Barcelona/Provence vacation

We started at the tip of Spain and worked our way up to Barcelona. After two nights we took the train to France and picked up a rental car in Perpignan through Auto Europe. We went to a nice little wine cooperative and then spent the night in Carcasonne. Walked around, admired the views and had dinner in the fortress. Following day we visited Chateauneuf du Pape, visiting some wineries and had lunch there before arriving in the late afternoon in Aix (wasn't our favorite), looked, ate and did the farmers market the next morning before drivng to Villefranche sur Mer via St Tropez. We usually take trains but this was very easy and I mention this latest trip to show how easy it is. We never felt rushed. On a previous trip we stayed in Villefranche Sur Mer and drove to Arles just missing an amazing farmers market. Really enjoyed the town and had lunch under the same trees as Van Gogh's "Stary Nights" This trip was several years ago but we had an outstanding room for three nights at Hotel Calendal with a view of the Roman Forum. I could barely sleep with that view within a stone's throw. We went to Avignon for the afternoon and toured the papal palace. We also stopped at the Pont du Gard which is great.From there we drove to Beaune. We didn't use or need GPS but sure could have in Italy!

Victor, in my opinion these are all great destinations. But, you should really read a few guidebooks and decide what kinds of things appeal to you. ¶ You might decide, for instance, that Carcasonne is not worth the detour. You would probably learn of some worthwhile things to see en route (such as the Haut Corbiers in the Pyrenean foothills). ¶ The only thing I will counsel for sure is, don't drive back to Barcelona. Your time is too valuable to spend behind the wheel. Instead, take the train into France and rent a car there. Leave it in Lyon and fly home from there (or from Paris, just 2 hours away by train). ¶ If you have regrettably already purchased air tickets and cannot change them, I still would not drive back from Lyon. Consider a flight or night train, or else truncate your loop into France.

Two recommendations for your journey from Barcelona to Provence: Castele de Emporda...Fabulous experience, luxury, worth the price. Couple hours north of Barcelona. Stone House Bed and Breakfast - Caux, France (near Montepellier)...The best I have ever stayed in!!! Remote, yes, but near Penzas, and the sea side as well. Check out both web sites. And have a great trip!

One more thought: I really like using www.ViaMichelin.com to help me with my driving itinerary.

Take you own gps, it's maddeing trying to figure out a new one as you're leaving a city. Lyon is a great city, but it's a bit of a reach from Provence with only ten days, especially since Provence itself can more than profitably use up your time. I'd confine such a trip to Languedoc-Roussillion and Provence. Two places worth stopping for a bit in L-R on the way up (or coming back, depending on when you hit Carcassonne) are Sete and especially Aigues-Mortes, both not far from Montpellier and worth a couple or three hours. If you use up a lot of time in the Spanish coastal towns on the way north, Perpignan makes a great one-night stop, especially if you have a couple hours of daylight left.

I recommend 4 Barcelona, 1 Carcasonne, ,1 Narbonne, 1-2 Arles, 2-3 Avignon, and 2-3 Lyon. If I may make a suggestion, instead of renting a car in Barcelona, take a train to Lyon. Then work your way back. You can travel via TGV this way and cover a lot of ground very quickly. Car rentals a expensive and I bet you could get the car in Avignon or and return it in Arles, making the rental just one week. Returning a car in a different town isn't too expensive unless you have their GPS... so bring your own. You could even drive back and return the car in Avignon (there is a huge car rental at the Avignon TGV train station). You will want a car for Avignon and Arles to explore the Pont du Gard, Maison Carree in Nimes, the Camargue, Hilltop villages of provence (see Rick's book). Towns done easily by train are Carcassone, Narbonne and Lyon (you will need to get a taxi from the train station to the hotel). Make sure you stay where Rick suggests in Lyon, it is a big city and you want to be in the right area. Have a great trip!

You might want to go to the bottom line for bucks on a short-term car rental and a bunch of train tickets vice just using a car the whole way. Also, if you push it, you can get from Marseille to Barcelona in about five hours (driving speed limit, minimal stops); anything more to the west in Provence would, of course, shorten the driving time.

Thanks for all the responses, it's been very helpful. Adam, yes, we originally planned to rent a car in Barcelona, drive to Lyon and back but based on my friends recommendation and your reply, we purchased air tickets accordingly and will take a train to Montpellier or Avignon (Karen, rental station in Perpignan is too small and thus options are very limited), get a car there and drop it off in Lyon instead. Jeff, car rental expense is not really an issue, but unfortunately I don't have much experience with stick shift so I follow your recommendation to get a car at bigger station where they have more cars available. Btw Jeff, you recommend to spend a night in Carcasonne and night in Narbonne, but they only 45 minutes apart? I should also mention that yes I am on vacation but my primary interest is history, starting from ancient and ending in WWII. Thanks again for all the replies.