it wasn’t busy (at least in mid-April), and rather than touristy looking shops, they had many craft stores selling anything from jewelry and pressed flower art to ceramics. I purchased 3 ceramic coffee mugs, one of which I’m drinking from as I write this article. My favorite shop was Fou d’argile!

The views from the top are gorgeous, so enjoy time in this village before heading to your last stop of the day. 

You’ll wrap up your day in Cahors. This is where you’ll spend the next couple of nights. We stayed at a hotel by the river, and we checked in, and wandered by the river for a bit.

There is a Medieval bridge called Pont Valenté, that is fun to walk across, but there is an interesting legend from here! 

The legend states that the foreman was so frustrated by how long it took to build the bridge that he made a deal with the Devil to finish it quicker by doing all the foreman asked. When it looked like he was going to have to exchange his soul, he told the Devil to fetch water for the workers with a sieve. As this was impossible, the Devil took revenge by sending an imp to loosen the final stone of the bridge every night so that it wouldn’t be complete. 

When the bridge was restored in the 1800s, they put an imp on the central tower to trick the Devil. You can see the imp when you’re there. 

After wandering along the river, we had drinks at our hotel that overlooks the bridge, and got pizza from Divona Pizza. 

Where to Stay in Cahors:

Best Western Plus Divona Hotel Cahors: Honestly, Best Westerns are pretty great in Europe, at least the ones I’ve stayed in while in France. We enjoyed our spacious room, and we even had a balcony. It overlooks the river and bridge, and they had free parking in their lot outside (paid parking in the garage). It was great! It has AC as well. It’s also about 15 minutes away from the old city!

Book it here!

Hôtel Terminus: Located near the train station and river, you’re about 15 minutes away from the old city. It has free parking, and it has air conditioning! 

Book it here!

Château de Mercues: Located about 15 minutes driving from Cahors, you can stay in a lovely chateau. Enjoy the pool and the views over the Lot River Valley! They do have parking, but note that there doesn’t appear to be AC. They also have a winery here! 

Book it here!

Day 6: Cahors Wine Day

What To Do:

• Mas del Périé Winery visit (in French) or visit Château Chambert or Château de Mercués Wineries instead
• Clos Triguedina visit & tasting

Drive Time: 1.5 hours

Distance: 50 miles/80 km

Today is a more laid back day as you’ll be wine tasting! That’s because this area is known for Malbec. 

In fact, while Argentina is wildly popular for Malbec, it originated here. Sadly, though, the industry struggled thanks to the Grand French Wine Blight in the 1800s that killed so many vines. Vines were sent to Argentina, where they flourished! 

But you can also taste Malbec while you’re in Cahors too!

It’s definitely different and has more tannins than a typical Argentinian Malbec, but it is still very good!

Note: If you’re wine tasting, be sure to have a designated driver or transportation plan in place. TraveLotFrance offers private wine tours too, and you can customize it!

We ended up prebooking 2 wine tastings: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. 

I really wanted to check out a biodynamic winery, and Mas del Périé, run by Fabien Jouves, makes a fabulous Malbec. I love how experimental this winery is, and they even make kombucha! 

But their Malbecs are fabulous. We ended up booking a Tasting Pause Gourmande. Now if you do this, be prepared: it is a LOT of food. No need for breakfast or lunch before/after this.

The platter includes local cheeses, breads, and pates. 

But I want to give you a big caveat here: this was in French. 

I do speak French (I’m about a B1/B2 level speaker), but my friend who was traveling with me doesn’t speak French at all. So, I had been booking English tours this whole trip. I also try to do English-speaking activities because most of my readers also don’t speak a lot of French. 

The thing is, I thought I booked an English tasting. It wasn’t. But it was one of those fun experiences where we muddled through it with the winemaker’s mother and me while translating for my friend. 

It honestly turned out to be so much fun that the lady kept opening more wine for us to try, and when I purchased a few bottles at the end, she slipped wine bottle openers in the bag and told us to take it. 

When her son, the winemaker, showed up, she even made him make us coffee and pack up the extra food to go.

The winemaker, Fabien, does speak English, so we were able to ask questions and learn more while speaking with him as well. But it was a funny experience that turned out great! 

But I will say that if you don’t speak French, I would skip this and go to another place. 

Places that offer English tastings for the morning include Château Chambert and Château de Mercués. Check if you need reservations in advance!

Alright, if you don’t end up eating a lot at the Mas del Périé, I suggest you eat something at these other wineries if you go there instead.

Then, you’ll spend the afternoon having another Malbec wine tour and tasting at Clos Triguedina. Now this one does offer English tours and tastings. Book in advance!

You walk through the vineyard and sample several different Malbecs. They even worked with Gouffre de Padirac to age some wines in their cave! And it’s quite different from their regular aged wine of the same grape! 

