France

Burgos Cathedral Leave Madrid behind and, five days later, arrive in Bordeaux having crossed Castile, the mountains of the Basque Country and the French Atlantic coast. No airport. No hire car. And no need to rush from one famous city to another. This five-day journey is about what happens in between. You begin among the grand boulevards, galleries and tapas bars of Madrid before travelling north to medieval Burgos. From there, the landscape becomes steadily greener as the ra

View of the Almudena Cathedral in Madrid, Spain There is something rather satisfying about leaving London by train and, a few days later, emerging from a railway station beneath the brilliant blue skies of Madrid. No airport lounges. No baggage carousels. No hire car waiting at the other end. Instead, the journey unfolds gradually. London disappears beneath the Channel. Paris provides the first overnight stop. The following morning, France begins slipping past the window as a

SBB Gotthard Train crossing the Alps There is something wonderfully old-fashioned about the idea of leaving Paris by train and arriving in Venice a few days later. Not old-fashioned in the sense of being slow or difficult. Quite the opposite. Europe's modern railways have made this journey remarkably easy. High-speed trains carry you from Paris into Switzerland in around four hours. From Zurich, a direct EuroCity crosses the Alps into Italy. Another fast train takes you from

Digne, France, at Midnight Most visitors arriving in Nice never venture beyond the beaches and glamorous resorts of the Côte d'Azur. Yet just a short walk from the city's main station, another railway tells a completely different story. The Train des Pignes leaves the Mediterranean behind almost immediately, climbing steadily through narrow valleys, medieval villages and dramatic limestone landscapes before reaching the spa town of Digne-les-Bains. Operated by the historic Ch

Menton, France There are train journeys where the destination is everything, and then there are journeys where you find yourself reluctant to arrive. The railway from Marseille to Ventimiglia falls firmly into the second category. For almost four hours, the tracks hug the Mediterranean coastline, weaving between fishing ports, glamorous resorts, sandy beaches and rocky headlands before quietly crossing into Italy. Unlike many scenic railways that exist purely for sightseeing,

Paris in Summer Some people avoid Paris in summer. They imagine crowded boulevards, long queues outside museums and temperatures that make sightseeing feel like hard work. The reality is rather different. While millions of visitors continue to arrive throughout July and August, many Parisians head for the coast, the countryside or their family homes, giving the city a noticeably different rhythm. Neighbourhood cafés feel more relaxed, parks fill with picnics rather than commu

Mont Saint Michel, Normandy, France Few places in France capture the imagination quite like Mont-Saint-Michel. Rising dramatically from the sands of Normandy Bay, crowned by a soaring medieval abbey, it seems almost too extraordinary to be real. For centuries, pilgrims walked across the tidal flats to reach it. Today, high-speed trains have replaced those long journeys, but the sense of anticipation remains remarkably similar. The first glimpse of the Mont rising above the ho

Touring France by Train Last FREE DAY TODAY If you've been thinking about downloading Touring France by Train, this is your reminder—today is the final day to get the Kindle edition completely FREE. 👉 Download here:https://mybook.to/TouringFranceByTrain France is one of Europe's finest countries to explore by rail. High-speed TGV services, scenic regional routes and excellent local connections make it easy to discover everything from iconic cities to hidden villages, spectac

Touring France by Train Guidebook is Free to Download from June 30th to July 2nd 2026 If France has been on your travel wish list, now is the perfect time to start planning. For the next three days only (30 June–2 July), you can download the Kindle edition of Touring France by Train completely FREE. 👉 Download your free copy here:https://mybook.to/TouringFranceByTrain France is one of Europe's most rewarding countries to explore by rail. Its extensive high-speed and regional

Some buildings are beautiful. Others are historically important. The Hospices de Beaune somehow manages to be both. At first glance, visitors are drawn to the famous glazed roof tiles — colourful geometric patterns that have become one of the defining images of Burgundy. But behind those striking roofs lies a much deeper story. For more than five centuries, this was not a palace, monastery or château. It was a hospital. A place created to care for the poor, the sick and the v

Menton Old Town, France There are train journeys that take you somewhere. And then there are those where the journey itself becomes the reason to travel. The short coastal line from Nice-Ville Station to Menton is one of the latter. It takes less than an hour. But in that time, you pass through some of the most sought-after coastline in Europe — Villefranche-sur-Mer, Beaulieu, Monaco — with the Mediterranean opening up beside you almost the entire way. No driving. No parking.

