Margot

I'm confused with what you are trying to do. If you take the TGV to Paris from Limoges, you will still need to stay overnight in Paris. Driving to Limoges will take some time, and it isn't that scenic of a drive. There is plenty to do in the Dordogne just around the Sarlat area. We've vacationed in the Dordogne for 8 weeks recently, and have visited all the places in that area that others have mentioned. In additioned, we've vacationed for 2 week between Toulouse and the Dordogne - in the Quercy region.

Have you checked open jaw?

Newark to Paris
Toulouse to Newark

I seems to cost $830 on Continental, with a non-stop over & 1 stop back. Less on 1 stops in both directions. I did not recall your exact dates - so check yourself..

Stu Dudley

margot,

At this point, we're all piling into the car with you -- and we'll be arguing from the back seat all the way!

annhig, I think you've misread margot's time frame. Apart from her conference, she's only got a few days, not 10.

To the France experts: I'm curious as to why no one is suggesting Bordeaux as a car drop off and fast train connection to Paris.

(Margot again: Please don't forget that Contiental flies direct to Newark out of Barcelona, should you decide to just rent a car out of Barcelona, do some sightseeing nearby, and go back to BCN to fly home. Not that I'm pushing Spain. :-D)

OK - will someone please explain "open jaw" and please have mercy on me since I haven't been on these boards in a long time 'til yesterday???

Open jaw is going, for example, from NYC to Barcelona and returning from Paris to NYC.

Oh, I see...I just checked on Continental and the fare going from EWR-CDG and returning TLS-EWR (with a stopover in Amsterdam) is $710 plus taxes, which isn't bad at all. So, does this seem to work - after our 3 day Paris leg prior to Barcelona, we fly to Barcelona on one of the cheap flights (thanks, n'dorma!), spend 4 days in Barcelona, where I'll be able to go on organized tours provided for spouses of the conventioneers (last year's in Cote D'Azur were great!), then take the train from Barcelona to Toulouse, stay overnight there, rent a car the next day and drive to the Dordogne, spend 3 or 4 days there, then drive back to Toulouse and take the open jaw flight described in my first sentence? Do you like my run-on sentences?! ;) Seriously, thanks for all your feedback - I feel like this trip is beginning to take shape!

Margot

Your last itinerary sounds great to me. Less one-nighters than some of the other options you were considering. You could then spend 4 nights in the Dordogne - perhaps the last of those near Toulouse if you can't get an afternoon flight.

You will love connecting via Amsterdam - worlds apart from CGD. I would pay extra to connect there instead of CDG - but it's usually less expensive.

Ness - I mentioned Libourne - which is the TGV stop just outside of Bordeaux - no need to go into Bordeaux.

Stu Dudley

----Breaking News---

Just to confuse you all even more, it turns out my DH's convention doesn't end until 5:30 PM on Weds., 10/14, which rules out taking the train from there to Toulouse because the last train leaves Barcelona at 4:42 PM. So now we're thinking of renting the car in Barcelona and driving the 4 hours to Toulouse. I know we'd be paying big surcharges for the rental car this way, but at least we'd be able to get into Toulouse by 10-ish and could still set out for the Dordogne early on Thursday. Has anyone taken the drive from Barcelona to Toulouse? Or, are there any other suggestions that would still get us to Toulouse Weds. night? I've tried many different alternatives and driving seems to be the only one that works.

Reverse your trip: Go to the Dordogne and drive down to the border or to Perpignan. Take the train from the border to Barcelona. At the end of your Barcelona stay, fly to Paris.

Or here's another possibility: Fly to Barcelona and then rent a car to visit both sides of the eastern Pyrenees. After the conference, fly to Paris and visit Paris.

I like Michael's plan A.

(Thanks, Stu, I didn't catch that.)

That would be great, except that on the Paris (pre-Barcelona) end, we will be travelling with another couple who will also be attending the convention but don't have the flexibility to change Paris to post-Barcelona. Is driving from Barcelona to Toulouse that bad of an idea???

What's the drop off fee?

Don't know - haven't gotten that far yet! But I'll look into that next. Thanks.

I looked up the mileage on Mappy and it suggests a 4-hr route that goes over one of the highest peaks in the Pyrenees, then down through Aix-en-Thermes and Foix. It's fantastic (I've done it) but I wouldn't want to do it at night.

If you take that route, I suggest stopping around 9pm for the typically late Spanish dinner, and then proceed in the morning.

From Barcelona to the French border, it's about 2 1/2 hours driving-about 220 kms.

From the border to Toulouse is about 2 hours and the distance is 200 kms.

The routes are good but there's tolls all of the way.

An other thought about going to Toulouse. Take the Talgo train from Barcelona to Perpignan and rent your car within France. The rental companies are within walking distance of the gare in Perpignan. Like it's said, "easy peasy".

Blackduff

blackduff - good idea, but I run into the same problem with timing, as there's no train from barcelona that leaves after my husband's last convention session is over. :( It's looking more like we'll have to bite the surcharge bullet and rent the car in Barcelona.

Any other thoughts or, given all my parameters timewise is renting the car in Barcelona and dropping off in Toulouse the only real option (even with the surcharges we'll be facing)?

Margot
One more chance. I am not sure but Pertus is on the French/Spanish border. If they have rentals on both sides, you might be able to turn your Spanish car on one side and rent the car on the French car.

I've passed Pertus often but I'm not sure if they have rentals. Maybe it's worth checking.

Blackduff

I'll check that out blackduff - but how would we get to the French side after dropping off the car on the Spanish side?

I've driven from Toulouse to the Barcelona area via the Foix, Ax les Thermes, Col de Puymorens route (just like Ness has), and I've driven the all-freeway route through Perpignan & Carcassone.

I agree with ness - the Foix route is beautiful, but I would not recommend driving it at night after all-day at a convention. If you do take his route, stay in Foix - it's a pleasant town with at least 1 very good restaurant (we've stayed there - e-mail me for hotel & restaurant recs). It's all freeway to the Dordogne past Foix, so you really would not loose much time by staying there instead of in Toulouse. You could also stop in Mirepoix - a gem of a Bastide town.

The Perpignan/Carcassone route would be doable - check the time. You could overnight in Carcassone instead of Toulouse and not loose much time.

Regarding Perthus - it's a very small town. There is not much going on there except for the discount stores. I doubt if they would have two rental offices and if they did, they would probably be closed for the day by the time you get there.

If you train to Perpignan (there is a train that leaves at 5:20 & arrives at 9 with 1 train change) it is likely that the rental offices would be closed.

You could leave Barcelona on Thurs at 8 & arrive in Perpignan at 11:45, rent a car, and then drive on to the Dordogne - perhaps stopping in Carcassone along the way to break up the drive. This would save the drop-off fees - but they may be as much as 2 train tickets to Perpignan.

Stu Dudley

Margot
Pertus is wonderful places with the border across the street. On one side is French and the other side of the street is Spanish.

The Spanish side is very busy with stores and businesses. The French side is more banking, and more serious businesses.

The biggest trade with French crossing into the Spanish side-things are much cheaper on the Spanish side. On the average, things are about 10% cheaper.

Right now it's a big, two country circus. The tourists pass through this road to get the deals, have a good meal cheaply, and buy products not available in France.

Since the open borders made it more accessable, it's a circus.

Blackduff