jodyalt

My husband, adult daughter and I are planning a trip to France and Spain for two weeks, July 14-30. We are active, like hiking, exploring small towns and taking in the culture. We are flying into CDA on a Thursday morning at 10 am. We plan to spend the 14th-18th in Paris doing the touristy things there. From there we are taking a train to Toulouse, walking around there for a little bit, then renting a car and heading to Foix. We plan to watch a leg of the Tour de France, do some hiking and explore the area. We are there 7/18-7/22. From there we will drive to Perpignan and drop off the car, take a train/bus combo to Tossa de Mar. We will be here for 4 nights. We want to do 2 day trips: one to Girona and one to Barcelona, in addition to hanging at the beach and exploring small towns. From Tossa we will take a bus to Barcelona, then on to Mallorca for the remainder of our trip.

My questions are:
-Have we planned more than is humanly possible?
- Hiking recommendations near Foix
-Is Tossa de Mar a good place to stay in Costa Brava?
-The best way to get from the Pyrenees to Tossa and the best way to then get to Barcelona?

Any other advice is welcome!
Thank you!

shelemm

Tossa de Mar looks spectacular, though I haven't been.

By public transport from Perpignan you will go through Girona, so I think it's logical to stop there before going on.

I am jealous of your itinerary, no need to change anything. The palace of 'les rois de mallorca' in Perpignan is a great visit. Perpignan is one of the twin capitals of Catalonia. Also, if driving Foix to Perpignan, consider the route that takes you to Cheateau de Peyrepertuse and Gorge de Galamus, two of the most magnificent sites in France. Maybe even the top two! Completely thrilling. The Chateau is one of the Cathar castles you may have heard about.

KarenWoo

I have not been to all the places you mention but it does look like a very busy trip to me. We have visited 5 or 6 places in a 15 or 16 night itinerary but they were closer together.

We have visited Tossa de Mar and it is beautiful with its location right on the Mediterranean. The medieval fortress up on the hill is fascinating and beautiful with gorgeous views. So, yes, I think it would be a nice place to stay. Another nice place is Cadaques. It reminds me of a Greek village. Located right on the Mediterranean. From there you can visit Dali's house in Port Lligat, Figueres, and the natural park. Cadaques is also close to Girona. Girona is another wonderful place to stay but it is a small city so it is different than staying in Tossa de Mar or Cadaques.

I like your idea of visiting beaches and small villages. But I wonder if you will be frustrated visiting Barcelona for only one day. It is a large city with many interesting and beautiful sites. Barcelona boasts all the Gaudi sites, Gothic churches, modernist architecture, museums, wonderful neighborhoods for exploring, etc.

Are you renting a car in Tossa? I think it will be easier to explore small towns with a car. Will you use public transportation to visit Barcelona and Girona? All this will take time.

Michael

Forget walking around a little bit in Toulouse, unless you know what you want to see. It's not quite the same as saying that you will spend a couple of hours in Paris walking around for a bit, but it's close. If you are interested in church architecture, this could be a goal of your walk:

https://flic.kr/p/8vGm5Y
This might help for hikes near Foix:
https://www.wikiloc.com/trails/hikin...-pyrenees/foix

https://flic.kr/p/29V9NQd

jodyalt

Thank you all so much for your feedback. Shelemm, we definitely will go the way of Cheateau de Peyrepertuse and Gorge de Galamus. KarenWoo, Cadaques looks like a great place, we will try to make this a day trip and Michael, thanks for the hiking tips in Foix! Now I really can't wait to go!

shelemm

You're welcome. BTW, I also recommend stopping by at the cooperative in Maury to taste/purchase their sublime vin doux naturel. When I visited friends in the region, they kept the red chilled and the white at room temperature. You can buy by the bottle or jug. If the coop is closed, you can visit individual vineyards as well.

jodyalt

Good to know. Thank you!