andy fearne

LOOKING FOR INEXPENSIVE LOCATION IN SOUTH OF FRANCE AS A BASE LOCATION TO TOUR NORTH SPAIN SOUTH FRANCE AND ITALY AND WHICH WOULD BE BEST RENTAL CAR OR TRAINS TO DO THIS IN JULY 2002

Teech

Don't you know all caps means you are screaming?

Lindsey

You may find with car rental firms that you're not allowed to take vehicles out of the country under their insurance restrictions, so I would advise trains. Also, I'm not sure how long your trip will be, but that's an awful lot of terrain to cover - there's so much to see and do in all three areas, wouldn't it be better to stick to one and make the most of it?

Rex

I have never encountered restrictions on a car rental between France, Spain and Italy, and I have driven a good deal in all three.<BR><BR>But - - and I will try to be as diplomatic as possible about this - - your question is geographically off the mark - - and more than just a tiny bit. It's a long way from Spain to Italy across France, and I don't think there is any such "base" - - inexpensive or not.<BR><BR>It's a little bit like saying you want to vacation in Arkansas, Tennessee and North Carolina - - and where should you base for that? Yes, all three states connect contiguously but not in a cluster.<BR><BR>From Barcelona to Genoa, for example is 534 miles - - courtesy of www.viamichelin.com - - Nimes would be about the midpoint, I guess - - but I wouldn't call it a "base" for anywhere in Spain, nor in Italy.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

Christina

yeah, you can't do it, that's too big an area. you could try Perpignan in the west (I think, I'm not looking it up) for western France and Spain, then someplace in the middle around Avignon/Marseille or Provence, then maybe Nice. Western France will probably be inexpensive; you can stay cheaply in many areas of southern France, even the large cities like Nice, just don't go to the ritzy resort towns to stay (Monaco, Cannes, etc).