We're going to have a rental car for the Provence portion of our trip. After Provence we go to Barcelona and want to explore the Costa Brava area along the way. If we keep the car we pay an international drop-off fee of approx. $350. Any creative ideas as to how to save this fee or by the time we turn it in on one side, take the train to pick up a car on the other side...is it really worth the hassle? I'd like to hear from Fodorites who have solved this puzzle.
From Provence to Barcelona and in-between...
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I would say to take the car over the border from France and visit your places on the Costa Brava...lots of fun ports, restaurants, Figueras Dali Museum, etc.
Then just drive back up to Perpignan rail station and leave the car there. There is Hertz, Avis and Europa car offices within walking distance of the station.
Then take the train down to Barcelona. You have a nice ride along the ocean up to Port Bou (you have to change trains unless you take the Talgo(=only 1 or 2 a day), but it is not a problem.
Then you can arrive in Barcelona without a car, and believe me, that is a good thing. Rouss
I like that suggestion...thanks!
rousillon's suggestion certainly works. We did it somewhat differently, going in the other direction.
We started in Barcelona and then spent time on the Costa Brava. We left our car at the Girona train station and took the train all the way to Avignon, where we picked up the next car. Montpelier would be a reasonable place to pick up or drop a car in France, although Perpignan also works and is very near the border.
You should be able to pick up a car in Girona or probably Figueres once you get to Spain, using AutoEurope.
We found the trains across the border to be very pleasant and eacy to use, and we were not interested in driving to Provence. That is why we waited to get the car in Avignon.
Good luck on your trip.
I strongly second roussillon's recommendation.
You might be interested in my trip report on Barcelona and the Costa Brava:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2&tid=35086408
Just over the border into spain the port town of Cadaques and port de le Selva are very pretty. We stayed in a hotel close by just 15 min from border called Can Xiquet, booked through Inns of spain. It was beautiful and food awesome. Dropping the car in France is best option after touring the coastal towns of Costa Brava
Traveller, I loved your trip report - gave me great info...definitely going to look into the hotel in Cadaques - what a lovely place. Thanks for the link!