Best of France & Spain — Self-Launched Rail Edition
9 days · France & Spain
G Adventures charges £2,479
No-markup version: ~£685 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched take on G Adventures' 9-day Paris-to-Madrid trip, using the same route — Paris, Lyon, Nîmes, Barcelona, Madrid — but booked independently: budget hostels and family-run pensions instead of group hotels, public trains instead of a tour vehicle, and self-bookable walking tours and museum tickets instead of a CEO. The rail spine (TGV Paris–Lyon, Lyon–Nîmes, Nîmes–Barcelona, high-speed Barcelona–Madrid) is the star of the show, with a day-trip detour to the Pont du Gard aqueduct. Costs are per person excluding international flights and assume hostel dorms or budget twin shares, self-catering breakfasts and one proper sit-down meal a day.
Day-by-day
Arrive Paris — evening orientation on foot
Paris
Land at CDG and take the RER B train into the city (~€11.80/£10) rather than a taxi. Check into a hostel in the 10th/11th arrondissement or near Gare de Lyon for easy onward travel. In the evening do your own version of the welcome walk: Canal Saint-Martin, then across to the Seine for a first look at Notre-Dame and the Louvre courtyard lit up. Grab a cheap dinner — a falafel on Rue des Rosiers or a plat du jour in a corner bistro (£10–15).
🚌RER B from CDG to central Paris ~£10; everything else on foot
🛏Hostel dorm (e.g. St Christopher's Canal or Generator Paris), £25–35
- →Self-guided evening walk: Canal Saint-Martin, Notre-Dame, Louvre courtyard
- →Pick up a Navigo Easy card for metro discounts
Montmartre, croissants and a free afternoon
Paris
Metro to Abbesses and climb through Montmartre: Sacré-Cœur for the skyline, the artists' square at Place du Tertre, and a croissant or pain au chocolat from a boulangerie along Rue Lepic (~€2). In the afternoon pick your own adventure: pre-book a Louvre timed ticket (~€22, book online to skip the queue), walk up the Eiffel Tower stairs (~€14.50 to the second floor), or take a Seine river cruise (~€17 via GetYourGuide). Evening: picnic from a fromagerie on the Champ de Mars.
🚌Metro day ticket / carnets ~£7
🛏Same hostel, £25–35
- →Montmartre & Sacré-Cœur self-guided walk
- →Louvre timed ticket (self-booked online)
- →Optional Seine river cruise via GetYourGuide
TGV to Lyon and Fourvière hill
Lyon
Morning TGV from Paris Gare de Lyon to Lyon Part-Dieu (~2h, book on SNCF Connect 2–3 months ahead for £20–40 — prices rocket closer to departure). Check into a hostel in Presqu'île or Croix-Rousse, then take the funicular up to Fourvière for the basilica and the city views. Wander down through the Vieux Lyon traboules (hidden passageways) — free to explore on your own or join a GetYourGuide old-town walk (~£15). Dinner in a bouchon: a set menu of quenelles or andouillette is ~£18–22.
🚌TGV Paris–Lyon £20–40; TCL metro/funicular day pass €6 (~£5)
🛏Hostel dorm (e.g. Alter'Hostel or Ho36), £25–32
- →Fourvière basilica & viewpoint
- →Vieux Lyon traboules walk
- →Optional guided food walk via GetYourGuide
Lyon's food capital free day
Lyon
Lyon is France's gastronomic capital — spend the day eating. Start at Les Halles Paul Bocuse market (free entry, tastings £5–10), cross to Croix-Rousse for the morning market on Boulevard de la Croix-Rousse and the murals along the slopes. Optional: a self-booked market food tour (~£45–60 via GetYourGuide) or a boat trip on the Saône. In the evening, a casual dinner in Croix-Rousse rather than tourist-strip Presqu'île keeps costs down (~£15).
