Thank you all for the wonderful tips I've gotten from the threads. The following schedule is for end February / beginning of March; would you please tell me if you see any gross errors?

Sat overnight train Paris-Madrid
Sun quick walk around Madrid
*late afternoon
either rent car OR train to Jaén*
Mon rent car drive to Granada via olive groves
Tues Granada
Wed Granada
Thur coast drive, Lunch in Gibraltar, stay in Sanlucar de Bar.
Fri Jerez
Sat drive through white villages, lunch in Ronda, sleep in Carmona
Sun drive to Seville
Mon Seville
Tues drive to Cordoba
Wed Train to Madrid; overnight train to Paris

Any comments would be appreciated. My doubts are:
1. train or car Madrid to Jaén?
2. should I keep the car while in Granada for 3 days or just do another reservation when ready to leave Granada?

What you've laid out will work.

I might do it a bit differently tho: Since you are are only going to be in Madrid for a few hours at the beginning of the trip, consider doing the walkabout in Madrid at the end of the trip. Immediately on arriving in Madrid, catch an Iberia flight to Granada [about 33 euros]. Scratch Jaen. Don't rent a car until you are ready to leave Granada. You will not need or want one there. This effectively gives you one more day and eliminates 3 days of car rental and the associated parking problems in Granada. After Granada, rent the car, do the coast and white villages run. Turn the car in immediately upon arrival in Sevilla. Take the extra day you saved by flying and add it to your stay in Sevilla. Rather than overnighting in Cordoba, I'd do it as a day trip from Sevilla [45 min by train]. This eliminates a hotel change, packing, unpacking, etc and gives you 3 nights in Sevilla which is a better town in the evening that Cordoba. You can then catch the train to Madrid and arrive as early as 10 am if you like and do your walkabout.

Should you go to Sanlucar de Barrameda, don't miss what I think are the best 2 hours in Spain: the return, unloading, and auction of the fishing fleet and catch at Bonanza. Bonanza is a a suburb of Sanlucar just up river from town. Daily between 3 and 5pm, the fleet returns to sell their catch. Between 20-30 boats fight for dock space on about 200 feet of pier, unload, and then auction the catch. It is truly an amazing sight! Also in Sanlucar, be sure to eat at one of the seafood houses right on the river. Truly special.

weber - can I just say that I think that is one of the best "revampings" of an itinerary that I have seen on this board?

I am leaving for Spain Friday, and although I am not doing quite the same trip, it seems I have incorporated your guidelines pretty well:

I am using the train for my Madrid-Cordoba-Sevilla part (4 nights in Madrid then 3 nights in Sevilla), a car for the white towns (staying in Ronda 2 nights) and to drive to Granada (1 night), and a plane to Barcelona (4 nights).

Moxie - I'll be in Spain for the next 2 weeks starting Friday - guess you'll be there right after me. Have a great trip!

Karen

The in and out of andalucia from Madrid works very well using the AVE,fast train service specialy once you are in town, arriving by train from Paris.
I believe you have to change station from Chamartin to Atocha. There is a train connection with stops in Nuevos ministerios and Recoletos that will drop you in the middle of the city.
Or you can go all the way to Atocha and drop your luggage there. And visit the city from there. Walking distance from the main museums.
I would not bother going to the airport or renting a car to drive to Jaen.
The first 200 miles plus the way out of Madrid towards the south are very uninteresting and busy traffic.
May I suggest taking the Train to Cordoba 1 hour and 45 minutes from Madrid, visiting. It will avoid a day trip from Sevilla or a deviation.
Renting a car from there going to Jaen and Granada, Keeping the car might be cheaper in a few days rental than dropping.
From Granada do your south trip as planned, end in Sevilla drop the car , enjoy the town and train back to Madrid
in 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Have fun

Thank you weber and car for your suggestions which I will take as far as possible.

My sweetie does not want to fly, hence the train from Paris, so I will need to use land transport.

How could I scrap Jaén; I have reserved at the Parador which is the reason for the side trip...

The problem is getting to and more importantly out of Jaén by rail (I'd lose a day if I didn't pick up the car).

I will now go to the Fish auction in Sanlucar -- thanks for the tip.

ANd thanks for the info that they still accept left luggage at the station, the Prado is now possible.

I will also consider staying in Seville not Cordoba for the last night.

Thanks again!

Bon voyage Karen!