We want to plan a trip to Nice (7 nights) and then beyond. We've done Paris several times. The destination that comes to mind first is San Sebastian - unfortunately I am not seeing any direct flights from Nice to Bilbao (traveling in Oct. 2017, hopefully). We have also spent quite a bit of time in Barcelona and enough in Madrid. Suggestions? I guess we could take a two hop inexpensive EU carrier but I really prefer train travel.

Fly to Biarritz?
rome2rio.com gives a few options.

Thank you Tulips! I was not familiar with that website but it's a GOOD one! putting it my favorite places for future planning!

Rome2Rio has improved, but I do not consider it a really reliable website for much of anything.

You can use capitainetrain.com for train information from Nice to Biarritz and beyond.

Excellent suggestion to fly to Biarritz, and then airport shuttle to San Sebastián in 45 mins, leaves all the time: http://www.sansebastianturismo.com/i...o-biarritz.pdf

You always have to check from other sources, but often Rome2Rio comes up with alternatives that I had not even considered. I wouldn't use it as a booking tool though.

I tried to get one of my kids from Biarritz to Nice a few years ago. Turned out that the quickest and cheapest way was for her to return to Brussels first, then fly to Nice. Train travel in France between places that do not include Paris is not always easy or quick.