Pyrenees & Picos De Europa 2 or 3 Week Hiking Roadtrip
North face of Pic du Midi d'Ossau on sentier du tour des lacs d ayous trail hike
This 2 or 3 week road trip involves hiking the French and Spanish sides of the Pyrenees with an option to explore Picos De Europa and a couple of Spain’s charming coastal towns. When you’re ready to get off the beaten tourist path of the Dolomites, Swiss Alps, Patagonia and the likes, the Pyrenees will be waiting for you with open arms. This region sees very few international tourists compared to other top hiking destinations. English is spoken very little, even at hotels and restaurants. We got by just fine with gesturing, google translate, and just taking chances. The shoulder season still means something here, with even fewer people. Highly recommend September.
This itinerary can be 2 weeks long if you just want to see the Pyrenees. Or 3 weeks if you want to enjoy a few nights on the northern coast of Spain and hike in the Picos de Europa.
The French Pyrenees are known for lush greenery, alpine meadows, and dramatic limestone cliffs. The landscape feels a bit softer compared to the more rugged Spanish side. Villages in the French Pyrenees tend to have more traditional French mountain architecture, with stone houses, slate roofs, and charming, sleepy atmospheres. The French Pyrenees have a more traditional French culture, with influences from Basque and Occitan cultures in the western regions.
The Spanish Pyrenees tend to have more dramatic, rugged peaks with steep gorges and canyons. Villages on the Spanish side often have a distinct stone architecture, with Romanesque churches and medieval fortresses. Spanish Pyrenean culture is a mix of Catalan, Aragonese, and Basque influences, with many local festivals, strong traditions, and unique regional customs. We didn’t eat any meals on either side that knocked our socks off. Don’t come to the Pyrenees expecting to eat as well as you would in the Dolomites.
The Picos de Europa is renowned for its jagged limestone peaks, deep gorges, lush valleys, and alpine meadows. Its highest peak, Torre de Cerredo, rises to 2,648 meters (8,688 feet).
How to Get There
You could arrive in Barcelona, Spain or in Toulouse, France. Either will work just fine. Flights were cheaper to Toulouse so that was the winner for us. We rented a car from Europcar on-airport. Although the reviews weren’t great, we had an easy experience and would recommend them.
Whether you’re flying into Barcelona or Toulouse, you’re going to have a bit of a drive to the mountains. We worked our way from east to west and then jammed back west.
Itinerary
Day 1
Travel. If coming from the US the flight to Europe will eat up your first day because of the time difference.
Day 2
Stay in Toulouse or Barcelona. Explore the Town.
A nice thing about arriving in Toulouse is they have a fantastic on-airport hotel, NH Toulouse Airport. Booking our first night here allowed us an easy place to meet up and made things easy when the inevitable flight delays happen. Toulouse airport also has a shuttle bus that will take you to downtown for 9 euro. The bus is located in the parking lot in front of the airport. All you have to do is tap your credit card to the small reader as you enter. Since I arrived several hours before my friend Steph, I hopped on the bus and set out for an afternoon exploring the super cute college town of Toulouse. When Steph arrived, she dropped her bags at the on-airport hotel and hopped on the shuttle to town. Easy peasy.
Day 3 & 4
Espot, Spain
Drive a few hours from Toulouse or Barcelona to Espot, Spain. This tiny village is super charming. You have to stay at Hotel Roca Blanca. This is a family run inn and while the actual rooms were nothing special, the owners and the breakfast were exceptional. The rooms were very clean and a great value. Unfortunately, we were rained out this first day. I think we would have hiked in the rain, if not for our jet lag. So we walked around the town and had leisurely lunch. The hike we were planning on doing was
Valle de Peguera - Estany Negre.
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/spain/lleida/valle-de-peguera-estany-negre?u=i
Your second day in Espot hike:
Estany de Sant Maurici - Amitges - Obagues de Ratera.
6.5 miles
1900 feet elevation gain
What’s great about this hike:
Dynamic views, great views around every turn
Lots of water - rivers and lakes
Not ridiculously rocky
What’s not great about this hike:
Paid shuttle taxi. It’s fine, but we had to wait 20 minutes for a ride out. Make sure to check the schedule and allow yourself enough time. Otherwise add 2+ miles to walking out on the road.
The National Park does not allow people to drive into the park. Only designated 4x4 taxis are allowed into the park beyond Espot. They run regularly during the day, and you can purchase tickets in the village. You can walk into the park, but this will add about 2 miles each way on a road.