I ended up purchasing their New Black Wine that can be aged until 2050! 

But we had a great day enjoying some wine tastings and fumbling through French at the first place. 

We then went back into town and had dinner at Chez Suzanne. We got the local menu for the evening and everything was so fresh and delicious! It’s on the Michelin guide too! 

Day 7: Cordes-sur-Ciel and Albi

What To Do:

• Cahors Market (if there on market day)
• Cordes-sur-Ciel
• Explore Albi

Drive Time: 2 hours

Distance: 67 miles/108 km

This morning, if you’re here on a Wednesday as we were, you’ll want to head to Cahors market in the old city. It was voted one of the most beautiful markets in the Midi-Pyréneés! The market is on Saturday mornings too!

We wandered through the market, which had the feel of a Provence market but with mostly locals, and it was great! It was also strawberry season so we had to get some strawberries!

After the market, we drove to Cordes-sur-Ciel, another charming hilltop village. In April on a weekday, it was practically empty! Once we got to the top it was so beautiful! We had a delightful lunch with duck tajine at La Planche de Bacchus and then wandered the gorgeous town.

There were again not many typical touristy shops, but more artisan shops. We found a lovely shop selling jellies, chocolate, and nougat.

We went to Éditions Larroque, which is a phenomenal shop selling illuminations! They had so many amazing drawings too! We got prints on cards and a bookmark because the real stuff was really expensive, but it was so beautiful to see this tradition.

But walking through the village was like stepping through time, and the views were so gorgeous from the top! 

After time here, we drove to Albi, where we arrived in the late afternoon. 

Sadly, we didn’t have time to explore as much as we had wanted. We did get to go inside Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile d’Albi, a cathedral with gold and blue ceilings that is just so worth a visit.

We also explored the gardens at Palais de la Berbie. Sadly, though, we didn’t get to visit the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum inside the palace.

But we did get to walk around, walk across the Pont Vieux (Old Bridge), and just enjoy all the red brick buildings! It truly felt like we were in Italy with all the red bricks and charm!

I will say that if you decide to visit all of this in a day, definitely try to show up here by 3 pm at the latest so you can also check out the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum. Had we gotten an earlier start, we likely could’ve seen all of that. 

But it was still lovely to walk around Albi and enjoy! We then grabbed dinner and went to bed.

Where to Stay in Albi:

Hôtel Les Pasteliers: This is where we stayed! It was a cute little hotel, and the staff were so friendly– the guy even graciously carried my suitcase now weighed down with 4 bottles of wine at this point! Their breakfast was also nice. They do have air conditioning, and there is parking nearby. It’s about a 15-minute walk to the heart of the old city. 

Book it here!

Alchimy: For a lovely relaxing stay in Albi, this is a cute place. Just 5 minutes from the heart of the attractions here, it’s very convenient too. Plus, there is air conditioning and a restaurant. They also have parking for a fee.

Book it here!

Hôtel du Vigan: Located about 10 minutes from the attractions, this hotel does have parking nearby for a fee (they have reduced prices for guests here). Rooms also have AC, and they have what you need for a comfortable stay.

Book it here!

Day 8: Saissac Castle, Carcassonne, & Toulouse

What To Do:

• Visit Saissac Castle
• Explore the Cité of Carcassonne
• End in Toulouse

Drive Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes

Distance: 127 miles/204 km

After a lovely breakfast in Albi, it is time to drive to Saissac Castle to begin the day’s adventures!

This is one of the Cathar Castles, which are old Medieval castles that would provide refuge to Cathars (people who were part of the Cathar Christian movement that was considered heresy by the Catholic church). 

This castle has origins dating back to 900, and it was a Cathar castle. And it may well have held up better over the years if not for the rumored “treasure” that led to people dynamiting and looting the castle in search of it in the 1800s. 

But you can these days go explore the castle ruins and wander about before your next stop! 

We also briefly stopped to check out the Eglise Saint-Michel while walking to the castle.

Note: Do not try to drive to the castle and find parking! The road is WAY too tiny for a modern vehicle. Instead, there is parking next to the town tourism office. 

After that, you’ll drive to Carcassonne. This is a much more famous fortress to explore, with origins going back to Gallo-Roman times–there are still roman towers in the fortress!

We parked in the parking lot for the Cité (not the town of Carcassonne itself), and had lunch inside the city walls at La Demure du Cassoulet. This is known for having one of the best cassoulets in Carcassonne!

Now we wandered in and didn’t make a reservation, and it was pretty full. So, I’d make a reservation if you’re going! They take reservations via phone, so I’d probably pull up what you’d like to say, or just ask if they speak English (“Parlez-vous anglais?”) when they answer.

