automobile trip- france to spain
 

we're starting in paris and ending in barcelona. our 2 "must-sees" are giverny and mont st. michel. everything else is a question mark. we've already done the chateau country so we're thinking about travel along the coast and then thru the pyrennees...down thru costa brava area. we have 12 days between the 2 big cities. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

From the Mont St. Michel you might want to go to Angers, then Poitiers, Angoulême, La Rochelle and on to Bordeaux. I suggest you get the Michelin Green Guide for France which would give you the highlights of the area you want to cross. Near the Pyrenees there is Auch, Carcassonne. To experience the high Pyrenees, you might want to go see the Cirque de Gavarnie and drive over the Col du Tourmalet.

Are you aware that there are heavy cross-border drop-off fees on rentals?

You can avoid the drop-off fee if you return you car in Perpignan, take the train to Figueras and rent a car there again. The train takes 1:15 (reservation is mandatory).

Both in Perpignan and Figueras, the rental car offices are right at the train station (at least Hertz, but probably the other ones too).

Michael's suggestion is excellent. When you are in the Bordeaux area, make sure to see Archachon and the dune of Pyla and Biarritz. You may drive into Spain to see Donostia and the Getty Museum in Bilbao (would be a daytrip from Biarritz if you prefer to continue your journey on the French side of the Pyrenees).

Hi

Another possibility is to divert towards Clermont Ferrand, then follow the A75 over the new (ish !) Millau bridge and follow it down to the A9 autoroute on the Med coast at Beziers.
The trip through the Massif Central is worth the detour, and Beziers - Barcelona is about 2 hrs.

I would also ask about the Paris - Perpignan drop off fee - it may still be considerable !

Some photos :

http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/ph...-photo-245.htm
http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/ph...-photo-039.htm

Webcam of the bridge :

http://leviaducdemillau.com/images/cevmimage.jpg



Peter

thanks for the prompt responses. yes, i do know about drop off fees but we got a really good deal from kemwel so i'll go w/it. we are a very mature couple and the ability to drive straight thru is worth the price. is one more scenic crossing of the pyrennes than another? we don't like hair-pin, no-rail mountain roads but we don't like major hiways either. any ideas are appreciated.

<i>we don't like hair-pin, no-rail mountain roads</i>

The Col de Tourmalet would not be for you, nor the coast north of Barcelona which, if anything, is more twisty than the Tourmalet road.

thanks for the input michael but if those are the roads we shouldn't take....which are the road we should take. i appreciate your help.

I can't help you. For one thing, the Pyrenees are mountains and will have twisty roads, for another, I like them and tend to seek them out.

The Pyrenees coast road north of Barcelona is a series of hairpins giving fantastic views. It is also slow, and tiring but the road itself is now well maintained and safe (there were fewer high level bridges, few barriers and a rutted surface into the early 80's !).

The A9 route over the Pyrenees at Le Perthus is the easiest, but it is a major highway. You can follow the old road both before &amp; after the border.

The attraction of the A75 South of Clermont Ferrand is that it is little used, easy to drive, and has very good views. It is also free !

Peter