TGV, A WAY OF LIFE
It's hard to believe, but this is the 25th anniversary
of the TGV, the high-speed train that has made the French National
Railroads a world leader in rail technology. France has been in the
vanguard of high-speed passenger rail travel at home and beyond. Bringing
its train service to Belgium, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy
and Great Britain. Within France the TGV is changing the way people
travel. Just consider train passengers now zip from Paris to Tours
or Lille in an hour, to Bordeaux or Marseille in 3 hours. On a daily
basis, 665 TGVs link181 cities in France.
PLANE TO TRAIN SERVICE
Transatlantic and international passengers find the
ultimate in plane-to-train service on arrival at Roissy-Charles De
Gaulle, which is 15 miles northeast of Paris. Not only is the train
waiting to take you directly to the Gare du Nord in the center of
Paris, but from the CDG station on site, there are 64 daily departures
to 48 French cities as well as five daily departures to Brussels aboard
the Thalys.
TAKING A SCENIC JOUNEY
Every rail will have a favorite scenic journey. Certainly the French
Alps will be a popular one. The 4-hour trip from Clermont-Ferrand
in Auvergne to Nimes in Provence is breathtaking. Sit back in your
seat and enjoy the excitement of cutting through mountain passes,
dipping down into the narrow valleys of the Cevennes, and skimming
across the upland plateau of the Massif Central which is inaccessible
by car and difficult to reach on foot. For a beautiful overview of
the Cote d'Azur, ride the rail from Marseille to Ventimiglia on the
Italian border. To see the castles of the Dordogne River Valley, take
the train between Sarlat and Bergerac.
DAY TRIPS
A wonderful way to spend some time is to plan a day trip by rail
to neighboring towns: leaving your hotel just after breakfast and
returning in time for dinner. Touring by rail makes perfect sense-built
in the 19th century, French train stations are located in the historic
heart of cities, and some of the most noted attractions are located
within walking distance.
From Paris, spend a pleasant day in Versailles or
the glorious Cathedral of Chartres. Or take off to Nornmandy and Rouen's
Notre Dame Cathedral.
From Toulouse, it's only a short train ride to Albi
where you will find the museum of native son Toulouse-Lautrec, or
an hour by train east to Carcassonne and its medieval citadel of La
Cite.
BORDER CROSSINGS
France is well-connected to her continental neighbors by several
types of trains, including the TGV: Paris to London on the Eurostar
train; Paris to Brussels on the Thalys train that continues on to
Amsterdam, Cologne and Dusseldorf.
