Itinerary suggestions--dordogne via barcelona
Feb 1st, 2009, 10:03 PM
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Itinerary suggestions--dordogne via barcelona
We are planning to go to carcassonne and dordogne at the end of may.
We are debating driving from barcelona to carcassonne. Is it a nice route? where should we break up the trip?
After Carcassonne, what would be the ideal itinerary for Dordogne? Would 5 days for Dordogne suffice?
then we wld fly from Bordeaux to Geneva and hike in Lenk and Wengen.
Hopefully, easyjet will be in business. Has anyone had problem with easyjet?
We are debating driving from barcelona to carcassonne. Is it a nice route? where should we break up the trip?
After Carcassonne, what would be the ideal itinerary for Dordogne? Would 5 days for Dordogne suffice?
then we wld fly from Bordeaux to Geneva and hike in Lenk and Wengen.
Hopefully, easyjet will be in business. Has anyone had problem with easyjet?
Feb 1st, 2009, 10:19 PM
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I have not driven the identical route, but Cadaques/ Cap de Creus (still in Catalunya, north of BCN) is very nice. So is Girona.
Have you thought about extra costs for renting in Spain and dropping off in France?
And tolls for motorways in both countries?
Unless you are specifically looking for a road trip from Barcelona, it may be less expensive to fly to any French airport, and rent the car there. Carcassonne has several non-stop connections with Ryanair (don't know if other airlines serve that city, too).
Have you thought about extra costs for renting in Spain and dropping off in France?
And tolls for motorways in both countries?
Unless you are specifically looking for a road trip from Barcelona, it may be less expensive to fly to any French airport, and rent the car there. Carcassonne has several non-stop connections with Ryanair (don't know if other airlines serve that city, too).
Feb 2nd, 2009, 09:56 AM
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I have flown to and from GVA with easyJet - nothing major to report, except that it's a budget airline, no frills, slow check-in, understaffed, strict luggage rules enforced to the gram and centime, so don't have more than is allowed or it won't be budget any longer. Be early, if just three people have to pay for overweight it can take forever.
In GVA they don't (or didn't a couple of years ago) pay for gate bridges so we got bussed out to the plane, and if it can't leave, you're stuck. Ours had an air-conditioning defect at the last minute, and because we had done security they would not let us off the sticky bus back into the terminal. At first the bus just sat next to the plane, some folks almost conked out from the heat and crowded standing (very full bus) and someone forced open a door to get some air, which created a "security breach" and a yelling match, then we boarded a very hot plane and sat for an hour, with no a/c of course, no fans, no water - hey, it's budget, ok? USD28 to Paris, so what did we expect?
I agree that a cross-border car rental could ruin you. For roughly 30 Euros you can take the regular train from Barcelona. Then rent a car in Perpignan or thereabouts.
For the more adventurous, there is the Little Yellow Train (in French "Le Petit Train Jaune", in Catalan "Tren Groc"
, it climbs through the mountains - google the station Latour-de-Carol and research it, I'm not sure if the entire line is open at present. Worth the effort!
Research the many caves - Lascaux is the most famous, there are many others worth a visit while you are in the area. And the pilgrimage town of Lourdes, of course, if you're into that.
In GVA they don't (or didn't a couple of years ago) pay for gate bridges so we got bussed out to the plane, and if it can't leave, you're stuck. Ours had an air-conditioning defect at the last minute, and because we had done security they would not let us off the sticky bus back into the terminal. At first the bus just sat next to the plane, some folks almost conked out from the heat and crowded standing (very full bus) and someone forced open a door to get some air, which created a "security breach" and a yelling match, then we boarded a very hot plane and sat for an hour, with no a/c of course, no fans, no water - hey, it's budget, ok? USD28 to Paris, so what did we expect?
I agree that a cross-border car rental could ruin you. For roughly 30 Euros you can take the regular train from Barcelona. Then rent a car in Perpignan or thereabouts.
For the more adventurous, there is the Little Yellow Train (in French "Le Petit Train Jaune", in Catalan "Tren Groc"
, it climbs through the mountains - google the station Latour-de-Carol and research it, I'm not sure if the entire line is open at present. Worth the effort!Research the many caves - Lascaux is the most famous, there are many others worth a visit while you are in the area. And the pilgrimage town of Lourdes, of course, if you're into that.
Feb 2nd, 2009, 10:09 AM
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We did a very similar route two years ago. Renting a car in Spain and dropping it in France is VERY expensive.
We did as a previous poster advised, and took the train across the border and picked up the rental car in Perpignan, France. We spent several days in the Languedoc area before spending 4 nights in Sarlat, in the Dordogne.
We visited a number of "Cathar" castles in the area of Carcassonne, and we all (me, DH and 12yo DS) preferred all of the other castles over the town of Carcassonne.
Yes, five days in the Dordogne would be good. Though it's the kind of area where you could spend weeks, and still feel there's more to see!
Other than wishing we had more time in the Languedoc, it was a great trip!
We did as a previous poster advised, and took the train across the border and picked up the rental car in Perpignan, France. We spent several days in the Languedoc area before spending 4 nights in Sarlat, in the Dordogne.
We visited a number of "Cathar" castles in the area of Carcassonne, and we all (me, DH and 12yo DS) preferred all of the other castles over the town of Carcassonne.
Yes, five days in the Dordogne would be good. Though it's the kind of area where you could spend weeks, and still feel there's more to see!
Other than wishing we had more time in the Languedoc, it was a great trip!
Feb 2nd, 2009, 10:52 AM
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As suggested by a previous poster, pick up your car on the French side of the border.
The drive from the Dordogne to Geneva can also be nice if you give yourself the time to stay off the autoroute. It would take about two days. I recommend stopping in le Puy-en-Velay. Pérouges, east of Lyon is also worth a stop (it is one of the original <i>plus beaux villages</i
.
Drop your car off on the French side of the Geneva airport to avoid cross-border drop-off charges.
The drive from the Dordogne to Geneva can also be nice if you give yourself the time to stay off the autoroute. It would take about two days. I recommend stopping in le Puy-en-Velay. Pérouges, east of Lyon is also worth a stop (it is one of the original <i>plus beaux villages</i
.Drop your car off on the French side of the Geneva airport to avoid cross-border drop-off charges.
Feb 2nd, 2009, 11:55 AM
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Hi A,
As noted, get the car in France, not Spain.
We stayed a night in Carcassone at http://www.lemontmorency.com/
Is suggest taking the route from Carcassone to Sarlat-la-Caneda via Cordes-sur-Ciel and Cabrerets (Grotte du Peche-Merle.
We overnighted in Albi, but the trip is only 6 hr.
Plot the route at www.viamichelin.com using "sightseeing".
5 days in the Dordogne is better than 4 days in the Dordogne, but not as nice as 7 days.
How will you get to Bordeaux?
As noted, get the car in France, not Spain.
We stayed a night in Carcassone at http://www.lemontmorency.com/
Is suggest taking the route from Carcassone to Sarlat-la-Caneda via Cordes-sur-Ciel and Cabrerets (Grotte du Peche-Merle.
We overnighted in Albi, but the trip is only 6 hr.
Plot the route at www.viamichelin.com using "sightseeing".
5 days in the Dordogne is better than 4 days in the Dordogne, but not as nice as 7 days.
How will you get to Bordeaux?
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