France & Barcelona Self-Launched: Loire Châteaux to Catalonia
9 days · France, Andorra & Spain
Europamundo charges £1,230
No-markup version: ~£955 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Europamundo's 9-day coach loop from Paris to Barcelona, hitting the Loire châteaux, Limoges, the Dordogne (Lascaux, Rocamadour, Padirac), Bordeaux, Lourdes, Carcassonne, Andorra and Montserrat. Instead of a 72-person coach with multi-language commentary, you'll string together regional TER trains, BlaBlaCar buses and the occasional shared transfer — the same route, done independently at hostel/guesthouse prices. Long travel days are unavoidable on this itinerary; the upside is you set your own pace and can linger at the châteaux the coach tours rush through. Costs are rough backpacker/mid-budget estimates, not quotes.
Day-by-day
Paris → Amboise: Loire châteaux by bike
Amboise, France
Take a TER train from Paris Austerlitz or Montparnasse to Amboise (roughly £25-35, 2h-2h30, usually one change at Saint-Pierre-des-Corps or Tours — check SNCF Connect). Drop bags at a hostel or guesthouse in the old town, then rent a bike (about £12-15/day) and ride the flat Loire à Vélo path. Visit Château de Blois (about £12) if you head east, or stay local with Château d'Amboise and Clos Lucé. In the evening wander the medieval quarter and eat at a boulangerie or crêperie rather than a sit-down restaurant to keep costs down.
🚌TER train Paris → Amboise, approx £25-35. Local bike hire approx £12-15.
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Amboise old town (approx £25-35/night dorm or private single)
- →Bike the Loire à Vélo riverside path
- →Château de Blois or Château d'Amboise (entry ~£12)
- →Amboise medieval quarter on foot
Château day: Chenonceau, Clos Lucé & Chambord
Amboise, France
This is the big château day the tour squeezes into one coach schedule — do it your own way. Start early at Clos Lucé (Leonardo da Vinci's last home, about £17) then cycle or take the local shuttle to Château de Chenonceau (about £15). Chambord is further east (around 45 minutes by car); the practical budget option is the seasonal Navette Châteaux shuttle or a BlaBlaCar lift-share, or pick Chambord instead of Chenonceau if you only want one. Combine tickets (Chambord + Clos Lucé) can save a few euros. Second night in Amboise.
🚌Bike or local shuttle between châteaux; BlaBlaCar lift to Chambord approx £6-10 each way
🛏Same Amboise hostel/guesthouse (approx £25-35)
- →Clos Lucé — Leonardo da Vinci residence (~£17)
- →Château de Chenonceau (~£15)
- →Château de Chambord and park (~£15, or combined ticket)
Amboise → Limoges via train, evening in the old town
Limoges, France
Train day. Amboise → Limoges is 3h-3h30 with a change at Saint-Pierre-des-Corps or Vierzon, roughly £30-40 on TER/Intercités. Limoges is a compact, cheap stop: walk the historic centre, see Saint-Étienne Cathedral (free) and the half-timbered houses around Rue de la Boucherie, then try the local porcelain museum if it's raining. Cheap eats: a galette or a plate of Limousin beef in a bar-tabac rather than a restaurant.
🚌TER/Intercités Amboise → Limoges, approx £30-40
🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Limoges centre (approx £30-40)
- →Saint-Étienne Cathedral (free)
- →Rue de la Boucherie and historic centre walk
- →Musée National Adrien Dubouché porcelain museum (~£7)
Dordogne: Lascaux, Sarlat & Rocamadour
Rocamadour / Sarlat area, France
Limoges to the Dordogne is the awkward leg — the cheapest route is a TER train to Brive-la-Gaillarde (about £12-15, 1h30) then a regional bus or BlaBlaCar to Montignac/Sarlat (about £6-10). Base yourself near Sarlat or Rocamadour and book Lascaux IV (the cave replica, about £17-20) direct or via GetYourGuide — book ahead in summer. Wander Sarlat's UNESCO old town (free) and, if you have a car-share or bus, Beynac Castle (about £9) nearby. Evening: stroll Rocamadour's medieval village and sanctuary, free to enter, and walk the Via Crucis if you have the legs.
🚌TER Limoges → Brive-la-Gaillarde approx £13; regional bus/lift-share to Montignac or Sarlat approx £8
🛏Guesthouse or hostel near Sarlat/Rocamadour (approx £28-38)
- →Lascaux IV cave replica (~£18)
- →Sarlat-la-Canéda UNESCO old town (free)
- →Beynac Castle (~£9)
- →Rocamadour sanctuary and Via Crucis (free)
Gouffre de Padirac → Collonges-la-Rouge → Bordeaux
Bordeaux, France
Padirac is rural and genuinely hard without a car — book the cave visit (about £17, underground boat ride included) direct and arrange a taxi or pre-booked shared transfer from Rocamadour (roughly £25-35 return, split between travellers). Collonges-la-Rouge is a quick stop on the Brive corridor if you're lift-sharing. Then train Brive → Bordeaux (about 2h15, £20-30). Arrive Bordeaux late afternoon: sunset at the Miroir d'eau (free) and a wander past the cathedral. Cheap dinner in the Saint-Michel or Saint-Pierre quarter.
