My backpacking tour this Fall is starting in The Netherlands and then I will be in Paris for a week Bordeaux for 3 days and then I will go through Spain and then stop in Nice on my way to Italy. However, these are 3 big French cities (Paris, Bordeaux and Nice) and I would like to supplement on my way down to Spain with a provincial town. The reason for this is that if I don't... it would be a VERY LONG day of train travel (just over 10 hours with one connection and arriving just before midnight). Anyone have a good idea for a stopover in France? Thank you?
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
In your place I would rethink Bordeaux, or fly.
It's probably an outlier on your itinerary, not easy to get to and clearly a long way from Madrid. It is really worth it?
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
The logic doesn't make sense, but Bayonne should fit the bill.
Posted by
🏝️ Hobe Sound, FL⛱️
3160 posts
I agree with Ed about Bayonne - some nice sights, great chocolate and a taste of the Basque!
Posted by
Santa Rosa, CA, USA
355 posts
I would pick St Jean de Luz over Bayonne - just personal preference, I guess...
Posted by
Dolores, CO
13 posts
It is not in France, but San Sebastian is awesome. Great walking town, world class food. Check out excellent Basque Museum, walk around the point, take the funicular. And, the train station is there to forward you to Madrid.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
Trains from Bordeaux to Madrid always require a connection at the border station of Irun and San Sebastian would be my nearby choice of stopover. On the French side, still in the Basque region, you could make it St-Jean-de-Luz, Biarritz or Bayonne. FYI, Rick says "Bordeaux must mean 'boredom' in French." If you don't have things you need to do there, then try the Dordogne region, around Sarlat and Beynac. Note that Barcelona to Nice is also a 10-hour train ride; compare flights to Nice or to Italy (e.g., Pisa) at www.skyscanner.com.
Posted by
Lake Oswego, Oregon
1315 posts
Laura, Rick must have gone to a different Bordeaux. I really enjoyed my few days there. :)