Link to taxi company:
https://www.taxisespot.com/sant-maurici-lake
These two hikes should actually be reversed, doing the shorter one with the taxi on your drive day. But since we had to eliminate one because of rain and jetlag we chose to only hike Estany de Sant Maurici - Amitges - Obagues de Ratera.
Eat
Pizzeria Al dente
Day 5
Taull, Spain
Very charming hotel with another fantastic breakfast buffet. Basic, clean rooms at an excellent value. Most of the rooms have little balconies that face the Church of Sant Climent de Taüll. Make sure to walk around this darling little town, making your way over to the Church of Santa Maria de Taüll.
Drive 2 hours.
Hike Ruta de la Marmota: hacia el Estany Negre
7.5 miles
1,948 feet elevation gain
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/spain/lleida/ruta-de-la-marmota-hacia-el-estany-negre?u=i
We went counterclockwise. No regrets.
What’s great about this hike:
Free parking
Massively impressive dam
Long “walk” (rock hopping) along lake
Gorgeous meadow and amphitheater
Alpine cows
Nice rifugi at the end with snacks for purchase
What’s not great about this hike:
Incredibly rocky. Very large rocks along lake shore and throughout. Our feet and ankles were as sore as they’d ever been after this one.
Day 6 & 7
Benasque, Spain
This is one of the only new, modern hotels in town. And it had a great breakfast buffet. It was centrally located too. There is no on-site parking as it’s located in the pedestrian only part of town, but it was a short walk to the lot on the outskirts. No rolly bags on this trip, too much cobblestone. Make sure you really wander around this little town. It really brings all the charm.
Drive 1.5 hours.
When we arrived in town we were planning to head straight to our first hike only to find that a massive rockslide wiped out the road to all the trailheads (Sept 6, 2024). The two hikes I had planned where these:
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/spain/huesca/forau-y-cascada-de-aigualluts?u=i
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/spain/huesca/portillon-de-benasque?u=i
But we had to improvise and did this one on the first day:
Las tres cascadas de cerler
4.3 miles
1,000 feet elevation gain
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/spain/huesca/cascada-de-ardones?u=i
I don’t typically go on waterfall hikes, especially short ones, because they attract a large crowd of folks that usually don’t hike. They are crowded, trashed and there’s no etiquette. This one turned out to be a delight in the shoulder season. Not your average trail to a waterfall. Do this one clockwise for the best views.
What’s great about this hike:
Short, sweet, easy and scenic. Free parking. Big valley views and river walking.
On your way to the trailhead make sure to stop at Mirador del Valle de Benasque for sweeping views of the valley and town. After the hike spend some time at the Plaza la Iglesia. Enjoy drinks and snacks with big views of the valley and the beautiful Church of Sant Llorenç.
What’s not great about this hike:
Potential massive summer crowds
Our second improvised hike turned out to be lovely so we didn’t feel too jipped. Although the parking lot was super packed when we arrived, the trail never felt overly crowded.
Hike Ibón de Escarpinosa
8.1 miles
2,588 feet elevation gain
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/spain/huesca/ibon-de-escarpinosa?u=i
What’s great about this hike:
Beautiful lake at the “top” that you can walk around.
Trail follows river for a good portion
Free parking
What’s not great about this hike:
Once you leave the river it’s a boring slog up in the trees (could be considered good if it’s super hot summer day). Then once you come out of the trees you’re along the river again til you come to the lake.
Eat
This town comes with my first restaurant recommendation - El Veedor de Viandas. Our first pinxtos of the trip. Pintxos ("peen-chos") are small snacks typically served in bars in northern Spain, especially in the Basque Country. They are similar to tapas but have distinct differences. Pintxos are often served on a small slice of bread with various toppings, such as meats, seafood, vegetables, and cheeses, and are held together with a toothpick (which gives them their name—pintxo means "spike" or "skewer" in Basque). We loved this place so much we came back our second night.
Day 8 & 9
We stayed at Hotel Abetos. I wouldn’t recommend it nor would I say don’t stay here. It was just meh. If you can get a room with massive views of the mountains then it’s lovely. But there’s no way to guarantee that. The place is old and dark. But extremely clean and had a great breakfast buffet. Short 5 minute walk to town.
Drive 1.5 hours.
