From Lyon to Bordeaux

You should spend more than two nights in Lyon. It's one of France's major cities and it offers plenty to do and to experience.

• https://www.lonelyplanet.com/france/burgundy-and-the-rhone/lyon

On the way to Bordeaux consider visiting Sarlat-la-Canéda, which is an extremely photogenic mediaeval town but this also means you will find it swarming with tourists.

• https://www.lonelyplanet.com/france/the-dordogne/sarlat-la-caneda

However, basing yourself there or nearby gives you the chance to explore the region around the Dordogne river -- castles, gardens, caves, and cave museums with prehistoric drawings.

The Château de Beynac, for example, once hosted Richard the Lionheart, and you can visit his chamber:

• http://www.northofthedordogne.com/chateaubeynac.php

Across the river from the Château de Beynac is the Château de Marqueyssac. In this case, the attraction is not the château itself but the elaborate gardens set on cliffs overlooking the river.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_de_Marqueyssac

However, I see from your profile that you are Italian, so perhaps these suggestions will not have the same appeal as they would for someone from outside of Europe. In which case, the region also contains the Lascaux caves, with Paleolithic drawings, although the original Lascaux caves are now closed to visitors to protect them and you will have to make do with an 'exact' copy. In the village of Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, in the valley about 20 km from Sarlat, you can stay at the Hôtel Le Cro-Magnon and wander out to various troglodyte structures.

• http://www.northofthedordogne.com/caves.php

Expect to spend about €60 EUR in motorway tolls between Lyon and Bordeaux.

Ack! Where to start?

First off, you should give Lyon at least 3 days. It's not a city just to pass through.

How much time do you have to get to Bordeaux and at what time of year?

Regarding the Dordogne, where I live not far from Sarlat, there is no Château d'Eyrignac. It is a beautiful garden with a manor house where there's a café. There are innumerable other châteaux in the region, among them Biron, Commarque (my favorite), Fénélon, Castelnaud (superb museum of medieval warfare), Les Milandes (Josephine Baker's château)....and many more.

Then there are the prehistoric sites, hundreds of them, if that interests you. If you want information on them, I am happy to go into detail.

Sarlat is very crowded in high season, especially on market days, Wednesday (big market) and Saturdays (small market). I mean REALLY crowded in summer, as in shoulder-to-shoulder crowds. It's a beautiful town, though, completely restored to its 17th-century magnificense by André Malraux.

Do NOT stay in Les Eyzies, and specifically I would say do not stay at the Hôtel Crô-Magnon. The place is widely ridiculed among the locals (I live 4 kms away) as being way overpriced and hostile. If you decide to visit the Dordogne and need recommendations for accommodations, I'll be happy to oblige.

But to get back to your original question, there is plenty to stop and enjoy between Lyon and Bordeaux besides the Dordogne: St-Etienne, Le Puy-en-Velay, the Millau viaduct, Clermont-Férrand, Valence.....hundreds of inviting places. It all depends on which route you choose, and there are many, and how much time you have.

I hope you'll also plan to spend some time in Bordeaux itself, which has been resurrected from a rather dumpy place to a quite glorious one in recent years and was named the European Cultural Center in 2015. You should spend a few days there. The Dune du Pylat is cool, but so are Arcachon and Cap Ferret and the entire Bassin d'Arcachon.

another vote to spend 3 nights in Lyon. I went there about 2 years ago with no expectations at all, and I was absolutely surprised the city is so nice and there are so many things to do - don´t even get me started on local cuisine!

specifically I would say do not stay at the Hôtel Crô-Magnon. The place is widely ridiculed among the locals

This is an irrelevant observation, surely, as locals are not likely to stay there and so can't report first-hand experiences. The hotel is very well reviewed on booking websites. I have no personal experience of the place but the name appealed to me when I visited the area.

Not irrelevant at all, as I have stayed there, unfortunately, while my house was being renovated ,and friends from the USA have stayed there as well. I don't care what the reviews are (Trip Advisor reviews are particularly suspect), the place is overpriced (something any local can measure whether he's stayed there or not) and inhospitable. The appeal of the name of a place is what's irrelevant.

Wow, so many hints there, thanks to you all! I'll read through all this and then maybe get back to you with some more questions ;-)
The first thought is about Lyon, I think we'll spend at least 3 nights there

I'm actually living in Lyon and the others are right, the city is awesome and there is a lot to do in here.
You can have a view on only-lyon website of every events, restaurants, concerts, places, etc... that you could visit.
Here is the link : http://www.onlylyon.com/

There is also a lot of ways to find accomodations in Lyon.
One of my favorite is booking an aparthotel but most of them won't accept bookings for less than 3 nights.
You can find great aparthotel with appart'ambiance which provides fully furnished apartment in every Lyon's districts.
You can visit their website if you're interested : www.appart-ambiance.com

Hope you will enjoy your stay in Lyon anyway !

Is it still possible to walk up from the camping municipal at the river Dordogne on a 'goat's path to mediaeval Dommme, situated fabulously on the Dordogne, south of Sarlat? Magnificent small town, ditto panorama.

#stcirq, you might know?!?