They’re better for the planet, they won’t be cancelled because of jet fuel shortages and you can take your own wine on board (100ml limits? What are they?) – here are some suggestions for a French train holiday this summer.
Trains were already having a bit of a moment as more people ditched flying in favour of an option that is not only better for the environment but also offers a much more comfortable – if slower – passenger experience.
But the fuel crisis following the US-Israeli invasion of Iran has thrown the summer flight schedule into doubt as some airlines are already cancelling flights, while Europe may face jet fuel shortages from the end of May.
Fortunately, France has a great domestic and international train network and as the lines are fully electrified they won’t be cancelled due to fuel shortages (although there is always the risk of strikes, we’ll come back to that).
So if you decide to take the train in France this summer, here are some suggestions for scenic trips to some of the most beautiful and fun parts of the country.
VIDEO: 7 of the most beautiful train journeys in France
Paris
The French high-speed train (TGV) network is heavily centred on Paris, and this is especially true of international connections. If you’re travelling from European cities like Berlin, Geneva, Milan, Brussels or London, all connections arrive into Paris.
And you might want to stay there – the French capital is very nice and has a lot of things to do. However, it’s well connected to the rest of France if you want to travel onwards.
If you don’t want to do a long journey, here are 7 destinations all within a three-hour train journey from Paris.
If, however, you don’t mind travelling a little further, then read on . . .
Marseille/Nice
Heading down to the Riviera is easy – the TGV takes just over three hours to cover the 750km to Marseille. At this point, you have a choice, you can either get off at Marseille or stay on the train to Nice.
Marseille is a great destination – lively, fun with loads to see and do and a busy nightlife. There’s also the Calanques for natural beauty.
If, however, you stay on board you will notice that the train slows considerably and takes another three hours to cover the 200km between Nice and Marseille. This is because the train runs on the slower line, which runs right along the Mediterranean coastline, offering stunning views as you go.
There’s also the option to take the night train to Nice (more on that below).
Once you’re down on the Riviera, there are also plenty of local (TER) services running between the beautiful little towns that hug the seashore. It’s entirely feasible to spend a week or two town-hopping between places like Cassis, Cannes, and Saint-Tropez. The towns are well set up for rail travel, so even places like Cassis – where the station is well outside the town centre – have regular shuttle buses coordinated with the rail timetable.
Train – TGV from Paris Gare du Lyon to Nice, stopping in Marseille.
Alps
The French Alps make a fantastic summer destination – less hot than the cities and the Mediterranean, the Alpine resorts are increasingly set up for year-round tourism with a wide range of activities on offer including hiking, cycling, swimming, paragliding or summer luge.
Those less keen on the active lifestyle can lie beside the beautiful lakes, take a boat trip and enjoy the area’s local wines and cheeses.
If you’re coming from Geneva or Milan/Turin your train (to Paris) will stop off at Alps towns including Bourg-en-Bresse, Bellegarde and Modane. You can then find local trains to other resorts or towns.
Otherwise, many of the resorts in the Alps are well connected with local trains from Lyon or Grenoble.
Trains – TGV Lyria Paris Gare de Lyon to Geneva, or Paris Gare de Lyon to Milan (stopping in Turin).
La Rochelle/Bordeaux
The south-west of France is lovely and offers a big choice from large cities to relaxed seaside resorts, and all are well connected via the ‘TGV Atlantique’ train axis.
Bordeaux is well served with direct trains from Paris that take just two-and-a-half hours and run every hour. Once there, the elegant city offers plenty to see including the Cité du Vin wine museum. Bordeaux is, of course, wine country and there are dozens of caves, tasting sessions or trips out into the countryside to visit the vineyards.
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If you want the seaside, head a little further down the west coast to the lively town of La Rochelle, three hours from Paris by direct train. Beautiful beaches, a relaxed vibe and a busy summer calendar of festivals and concerts make this a popular resort with French families.
Train – TGV Paris Montparnasse to La Rochelle, or Paris Montparnasse to Bordeaux
Les Sables d’Olonne/Nantes
On France’s Atlantic coast is La Vendée, long a popular destination for French holidaymakers but somewhat less well known to foreigners. The long, windswept Atlantic beaches are perfect for sports like surfing, kite-surfing and sand yacht racing (and real yacht racing – the Vendée Globe round-the-world sailing race starts here) while the area’s seafood, especially oysters, is second to none.
The pretty, coastal resort of Les Sables d’Olonne has regular direct trains from Paris – apparently due to the fact that so many wealthy Parisians have second homes there. They’re especially well timed for weekend breaks, with Friday evening and Sunday afternoon services.
If you don’t get a direct train, you go via Nantes, and it’s well worth breaking your journey to spend a few days in the quirky, cute town of Nantes.
