Eurostar to the South of France
Taking the Eurostar to the Languedoc is a nice alternative to flying or going by car. You get a nice comfy reserved seat, views over the changing countryside, and smart, clean, modern carriages.
In addition to this you get to stretch your legs whenever you want to. Perhaps go for a wander along the train to the buffet car for a snack and a glass of wine.
For those of you who don't know, the Eurostar is an international high speed train service between Paris, London and Brussels, through the 50 km (31 mi) long Channel Tunnel, using TGV-derived trains (French high speed trains). It is jointly operated by British Rail (European Passenger Services), SNCF (the French national railways) and SNCB (the Belgian national railways).
You may be surprised to learn that if you do decide to take the Eurostar to the Languedoc , you won't actually be taking the Eurostar to the Languedoc . What I mean is that the Eurostar only has direct services to, Paris , Lille , Disneyland resort, Avignon, Calais and Brussels.
From there you will have to take a TGV train down to Montpellier or wherever your final destination will be. But don't let that put you off. Your idea of taking the Eurostar to the Languedoc is still very possible.
Basically you have two choices You can change from Eurostar to TGV in Paris or Lille . So how do you know which is best I hear you ask?
Well the best thing to do is to look at the different train times in order to see which is the better connection for you. The Eurostar website is very user friendly and it's easy to work out what will suit you best. However Bear in mind the following. If you change at Paris , you will need to change stations as well as trains.
Your Eurostar train from the UK will arrive in Paris at the "Gard du Nord" and you will have to get yourself and all your luggage over to the "Gard de Lyon" in order to board your TGV connection. This means either a taxi ride across Paris (2.6miles) or a Metro journey are on the cards. If you decide to take a taxi or even walk (if you don't have too much luggage) then print off a copy of my directions first so you don't get lost.
Alternatively, if you're going to brave the Paris Metro (it's quite easy really) then have a look at this fab site first in order to see where you're going. Make a point of clicking on the 'Visualize your route on the subway map' link. It's very helpful.
If all this sounds a little scary, don't worry. There is an easier way. If you book your route to change at Lille instead of Paris, then when you arrive at Lille you will only need to change platforms rather than change stations.
See. I told you there was an easier way. If after all this, taking the Eurostar to the Languedoc sounds too much like hard work, then you can always have a look at flight options instead to one of the four airports in the Languedoc . Carcassonne, Montpellier, Nimes and Perpignan
Also, if you're going to need car hire when you get to your destination, then click here to see what I've learnt about hiring cars on holiday.
