Paris to Andalucia To train or to car?
 

My mother and I will be flying into Paris in late August and have 11 days to make it down to Andalucia for a wedding. We are trying to decide if we should rent a car or just take train trips between the cities (perhaps with overnights on the train).

Our itinerary will likely be something like the following, with a day or two at various stops as we determine which ones we are most attracted to:

1.) Paris - Amboise
2.) Amboise - Sarlat
3.) Sarlat - San Sebastian
4.) San Sebastian - Madrid
5.) Madrid - Sevilla
6.) Sevilla - Alajar

So the question is, we like the idea of getting to see more of the countryside (esp. Dordogne region) with a car and having the flexibility, but is driving that far a crazy idea? Will the tolls and petrol be more expensive than trains? Will having a car just be too stressful (esp in Madrid, but we won't have the car in Paris).

Any insight would be very appreciated! (on the destinations, as well!)

I love the relatively care-free travel on trains. What was that old TV commercial about "let us do the driving"? A car, for me, is a burden, and in this case probably an expensive burden. I do, on occasion, rent cars locally to see the countryside, as you've mentioned, when no practical public transport is available. But for the long hauls I recommend going by train.

If there are particular areas such as the Dordogne where you'd like to explore, rent a car for a day or 2 from a local agency and return it before moving on. The best of both.

If you pick up a rental car in France and drop it off in Spain you'll incur a whopping big extra car. On the other hand, your route as described above is very convoluted and would involve all kinds of nasty train connections and backtracking, plus it's close to impossible to see the Dordogne without a car, and to some extent the Loire as well.

I suggest you rethink this. You really need at least a week in the Dordogne. Three days is sufficient for the Loire. Then you've got the issue with "a day or two at various stops as we determine which ones we are most attracted to" simply will not work in August unless you're ok with sleeping in a car or on a park bench.

You need to research what actual train routes in France are (www.voyages-sncf.com or www.tgv-europe), pare your list of stops by about half, and look into the possibilities of flying from France to Spain as well as ways to rent a car in France, leave it at the Spanish border, and continue either in another rental car or by Spanish train.

It may look nice on paper, but it's not a workable plan.

Skip Amboise. Train to Brive-la-Gaillarde (order tickets exactly three months in advance on www.voyages-sncf.com ) and rent the car there from www.kemwel.com. Spend a few days in the Dordogne and a couple days getting to Bayonne. Drop off the car and take the train to San Sebastian. This may require changing trains in Hendaye. This part of the trip will take about a week, so I would go directly from San Sebastian to Seville and spend the rest of the free time in Seville.

That should have been "a whopping big extra fee."

The trip, as you've outlined, is doable as a road trip (1750 miles +/-). You might even have a little quality time along the way if you plan it well. As noted, you'll want to drop the first car off in Hendaye and pick up another one in San Sebastian-Donostia to save the large drop off fee. According to the estimates, based on an efficient diesel powered car, your fuel costs will be around €306. And don't forget the cost of tolls.

The major problems I see will be driving and parking in San Sebastian, Madrid and Sevilla, and of course getting out of Paris in heavy traffic.

I checked with Autoeurope and it does not have a Hendaye listed as a rental location, that is why I mentioned Bayonne.

A car is essential for the Dordogne, or any other French province, but not for big cities, which is why I would not recommend driving through Spain; the OP will not have enough time for that. The other option is to take the train to San Sebastian, skip France outside Paris altogether, and tour Spain (Segovia, Avila, Salamanca, Caceres, Merida, on the way to Seville). This would be feasible, keeping in mind that Avila and Merida can represent just a few hours to see the highlights.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...75757180/show/

Well - we have done numerous road trips in europe and love them- the freedom to do/see whatever you want then. It's alot of fun if you love driving and are confident and competent drivers - and have no feat of dealing with everything in different languates.

However, there are potential negatives:
There will be a sizable drop off charge in another country (we just count it as part of the trip cost)
Gas is expensive vs the US (ditto)
We both love to drive and are both good navigators (I wouldn't want to do this as one driver - you miss too much)
We NEVER drive more than 4 hours per day and we don't do one night stops - so substantial driving is only every second or third day
A car is no problem in Madrid - you just bump it in a a garage - your hotel will tell you where to put it

But

" you just bump it in a garage" at what costs? Parking in Madrid can easily run €30/day if you are staying in the center of the city, and if you've never driven in that traffic, it can be very stressful at times. Spaniards tend to drive fast. If you do want a car while in Madrid, then I would stay in Alcalá de Henares, where the parking is cheaper.