The National Park here does not allow cars. There is a massive parking lot at the visitors center and they shuttle everyone in in big buses for 6 euro per person. Dogs are allowed but have to go in a provided crate down below. Same for hiking poles. The buses run very frequently and very late into the evening. We never had to wait going or coming. The town is cute here too but very small. I think the visitor center parking lot is larger than the town, most of which is pedestrian only.
First Hike
Ordesa Valley - Circo Cotatuero - Circo de la Carriata
5.3 miles
2,6505 elevation gain
This was our third favorite hike of the trip. Hands down go clockwise. Swimming is not allowed in the National Park.
What’s great about this hike:
Absolutely epic balcony trail for miles
Incredible views the whole time
Very few people (they are all in the valley, where you’ll be tomorrow)
What’s not great about this hike:
Steep getting up to the balcony path
Second Hike. This is the one everyone comes to Torla for.
Ordesa Valley - Circo de Soaso - Cola de Caballo
11 miles
2,007 feet elevation gain
https://www.alltrails.com/es/ruta/spain/huesca/pradera-de-ordesa-circo-de-soaso-cola-de-caballo
What’s great about this hike:
Chill, not too rocky.
Follows a river for most, lots of cascades and pools
The valley at the end is magical especially because they laid cobblestone throughout and it looks and photographs like a dream.
What’s not great about this hike:
Very, very crowded.
Large tour groups
Parking is free but shuttle is 6 euros roundtrip.
Eat
Do eat at Restaurante Atalaya Torla. Try for a reservation or expect to wait.
Do not eat at Restaurante Pizzería El Taillón. Not good pizza or pasta.
Day 10
Refuge D’Ayous or Cauterets, France (Day 11 & 12)
Stay at Refuge D’Ayous that is located on todays trail, if you’re up for “roughing it”. If not, you could drive all the way to Cauterets but this would be a 2 hour drive after a long walk. Alternatively, you could just find a place to stay somewhere along the way (but not where we stayed lol). Do not stay in Gourette. Very decrepit ski town in summer.
Drive 1.5 hours straight to the trailhead. This hike ties for best hike of the trip. We did not walk around the very first lake. This seemed very unnecessary. Go counter clockwise. You will think this is wrong, but trust. Consider staying a night at Refuge D’Ayous. I wish we would have.
Ayous Lakes: Lac Gentau, Lac du Miey, Lac Roumassot
9.7 miles
2,654 elevation gain
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/france/pyrenees-atlantiques/sentier-du-tour-des-lacs-d-ayous
What’s great about this hike:
Lots of lakes
Big phenomenal views especially of the north face of Pic du Midi d'Ossau
Super dynamic
Gorgeous horses and lot’s of sheep roaming the valley
Several refuges along the way
What’s not great about this hike:
Paid parking and hours. Make sure you go to the top lot. It costs a few euros more but saves a massive climb. The lot closes in the evenings so make sure you get your car out in time.
Day 11 & 12
Drive to Cauterets. We stayed at an airbnb outside of town. I wish we would have stayed in town as it was super cute and had a ton of great restaurants.
First Hike, Lac d'Estom
7.5 miles
1,765 feet elevation gain
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/france/hautes-pyrenees/lac-d-estom?u=i
We didn’t feel the need to walk around this one. The best views are when you arrive.
What’s great about this hike:
Chill valley walk along the river
Horses, donkeys and goats roaming freely
What’s not great about this hike:
While the trail wasn’t too crowded in September, the parking lot and the lake at the end were. People use the lot to hang at the river and eat at the restaurant at the base of the trail. There is also a refuge/restaurant at the end that was very crowded.
Second Hike:
Pont d'Espagne - Refuge des Oulettes de Gaube - Lac de Gaube
10.3 Miles
2,545 feet elevation
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/france/hautes-pyrenees/refuge-des-oulettes-de-gaube-et-lac-de-gaube-depuis-pont-d-espagne
What’s great about this hike:
I was not expecting to see any glaciers on this trip. So I was very excited to see the last little remains of Oulettes de Gaube glacier here. I should have suspected when we arrived at Lac de Gaube and it was showing that glowing glacier flour color.
Once you get past the lake, there is lots of river walking.
Lots of cows roaming around Lac de Gaube.
