Visit the France by train and in 10 days only ? Here is the challenge I have set for myself. But after some research and a lot of willpower, here is my train tour with a route which allows discover Paris of course but also some of the most beautiful regions of France : The The Loire Valley and castles, Bordeaux , Toulouse, Carcassonne ...
Ce discovery tour of France by train is communicated to you as a “model” to help you develop your own itinerary. The schedules and duration of the trips may vary depending on the date of the trip, strikes, schedule changes, deviations ...
10 days tour in France - Why choose the train?
To travel by train can be a good choice for will visit France. Indeed, this type of transport offers certain advantages compared to journeys by plane, car or bus:
- The train is more comfortable;
- It allows to admire the landscape;
- The atmosphere is special on the train, you can meet locals or other travelers and chat with them;
- When traveling at night, you can sleep on the train and save a hotel night;
- No parking problem, no traffic jam, no stress ...
- The train is generally faster than the car or the bus;
- Et much less polluting !
More to travel by train also has some drawbacks:
- The rail network is not sufficiently developed in some places, so the destinations are limited compared to the car;
- Traveling by train is longer than by plane;
- If you want to be sure that you have seats at your chosen times, you must book your tickets several months in advance.
10 days tour in France - Train tickets
This route being studied for a train tour, you ask yourself a few questions: where should I book my train tickets ? Directly in the stations? On the Internet ? On which site ? Do we have to book them in advance?
Of course, you will be able to buy your tickets at the stations, but it is likely that this way you will not be able to access all the possibilities of timetables and prices. The majority of train travelers book their tickets well in advance. Otherwise, by buying the tickets at the last moment, the trains you want to choose may be full and the prices will be much higher than buying them in advance.
Here is a nice and reliable site where you can book your tickets in advance: https://www.thetrainline.com/en/train-companies/sncf
Otherwise you also have EURAIL which gives the possibility of taking a pass to access most trains without prior reservation. More information on EURAIL
10 days tour in France by train - Map of my itinerary
To visualize my train tour, here is the map plotting the route in France that you could do in just 10 days. Obviously, if you have 15 days ou 3 weeks, this trip can be adapted and will be even more enjoyable. Indeed, you will be able to enjoy more peacefully and better tourist attractions taking more time. That said, if you are looking for a 10-day optimized trip, it will be a good compromise!
10 days tour in France by train - Summary of my itinerary
- 1 DAY: Arrived in Paris Charles de Gaulle airport and transfer to your hotel in Montmartre
- 2 DAY: Discover Paris
- DAY 3: Visit of Paris in the morning - Train to the The Loire Valley
- DAY 4: Visit of châteaux of Chambord and Amboise
- DAY 5: Amboise - Bordeaux - Visit of Bordeaux
- 6 DAY: Visit of Bordeaux in 1 day
- DAY 7: Train Bordeaux Toulouse - Toulouse visit
- 8 DAY: Toulouse - Carcassonne - Visit of Carcassonne - Return to Toulouse
- DAY 9: Toulouse train - Rocamadour
- 10 DAY: Rocamadour visit - Rocamadour return train - Paris
Visit France by train - Detailed itinerary day by day
Paris - Day 1
- Arrival at Charles de Gaulle airport at Paris
- Take a taxi to your hotel (around 30 minutes)
- Night in Paris with perhaps a dinner show at the Moulin Rouge or an Evening Cruise on the Seine...
Do you know that Montmartre is my favorite place in Paris ?
So, you can imagine that I will advise you to book a hotel in the neighborhood of Montmartre.
Below are my 2 favorites.
Cheap hotel in Paris - ibis Montmartre hotel
Why choose this hotel in Montmartre ?
Because its location is ideal! If you treat yourself to dinner at Moulin Rouge, you will not need to take a taxi as the famous cabaret is right next to the hotel. From this hotel you can visit everything Montmartre on foot and all of Paris very easily (metro 5 min walk). In addition, many restaurants and cafes can be found nearby. Last argument: its low price !
My favorite hotel in Paris - Maison Lepic Montmartre
Why stay at Lepic Montmartre House ?
Especially for its garden in the center of Paris, its romantic atmosphere and the type of accommodation (guest house).
2 steps from The Sacred Heart, the rooms are comfortable, clean and very well equipped. Special mention to the super generous breakfast buffet with quality fresh products and very good pastries.
Paris - Day 2
- Visit of Paris: Champs Elysées, Eiffel Tower, Pont des Arts, Cathedral of Our Lady, the neighborhood of Montmartre, The Sacred Heart...
- Dinner cruise on the Seine or dinner show at Moulin Rouge ;
- Nuit à Montmartre
Paris Loire Valley Chambord - Day 3
- Visit of Paris in the morning (museums, shopping, etc.)
- Paris - Chambord route
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- 13:00 p.m. Departure from Gare d'Austerlitz in Paris to Mer (in the Loir et Cher) (2h)
- Change in Blois
- 14:44 p.m. Take the TER train to Mer
- Arrival at 14:53 p.m. at Mer (Loir-et-Cher)
- Take a taxi from Mer (+33 2 54 78 07 65 or +33 2 54 74 00 40) to go to Chambord (15 minutes)
- Installation at your hotel
- Nuit à Chambord
Best hotel in Chambord - Relais de Chambord
Here is the most beautiful place to stay directly in the domain of Chambord.
