Vence to Spain
 

We will be meeting up with friends in Vence . We would like advice on a driving route to Spain . We have two or 3 days. The first stop should be 2 or 3 hours west of Vence and the next 3-4 hours west of the first. We want to be heading towards the most scenic place to cross the Pyrenees and want advice on that also.
We appreciate beautiful scenery and hope to drive for a few hours and have the afternoons free to explore an interesting medieval town or a winery or something interesting to see and then find a charming small hotel near good food and wine. Prefer to avoid cities.
Any advice appreciated.

Where in Spain are you headed?
We were in the Basque region of Spain heading to Barcelona and decided to drive east on the French side of the Pyrenees. One night we stayed in Sauveterre des Comminges at the Hostellerie des 7 Molles. Most of the guests were from Paris and they were there for the fabulous meals. We had stumbled upon a gem.

Thank you
That hotel is already fully booked the beginning of June.

Note the fastest route (on the tollway) is not the most scenic. First stop, you could stay at St. Remy or Arles. Arles is much bigger and you did express a preference for smaller places. But the Roman ruins are a highlight. St Remy fits the charm bill (Glanum is nearby) and Les Baux is not far away, but both are a ways off the main tollway. If you wanted a seaside village, perhaps Sete. Stop two could be Narbonne or Carcassone. I mention the later as there are a couple of more interesting crossing points to the north of the main one close to the coast. The one close to the coast isn't as thrilling if you want the mountain vistas. The road through Andorra is relatively scenic (you need to get off the main road to get nice vistas) but well maintained and wide or you can take some of the other routes (depending on your tolerance for twisty, narrow roads).