What’s not great about this hike:
Ridiculously rocky at the beginning and end. Like brutal. This stretch was super crowded and congested because there are people of all ages and abilities basically boulder hopping. If you have the funds, take the chair life and save your sanity, ankles and knees. You will miss nothing. No views, just in the trees with big rocks. Once you reach Gaube Lake this is where you lose most of the crowds. There is a restaurant here and most just take the lift to the lake to have a picnic or meal here. You have more rocks to navigate along the lake and then it gets more chill. The walk to Oulettes de Gaube is beautiful with Arraillé peak and the Alphonse Meillon peaks and their glacier remnants in view the whole time. If you decide to take the chair lift up, make sure you pop over and see the river gorge cascade at the Hotellerie du pont d´Espagne before or after.
Day 13
Do not stay in Gavarnie-Gèdre. Horrible choice. Stay in Gavarnie proper, right at the trailhead. We had to drive back here for dinner and the sunset on Gavarnie Cirque was so gorgeous you could cry. Consider Chambres D Hotes L'astazou. If the accommodations here aren’t nice enough for you, stay in Luz-Saint-Sauveur. Super cute town on the river with boatloads of hotels and restaurants. The drive to and from Gavarnie is a super scenic mountain road.
Drive 1 hour.
Gavarnie - Refuge des Espuguettes via Hôtellerie du Cirque
8.6 miles
2,851 feet elevation
We stopped at the visitors center before starting off, which I always recommend if there’s time. We learned that part of the loop I had planned for had been washed away a week earlier and wasn’t possible. She recommended we walk up to Refuge des Espuguettes first and then to Hotellerie du Cirque. It’s a tough call on which way to loop this. A case could be made for either. If you go counterclockwise you will walk up the valley with massive views of Gavarnie Cirque in your face for a large portion, but you will be with massive crowds who are just walking the valley floor. If you go up to the refugio first you will lose some of those views but they will be replaced with bigger, more sweeping ones but not of the Cirque. Then as you walk the balcony path toward Gavarnie Cirque you will have a nice view from up above without crowds. I think we made the right call by going clockwise. The trail starts out walking through a little town with lots of restaurants and concessionaires.
What’s great about this hike:
Lots of cows and sheep
Balcony ledge
Dynamic changing views
Going high, keeps the crowds down
What’s not great about this hike:
Lots of people on the valley trail
Parking was 8 euro. Could be a problem in the summer
If you only have 2 weeks to spend here, this is where you would make your way back to Toulouse or Barcelona. But if you have a full 3 weeks you will definitely need a break by this point. This is when we headed to the coast for a little R&R.
Day 14 and 15
Santander, Spain
Drive 5 hours.
We had a lovely stay at the brand new Hotel Rhin Garden. Highly recommend getting a room with a private terrace overlooking the beautifully landscaped courtyard. They also had a fantastic breakfast buffet included in the room rate. It’s located away from the main downtown area but very close to the best beaches. We still walked to downtown both nights for Pitxtos at Casa Lita. The guys that run this place are super friendly and fabulous. This town has plenty of Michelin Star restaurants too if that’s your thing. Also check out the Mercado del Este. This cool indoor market is home to a variety of food stalls, tapas bars, and cafes where you can enjoy local specialties. This includes Cantabrian seafood, cheeses, cured meats, and other regional delicacies. On your day off, you can roam around the Magdalena peninsula or just chill on your terrace or poolside. In the evening, stroll the Paseo Pereda, Santander's main promenade. Even though this was our “down time” we still accumulated a lot of miles walking on Playa del Camello, numerous boardwalks, and charming streets of Santander.
Day 16
Drive 2 hours to Picos de Europa.
Well, I blew it on this hike. I chose PR-PNPE 24 Puertos de Áliva.
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/spain/cantabria/pr-pnpe-24-puertos-de-aliva?u=i
This involves taking the cable car up and walking down. We both thought this trail was massively disappointing. You spend way too much time in the trees and lose all views of the otherworldly mountains and terrain. It’s also a service road. We had multiple tractors and other 4x4 vehicles passing us, kicking up dirt.
I would instead pay for a roundtrip cable car ticket and just wander around up top. Take the trail Mirador de El Cable - Cabana Veronica for a mile or two. This is where the good stuff is. Or you could do this and then walk the trail down knowing the best stuff is at the top.
Cable Car
https://entradas.telefericofuentede.com/
Stay
You have two options here. We stayed at the base of Fuente De at Parador de Fuente Dé. The views here are epic, from the rooms and the grounds and it was cheap and clean. But there aren’t any good options for dinner or breakfast. This is a trade off you must make. If you stay here you will massively overpay for crappy food and you will not get to eat before 830pm. Alternatively, you could stay in Potes which is another very quaint town with lots of accommodation and food options a short drive away. If I did it again, I’d stay in Potes. I’d actually want to stay in this town for 2 nights if you have an extra. A third alternative is to stay at Hotel Aliva, Epically positioned on a 4x4 road with magnificent panoramic views.
