Paris to Barcelona - First Time - Help...

The pre-historic cave art in the Dordogne region can be a real highlight of your trip, although the number of people allowed in is limited. I'm sure you will get some suggestions from the community here, but think you should also consider a paid consultation with one of our staff, due to the short planning time you have.

I suggest the TGV to Avignon, about 2.5 hours. Pick up a car there and drop it in Perpignan. Then TGV to Barcelona, a bit over an hour as I recall. If you return the car in Spain you'll incur a big drop fee. In between Avignon and Perpignan you have western Provence and Languedoc-Roussillon. There is much to see and do. Get the Michelin Green Guide for Provence and the MG Guide for LR.

The highlights include Avignon, Pont du Gard, the Luberon (perched villages Gordes, Bonnieux, Roussillon and more), Arles, the Camargue, Aigues Mortes, Nimes, Pezenas, Carcassonne, Collioure. There are many more including the "Cathar" castles in the Pyrenees which aren't that far from Perpignan. At the time you are traveling you shouldn't have difficulty finding places to stay so all you really need at this stage are the train tickets to Avignon, car reservation and an idea of when you want to train to Barcelona from Perpignan which depends on the time in Barcelona.

There's a lot to see and do in the Dordogne region (the place with the caves) besides caves. The valley is lined with steeple cobbled fortress towns dating from the hundred years war, there's canoing on the river, amazing food--it's a great place to visit generally and might just be the high point of your trip.

It's not as easy to get to as Provence--another great choice--and you will need a car to get around the region. Maybe it makes sense to drive from Paris, but the trains are also a good choice and you can rent in, say, Limoges and return the car in, say, Perpignan to catch your train to Barcelona.

Not sure you will have time for much else, but maybe an overnight in Carcassone and a stop at the Haut Corbieres, in the Pyrenean foothills, enroute to Perpignan.

A possible itinerary:

4 Days Paris
2 Days Normandy, D-day beaches, on the way to Loire visit car museum Le Mans near racetrack.
2 Days Loire region, Amboise for Da Vinci, Chenonceau, Chambord?.......
3 Days Dordogne
1 Day Carcasonne (or 2 days for also a hike in the Pyrenees).
3 Days Barcelona
Make a list of what you and your family interests in general, things like castles (fortified or palace), nice villages, museums of cars or artists for instance and look what to find on the way to Barcelona. For more flexibility and a bit of adventure use a car, as I think the focus in this case is mainly the country-side. Drop the car in France, last leg to Barcelona with train. Use well detailed road maps with touristic info of interesting places and scenic routes.

Thanks everyone! You have given me great ideas!