Are there any great "classic" long-distance trains still available in France? - Maria Mountague
The inexorable spread of Trains a Grande Vitesse (TGVs) is all very well for those in a hurry but many British visitors prefer the gentle pace of ordinary trains on the old lines.
The countryside unwinds past panoramic windows, with occasional stops in 19th-century stations decorated with fresh flowers. But such trains are endangered species, with destinations such as Bordeaux and Strasbourg now served from Paris only by TGVs.
However, one main line has yet to be superseded by a high-speed track. It connects Paris Austerlitz with Toulouse via Limoges, Brive-la-Gaillarde and Cahors, a scenic route that cuts across some of the great rivers of western France. It's not quite hop-on, hop-off because there are only three daily services; but if you catch the early Eurostar from St Pancras you'll be in Toulouse, the lovely ville rouge, in barely 10 hours.
Mark Smith, the rail guru known as the Man in Seat Sixty-One (seat61.com), points out that however "TGVs still take the classic routes beyond the high-speed line. So Paris-Nice takes you along the Provençal coast, past those millionaires' villas and yacht-filled harbours".
The best way to explore France by train is still on a France InterRail pass. Prices start at £177 for three days' second-class travel in a month, rising to £416 for eight days in first - but you must also pay a supplement for many long-distance trains.
