PARIS TO MADRID

Assuming you don't want to stop along the way, the train is probaby the most effective way. It's about 8 hours by car (not counting stops.) There are 4 or 5 trains/day to Hendaye, on the Spanish border (some direct, some with a change in Bordeaux,) then it's a matter of taking a RENFE train the short distance into San Sebastian or, if it works as a better connection, the Euskotren commuter train into San Sebastian. If you book up to 90 day out, and if you don't mind leaving at 6:50 a.m., you can get a ticket for Paris-Hendaye for as low as 26 euro at the French national rail website tgv-europe.com (keep telling the website you live in Great Britain.)¶ For San Sebastian-Madrid, the train is also a comfortable ride. There are two direct trains/day, and booking 62 days out can get you a ticket for as low as 21 Euro pp at www.renfe.com. This is a nice route to drive but, again, if you have no plans to stop along the way (it's about 5 hours by car,) then why bother renting?