My family (5 of us) are thinking to start in Bordeaux and then work our way down and over to Lourdes (Bordeaux, Arcachon, Hossegor, Biarritz, and then over to Lourdes). I have two questions, as I have only visited Paris and stayed in one place.
Thanks!
I can't speak to Lourdes, as it's outside of my œuvre, but I'd definitely take the train to get to Biarritz from Bordeaux. Very easy and brief trip.
O/T, but I think there are few places on earth as beautiful as Biarritz. Just stunning. A shame about the cliff collapse there, though, and the resulting loss of life.
Between Arcachon and Biarritz, it’s nothing but the Landes forest and endless sandy beaches stretching for nearly 150 km.
Here’s a glimpse of the scenery:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/iBpewkkptfYJ5F3F6
If you're up for it, you'll need a car, otherwise, just take the train.
There are direct trains from Bordeaux to Lourdes, as well as the A63 highway, which I take sometimes. You’ll be skirting the French side of the Pyrenees mountains, I’m not sure what the view is like from the train, but if you stay on the highway by car, it’s really not that interesting. You might as well rent a car in Lourdes and use it to day-trip around the area.
Lourdes itself is mostly just a massive Catholic commercial hub. You either love it or you hate it...
"...If we end in Lourdes, where should we fly out to go home?"
The two largest airports in Southwest France are Bordeaux and Toulouse. They offer flights all over France and Europe, as well as a few flights to Montreal, Canada.
The train ride from Lourdes to Toulouse is direct and takes less than two hours.
A quick question, what time of year is the trip? Since you've mentioned a few places on the beach I'm guessing when it is warmer.
Two years ago at Easter I met up with a friend who was visiting Lourdes. We went to Pau for the day. It is on way to Lourdes from Biarritz. The chateau is worth visiting and it is a very pleasant visit. And if you are visiting early in the year, you will get some fantastic views of the snow covered Pyrenees.
thanks for the replies so far. I would prefer to visit in late June / early July so we can spend two weeks travelling. My kids love the beach and surf, so that's why we have Hossegor and Biarritz on the menu. Lourdes is for my husband who wants to visit again.
I would prefer to just go by train between stops, but wasn't sure if it would be worth driving to stop along the way. We're in the US, so are very acclimated to road trips.
Hi, my Lourdes experience is getting old as it was in 2013, but I'll share the links where I commented about Lourdes in another RS Forum thread. There aren't that many Lourdes-related posts or responses here, so hoping this info helps. Beautiful part of the world. I hope you enjoy your travels!
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/lourdes-help
I would suggest renting a car over the train for this trip, though you could do either. Parking is easy in each of these towns, even in summer and you'd get to see quite a bit. I love the beach towns all along this coast. Some remind me of SoCal. Others are decidedly Basque. For the past few summers there have been quite a few issues with the trains and the heat in this area, which is another reason I'd suggest taking a car especially since you are planning for summer.
I'd suggest looking in to flights from Pau or Biarritz via Paris (you would have to go via Paris even if you flew from Bordeaux or Toulouse, assuming you are headed to N. America--exception in Montreal in summer.)
All of the towns/cities you've chosen are beautiful and I don't think you will be disappointed however you decide to travel.