We had their gourmet cassoulet with foie gras and I also had a glass of their Medieval white wine called Hypocras Blanc. The wine tasted a bit like white mulled wine but cold, and the cassoulet was SO good. But it definitely comes out HOT and it is hearty!

We really enjoyed it, but we didn’t need the foie gras. Their regular cassoulet would’ve been fine. 

But after that hearty lunch, as we had prebooked Castle & Ramparts entry tickets, it was time to explore. We did pay for an audio guide while there for the Château Comtal and the ramparts.

Book your tickets here!

We did do the full château tour, but we maybe did half the ramparts. It does take a full 2-3 hours to explore the full fortress with the château and ramparts! It’s worth visiting, though, and learning more about the history, the ramparts, and more!

After that, we drove to Toulouse for the evening. It was my last night with my friend before she left on her next adventure, and we ended up just getting salads nearby our hotel for dinner.

Now, if you are here in time to drop off your rental car, I suggest just doing that this evening too. However, as I was dropping my friend off at the train station the next morning with her luggage, I ended up returning the car the following day. Just be careful driving in Toulouse, as there are quite a few one ways in spots.

Where to Stay in Toulouse:

Hôtel Albert 1er: This is where we stayed! It has air conditioning, and the rooms here were comfortable and nice! It’s also close to Marché Victor Hugo, and it was walkable to a lot of places! They don’t have parking, but we parked in the Indigo Victor Hugo parking garage nearby. 

Book it here!

ibis Styles Toulouse Centre Capitole: I’ve stayed in ibis hotels before, and they’re usually pretty good hotels, which is nice! This place has air conditioning, and it’s right on the Place du Capitole in the heart of the city! There is parking nearby at Parking Indigo Capitole.

Book it here!

FirstName Toulouse Résidence – JDV by Hyatt: About 15 minutes from the center, it’s very close to the train station–great if you have an early train when you leave! This place has air conditioning, a gym, and parking. 

Book it here!

Day 9: Toulouse

What To Do:

• Marché Victor Hugo
• Musée des Augustins
• Place du Capitole
• Pont de la Daurade
• Walk the Canals
• Basilique Saint-Sernin de Toulouse

Toulouse has a lot to offer here, so there is a ton of things you could do in a day here.

For me, I started by dropping off my friend and turning in the rental car. Then, I relaxed a bit in the hotel before getting lunch at Marché Victor Hugo nearby. The bottom floor has the traditional fruits, veggies, meats, etc., but if you go upstairs, there are several restaurants to enjoy! 

I had cassoulet at Le Magret, but you could walk around, find a place that looks good, and enjoy! 

After that, I wandered over to Musée des Augustins, which is a fabulous art museum that is located in a former Augustinian convent. 

I also recommend walking to Place du Capitole to truly admire the “Ville Rose” with the red brick! 

And I enjoyed walking around the city the rest of the day. It was the end of my trip, so I didn’t want to go-go-go. I had a beer down by the Port de la Daurade at Pêcheurs de Sable while admiring the Pont Neuf. I then started walking along the canals.

I walked along the Garonne River to Canal de Brienne, and then I walked along Canal du Midi.

This is a famous canal that people will take multi-day cruises through! It was fun to walk a bit, see a lock, and then I took the metro (yes they have an underground metro–you get tickets on the Tisséo app!) over to Basilique Saint-Sernin de Toulouse and visited that.

This is another Camino de Santiago stop! 

Then, I just watched people-watched in the square here, and I won’t lie, I was tired so I got O’Tacos for dinner. Yes, French tacos. It’s a fast-food chain around France selling what I can only describe as kind of like a Taco Bell crunchwrap supreme but with fries instead of a crispy tortilla. 

You can put various meats in it, cheese, sauces, etc. It’s salty, but works in a pinch. 

However, there are many more great restaurants to enjoy in Toulouse! 

Day 10: Back to Paris OR…

On this day, I took the early train back to Paris to explore! So I didn’t spend much time here. If you have a 10th day in the Southwest of France, some options include:

Day in Toulouse

If you have an extra day in Toulouse, I’d probably take public transit to get to the Cité de l’Espace, which has full-scale rocket models and interactive exhibits. It would be nice to check out the Couvent des Jacobins as well, which is now a museum. I’m not sure if you’d have time for both, but these are great options in Toulouse!

Another option is to just have a picnic in a park and relax. Toulouse is a cool city to just explore! 

OR

You could add an extra day in the Dordogne to check out more châteaux like Castelnaud Castle, Château de Puymartin, Château de Fénelon, or Château de Losse (the last two were also filming locations of Ever After!).

Or with an extra day in the Dordogne, you could check out another prehistoric real painted cave too like Rouffignac Cave (or the “Cave of a Hundred Mammoths”).

