Hi guys,

Just looking for some advice on planning a road trip from Paris to Seville for June next year. My husband and I are planning on 4 nights in Paris before picking up our hire car, and we will have 15 nights to get to Seville, and then 3 nights in Seville at the end.

Places we would like to visit include the French Riviera, Provence, Barcelona, Valencia, Granada, Cordoba, and Costa De Sol.

As I have only ever been to Paris I welcome any advice, must-sees and best places to base ourselves - any help at all is appreciated!

We would like to keep costs down where possible so don't mind basing ourselves just a little out of the main tourist spots, especially on the Riviera.

The last question I have is if you think it is worth dropping the car off at the start of our Barcelona stay (hoping for 3 - 4 nights there) and picking up another car after our visit to avoid having to park it in the city (and paying for it when I'm not sure we will be using it?). As I said, any help at all would be appreciated

Thanks!

Kat

It's a long haul, and knowing that, it would be difficult to include southeast France in the mix with only 15 days to get to Sevilla. You will have to drop off the car before reaching Spain in order to save the steep drop-off fee associated with picking up in one country and dropping off in a second country.

Such a trip would cover more than 3000 kms, averaging nearly 200 kms/day, which doesn't allow for a lot of sightseeing, or enjoying your adventure along the way. It is strictly a "road trip" in the purest terms.

Take the TGV to Avignon and pick up a car. End the southern France part in Montpellier, dropping the car and staying overnight. By train to Barcelona you can arrive around noon. After your stay there, pick up another car.

Organize a drive through France (I would drop the Riviera and use a straighter line as an itinerary) and drop off your car in Perpignan. Train to Barcelona and then do your drive to Seville.

for distances and travel times, use www.viamichelin.com

You have listed 7 destination for a 15 day road trip. So this will be lots of road and not a lot of seeing/doing thing. I'm sorry - but this is really rushed (and this is from someone who has done a lot of road trips in europe).

I would definitely cut out the Riviera for one - and would also cut out part of Spain. Even 5 destinations in 15 days is rushing - 3 or 4 would be better to really have time to see much. (I would cut out Costa del Sol and Valencia - but I love Andalusia.)

As the trip stands you are traveling through 2 countries - but several very different culture and not giving yourself time to appreciate any of them.

Certainly cut out Costa del Sol and French Riviera, which is far off any route from Paris to Seville.
I think that the Costa Brava is far more beautiful than Costa del Sol.



I think you are trying to include far too much, especially if you plan to drive.

All driving, no seeing. I would do one of two things. 1) Skip France altogether and fly into Barcelona and out of Seville. 2) Skip the Riviera and the Costa del Sol and take the TGV to Avignon to see Provence, leave the car in southern France and fly or train to Barcelona. Pick up a car there for your trip through Andalucia. The roads in Spain are great if you stick to the main roads between cities.

Try to simplify a bit. A road trip can be enjoyable but this one is too much in too short a time.

Ok, 200 km a day is only a couple of hours driving, not all day. Plenty of time to stop and smell the roses, drink coffee, sample the wine and explore a bit.
I would suggest however that maybe you should head down, either through the Auvergne, or Dordogne to the Montpelier area, taking your time, and exploring a bit. Take D roads rather than motorway, so you see things along the way. Though you will probably want motorway to see the Millau bridge of course. Your 200km may then take 4 hours not, 2 but you will see more.
Then leave your French car behind, either in Montpelier or further south, to Perpignan or even nearer the Spanish border.
Get a train to Barcelona. Spend a day or two there then hire another car and continue south in Spain.
Maybe 6 days in France and the rest in Spain?