The Relais de Chambord is a magnificent hotel to live a unique experience in an exceptional setting! Indeed, this luxury hotel is the closest hotel to the Chambord Castle but above all, it has 2 good restaurants, a spa, a hammam and a sauna… everything you need to spend a dream evening!
Chambord Amboise - Day 4
- Visit of the Château de Chambord in the morning.
Le Chambord Castle is, they say, the largest and most harmonious of the Loire Valley châteaux.
Built in the heart of the largest closed forest park in Europe, it is imposing and simply majestic!
- 14:30 p.m. - Taxi to Mer station (15 minutes)
- 15:09 p.m. - Sea train - Amboise (St Pierre) 30 minutes
- 3h43 - Arrival in Amboise
- Visit of the Château d'Amboise (1:00 p.m.)
Amboise located on the banks of the Loire with its superb Castle, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a little architectural gem of the Renaissance.
- Installation at your hotel - Overnight at Amboise
Hotel in Amboise - Le Manoir Saint Thomas
Perfect for spending a night as if you were living in the 16th century! It is a luxurious and beautiful place in a historic setting. Ideally located in Amboise, a few steps from the castle, this hotel has a beautiful swimming pool and modern comfort in its manor house. It's a good plan for visit Amboise for only 100 euros a night!
Amboise Bordeaux - Day 5
- Amboise visit in the morning
- 12h00 - Departure by taxi for Amboise station
- 12:35 - Train (TER) Amboise - St-Pierre-des-Corps (15 minutes)
- Change in St-Pierre-des-Corps (12 min)
- 13:02 p.m. - Departure from St-Pierre-des-Corps by TGV to Bordeaux (1h50)
- 14:52 p.m. - Arrival in Bordeaux
- 15:00 p.m. - Taxi to the center of Bordeaux
- Visit of Bordeaux
- Overnight in Bordeaux
Best hotel in Bordeaux - Courtyard side of the Hôtel Particulier
Here is the most beautiful accommodation that I was lucky to find in the center of Bordeaux (accessible to my small budget). This is not a hotel but a guest house with elegant and fully equipped rooms. The location in the center of Bordeaux is simply ideal: between the Grand Theater and Saint André Cathedral, it is located in a quiet and peaceful pedestrian street.
Bordeaux - Day 6
- Visit of Bordeaux (see my article Bordeaux in 1 day)
- Overnight in Bordeaux
Bordeaux Toulouse - Day 7
- Continuation of the visit to Bordeaux in the morning (Bordeaux in 2 days);
- 14:02 p.m. - Departure from St Jean station in Bordeaux by TGV train to Toulouse (2:00)
- 16:00 p.m. - Arrival in Toulouse Matabiau
- Take a taxi to your hotel
- Toulouse visit in the afternoon: see my article Toulouse in 1 day
- Night in Toulouse
Which hotel in Toulouse? The Large Balcony
With its ideal location in the heart of Toulouse center (100 m from the Capitol), this 4-star hotel is superbly decorated (30s style) with a blend of tradition and modernity. From this hotel, you can visit the historic center but also all the other tourist sites of Toulouse because it is a 3 minute walk from the metro. In addition, the shopping streets and the Galeries Lafayettes department store are also a 5-minute walk from the Grand Balcon Hotel.
Which hotel in Toulouse - Le Citiz Hôtel
Le City Hotel is a 4-star hotel with top-of-the-range services but at a perfectly fair price!
Its location is ideal. Indeed, it is located on Alleys Jean Jaures opposite Place Wilson, 5 minutes walk from the Capitole and 10 minutes from Matabiau station.
This is surely the best hotel in Toulouse for train travelers.
Carcassonne - Day 8
- Full Day excursion to Carcassonne from Toulouse by bus. In the center of Toulouse, you can take a bus that will take you to discover the Cité de Carcassonne, the Comtal castle and the Saint Nazaire basilica.
Located about 80 kilometers east of Toulouse, Carcassonne is a fortified medieval city unique in Europe, due to its size and state of conservation. Its history is marked by 2000 years of conquests and by the imprint of Catharism and the Crusades.
- Return to Toulouse by bus
- Night in Toulouse
Toulouse Rocamadour - Day 9
- Continuation of the Toulouse visit in the morning
- 14:28 p.m. - Departure from Toulouse-Matabiau station by TER Train (1h47 min) towards Gourdon (near Rocamadour)
- 16:15 p.m. - Arrival in Gourdon
- Taxi Gourdon - Rocamadour (32 minutes)
- 17:00 p.m. - Installation at your hotel
- Nuit à Rocamadour
Best hotel in Rocamadour - Best Western Beau Site
For the last night of your tour, treat yourself to a night in this beautiful hotel full of charm and character: Best Western Beau Site.
Ideally located in the center of the medieval city, it has a beautiful panoramic dining room where the restaurant serves good regional gastronomic cuisine made up of fresh and local products.
Rocamadour Paris - Day 10
- Visiting day of Rocamadour
Hanging on its cliff, Rocamadour offers a bird's eye view of the Alzou canyon. This great site in France has been a mythical place of pilgrimage since the Middle Ages.
- 17 p.m. - Taxi from Rocamadour to Padirac station (45 minutes)
- 18:13 p.m. - Departure by train to Padirac by TER (40 minutes)
- Change in Brive-la-Gaillarde (10 min)
- 19:03 p.m. - Departure from Brive-la-Gaillarde for Paris (4:23)
- 23h30 - Arrived in Paris Austerlitz station
- Taxi to Roissy Airport or to your hotel in Paris.
Do you prefer to discover France by car?
Check out my article: