A Guide on How to Get to the Dordogne, France
Explore these useful transport options and key travel tips
The Dordogne (Perigord) lies in southwest France, part of the Nouvelle Aquitaine region. It has two main cities, Perigueux in the centre and Bergerac in the South. Use the guide below to help you decide on the best way to get to the Dordogne and consider the travel links and tips for an enhanced journey.
The Dordogne and Mialet
The Dordogne is the third largest department in France spanning an area of 9,000 square kilometres (or 3,475 square miles), a bit smaller than Yorkshire, the largest county in the UK. About 45% of the region is covered in forest and 80% of its residents live in rural settings. As a result, public transportation options are somewhat limited, making it advisable to have a car to appreciate this beautiful area at its best.
The village of Mialet is well connected by roads and is situated in the North Dordogne (Perigord Vert) very close to the border of the Limousin and Charente departments.
TIP: Please note there is another village in France called Mialet in the Gard region 6.5 hours south of the North Dordogne, near Montpellier.
Ferry Port Distance to Dordogne
By car - drive time and distance from French ports to Mialet in the Dordogne:
- Portsmouth to Caen is 5 hours 35 minutes (339miles/545km)
- Portsmouth & Dover to Calais is 7 hours 26 minutes (462 miles/743 km)
- Poole and Portsmouth to Cherbourg is 6 hours 50 minutes (416 miles/670km)
- Newhaven to Dunkirk is 7 hours 45 minutes (496 miles/798km)
- Portsmouth to Le Havre is 6 hours 3 minutes (338 miles/545km)
- Plymouth to Roscoff is 7 hours 5 minutes (409 miles/659km)
- Poole, Portsmouth and Plymouth to St Malo is 5 hours 49 minutes (322 miles/519km)
Nearest Airport to Mialet
By air - drive time from the nearest airport to Mialet
- Limoges 45 minutes
- Bergerac 1 hour 32 minutes
- Brive 1 hour 42 minutes (by tollroad 1 hour 35 minutes)
- Bordeaux 2 hours 14 minutes
LIMOGES BELLEGRADE Airport is served by Ryanair (Bristol, East Midlands, Leeds Bradford, Stansted and Manchester)
BRIVE Regional Airport is served by Ryanair (Stansted)
BERGERAC Regional Airport is served by Ryanair (Bournemouth, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Stansted)
BORDEAUX MERIGNAC International Airport is served by Easyjet (Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Luton and Manchester)
Please note not all flights are available all year round.
TIP: Buggs car hire operates from Limoges and Bergerac airports and waits for all flights.
Trains and taxis to Mialet
By train or taxi - Trains in France are run by the state under SNCF
Take the Eurostar to Paris Gard de Nord then the SNCF from Gard d'Austerlitz to Limoges Benedictine (3 hours and 15 minutes). From Limoges Benedictin take the train to Perigueuex and get out at La Coquille (40 minutes). La Coquille is a 10-minute drive to Mialet.
Taxis can be booked locally although they are not cheap. The price from Limoges Airport to Mialet is approximately 160 euros and the price from La Coquille to Mialet is approximately 18 euros. Contact Fontanaud et Fils on 0033 553 62 85 59.
Useful travel links
Consider looking at some of these useful links before you travel:
- Ferries - Find out which companies operate ferries to France here
- Flights: - Learn about which airlines fly to France
- Car hire - Get more information about national car hire companies at French airports
- Road - Learn about traffic in France in realtime
- Driving - Understanding rules and regulations for driving in France
- Electric vehicles - Find out where are the electric charge stations in France
TIP: You may need a Crit'Air windscreen sticker if driving near/in large cities in France. Crit'Air stickers cost less than £5 and save receiving a large fine for not having one. Order here on the official government website and give yourself a few weeks to receive it as it's posted from France.