France 2027: Dordogne, Bretagne, et Normandie

Day 1 · Thu 27 May

Land in Paris

Land at CDG 1:25 PM on an overnight from Orlando. Transfer into the city, check in, and take it easy — a jet-lag buffer evening before the wedding leg. Tomorrow: TGV to Bordeaux, then the hosts' shuttle out to the château.

Paris (CDG → hotel)Land at CDG 1:25 PM (overnight from Orlando MCO, dep. 10:40 PM on the 26th). Clear immigration + bags, then into the city — RER B ~40 min or taxi ~45–60 min. Check in, easy jet-lag evening; tomorrow's an early-ish TGV.

Days 2–4 · 28–30 May

Wedding

~2h 50m by rail to Bordeaux Saint-Jean

TGV Paris Montparnasse → Bordeaux Saint-Jean (~2h10), then the hosts' shuttle out to Château de la Valouze (~1 hr NE, near La Roche-Chalais). Wedding runs Fri–Sun (28–30 May) with on-site lodging at the château.

Wedding, day 2 of 3. In Bordeaux — hosts have the day.

Wedding, day 3 of 3. Last night in Bordeaux before picking up the car tomorrow.

Château de la Valouze — wedding (day 1 of 3)Hosts' shuttle from Bordeaux Saint-Jean (~1 hr NE, in La Roche-Chalais). Check in; wedding begins. On-site lodging all three nights.

Day 5 · Mon 31 May

Bordeaux → Sarlat (via Brantôme & Périgueux)

1h 54m drive to Brantôme

Hosts' shuttle back to Bordeaux midday; pick up the one-way rental, then a scenic transfer east through two Périgord gems: Brantôme (river-island town, abbey set against a cliff with troglodyte chambers behind it) and Périgueux (Saint-Front, the Byzantine-domed cathedral, plus the medieval old town). Reach Sarlat by evening. NOTE: Brantôme depends on an early-enough shuttle — if it lands mid-afternoon, drop Brantôme and keep Périgueux, which sits right on the A89 and costs almost no extra time. (Awaiting hosts' shuttle timing to confirm.)

Périgueux — Saint-FrontCathédrale Saint-Front — a wild cluster of Byzantine white domes — plus a handsome medieval old town (Gallo-Roman ruins too, if you've the appetite). Right on the A89 line, ~1h from Sarlat.

Sarlat-la-CanédaBase for 3 nights. The lamplit old town in the evening is the best version of Sarlat.

Day 6 · Tue 1 Jun

The castle bend

The signature Dordogne day — four sites stacked within 10 minutes of each other on the river bend, ordered to use light and crowds well.

Jardins de MarqueyssacAt opening. Level clifftop paths, sculpted boxwood, THE land-based panorama over the whole bend.

Château de CastelnaudMedieval-warfare museum, working trebuchets on the ramparts. Best views OF Beynac are from here. Lunch in the village below.

Château de BeynacPark at the UPPER lot by the castle and walk down through the village — not the riverfront lot.

La Roque-GageacGolden hour. Riverfront stroll, then the south-bank pull-offs for the classic cliff-village photo — from land.

Day 7 · Wed 2 Jun

Slow day: Sarlat market, Domme & the water gardens

A deliberate breather between two big days. Start on foot at the Wednesday market on Place de la Liberté — calmer than Saturday's, all local producers — coffee, strawberries, walnut cake, no driving. Late morning, up to the hilltop bastide of Domme for the Belvédère de la Barre panorama, the honey-stone lanes, and the Grotte de Domme beneath. A leisurely lunch in between, then the afternoon drifts at Les Jardins d'Eau in Carsac — lily ponds, bamboo, boardwalks under the waterfalls. Nothing more than 15 min apart; the point is to linger, not to tick sites.

Sarlat Wednesday marketThe Wednesday market on Place de la Liberté — smaller and calmer than Saturday's, mostly local food producers (7 AM–1 PM). Coffee, strawberries, walnut cake; wander the medieval streets on foot. No driving.

