We will be bicycling this summer in Avignon and we want to spend the last evening and day in Barcelona. We looked into train travel and it looks like it takes about 7.5 hours to get from Avignon to Barcelona, so we thought we would rent a car and drive instead. Is the drive relatively easy for tourists and is it scenic. We were hoping to stop along the way for lunch and get to our hotel in the afternoon (about 3:00), drop off the car and see a bit of Barcelona that afternoon and the next day. Is crossing the border from France to Spain difficult? Are the rules of the road similar to American driving rules?

Once you see the one-way rental charges you'll probably drop the whole idea . . .

The problem with going quickly, is that taking a multi-lane motorway makes the views kind of uninteresting. It is not that dynamic a route, if you are on the motorway. You can figure out costs including gas and tolls at www.viamichelin.com to compare prices to the train. You could possibly drop in Perpignan and then pick up the train from there to avoid a drop charge for Spain (check rar agency opening times very closely). It would be a nice idea to drive if you had a few days, but if you don't have that, the train might be a lot easier.

That's a long & un-scenic drive until you get to the Spanish border. About 4 1/2 hrs. Figure toll road costs into your equation ( www.viamichelin.com ) - about 35E. Obey the speed limits - I got two speeding tickets on the freeway last year. No problems at the border. All mindless freeway driving. Limited on/off access to the freeway, and if you stop for lunch you might add 1 - 1 1/2 hours to the drive time - plus the time for lunch. Like janisj mentioned - there will be a drop-off fee. No worry about the road rules. I would not want to drive into Barcelona if this your first trip to a large European city. Perhaps you can drop off the car at the airport.

If I wanted lunch anywhere along the way, it would be in Collioure - but make reservations in advance. Budget 1 to 1 1/2 hrs for lunch. There are several waterside cafes.

Stu Dudley

Agree with comments above, suggest not taking car unless you plan to roam through some of the country, between cost of gas, tolls, drop off fee, the hassle of driving in and out of cities, the boredom of highway driving, and the time it takes to drop the car off. I'd recommend an extra day in Provence, and plan another trip to Spain .....