Either way, that is how to spend 10 days in Southwest France!

Driving in the Southwest of France: What You Need to Know

Before you set off on your trip, here are some tips for driving in the southwest of France!

1. Check French driving rules and signs beforehand.

Before every road trip in France, I check the local driving rules and refresh myself on that as well as signage. It’s good to do before driving here.

2. Be prepared for windy, narrow roads.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: The cars in France are getting larger, the roads and parking spaces are not.

So be prepared for some narrow spaces and windy roads. My friend also took medicine to prevent car sickness.

3. Download offline maps.

I download offline maps beforehand because there is a chance you may lose service. With offline maps, you can still navigate. 

In Google Maps, you’d just click on your image and scroll to Offline Maps. Hit Select Your Own Map, and put your driving area (the whole potential area you need covered), and download.

I also use an eSIM (I like Airalo) so that I can use my phone while abroad. However, offline maps are still a good idea in case you lose service!

4. Get your International Driving Permit.

In the US, this is easy. Just go to a AAA, fill out the form (you can prefill out the form too beforehand), have passport-sized photos (my AAA takes it there so I just show up but it costs extra), and bring you driver’s license. It’s $20 to get and it’s really easy. 

You can do this all online now too!

5. Get all the rental insurance.

As someone who has scratched not one, but two rental cars in France, I am thankful that I always get all the insurance. Yes, it’s pricy, but it’s worth it.

6. Cars in France are mostly manual.

If you drive a manual, that’s great! If you’re like me that despite driving in France a ton still hasn’t found the time to learn how to drive a manual yet, it’s definitely more expensive to rent an automatic. They have them, but it’s pricier. 

7. They drive on the right.

Just like in the US and Canada, they drive on the right hand side! 

Why I’d Do This Itinerary All Over Again!

I fell head over heels in love with the Southwest of France! From the Dordogne to the Lot Department to the fortress of Carcassonne to the prehistoric caves and more, there is so much to explore here!

Now, that being said, I’m sad I wasn’t able to see all of the southwest, but that wasn’t possible. I need to do several more trips to also explore Bordeaux, Basque country, the Pyrenees, and more!

But I would happily do this road trip all over again in a heartbeat! Castles, caves, and hilltop villages?! It was magical, whimsical, historical, and just so much fun! 

From the first sips of Malbec to frolicking in castles, this is a road trip I won’t soon forget.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before you plan your own journey to the southwest of France, here are some helpful answers to your questions.

1. When is the best time to visit the southwest of France?

I will say that mid-April was darn near the perfect time! The weather was nice overall, and it wasn’t crowded yet. April through October are likely the best times to visit. Wintertime can be tough because some places close up that time of year.

Peak season is around July and August, so if you want to avoid that, visiting in mid-April-June and September-October is a better time to come! 

2. How many days do you need in Dordogne, Lot, Abli, Toulouse, etc.?

I think this 10-day trip was the perfect amount of time! However, at least a week is a good idea. Longer is always better here, as it’s such a great area of France to explore with SO many things to see! 

However, I’d say 7 days at least is great to get a good feel of the place. And if you’re short on time, even just 3 days in the Dordogne is great! 

3. Do you need to know French?

I will say that knowing some French helps in this area, but even just a little goes a long way. A simple “Bonjour” will get you far. I have helpful French phrases to learn here. However, all the tours listed (with the exception of Mas del Périé) have English options.

4. Is Southwest France best explored as a road trip?

Absolutely! In fact, having a car is a great idea, unless you plan to stick to cities/towns with a train station. However, there are many places where you can’t just take a train, so going on a road trip is a great idea!

Check rental car prices here!

5. Is driving difficult?

I didn’t find it more difficult than other places in France. Yes, there are some windy roads, so if you tend to get carsick, definitely be prepared. My friend took her nondrowsy Dramamine ahead of time! 

But other than some windy and sometimes narrow roads, it was fine! 

6. Which stops were the best?

This is TOUGH because I loved everything! I definitely think you need to spend time in Sarlat-la-Canéda for a few days to explore the Dordogne.

Pech Merle was an epic cave, and Saint-Cirq-Lapopie was a stunning village.

Rocamadour, Albi, Carcassonne, and Toulouse are also must-visits. I mean really the whole thing was great! 

7. What would you do differently?

It’s honestly hard to say, because again, the whole trip was epic! Rather than leaving for Paris on day 10, I likely would’ve put in an extra day to explore the Dordogne more. I’d stay an extra night in Sarlat and perhaps check out Rouffignac Cave and Château de Fenelon.

8. Is Southwest France worth visiting?

Yes! This quickly jumped up my list of favorite places I’ve ever visited in France! Between the castles, hilltop villages, and history, I highly recommend visiting this part of France!