Domme & Grotte de DommeDrive up to the hilltop bastide (~15 min). The Belévèdre de la Barre is the sit-on-a-bench valley panorama; wander the honey-stone lanes. The Grotte de Domme beneath the market hall is a ~45-min cave, exiting via the cliff elevator right at the viewpoint. Tickets on-site.

Les Jardins d'Eau (Carsac)Water gardens — lily and lotus ponds, a bamboo walk, floating walkways and a water labyrinth, boardwalks under the waterfalls. Gentle, shaded, ~1–2 hrs of drifting. Open daily 10–7; picnic tables in the shade.

Day 8 · Thu 3 Jun

Transfer day · La Rochelle & Vannes

3h 51m drive to La Rochelle — old port lunch

The one long drive, broken twice: lunch in a medieval Atlantic harbor, and a walled-town overture to Brittany 30 minutes before the finish line.

VannesWalled town on the Gulf of Morbihan. Ramparts, leaning half-timbered houses, early dinner.

Carnac — arriveBase for the Morbihan leg.

Day 9 · Fri 4 Jun

Côte Sauvage, Pont-Aven → Dinan

2h 13m drive to Dinan — arrive

Start at 9: Mané Kerioned dolmen on the way out of Carnac (unfenced, free, walk right up to it), then down the Quiberon spur for the Côte Sauvage — cliffs and pull-offs (~1–1.5 hr). West to Pont-Aven for lunch and the artists' town. Then ~2h15 northeast to Dinan for the night — a walled medieval river town, evening ramparts and dinner. A driving-heavy day by design; it front-loads the traverse so tomorrow stays light.

Côte Sauvage, Quiberon8 km of cliff road with constant pull-offs: drive, stop, short walk, repeat. Swimming forbidden — watching is the sport.

Pont-AvenLunch + the artists' town: the port, the riverside mills, and the Bois d'Amour woods the Pont-Aven School painted. Gauguin's old haunt.

Dinan — arriveOvernight. Walled medieval river town — half-timbered houses, ramparts, a steep cobbled street down to the port. Evening walk + dinner. Sleeping here shortens tomorrow to a 25-min hop to Saint-Malo.

Day 10 · Sat 5 Jun

North coast: Saint-Malo · Cancale · Mont-Saint-Michel

1h 7m drive to Mont-Saint-Michel

An easy north-coast morning now that you slept in Dinan. Optional rampart stroll in Dinan first, then just 25 min to Saint-Malo for the walls and lunch. Mid-afternoon to Cancale for oysters on the quay, then 45 min to Mont-Saint-Michel, arriving ~4:30–5 as the day-trippers clear out — abbey to 7, ramparts at dusk. Night in the MSM area.

Saint-Malo Intra-MurosJust 25 min from Dinan, so an unhurried arrival. Rampart circuit (~1 hr) above the beaches + lunch inside the walls. If the tide's out, Grand Bé island is a quick walk — check the posted tables; the sea returns fast.

Cancale — oyster marketA dozen at the quay stalls (~€7–9), eaten on the seawall looking across the bay at the Mont. Food, not admission — budgeted under meals.

Mont-Saint-MichelAbbey open to 7 PM. Village + ramparts at dusk are a different place than at noon. Parking on the mainland ~€15–20/car (in budget).

Day 11 · Sun 6 Jun

Colleville & Pointe du Hoc

1h 50m drive to Normandy American Cemetery

The two WWII essentials — and today IS the D-Day anniversary (6 June). Being here for it is the whole reason we shifted the plan: ceremonies, flyovers, veterans. The cost is peak crowds, traffic, and likely timed/restricted access at the cemetery during the official commemoration. Strategy: Pointe du Hoc first thing (open site, free), then work the cemetery around the ceremony — check the ABMC schedule (abmc.gov) a few weeks out. Night in Bayeux.