Hi folks.
I am trying to organise a family trip to Barcelona on the weekend that we play Catalan in Perpignan.
Has anybody ever stayed in Barcelona and made trip across the border(and back again) on match day?
I tried researched it but it seems a complicated journey, and I certainly don't want to ruin the holiday by getting it wrong.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
PS I've looked into the organised tour, but I don't fancy us all having to travel from York to EMA for a 7am flight!
Cheers

The trip itself is relatively straightforward once you get out of Barcelona, you just stay on the Motorway (E15) most of the way, border crossing straightforward, This is a Toll Road, can't remember how much they were sorry, It;s the time factor more than anything that makes it hard work, Last time i did it I went from Santa Susanna (which is 45 mins closer) and it still took over 2 1/2 hours! Just take you sat nav with you if it has europe maps on it!

I wouldn't stop in Barcelona, we usually stay in Canet but you could stay in Loret.
The drive from Barcelona airport ia aound 100 miles to Perpignan and the toll last time I went cost 14 euro but that could of changed.
Barcelona has a top beach but it is full of strange eccentrics. The advantage of Canet is that it has probs one of the best beeches in the med and all th players will be out on Saturday night from both teams and some other celebs, its quite a good night out but bars aren't cheap there, yu can gt some good cheap accommodation tho,last time I went we stayed in a a 6 bed apartment for 300 euro for 4 nights right in the centre of Canet.

Barcelona in a fantastic city and you would enjoy the visit but, you would need to be very determined to tie in a stay in Barcelona with a trip to our game in Perpignan.
It would be similar to staying in London and than driving up to Wakefield and back for a game.

I've booked flights from Manc Friday night to Gerona north of Barcelona and an hour 20 or so up to Perpignan by car. Choice of early Sunday or late Monday back. We are going to Canet I think for the day. Cheap flights too.

I don't remember it being quite that far, but it is a drive. We did it a few years ago and nearly ran out of petrol going back. We stayed in Perpignan for tea, then went to buy fuel only to find the petrol stations were all automated and didn't accept uk credit cards! So we had to set off back and I was about 1 junction away from making my family sleep in the car when we finally came across a service station that was open! Beware!

Once we got back to out 'apartment' - that had a leak from the loo, a leak from the sink, had a kids bedroom over a window at street level, had a leak in the air conditioning, had wires hanging out of the wall ......... We decided to move to an Ibis on the edge of Barcelona which rescued our holiday!

Fun times!

Sorry TRB, I meant in terms of time, rather than number of miles


We stayed on Las Ramblas, which is right in the middle of the city centre and apart from the continual threat of pick-pockets, it was superb !

Thanks for the replies. I really like Barcelona and want to go back there with the family, but my dreams of combining it with the Catalan match are unlikely to be realised

If ya can, fly into and stay in Perpignan, good atmosphere and no fannying about.

I live in France and at moment I am in Spain.
One CAN use UK credit cards at motorway toll booths in both countries.
Use my French and UK cards regularly.
The above applies to manned and automated.

That's good to hear. It wasn't the motorway ones I had trouble with, it was the ones in Perpignan!

There seems to be few options for direct flights to Perpignan. Where would be the best place/ airline please.

What options are they. I could only find a flight from stanstead

Since BMI Baby went under I don't think there are any flights direct into Perpignan other than from Stanstead or Southampton.

You can fly into Girona and there is a bus (Frogbus) that runs from the airport to Perpignan. You can also fly into Carcassonne and get the train to Perpignan. Alternatively Catalan Sports Tours (link on this site) do transfers.

The best flight times I can see (well that suit us) is with Ryanair from East Midlands at 7.00am on the Friday and returning on Monday at around 10.15am. Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Perpignan (or Canet if you prefer).

There are 3 of us and we are looking to book transfers with David Foti (CST). If there are others CST will put a bus/mini bus on. If not we'll jump on the train.

We have got flights from Birmingham with ryan air. Cheap as well

You can also fly to Montpellier and it only 1 1/2 up the motorway from Perpignan.
BTW eating/drinking out in Perpignan is really expensive apart from the pub on the corner by the ground, where there is always a good craic going on. 6 euros a pint everywhere else and last tome I was there (2012) 3 euros at that bar.
As said we usually stop in Canet, get beer from the supermarket and self catering apartment, can be reasonably priced.
Also for really cheap accommodation id Les Fountains camping just outside Canet, good facilities and carvens that sleep 6/8 or 10

Booked a week in Canet plage for the Catalan game and just had my flights to Perpignan from Birmingham cancelled by Ryan air. Does anybody know if there are any other flights going direct to Perpignan? Cheers

Brettoncat. I've also booked for a week away in Canet Plage, staying at the Le Brasilia campsite. I have booked a flight from |Stansted direct to Perpignan, flying out 11am Thursday and returning the following Wednesday. Flights are every day except Saturday as far as I can see, and seem quite cheap.

Cheers DWA, is your flight from standsted with Ryan Air? We are staying at the la brasillia too.

If you are coming across to France for the match against the Dragons why not spend a few days in St Cyprien, which is just down the coast from Canet and only 25 minutes from the stadium.

St Cyprien is the official seaside resort of the Dragons and has a long history of rugby league. Your players are probably staying at the Golf Club in St Cyprien as this is where visiting teams normally stay.

If you PM me I can give you information on properties available to rent and details of transport to and from the stadium. The properties are especially suitable for couples or families.

Our local Dragons supporters group will make any visiting supporters very welcome.

The buses are cheap as chips, 2 years ago we used them from Canet to the ground and they were 2euros each for a return trip, previous years we have been on organised trips and one year I drove all the way down in my own car, which I won't ever be doing again

Yep, we are flying with Ryanair, Brettoncat. TBH I don't think it's much further to Stansted then it is to Brum from our neck of the woods.
Nice one FT, I wasn't planning hiring a car anyway so jobs a good un.