Perpignan

Perpignan is a cozy town that connects France with Barcelona. There isn't much to see, but if you happen to end up there, it is well worth a visit. It is the first bigger town when entering France from Spain, and so a useful place to change vehicles.

The southward view from the bridge over the autoroute.

Hitchhiking out

Going South and North

When traveling North, it is recommended to wait by the traffic lights on Cours Lazare Escarguel where traffic occasionally stops. It is possible to get a lift from here to the autoroute ramp further up.

You might as well try walking to the autoroute which is a very long but nonetheless very nice morning activity (for some). Just follow the signs for Barcelona. You'll probably walk for hours through many roundabouts, and at one point you even have to go on a sort of nature walk (hitchhiker Zac can't remember what prompted this but there was an obvious reason and a clearly cut trail through the woods that passed under a bridge), and eventually you'll get to a long, lonely but beautiful road with viniards on either side. Keep going, and eventually you'll get to the autoroute onramp situated on a bridge over the A9. You can stop here if you want to try your luck, or you can go to the péage which is visible from the bridge. Just follow the road down there and cut into the woods to get around and come out on the south side of the péage. From there you can thumb a ride, and there's even a parking area big enough for a lorry to stop for you. Note: getting to the other side of the péage involves crossing a creek and jumping one or more fences! Attempt at your own peril (or pleasure!).

Another good spot to wait is a small roundabout 10 minutes north of the river on foot. Walk North on Cours Lazare Escarguel, cross the river, where CLE changes its name to Pont Arago. Just before the sidewalk ends, take the stairs (on the right) down to the street below. Continue walking north, parallel to Pont Arago for 5 - 10 minutes. The road will veer to the right and you will be able to see another roundabout. Cars going both North (Toulouse, Montpellier) and South (Barcelona) frequently pass by here. I've successfully hitched from here twice. [EDIT: August 2017. We were standing there for two hours under full sun and no luck. This spot is not good at all. Few cars and most of them heading North instead of South. Actually, people looked like they were from the area and they wouldn't cover much more than 10km. Don't use this spot! GO to the bottom of this page to find my personal recommendation.]

Yet another good spot, if you're travelling South, is a roundabout 15-20 minutes on foot south of the city centre. Walk down the Boulevard Felix Mercader until and continue when it changes name to Avenue du Général Guillaut - just follow the signs for Barcelona. It's the first roundabout you meet after the road changes name and there's lots of space for cars to stop.

A great option if you're heading North

Due to the opening of the new Rocade the best option to get North direction (Toulouse, Carcassonne, Narbonne and Montpellier) it´s by public transport. Armoniautopia has done this lots of time and it always worked very well, much better than the other options. You just need to get bus number 4 direction Languedoc and get out at the bus stop Monticelli. From the bus stop you cross to the other side of the road and you stand there at the entrance of la voie rapide. You´ll see in the green road sign Narbonne. Stand with your sing and there is enough space for the cars to stop and pick you up!!

Other options to get to autoroute

This is in the experience of Armoniautopia the best and quickest option if you are heading to the South (Girona, Barcelona) To get to the peage (pay toll) by public bus, the best is to take the line number 3, direction Pascot. Get out on the last stop, then walk until the end of Avenue Pascot, then go left on Route de Canohes until you see the big road (road D900). Go on right and follow this road for few hundred metres until the toll. Cars have lots of space to stop and there is usually lots of traffic.

From this toll you can easily get a lift North or South. There is an international fruit and vegetable wholesale market (Saint Charles Market) close to this toll, many trucks that come from there enter the autoroute through this toll to go both to Spain and France. If you go to Toulouse, it is best to use a sign and accept only lifts going there because 60 km North in Narbonne the motorway splits. Equally, if you want to go to Montpellier, don't accept lifts that don't bring you directly to your destination.

If you're going to Spain and your driver is only driving to Le Boulou (which is the last exit before Spain) avoid getting out on the last petrol station called Village Catalan; on the map it looks like the last best place to hitchhike but no one going to Spain stops here because petrol is cheaper on the other side of the border (as of 2008). Instead, go to Le Boulou but ask your driver to drop you off at the final barrières de péage where all the traffic will have to stop (not to mix it with a small toll barrier on the sliproad which is used only by locals to exit and leave the motorway).

Another handy thing to remember is that buses within the province only cost 1 euro no matter how far you go! That way you can get almost to Andorra's border for only 1 euro.

How I got twice out from Perpignan and landed directly in Barcelona

This is my personal advice and has nothing to do hitchhiking. But this is what has worked for me. Keep in mind I don't encourage anyone to break any state's laws. I just report what has been useful for me. Method: wait until last minute INSIDE the train station for the train to Barcelona. Don't wait outside, on the platform. Once the train has arrived, don't go directly for it. You need to catch it last minute (or last seconds), when it is about to leave. Be sneaky, try to get in when nobody is looking. Inside the train, act normal, go to first class, leave your backpacks on the baggage shelves, and head for the train restaurant. At the restaurant, sit and enjoy the views. Or you can sit comfortably on your cozy first class armchair. I have done this twice and has always proved to be the best technique. Once in Barcelona, you arrive at the main station Sants. If you need to go further South, go to the Rodalies (short-distance trains) platforms and take the one going to Sant Vincente de Calders, R4, and get off at Castell Bisbal (more info on the Barcelona page). For those of you afraid of getting 'caught', I give you some facts: in France, they won't kick you out from the train. At least, this is not the common practice. You get a fine, but even if you live in France, if you don't get fined more than 10 times a year, nothing happens Now, if you don't live in France, you have it even easier. Myself, I have crossed the whole country twice and only got fined once each time I went across the whole of France. So you get an idea of your chances.