Andorra

I don't know where the last bus stop in France is, but I once drove up to Andorra (Vielle Andorra? Is that the name of the "capital?) from Hospitalet, the village nearest in France, and if remembering correctly it was about a 40 minute drive. Our guide book said it was a "taxing drive" but it didn't seem so actually.

Thanks Norma

Norma doesn't offer an opinion of Andorra as a destination. I haven't heard good things. Since I chose not to visit, I can't offer my own opinion. Hopefully, others on this site can weigh in with their first-hand opinions.

Been there, done that. Only worthwhile if you are really into "collecting" countries. Admittedly, the drive over the mountains from France was quite scenic, but once you got close to the city, the road became a traffic-clogged mess, and the place seems like one low-end cheap junk emporium after another. Probably spent 2 hours in that traffic jam going in one side and out the other. I was glad to be over the border into Spain.

Brad says that I did not offer an opinion on Andorra as a destination. I didn't want to discourage the OP. It is exceedingly boring unless you fancy shopping. We had lunch and went back to France. That's my opinion.

I don't know anything about buses, but I've used Andorra la Vella as a hiking base a couple of times. It's mostly WalMart type places interspersed with Dollar Store type places. The traffic coming up from Spain is as described with coming in from the north. My wife insisted we go up there once, against my urging. We arrived late and left at first light. She would have been happy had we left right after supper. The scenery once you get away from CG-1/2 is pretty good but not as good in other parts of the Pyrenees. It's been years, but the skiing used to be excellent in the back country.

Here's a drive I can't take credit for (a day trip from Barcelona), but sounded good to me. I'll try to incorporate it next time I'm in the area. Maybe, you can use some of it: "such a terrific drive: from Girona, to Pubol, Peratallada, the ruins at Empuries, and finishing up in Cadaques"

Thanks for the info. Now I have a delima I have two nights to use up from Lourdes to Barcelona. Any suggestions?

Cut through the mountains via Candanchu/Jaca and spend the night in Pamplona. Spend the next night in Zaragoza. You're looking at eight hours of road time vs five if you use the freeways over through Toulouse, Carcassonne, etc.

Andorra is fairly large among the small European countries. It has excellent hiking opportunities from early May till late October. I disagree with people who say that the country is a giant shopping mall. That is only the case of downtown Andorra-la-Vella, which is just one of the cities out there. You can stay at a quieter area and enjoy the scenery around.

Thanks everyone for the great info
Ron