To begin the tour, klik on the picture of the Eiffel Tower,
above. Then klik on the RightArrows at the top or bottom of the subsequent pages to move from one Region to the next.
"Travel is glamorous only in retrospect." --Paul Theroux
72 Days on Backroads and Byways in
SOUTHWESTERN & MEDITERRANEAN France, Andorra, and NORTHEASTERN Spain. By car, bike, and on foot.
Insurance Basics Globetrotters, make sure you're covered
For
long stays overseas, you can't rely on HMOs, Medicare and ordinary health insurance plans. Global medical insurance is a must.
Value-Added Tax (VAT) Refunds
Every year, tourists visiting Europe
leave behind a billion dollars of refundable sales taxes. There's a reason visitors end up donating their dollars to their
host countries: VAT refunds often aren't worth the trouble. You could burn a couple of hours collecting a few bucks back from
a $25 purchase. But if you're a diehard shopper who can multi-task, you can
recover a good chunk of the hefty sales tax.
Tax-Free, short-term auto leasing
Specially designed for tourists, tax-free, short-term leases have the touch
and feel of a rental but can be less costly and, in many respects, more simple. The longer you expect to have a vehicle in
Europe, the better deal such a lease will be compared to renting. You book and pay for your lease before taking delivery,
signing a contract which allows the auto manufacturer to register and fully insure in your name the exact vehicle of your
choice for the period you request.
Overseas? Dial home on the cheap
Looking for a deal on an overseas
phone? Many cell-phone rental companies, including Telestial and Cellular Abroad, sell unlocked, dual or tri-band GSM phones
to global travelers. With an unlocked phone, you'll be able to switch Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards whenever you
want. Swapping your phone's SIM card for a SIM card from your destination country gets you rock-bottom rates on any call
you make and incoming calls are free.
"When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half
the clothes and twice the money." --An Experienced Traveler
2003 TRAVEL ITINERARY Jul-Aug-Sep 72 days (Southwestern) France,
(Northeastern) Spain, (Mediterranean Coast) France Backroads
by Car
FR
TO
CO
REGION
DETAILS
08 Jul Tue
A C 913 MCO 01:55 PM Tue 07/08/2003 YYZ 04:40 PM Tue 07/08/2003 A C 880 YYZ 07:10
PM Tue 07/08/2003 CDG 08:15 AM Wed 07/09/2003
09 Jul Wed
France
ILE-DE-FRANCE
Paris-- Hô Tiquetonne 2eme Arr 6 rue Tiquetonne M Étienne-Marcel T 01 42
36 94 58 F 01 42 36 02 94 C-I before 2200.
10 Jul Thu
POITOU-CHARENTES
Paris--Pick-up car--Peugeot Sodexa 115 Avenue de l'Arche 92400 Courbevoie M La Défense-Grand
Arche T + 33 (0) 1 49 04 81 81 La Rochelle, Île de Ré, Rochefort-sur-Mer
6 DAYS: Pau, Tarbes, Bagnères-de-Bigorre, St-Bertrande-de-Comminges, Bagnères-de-Luchon,
Col du Tourmalet, Gavarnie, Cauterets, Lourdes, Grottes de Bétharram, Pau
29 Jul Tue
01 Aug Fri
Spain
ARAGÓN (North)
3¾ DAYS: Biescas, Torla, Parque Nacional de Ordesa, Ainsa, Barbastro, Alquézar, Huesca,
Castillo de Loarre, Ayerbe, Berdún, San Juan de la Peña, Jaca, Sabiñanigo
01 Aug Fri
06 Aug Wed
CATALUÑA (inland)
4¾ DAYS: Montserrat, Cardona, Solsona, La Seu d'Urgell, Puigcerdá, Ribes de Freser,
Ripoll, Sant Joan de les Abadesses, Camprodon, Olot, Vic, Santa Fé del Montseny, Barcelona
1¾ DAYS: Peñiscola VALENCIA, Cambrils de Mar, Tarragona, Calafell, Vilanova i la Geltrú,
Sitges, Barcelona
25 Aug Mon
29 Aug Fri
4¾ DAYS: Barcelona, Arenys de Mar, Blanes, Tossa de Mar, Sant Feliu de Guixols, Palamós,
Palafrugell, La Bisbal d'Empordà, Girona, Banyoles, Besalú, Figueres, Empúries
30 Aug Sat
31 Aug Sun
France
LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON (coast)
Perpignan-- Hô de l'Avenir 11 rue de l'Avenir T 04 68 34 20 30 F 04 68 34
15 63
01 Sep Mon
Béziers--Meet Hanny & John--Cathédrale St-Nazaire pl de la Révolution Hô
d'Angleterre 22 pl Jean Jaurès T 04 67 28 48 42 F 04 67 28 61 53
02 Sep Tue
03 Sep Wed
Montpellier-- Hô des Étuves 24 rue des Étuves T 04 67 60 78 19 F 04 67 60
78 19
04 Sep Thu
PROVENCE (coast)
Stes Maries-de-la-Mer-- Ho Pioch Badet T 04 90 97 51 72 F 04 90 97 54 88
F 04 90 49 85 76
05 Sep Fri
06 Sep Sat
Marseille-- Ho Marseille-Bonneveine Impasse Bonfils T 91 17 63 30 F 91 73
97 23
07 Sep Sun
CÔTE D'AZUR (coast)
Hyères
08 Sep Mon
St Tropez
09 Sep Tue
12 Sep Fri
Antibes Drop-off car--Causse Walon 28 Boulevard du Général Vautrin Antibes
T + 33 (0) 4 93 33 70 43
13 Sep Sat
ILE-DE-FRANCE
Paris-- Hô Henri IV 1er Arr 25 pl Dauphine M Pont Neuf T 01 43 54 44 53
14 Sep Sun
Paris--Meet Lionel & Monique Hô Henri IV
15 Sep Mon
Paris-- Hô Henri IV
16 Sep Tue
Paris--
17 Sep Wed
A C 881 CDG 11:55 AM Wed 09/17/2003 YYZ 02:25 PM Wed 09/17/2003 A C 922 YYZ 07:55
PM Wed 09/17/2003 MCO 10:36 PM Wed 09/17/2003
Wednesday 17 September 2003 On the ground in the U S A after A PERFECT Trip.
I
found the 2003 Peugeot 206 HDi 1.4 (Diesel) to be an excellent car under all conditions, and thoroughly enjoyed driving it
"Over The Pyrénées And Back".
STATISTICS
Total Trip Days: 70 Total Trip Days with Car: 62
Distance
Driven (France): 4526 Kilometers = 2812 Miles Distance Driven (Spain and Andorra): 4605 Kilometers = 2861 Miles Distance
Driven (TOTAL): 9131 Kilometers = 5674 Miles
Average Distance Driven Per Day: 147 Kilometers / Day = 91 Miles / Day
Average cost of one (1) Euro: USD 1.12 plus ForEx transaction costs. I
did not use AirConditioning at any time. I did use Heat, though, with the window down, in the Pyrénées.
PACKING LIST
MONEY POUCH
BIG BLACK BAG
DAY BAG
LITTLE BAG 1
LITTLE BAG 2
LITTLE BAG 3
POCKETS
OTHER
·International medical insurance policy Identity Card AND Claim
Form ·Account Numbers and Codes ·(item)
·(item)
·(item)
·(item)
·(item)
·(item)
·RF1 notebook ·RF2 receipts pouch, credit cards ·RR comb, plastic camera bag,
shoelaces, paper towels, moist disposable towlettes
