I have just arranged me and my friends trip to the Catalans game and thought I would share it with other Bulls fans in case you were interested. Every year we do a similar trip to the one I have highlighted and it works out much cheaper than the Bulls trips and because we are independent we have also taken in other options in the area such as Carcassone, Girona and Tossa De Mar etc in the past.

Obviously helps if you are happy arranging things yourself and someone is happy to drive but thought I would share it with you anyway. We generally go to the same bars in Barcelona but very rarely see any Bulls fans there but it would be good to meet up with some next year.

Our itinerary is as follows:

LBA to Barcelona with Jet 2 on Sat April 23rd (there is a a flight on Sunday if this trip is too long)
2 nights in Barcelona in a 3 star hotel near the harbor then up to Perpignan on Monday for the game and stay in Ibis overnight.
This year we are driving to Montpellier from Perpignan and staying overnight in the ibis returning Ryanair to LBA on Wednesday from Montpellier.
Total cost with flights, hotels and car hire shared between 4 of us is £285.00.

Just a warning to those going, Perpignan on Easter Monday may be very quiet!

COYB!

I organise our trip for the 4 of us each year and we've done different variations and lengths.

This year we're on the same flight as you to Barcelona and picking up a hire car there, we've booked an apartment in L'Estartit for a week and will drive up to Perpignan on the day of the game.

With just hire car still to book, we're looking at £285 each too, a big difference compared to the Bulls trips.

In the past we've done winery tours, traditional markets, driving tour, but next time have nothing planned apart from a day trip to Barcelona on one of the days after the game.

PM me if you like with any ideas for good tapas or suggested bars in Barcelona.

We're flying from LBA to Barca with Ryanair on the Friday and flying back Wed. Haven't decided how we intend to break up our trip our when we plan to travel over for the game. Looking at possibly taking the train to Perp. But the timetables aren't out yet, so I'll weigh up the costs for a car/train/bus in a few weeks.

Good to see other fans making the journey, would be good to get a big away following again seeing as the Bulls renaissance has begun. I will be in touch nearer the date to see if anyone wants to meet up in Barcelona.

Ryanair were very late with their summer schedules to girona this year because of a dispute with the airport authorities. Now all sorted and new contract signed until 2015.
The flights this summer are daily from east midlands (except tuesday) and liverpool. There are also slightly less frequent flights from Birmingham but 5/day from the various london airports.
Ryanair and Jet 2 also flying from Leeds to Barcelona.
For Yorkshire fans wanting to fly to girona (nearer to costa brava and france than barcelona; accomodation usually cheaper), there is a national express bus from Leeds to east midlands that gets you there in time for check in (flight is very early morning, 6.30, except saturday).
If just coming for a long weekend, parking at east midlands is cheap and easy. If on rail, trains run to derby where the skyline bus picks you up and drops you at east midlands airport.

I think I must have just got the Ryan air flights after they were agreed as I managed to get return flights from liverpool to gerona for £65 and I have got a hotel in Lloret de mar for £115 All Inc for 3 nights but we have booked 4 as they didnt do all inc for 3 nights. Hopefully will be a good do again after my first visit last year was a good laugh!!!

Train for me.

St Pancras to Perpignan = £108 return.

good effort mick how long does that take? and are you staying over with accommodation and stuff?

I'll post the itinerary later on tonight mate. The views from Lyon down to Perpiganan are amazing and well worth the extra travelling time.

Here is my itinerary.

Bradford to Perpignan departing Sunday 24th April 2011

Taxi to town and then train to Leeds.

Depart Leeds 08:05
Arrive London Kings Cross 10:42
Durration 2 hours 37 mins

Walk from London Kings Cross to London St Pancras

Depart London St Pancras 11:57
Arrive Lille Europe 14:24
Durration 1 hour 27 mins

30 minute stopover in Lille Europe

Depart Lille Europe 14:54
Arrive Perpignan 21:42
Durration 6 hours 48 mins

Go out on the beer in Perpignan

Monday 25th April 2011

Catalans Dragons vs Bradford Bulls

Tuesday 26th April 2011

Depart Perpignan 06:42
Arrive Lille Europe 13:29
Duration 6 Hours 47 mins

30 minute stopover in Lille Europe

Depart Lille Europe 14:06
Arrive London St Pancras 14:31
Duration 1 hour 25 mins

Walk from London St Pancras to London Kings Cross

Depart London Kings Cross 15:10
Arrive Leeds 17:36
Duration 2 hours 26 mins.

Train then back to Bradford and bus home.

£108 Return but then it's not the quickest route from Bradford to Perpignan.

If anyone else would like any more information then please ask me. When I last did this in 2008 I was the only Bulls supporter to go by train and I suspect it'll be the same again this year

What website did you use to book an inter-country rail journey?

Does anybody know what hotel CST use for their trips that stay in Lloret?

I used Eurostar's as they were running a special off offer on all non flexible trains (basically the late evening and early morning trains).

£108 IMO is cheap as you'll get it although I've still to book my hotel for the two nights I'm there.

Who are CST? I have booked into 1 of the HTop Hotels, cheap and cheerful

N

catalan sports tours.

We are planning on booking everything ourselves but would quite like to stay in a hotel with other bulls fans. Apparantly one has a post match bbq........??

Would love to go but it seems pretty complicated to me.

Dont fancy the long train journey although that does seem the simplest option.

Dont fancy having to hire a car either.

Doesn't anyone fly direct into Perpignan?

Would love to go but like molibdimum seems really complicated to book

Its not that complicated really, flights from Liverpool, Hire Car and Hotel. Just like any other holiday except the hire car for me!

There seems to be a few Bulls fans that stay in Lloret de Mar and travel to france on match day but there doesn't seem to be many fans around and about for the nightlife! However the nightlife is still quite decent (pub wise)

In the past we have flown into Montpellier or Carcassonne. This time we have booked flights LBA to Girona Fri - Fri although we haven't decided where we are staying yet

Sorry - meant Barcelona rather than Girona. Senior moment

Have you booked a hotel in Lloret beaver? whete you staying? Apparantly the organised trips stay at a hotel ca??lled Fennals

Who's that with?

bmi babi fly manc -perp direct but only in summer months... best check there site

For an arm and a leg.

not always, i went last yr for £130 per person return

Yeah I have stayed in Lloret before, its the HTop Royal Beach where we stay, booked it 2 weeks ago for £115 all inclusive for 4 nights! Fenals is quite literally 2 blocks of buildings up the road from the HTop! We usually stay in our hotel till about 12 (when the bar shuts and as its all inclusive might as well) then head over the road to a little pub called Robin Hood (i think) its kind of underground but its a cracking atmosphere and a good laugh in there!!

Are you thinking of going this year?