With its large student population, it has a fun, young vibe as well as a giant mechanical elephant. Yes, that’s right – you can explore the town from the back of a massive mechanical elephant, or visit the Machines de l’Ile for more mechanical wonders.
Train – TGV from Paris Montparnasse either direct to Les Sables d’Olonne (3 hours 30 minutes) or via Nantes (2 hours 30 minutes to Nantes).
Reims/Burgundy
If you love wine, then Burgundy in eastern France is the place to visit. Start off in Reims (it’s pronounced rahn-s), the Champagne capital. An elegant city with a beautiful cathedral it also has multiple opportunities to taste the region’s most famous product. Direct trains link to Paris in less than an hour.
Stay at least one night so that you don’t have to stint on the Champagne, and then take to the local TER network to explore the smaller towns of the Burgundy region.
A good base is the pretty medieval hilltop town of Auxerre which is within striking distance of some of the region’s most famous wine appellations such as Chablis.
The region is well set up for vineyard tourism and most vineyards either offer their own transport as part of the package or will direct you to a local taxi service, since no one wants to be the designated driver when you have roughly 3,600 different wines on offer in the region. [Please note – we do not recommend trying to taste them all in a single trip].
Train – TGV from Paris Gare de l’Est to Reims, or TER from Paris Bercy to Auxerre
Bayonne/Saint Sebastian
We’re looking at journeys within France for this article, but just for fun you could also make a day trip over the border to Spain if you want to fully explore the Basque Country.
Although most of the Basque-speaking region is in Spain, France has its own Pays Basque, including Bayonne (famous for ham) and Biarritz (famous for spas and surfers).
The direct train from Paris takes four hours to Bayonne or four hours 15 minutes to Biarritz, and then carries on to Hendaye, perched on the Spanish border. From Hendaye, you can take a local train to San Sebastián, just under an hour away.
The Pays Basque has stunning countryside, mountains and beaches and also has a distinct culture that is different from the rest of France with its own local food (including spicy Espelette peppers) and a busy summer schedule of festivals, including bull festivals and the wild three-day Fête de Bayonne.
Train – TGV from Paris Montparnasse to Bayonne/Biarritz
Saint Malo/Cancale
Brittany is always a popular destination, with a good train network. For example, to get to the capital, Rennes, it’s only around an hour and a half from Paris, and if you push a little further, you get to the beautiful walled town of Saint-Malo.
The train station is right in the centre of the town and if you want to go further, buses can take you to other beautiful seaside towns like Cancale, famous for its oysters. The region has great beaches and coastal, and culinary specialities like the famous Bordier butter – and of course all the galettes and crêpes you could dream of.
Saint-Malo is also host to many different festivals throughout the year, including the graphic novels festival Quai des Bulles in March and the rock festival La Route du Rock in August. Even though the music festival is a little outside the town, there are free shuttles that can take you to the train station and back.
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What is also great about the region of Brittany is that many of the big cities are accessible directly from Paris, like Lorient (2 hours 53 minutes), Dinan (2 hours 39 minutes), Brest (3 hours 30 minutes), Saint-Brieuc (2 hours 18 minutes), Rennes (1 hour 25 minutes) and Saint-Malo (2 hours and 30 minutes). These cities are also all accessible by TER.
Train – TGV from Paris Gare Montparnasse to Rennes or Saint-Malo
Night trains
France also has a growing network of night trains, if you want to take things a little slower. They are part of the Intercité network and have slower journey times than the TGV, timed so that you get a good night’s sleep and arrive in your destination in the early morning.
If you choose the Paris-Nice route, you will depart from the city at 10pm, then open your eyes in the morning to find the Mediterranean sparkling outside the train window. Magical.
Pro tip – you generally arrive early in the morning and if you don’t want to carry your bag around all day, then use either station left-luggage or a bag-drop option such as NannyBags.
Practical details
Booking for the French train operator SNCF is done via SNCF Connect, available as either a website or an app. Tickets can also be bought on the European Trainline app.
Trains to popular destinations get booked up fast, so book ahead if you are planning a trip over the summer – tickets are on sale now. If you are treating yourself, check out first class options since these are sometimes available for only around €30 more than standard class.
Tickets on the TGV lines are booked for a designated train – the advantage is that everyone gets a seat reservation, the disadvantage is that you can’t simply take a later train if your plans change or if you are delayed.
All trains (with the exception of the Eurostar) allow dogs, but they need their own ticket. Most trains allow bikes, but you must usually book space in advance.
Will there be strikes? We can’t rule it out, it is France after all, but at the time of writing, there are no strikes planned for the summer – you can find all the latest updates in our strike section here.