There is something quietly satisfying about arriving in Lille by train. One moment you are in Paris, London or Brussels. The next, you step out into a city that feels distinctly different from anywhere else in France — more northern, more Flemish, more relaxed. Trains arrive directly into the centre at Lille Flandres Station and Lille Europe Station, and within minutes you are walking through cobbled streets lined with colourful façades, bakeries, independent shops and cafés

Paris by Night There is something quietly satisfying about leaving Paris after dinner and waking beside the Mediterranean. Not dramatic. Not luxurious in the Orient Express sense. Just deeply civilised. The overnight train to Nice still preserves a version of European travel that airports have almost completely erased: the sense that the journey itself matters. At around 8pm, passengers begin filtering into Gare d'Austerlitz carrying paper bags from wine shops, backpacks pack

Roman Arena, Nimes, France Why Go? Nîmes is one of France’s most rewarding small cities — a place where everyday life unfolds among some of the best-preserved Roman monuments in Europe. But what makes Nîmes special isn’t just its history. It’s the atmosphere. You can walk from a 2,000-year-old amphitheatre into a shaded square for lunch, spend the afternoon wandering gardens built around Roman ruins, and end the day with a glass of local rosé as the city glows in the evening

If France has been on your travel list, this is your moment. For the final day today , our 2026 guide Touring France by Train is available FREE on Amazon —and after today, it goes back to full price. This isn’t just another travel guide. It was created for a very specific kind of traveler: someone who wants freedom, flexibility, and a more authentic way to explore France—without the stress, the high costs, or the overwhelm. Why Real Travel Guides Published This Guide Too man

Planning a trip to France in 2026? This is the moment most people get stuck. Too many places. Too many logistics. Too many decisions. Flights get booked… and then everything else becomes overwhelming. But there’s a simpler way to do it — and it completely changes the experience. Travel France the Way It Was Meant to Be Seen Forget rigid tours. Forget long drives and confusing road systems. France has one of the best rail networks in the world — fast, scenic, and incredibly ea

Le Puy-en-Velay feels made for Autumn. After the heat of summer, the surrounding volcanic landscape takes on a different character. Autumn colours begin to spread across the hills and valleys, the air turns crisp and clear, and the cooler temperatures make this one of the most enjoyable times for walking. The softer autumn light is particularly beautiful here, bringing out the contours of the Haute-Loire’s dramatic volcanic landscape and opening up wonderful views across the

Cathedral of St Peter, Montpellier Montpellier is one of southern France’s most vibrant and youthful cities — and in spring, it truly comes into its own. Think warm sunshine without the summer heat, café terraces buzzing back to life, and easy access to Mediterranean beaches just as the season begins. Arriving by train places you right in the centre, making this an effortless long weekend destination with no need for a car. This guide covers what to see, where to eat, where t

Panoramic View of Lyon, France Spring is one of the best times to visit Lyon. The riverside paths come alive with locals, terraces spill into the streets, and the hills above the city turn green again. It’s warm enough to linger outdoors, but still calm enough to explore without summer crowds. Arriving by train, you step straight into one of France’s most rewarding cities — compact, atmospheric, and built for wandering. This guide covers how to spend a relaxed spring weekend

Rouen is one of Normandy’s most atmospheric cities — and in spring , it feels at its most alive. Timber-framed houses, Gothic churches and cobbled lanes are softened by blossom, outdoor markets return, and café terraces begin to fill again. With direct trains from Paris, Rouen makes an ideal car-free weekend escape — compact, walkable, and rich in history without ever feeling overwhelming. This guide covers what to see, where to eat, where to stay, spring walks, and how to e