Cheers Alec.

The cost of (small) car hire is surprisingly cheap (£125 p.w.). That looks
like the way to go for me (I'll hire two small cars).

Do you know what the roads are like from Barca to Bergerac?

Are there any issues about crossing the border?

"Alec" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > "Bobby" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    >> OK. Plan B. Glasgow -> London (Luton) -> Barca. All EasyJet. This seems
    >> to be the best option.
    >> My next problem is how to get from Barca to Bergerac (in France).
    >> I was thinking of hiring a people carrier (for six adults) but this might
    >> be prohibitively expensive (especially cross-border). It's about 300
    >> miles and would take 5-6 hours. But through beautiful country I presume?
    >> I would need the car for a week (16/7-23/7). Would two small cars be
    >> better/cheaper?
    >> I was also thinking of getting a train or bus from Barcelona to Bergerac
    >> (probably via Bordeaux?). I presume that the bus would be (a lot)
    >> cheaper? Is there a website I can use to check the bus/train routes from
    >> Barcelona to France?
    > There is also Ryanair Prestwick - Stansted - Bergerac route. 14-7-28/7 for
    > 6 would be around £1200.
    > MPV (like Sharan, Galaxy, 807) is around £400 a week. You can hire two
    > small-medium car (like Astra, Focus, Cordoba) for around £150, or slightly
    > cheaper Ibiza for ca. £120. Go to a broker like www.carjet.com and
    > www.holidayautos.co.uk and check the level of excess (around £500) or the
    > cost of excess waiver (cost varies). Usually no problem taking your car
    > across into France, provided you tell in advance and return it to Spain.
    > Sometimes they charge a small supplement. Get diesel (you'll prob be
    > offered one anyway) as the fuel is 30% cheaper in Spain and car does 30%
    > more mpg, halving your fuel cost. Train would hardly be cheaper, esp if
    > you still have to hire transport once you get to France. Bus may be
    > cheaper, but there's only one international operator (www.eurolines.es)
    > and connections to Bergerac (by regional bus) may be difficult or
    > inconvenient.
    > Alec
    >

"Bobby" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Cheers Alec.
    > The cost of (small) car hire is surprisingly cheap (£125 p.w.). That looks
    > like the way to go for me (I'll hire two small cars).
    > Do you know what the roads are like from Barca to Bergerac?
Provided you take the (toll) motorway from BCN to Narbonne and A61/A62 to
Marmande, it's a striaghtforward run. If you have time, you can take a
(spectacularly) scenic route over the Pyrénées via Puigcerdà(you can stop
off in Andorra for cheap fuel, cigs and booze).
    > Are there any issues about crossing the border?
None at all between Spain and France (Schengen countries). Border isn't
usually manned (though there may be a police spotcheck). In and out of
Andorra, there's usually a customs check and you may have to open your boot.
Buy your fuel in Spain or Andorra (a lot cheaper). Don't forget both parts
of your (and other driver's) driving licence.

Alec
    > "Alec" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    >> "Bobby" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >> news:[email protected]...
    >>> OK. Plan B. Glasgow -> London (Luton) -> Barca. All EasyJet. This seems
    >>> to be the best option.
    >>> My next problem is how to get from Barca to Bergerac (in France).
    >>> I was thinking of hiring a people carrier (for six adults) but this
    >>> might be prohibitively expensive (especially cross-border). It's about
    >>> 300 miles and would take 5-6 hours. But through beautiful country I
    >>> presume? I would need the car for a week (16/7-23/7). Would two small
    >>> cars be better/cheaper?
    >>> I was also thinking of getting a train or bus from Barcelona to Bergerac
    >>> (probably via Bordeaux?). I presume that the bus would be (a lot)
    >>> cheaper? Is there a website I can use to check the bus/train routes from
    >>> Barcelona to France?
    >> There is also Ryanair Prestwick - Stansted - Bergerac route. 14-7-28/7
    >> for 6 would be around £1200.
    >> MPV (like Sharan, Galaxy, 807) is around £400 a week. You can hire two
    >> small-medium car (like Astra, Focus, Cordoba) for around £150, or
    >> slightly cheaper Ibiza for ca. £120. Go to a broker like www.carjet.com
    >> and www.holidayautos.co.uk and check the level of excess (around £500) or
    >> the cost of excess waiver (cost varies). Usually no problem taking your
    >> car across into France, provided you tell in advance and return it to
    >> Spain. Sometimes they charge a small supplement. Get diesel (you'll prob
    >> be offered one anyway) as the fuel is 30% cheaper in Spain and car does
    >> 30% more mpg, halving your fuel cost. Train would hardly be cheaper, esp
    >> if you still have to hire transport once you get to France. Bus may be
    >> cheaper, but there's only one international operator (www.eurolines.es)
    >> and connections to Bergerac (by regional bus) may be difficult or
    >> inconvenient.
    >> Alec
    >

On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 12:13:59 -0000, "Bobby" <[email protected]> wrote:

    >> It probably costs as much as the air fare :-(((
    >Yes, it does. So that's that option out the window.

My kids in Huddersfield stopped using Easyjet from Liverpool for the
same reason. It also took hours to get there by train. Getting to
Leeds and Manchester is much cheaper and quicker.
--
Martin

On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 12:19:38 -0000, "Bobby" <[email protected]> wrote:

    >OK. Plan B. Glasgow -> London (Luton) -> Barca. All EasyJet. This seems to
    >be the best option.
    >My next problem is how to get from Barca to Bergerac (in France).
    >I was thinking of hiring a people carrier (for six adults) but this might be
    >prohibitively expensive (especially cross-border). It's about 300 miles and
    >would take 5-6 hours. But through beautiful country I presume? I would need
    >the car for a week (16/7-23/7). Would two small cars be better/cheaper?
    >I was also thinking of getting a train or bus from Barcelona to Bergerac
    >(probably via Bordeaux?). I presume that the bus would be (a lot) cheaper?
    >Is there a website I can use to check the bus/train routes from Barcelona to
    >France?
You can fly direct to Bergerac from London B'ham Southampton &
Bristol.
http://www.skyscanner.net/month/berg...-bergerac.html
--
Martin

Thanks Martin but checked that out and it's *hugely* expensive.

"nitram" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 12:19:38 -0000, "Bobby" <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>OK. Plan B. Glasgow -> London (Luton) -> Barca. All EasyJet. This seems to
    >>be the best option.
    >>My next problem is how to get from Barca to Bergerac (in France).
    >>I was thinking of hiring a people carrier (for six adults) but this might
    >>be
    >>prohibitively expensive (especially cross-border). It's about 300 miles
    >>and
    >>would take 5-6 hours. But through beautiful country I presume? I would
    >>need
    >>the car for a week (16/7-23/7). Would two small cars be better/cheaper?
    >>I was also thinking of getting a train or bus from Barcelona to Bergerac
    >>(probably via Bordeaux?). I presume that the bus would be (a lot) cheaper?
    >>Is there a website I can use to check the bus/train routes from Barcelona
    >>to
    >>France?
    > You can fly direct to Bergerac from London B'ham Southampton &
    > Bristol.
    > http://www.skyscanner.net/month/berg...-bergerac.html
    > --
    > Martin