🚌Shared taxi/transfer to Padirac approx £30; TER Brive → Bordeaux approx £25
🛏Hostel in Bordeaux centre (approx £30-40 dorm, more for private)
- →Gouffre de Padirac underground boat ride (~£17)
- →Collonges-la-Rouge village (free)
- →Miroir d'eau and Saint-André Cathedral (free)
Bordeaux morning → Saint-Émilion → Lourdes
Lourdes, France
Do Bordeaux on foot and for free: Water Mirror, cathedral, Chartrons riverside. If wine is your thing, the Cité du Vin is about £22 — or take a TER to Saint-Émilion (about £8, 40 min) for the village and cooperative tastings (about £12-15) instead, which is better value than the museum. Then train Bordeaux → Lourdes via Dax or Bayonne (roughly 2h30-3h, £25-35). Evening at the Lourdes Sanctuary — the candlelit torchlight procession runs most evenings in season and is free.
🚌TER Bordeaux → Saint-Émilion approx £8; TER Bordeaux → Lourdes approx £30
🛏Budget hotel near Lourdes sanctuary (approx £30-40)
- →Bordeaux historic centre and Miroir d'eau (free)
- →Saint-Émilion village and wine tasting (~£20)
- →Lourdes Sanctuary evening procession (free)
Carcassonne & Foix → Andorra la Vella
Andorra la Vella, Andorra
Big travel day, so treat it as scenic rather than efficient. Train Lourdes → Toulouse → Carcassonne (about £20-25 total, 2h30), spend 2-3 hours inside the medieval Cité (free to enter, castle about £10). Foix and Sant Joan de Caselles are coach-friendly stops that are hard on public transport — skip them unless you're lift-sharing. From Carcassonne the realistic budget route to Andorra is a TER to Toulouse then a long-distance bus (BlaBlaCar Bus/FlixBus) via Andorra la Vella, roughly £25-35 and 4h+. Don't try to add Montserrat or Foix to this day.
🚌Train Lourdes → Carcassonne approx £22; bus Carcassonne/Toulouse → Andorra la Vella approx £30
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Andorra la Vella (approx £30-40)
- →Carcassonne medieval Cité (free; castle ~£10)
- →Andorra la Vella evening wander and duty-free browsing
Andorra → Montserrat → Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain
Bus from Andorra la Vella to Barcelona (about £28-35, 3h). For Montserrat, the cheapest independent option is a Rodalies R5 train from Plaça Espanya to Aeri de Montserrat or Monistrol (about £10-12 return with a combined Trans Montserrat ticket including the rack railway/cable car, roughly £25 total). The abbey basilica is free to enter; the Montserrat Museum is about £7. Evening: check into a Barcelona hostel and eat in the Gràcia or Sant Antoni neighbourhood — menú del día at lunch is where the value is.
🚌Bus Andorra → Barcelona approx £30; Rodalies R5 + rack railway/cable car approx £25 return
🛏Hostel in Barcelona (approx £30-45 dorm; private rooms £60+)
- →Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey (free entry)
- →Rack railway up Montserrat
- →Barcelona evening in Gràcia or Sant Antoni
Barcelona: Gaudí, Gothic Quarter and the beach
Barcelona, Spain
Self-launched Barcelona beats the coach panorama tour. Book Sagrada Família direct online (about £26, timed entry — cheaper than the £65 optional the operator sells) and Park Güell's monumental zone (about £10). Walk the Gothic Quarter, El Born and the Boqueria market, then finish at Barceloneta beach. The Aerobús or R2 Nord train to the airport is about £5-10; if you're continuing to Madrid, the AVE is roughly £30-60 booked in advance.
🚌Metro/T-casual day ticket approx £10; Aerobús or R2 airport train approx £6
🛏Check out — or extra night in Barcelona hostel (approx £35)
- →Sagrada Família timed entry (~£26)
- →Park Güell monumental zone (~£10)
- →Gothic Quarter, El Born and Boqueria (free)
- →Barceloneta beach
Self-launched vs. Europamundo
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Europamundo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£955 | £1,230 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £275 per person (22%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Europamundo-style trips? Check them out here.~£955
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does France & Barcelona Self-Launched: Loire Châteaux to Catalonia cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £955 per person for 9 days in France, Andorra & Spain. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Europamundo?+
Yes — Europamundo charges around £1,230 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £955 — a saving of roughly £275 (22%) per person.
How long is the France, Andorra & Spain trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through France, Andorra & Spain.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, slow-travel, backpacker trip through France, Andorra & Spain, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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