Hi -I am disembarking off of a cruise in Barcelona and want to do some touring in Europe -ending in France. I have found of course that a car rental drop fee is too expensive. I wondered if anyone had travelled in Spain and knew of a good way to get from Barcelona to the French border to pick up a car? Are there any neat little tours or side trips to do on the way? Or does anyone know of a car company with no drop fee? Or any neat hotels near the pier in Bcn? Any help would be great Dani

Hi Dani -<BR><BR>Have cruised in and out of Barcelona several times... can't help you with the car question ... but as far as the hotel goes.. we stayed first time at the Barcelona Hilton, it's way too far out... next three times we stayed at the Citadines on La Rambla... best location in town!<BR><BR>Here is my standard cut and pasted blurb on the hotel...<BR><BR>Citadines<BR><BR>Well, here is my 'umpteenth" post about the Citadines Aparthotel, right on La Rambla, just across from the main market..<BR><BR>We have stayed in two different configurations at the Citadines. It was just my wife and myself...<BR><BR>The first one was a very large room with a queen size bed and a sitting area. In the sitting area there was a sofa bed ... there was also a table and chairs and fully equipped (small) kitchen.<BR><BR>The second room type we've had was larger, with a separate bedroom with queen size bed, in the large "living area" there were 2 sofa beds and a table and chairs, again fully equipped kitchen. In both cases the queen size beds were very comfortable and made up in the "American style". The second room I describe would have certainly been fine traveling with 2 teenagers (which we have done many times!). The cost of that room was $149 without breakfast.<BR><BR>They do also have larger rooms with 2 bedrooms and a living area with 2 sofa beds.<BR><BR>Hope that helps,<BR><BR>Barry<BR>

Hi<BR><BR>You don't say how long you have got.<BR><BR>Assuming it is a few days, and you will fly out from Paris ...........<BR><BR>Easiest thing is train to France.<BR>3 hrs to Montpellier, which gives you the chance to visit -<BR><BR>Perpignan<BR>Cevennes<BR>Camargue<BR>Prove nce<BR>Cote d'Azur<BR><BR>And flights or TGV to Paris from local airports.<BR><BR>No drop off fees.<BR><BR>Peter<BR>Languedoc, France<BR>http://tlp.netfirms.com all you need to know about Languedoc

Actually I have a few weeks and will be touring around Europe ending on the coast of France and going up to Manchester from there. Good info so far. Thanks for the Hotel name!! Dani

Peter, wouldn't it make more sense for Dani to pick up the car in Perpignan rather than Montpellier? Especialy if she (he?) wanted to visit Perpignan. Why would she want to train to Montpellier and then backtrack to Perpignan? I just checked train schedules on the SNCF site and Barcelona-Perpignan is about 3 hours. Surely, Barcelona-Montpellier would be about twice that. As far as I know there is no fast train in this part of France. Am I missing something?<BR><BR>Dani, if you do decide to pick up a car in Perpignan or somewhere else near the border, I would suggest a stop at Collioure, a pretty beach/artists town. Also Carcassonne, about 60 km. west of Narbonne. Bon voyage!