Day 17, 18, 19
Las Arenas
La Casa de Juansabeli
Drive 2 hours directly to the trailhead. First hike:
Canal del Texu
4.2 miles
1492 feet elevation
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/spain/asturias/ruta-de-la-canal-del-texu?u=i
Parking here is the same as for the trailhead tomorrow. If you are burnt out on walking, you could take the underground funicular up. Lot’s of folks do this as a little activity and have lunch in the car-free town of Bulnes. But you’d be missing the whole point. It’s the journey not the destination for this one. The views here are beautiful but not dynamic as a lot of the others on this trip. Still definitely worth the effort. This is a nice bang for your buck hike. I would definitely recommend enjoying lunch or beverage at one of the many little restaurants here. They were all pretty crowded so have a backup snack incase. Also there are two areas to “town”. The main area is down in the valley and the other smaller area is up the hill. I’d loop this in a counterclockwise fashion. Also skip the little climb to Mirador Picu Urriellu. This viewpoint is lame.
I really recommend staying at La Casa de Juansabeli. This is a small family run inn with huge heart and even better food! They have a 3 night minimum. This place is out of town a few miles but the town isn’t very cute and you won’t find better food on this trip. We’re talking Michelin Star without the price or reservations. 8:30pm could never come fast enough each night. 25 euro per person gets you 3 courses, bread and water. An absolute steal! The rooms here are nothing to write home about but they are clean and a bargain value. The property has its own little waterfall too.
Second Hike:
Hike Ruta del Cares aka PR-PNPE 3 Cares Trail
13.3 miles
1500 feet elevation
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/spain/asturias/pr-pnpe-3-ruta-del-cares--2?u=i
Alltrails is way off of the elevation here, don’t let it scare you. This is an incredibly popular trail and for very very good reason. It ties for first place of the trip. Following the Cares River, occasionally crossing it, through the Cantabrian Mountains, it’s considered to be one of the most beautiful trails in Spain. The route goes through loose rocky terrain, small caves, bridges, plus the chance to meet the occasional mountain goat. This trail is very exposed and not for those with fear of heights. When passing in tight sections you will be faced with a tremendous dropoff. It will be quite crowded as it seems a lot of folks take massive tour buses in, walk one way and get picked up at the other end in Cain. You can have lunch or a drink in Cain. There are many restaurants to choose from. Lunch at La Taberna De Cain or Bar Lola. There are no places to pee along the exposed and crowded trail and there are no public toilets in Cain. Be prepared to buy a drink or snack from a restaurant or store to use a toilet. Parking is free.
Third Hike:
PR-PNPE 21 Vega de Urriellu
8 miles
3000 feet elevation
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/spain/asturias/pr-pnpe-21-vega-de-urriellu?u=i
This will be your last hike of the trip. Unfortunately we got skunked on this one by very thick fog and clouds. We waited 30 minutes for it to clear out which it did not. There is parking at the end of the dirt road, shaving 5 miles and over 1,000 feet of climb off this trek. There will be an attendant at the entrance to let you know how far in you can park. Parking is free. Each parking area has signage with the number of vehicles that are permitted.
Instead we decided to drive around and ended up in Tresviso. This was a beautiful drive. Definitely recommend it if you have time. Then we tried to drive to Lagos de Covadonga. Was skunked here too because you can not drive to the lakes / trailheads. You have to take a bus or taxi to the lake and we weren’t in the mood for all that. Side note, I left these lakes out of the itinerary on purpose. They don’t seem that spectacular for the amount of people they attract and I don’t like the idea of being bussed right to them. This area was extremely crowded for shoulder season and I’m glad I didn’t waste any days here. That being said, if you do find yourself in this area, don’t miss the Sanctuary of Covadonga. The key attraction is the Santa Cueva de Covadonga (Holy Cave of Covadonga), a stunning chapel set dramatically inside a natural cave, with a waterfall and a small lake beneath it. Incredible popular attraction so go early.
Day 20
San Sebastian
Central Roomss
Drive 3 hours.
