Travel from Lourdes, France to Leon, Spain

The drop fee from one country to another is steep. Consider taking a bus to a place on the Spanish border, then getting a car in Spain. Between Lourdes and Bayonne or Hondaribbia the roads can have twists and turns, but it isn’t bad. In Spain the roads are fine. If you have time, there are plenty of places worth visiting between Lourdes and León. It would be a shame to rent a car just to drive directly to León without stops. I prefer driving the back roads to enjoy the countryside.

Thank you so much for this advice!!! I am building 10 hours for a 5 hour drive to see some sights! I will definitely check into going over the boarder first before getting a car!

Get a car that will fit you and your luggage and not larger. We generally get a vehicle the size of a Ford Escape. On a few trips we were given a Hyundai Tucson (compact or intermediate suv). If you need to park in a parking garage, many of the older ones are difficult to maneuver in and the spaces narrow.

In some towns there very well could be narrow streets. Also, most towns now have pedestrian only zones in the historic centers the entire day or a portion of it. Once you know where in a city or town you plan to visit, look for parking areas/garages on Google maps before the trip and bookmark them. Google maps, either live or downloaded for offline use, will take you right to them. Surprisingly, most city and towns have free parking, but you need to know where it is since it isn’t generally marked. Hence, the reason to look beforehand.

Hey Wendy! That's actually a really great drive - the route from Lourdes to Leon takes you through some gorgeous Pyrenees scenery.

The border crossing is super straightforward, especially with EU membership making it seamless. You'll barely notice when you cross from France into Spain. The roads are generally in good condition on both sides, though you'll encounter some mountain passes which can be winding.

Few things to keep in mind: Spanish highways have tolls (autopistas), but they're worth it for the time savings and easier driving. The alternative routes through smaller towns can be quite narrow and winding, especially in the mountainous areas. Northern Spain has some really tight village streets, so I wouldn't go crazy with car size - a mid-size should be plenty.

One heads up though - driving in Spain has some quirks that catch people off guard. Things like different right-of-way rules, how roundabouts work, and parking regulations can be pretty different from what you might expect. Tripiamo France/Spain driving guides really prepped us for exactly this drive

Hello Wendy

There is a regional train, the L53, that will take you from Lourdes to Hendaye, on the border. Next Tuesday, for example, the 15th, there are about a dozen trains Lourdes-Hendaye, and it is a 2.5 to 3+ hour ride. You can search here.

From Hendaye you can take the Euskotren, or a taxi, to Hondarribia to rent a car. It is very close.

From Hendaye you can get to Leon on highways. Most of the route is toll free. The roads labeled AP, like AP 68 is autopista 68, are toll roads. The roads labeled A, like A 231 is autovia 231, and they are free. Parts of the AP1 have had the toll removed, but I believe that there are some parts where you still have a toll.

If you are going to drive from Lourdes, you can do it all on highways. As mentioned there are several smaller mountain passes you can take. One option is from Lourdes to Jaca in Spain, then going to Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos, to Leon. On the Spanish side it is all A roads. If you want a scenic drive, I would go to San Juan Pied de Puerto, then to Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry, and cross at Izpegi. If it is a nice day it is worth stopping at the venta there and have a coffee and enjoy the view. From Izpegi, to Elizondo, to Pamplona and then west to Leon. Skip crossing at Valcarlos, that road to Pamplona is pretty bad.