With Bordeaux just 200 kilometers from the Spanish border, many visitors try to include a few days in Spain in their trip to southwestern France. But does it make sense to go straight to Barcelona or are there other worthwhile stops along the way? These are details on how to get from Barcelona in Spain to Bordeaux in France by various means of transport and where you can stop along the way.
Suggested itinerary from Bordeaux to Barcelona
Considering there are no direct trains from Bordeaux to Barcelona, it makes sense to make a few stops along the way.
- Travel through the Basque Country. Bordeaux is on the west side of France, so the most obvious first stops on the way to Barcelona are the Spanish cities in the Basque Country of San Sebastián and Bilbao. In this area, the draw is the fantastic Basque cuisine, particularly in San Sebastián. When the weather is good, you’ll want to visit San Sebastián beach full of amenities. It is a beautiful sandy beach with clear water and all the restaurants and cafes you could wish for. In Bilbao, a must-see is the Guggenheim Museum, one of the largest modern art museums in Spain.
- From there, stop in Logroño, capital of the Rioja wine region, before heading to Barcelona. Logroño has many wine bars and some great tapas places near the market, as well as the cathedral. You can go wine tasting in the surroundings. This route is around 900 kilometers in total, a little more than 575 kilometers if you travel directly, but this itinerary is well worth the extra miles.
- If you prefer to avoid such detours, and take the most direct route, the great stops on the Bordeaux to Barcelona route are Toulouse (famous for its red brick buildings and space museum), the coastal city of Perpignan, Figueres (after Salvador Dali Museum) and Girona (famous in recent years for appearing on HBO’s Game of Thrones).
Traveling by train and bus
Buses take approximately nine hours, with two daily departures leaving from Barcelona Nord bus station. There is no direct train from Barcelona to Bordeaux: you must change at Narbonne. The average journey time between Barcelona and Bordeaux St-Jean by train is 10 and a half hours and the fastest time is 6 and a half hours. There are around 4 trains per day between Barcelona and Bordeaux St-Jean and fewer on weekends.
Making the car trip
The 630-kilometer journey from Barcelona to Bordeaux takes approximately five and a half hours, traveling mainly on the AP-7, A9, A61 and A62 roads. Note that AP roads are toll roads.
Flights from Barcelona to Bordeaux
There are flights from Barcelona to Bordeaux, but they are quite expensive, especially if you travel during the high season. Be sure to check flight prices on different airlines and better yet, check multiple dates to avoid flying during the most expensive time periods.