🚌Metro/tram day pass ~£5
🛏Same hostel, £25–32
- →Les Halles Paul Bocuse food market
- →Croix-Rousse market and street-art murals
- →Optional market food tour via GetYourGuide
Train to Nîmes — the French Rome
Nîmes
Regional train from Lyon Part-Dieu to Nîmes (~2h15, £25–40; some routes change at Avignon). Drop bags at a guesthouse in the old town and pick up the Nîmes Roman pass (~€13) covering the amphitheatre, Maison Carrée and Tour Magne. Do the Roman circuit yourself: the 1st-century arena, the UNESCO-listed Maison Carrée temple, then uphill to the Tour Magne with views across the Jardins de la Fontaine. Evening in Place de l'Horloge with a glass of Costières de Nîmes wine (~£6).
🚌Regional train Lyon–Nîmes £25–40; town entirely walkable
🛏Central guesthouse or budget hotel, £30–40
- →Roman amphitheatre of Nîmes
- →Maison Carrée (UNESCO)
- →Tour Magne & Jardins de la Fontaine
Pont du Gard and farm lunch, then into Spain
Nîmes → Barcelona
Take the morning bus from Nîmes station to the Pont du Gard (~40 min, €1.50 single on the Edgard line 168/B21, or ~£20 return by taxi-share; the site entry is €8.50). Walk the 49m-high aqueduct's top tier viewpoint and the riverside trail. Lunch on the way back: a village plat du jour or picnic from the market (~£10). Then board the afternoon train to Barcelona — direct SNCF/Renfe service Nîmes–Barcelona (~3h45, £35–55 booked in advance) or change at Figueres. Check in near Plaça de Catalunya or Gràcia.
🚌Bus to Pont du Gard ~£3 return; Nîmes–Barcelona train £35–55
🛏Hostel dorm in Gràcia/El Born (e.g. Casa Gracia, Sant Jordi), £28–38
- →Pont du Gard aqueduct walk
- →Picnic lunch in a Gard village
Gaudí and the Gothic Quarter
Barcelona
Pre-book La Sagrada Família online (~€26, sells out in high season) for an early slot, then walk 20 minutes to Park Güell (~€10, timed entry — book ahead). Afternoon: free self-guided wander through the Gothic Quarter and El Born — Barcelona Cathedral, Plaça Reial, the Santa Maria del Mar basilica. Or join a GetYourGuide Gothic Quarter walking tour (~£18). Dinner: tapas crawl in Gràcia or El Born, patatas bravas and a vermut for ~£18–22. A 10-ride T-Casual metro card is €12.55 (~£11).
🚌T-Casual metro card ~£11
🛏Same hostel, £28–38
- →La Sagrada Família (self-booked timed entry)
- →Park Güell (self-booked timed entry)
- →Gothic Quarter & El Born self-guided walk
- →Optional GetYourGuide Gothic Quarter tour
AVE to Madrid — museums and plazas
Madrid
High-speed AVE train Barcelona Sants to Madrid Atocha (~2h30, £35–70 — book on Renfe or Trainline as early as possible; a slower Avlo/Iryo service can be £20–30). Check into a hostel around Malasaña or Lavapiés. Afternoon: the free-to-enter Prado's evening slot isn't a thing, but the Reina Sofía (~€12, free Monday evenings) and the Prado (~€15, free last two hours daily) are both walkable on the art triangle. Stroll Gran Vía and Plaza Mayor, then dinner of calamari sandwiches or a menú del día (~£15).
🚌AVE Barcelona–Madrid £35–70; metro single €1.50–2
🛏Hostel dorm (e.g. Ok Hostel Madrid, Room007), £25–35
- →Reina Sofía Museum
- →Prado Museum (free last two hours)
- →Gran Vía & Plaza Mayor walk
Madrid — markets then departure
Madrid
Final morning: churros con chocolate at a Chocolatería San Ginés (~£5), a last loop of the Retiro Park and Mercado de San Miguel if you haven't already. Metro to Barajas airport (~€5, 40 min) for your flight, or extend a night if you want to catch the Rastro flea market on a Sunday.
🚌Metro to Barajas airport ~£5
🛏—
- →Churros at San Ginés
- →Retiro Park morning walk
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£685 | £2,479 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,794 per person (72%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£685
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 Best of France & Spain — Self-Launched Rail Edition cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £685 per person for 9 days in France & 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £2,479 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £685 — a saving of roughly £1,794 (72%) per person.
How long is the France & Spain trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through France & 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, foodie, city-breaks trip through France & 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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