San Sebastián (Donostia) is a stunning coastal city in the Basque Country of northern Spain, renowned for its beautiful beaches, vibrant food scene, and rich cultural heritage. It’s a popular destination for both Spanish and international visitors, offering a mix of history, gastronomy, and breathtaking natural beauty. San Sebastián is world-famous for its pintxos (Basque-style tapas), with an abundance of bars offering small, beautifully crafted bites that pair perfectly with local wines. The Parte Vieja (Old Town) is the heart of the city's culinary scene, where you can hop from bar to bar, trying a variety of pintxos like txangurro (spider crab), gildas (anchovies, olives, and peppers), and bacalao pil-pil (cod in a garlic sauce). The city is also home to several Michelin-starred restaurants, including Arzak, Akelarre, and Mugaritz, making it a paradise for food lovers. San Sebatian has two main beaches. La Concha Beach: This iconic crescent-shaped beach is one of the most famous urban beaches in Europe. With golden sand and clear waters, it's perfect for relaxing, swimming, or taking a scenic walk along the promenade. Zurriola Beach: Popular with surfers, this beach on the eastern side of the city is known for its waves and more youthful, laid-back vibe.
We spent 6 hours hopping from bar to bar eating and drinking our hearts out. The go-to here is Txakoli (Cha-Koli). The wine is known for its high acidity, light fizz, and green, citrus flavors with herbaceous notes. Traditionally, Txakoli is poured from a height into a glass to aerate the wine and enhance its slight effervescence. This makes it a fun experience when enjoying it at pintxo bars.
Stay in or on the edge of Old Town, a ridiculously charming car-free area of town. We stayed at Central Roomss in the heart of smack in the heart of it in Plaza de la Constitucion. We were a little worried about the noise being in the plaza, but the new “triple-paned” windows sealed out all sound. It was truly insane how well insulated these rooms were from the outside noise. The rooms were small but fine for a night or two. The trouble with staying in Old Town is you can not park at your hotel. Another reason to ditch luggage with wheels. You’ll have to park in one of the city's large underground lots and walk about 10 minutes. We had to pay 38 euro per 24 hours, a total racket. You can save a few bucks by reserving ahead of time here:
Day 21
The next morning we had a delightful breakfast at Enxalao before walking the Zurriola Beach promenade. Then we set off for our 3.5 hour drive back to Toulouse. On our way, we stopped in Biarritz, a charming surf town in France. We spent a few hours walking the boardwalk and throughout town and out to the Rocher de la Vierge, a landmark rock formation in the Bay of Biscay with big coastal views. I would have been happy to spend a night here. But we made the 3 hour drive back to Toulouse and checked into our on-airport hotel for our flights home the next morning.
A Few Tips
Most restaurants in this region stop serving food around 3pm and won’t reopen the kitchen until 7:30pm or 8:30pm. Google will still show all the restaurants as open because most still serve drinks, but the kitchens will not be. Expecting this will save you a lot of frustration when you’re experiencing jet lag and are starving. This was extremely challenging throughout our trip. We would wrap up our time on the trail around 4 or 5pm everyday and just wanted to shower and eat. However, in most of these tiny mountain villages the restaurants do not start serving food until 8pm. Therefore a lot of wine was consumed between 5 and 8pm lol. We also had an arsenal of snacks in our car at all times. A few times when we were really beat and hungry, we decided to grab sandwich stuff from the market and eat in our hotel rooms. The little markets in the towns all had great meat and cheese selections. They all had deli counters, no matter how small the market. And the baguettes were always fresh and very often warm. We picked up a jar of mustard at the start of our trip and that was a good call. Another thing to note is a lot of places are closed on Mondays, especially in shoulder season. Also, burgers are not cooked throughout this region. Every burger we had was rare- raw. So if that’s not your thing, learn how to say “well done” in Spanish and French.
When you are tapping to pay (you're able to tap a phone or card literally everywhere) make sure you are hitting the button to pay in euros and not your own currency. Let your bank convert for you and you will save money (as long as you don’t have foreign transaction fees on the card you're using).
Driving in Spain and France
Both Spain and France have speed cameras on highways and in towns. There are signs alerting you of their presence so be vigilant. Google maps is pretty accurate with their locations. The car rental company may automatically charge your credit card on file for any fines, depending on their policy.
Toll booths are numerous but efficient. You can just tap your credit card and go. Sometimes you only receive a ticket at a toll booth (and will pay later when you exit), and sometimes you make a prepayment at the booth. Always have your card handy and ready to tap. We spent over $60 on tolls this trip.