While Paris is wonderful, if you want to spend a day in the countryside you can consider either Champagne or the Loire Valley. From Montparnasse to Tours it's 55 mins via TGV, so you can be ready to explore one or two chateaus in a day and return in the evening.

There are buses to take you to the chateaus from Tours Gare and cost around 49 euros per person for a full-day tour- you'll visit Chenonceau, Amboise then Chambord which is quite a lot in one day.

While I would recommend a full day for each of these attractions, if you haven't the time it's a great day for the whole family and no need to drive or hire a car. Lunch is usually at Amboise which has lovely cafes, nothing really really gastronomic but good for lunch.

You can probably organise tickets for the chateaux pick-up via SNCF (gare) or www.tourevasion.com for more Loire Valley activities

Paris-Tours 55 mins via TGV
www.myweekin.net

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

In the recent flurry for Eurostar tickets to the Rugby World Cup final in Paris, return train tickets were costing hundreds of pounds.

My friends found that for half the price they could travel to Lille and then TGV onwards to Paris for considerably less. Although it's bit of a pain to change trains you can save a considerable amount.

www.tgv.com/FR/

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Take the train from Paris to Bourg St Maurice when skiing in some of the major French resorts such as Trois Valleys, La Plagne, Les Arcs or Tignes Val d'Isere.

As an alternative to the snowtrain why not take the scheduled London to Paris Eurostar and change stations on to the TGV from Paris to Bourg St Maurice. There is the disadvantage of changing stations in Paris, but this can be eased by taking a taxi between the stations. The advantage is that you have more flexibility with traveling times and the fares can be cheaper if you book early.

If you end up at Bourg St Maurice you can take time to enjoy the French town life with many interesting bars and restaurants. The Bazoom Bar is a favourite of ours, directly opposite the station. You can enjoy several hours having a good meal and watching the world go by whilst waiting for your transfer taxi/bus or before you board the return train.

The transfer times are very short in comparison to the airports, often in the region of 30 mins for Les Arcs, La Rosiere and Tignes / Val d'Isere. There is a funicluar railway directly up to Les Arcs. For La Plagne and Les Trois Valleys you have to use stations before Bourg St Maurice or the transfer is longer.

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Particularly if you are visiting with children make sure you take a trip on Metro line 14. This is a new line from St Lazare to Olypiades and the trains are driverless. If you get in the front carriage you can sit right up front and pretend to drive! It is great.

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

If you need to change rail stations in Paris (e.g. Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon), you can buy your Paris Metro tickets from Rail Europe, either online or at the London office in Piccadilly - thus saving you queuing time in Paris.

www.raileurope.co.uk/europeantickets/france_by_train/default.asp

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

The French railway system, the SNCF, is state of the art transport compared to ours, which is still using antiquated rolling stock on undulating track pulled by ancient locomotives. After the last war the French rail network had been either destroyed by retreating armies of the Third Reich or advancing armies of The Allies. And so everything was starting from scratch after the War. The result was a highly efficient network that had trains arriving fast, on time and reliably.

The SNCF prides itself on the Mistral from Paris to Lyon arriving within two minutes on either side of the predicted journey time. Translink, eat your heart out!

www.sncf.co.uk

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends