Train trip from Barcelona to Paris - where to go?

[deedee83]

Two friends and I are planning a month long backpacking trip in Europe - specifically France, Italy and Spain (we're buying a 3 country select rail pass). We are aged between 24-26, and we're starting our trip in Paris. We have most of our itinerary planned out, a round trip from Paris > Lyon > Venice > Firenze and surrounds > Cinque Terre > Nice and surrounds > Barcelona.

Now, this is where it gets tricky. We could either end our trip in Barcelona, take an overnight train back to Paris and then go home. Or, we could plan a couple of days to see the north of Spain, or travel back up through France to Paris. Neither of us have been in this area, and we don't really know where to go and what is worthwhile seeing.

Does anyone have any tips / ideas on what we can do if we wanted to travel back up through France from Barcelona? Nice places that are must sees, towns / cities to stay over in and so on.

Thanks!

[madamtrashheap]

Herrbert will have far more Spanish suggestions than me, but I'll give it a go anyway.

How many extra days were you looking at? You could go to Figures (Salvador Dali Museum), San Sebastian, Andorra (a whole other country)...and that's not even going across to Madrid. Speaking of which, you could also consider going from Barcelona to Madrid (with a Toledo day trip) then flying to Paris from there.

Otherwise, without including any more of Spain, the places to visit from Barcelona to Paris could include Carcassonne, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Mont Saint Michele, Bayeux. These will mean many extra days, so choose one or 2 to break up the journey. Train travel in this direction is fiddly and long, just so you know. For example you could do Barcelona-Toulouse (with a few hours in Carcassonne) then and stay for a day, continue to Bordeaux for two days then either TGV (fast) train to Paris or stop for a night in Mont Saint Michele then go to Paris.

[herrbert]

When I first read this post, I thought you had already bought the rail passes. I would wait to do that until you know where you want to go.

Flying is a good option in these countries because you need to cover some miles.

As for the North of Spain I would consider seeing San Sebastian. But it is a long trainride (basicly at to the other end of the Pyrenees), but flying (to Bilbao, with Vueling) is a good alternative. If you would visit Madrid (also flying from Barcelona (again Vueling), than you don't need a pass for Spain. Trains are not too expensive here, so I would reconsider about the 3-country pass. (for prices/timetables in Spain you can check www.renfe.es

Don't do the trip Nice - Barcelona. It is either a long trainride (no flights possible). So I would recommend Paris - Lyon - Nice - Italy, and then flying to Barcelona.

Note that it is possible to fly Marseille - Madrid (ryanair)

In short, if you do the big cities in Spain, Barcelona & Madrid, I would recommend flying as the best option.