Travel safely, stay healthy...

Airlines, trains, buses and car rental.
More than 80 different airlines fly into Barcelona from everywhere in the world. Nearby Gerona mainly handles a large volume of air traffic from within Europe and the airport has been considerably extended recently. In our area of France, there are airports in Perpignan, Montpellier, Toulouse, Carcassonne and Nimes. The closest is Perpignan, a very small airport served mostly by Ryanair and Air France, which is a few minutes from the city. Trains in France are the envy of the world. They are frequent, fast, [some very fast indeed] and run on time. Bookings can be made online through sncf.com From April 2009 the TGV [very fast train] will be running a service from Paris to Barcelona via Perpignan. Trains is Spain are not quite as sophisticated as those in France but they are safe and incredibly cheap! There is a good network of bus transport in both countries, and car rental from all the major car rental companies is available at all the above airports. Car rentals in Spain are slightly cheaper than in France.

Documentation

Documentation required to travel to Spain or France varies according to the country of origin. If you are a citizen of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein: you need a valid passport or ID card.

If you are travelling from one of the following countries (Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, the USA, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, Republic of Korea, San Marino, the Vatican, Singapore, Uruguay or Venezuela): you must present a valid passport, which will allow you to remain in Spain or France for a maximum period of 90 days.

If you come from another country, you should apply for a Schlengen visa from the Spanish or French Consulate in your place of residence, subject to criteria established by the EU. You will also require a valid passport. The authorities may require a document showing the establishment of accommodation, confirmation of booking on an organised tour, a return ticket or ticket for a tourist itinerary, or an invitation by a third party. In addition, they may also require you to show that you are in possession of sufficient funds for maintenance during your stay. It is advisable to take out travel insurance for your trip.

Health Care

You do not need any vaccinations against illness to travel to the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland: Public medicine is superb in France, (rated top in the world). Medical facilities in Spain are not quite as sophisticated but still perfectly adequate. If you are suddenly taken ill or have an accident, free or reduced-cost necessary treatment is available.

Each country has different rules about state medical provision. In some instances you will have to pay part or all of the cost, and then claim a full or partial refund through your medical insurance. It it essential to carry insurance as without it you will be obliged to pay the full costs of treatment.