Eighteen years in France, and I'll never get used to it: the amazing, efficient, fun, relaxing, and climate-friendly train travel that is so pervasive in France (and in Europe), yet so utterly rare in the United States.
Living in Beaune, the ease of train travel is nothing short of astonishing. Take a ride with me and see.
Dijon is a 45 minute car trip from Beaune. It's a good sized city (150,000), and parking is not easy or cheap. At an hour and a half round trip, we wouldn't go often.
So a friend and I decided to go by train, for a shopping day in Dijon. We left my house at 9, and walked down the tree-lined street to the train station. By exactly 9:19, we had bought tickets and we were comfortably situated in the cushy seats of a new modern train car. We marveled at the views, checked email and barely had time to peruse the morning headlines; 17 minutes later we were walking the two blocks to the central shopping district of Dijon. No parking, no traffic, no fuss, just a pleasant journey.
Paris is a four and a half hour drive from Beaune (though no reasonable person would drive in Paris). But we can stroll to our train station and be there in time to do some shopping before we déjeuner.
We can zip down to Lyon, or up to Strasbourg. Or we can just hop a train and go to lunch in nearby Nuits St. George or Gevry-Chambertin–it's a 10 or 15 minute trip. And did I mention it's all cheaper than driving and parking?
Why oh why has the states lagged behind on this? With the trains (and the rapid round-abouts instead of traffic lights), France has traffic under control. I think if all Americans could experience the delight of abandoning their cars for train trips like this, they'd be fussing with the powers that be to get the ball train rolling!
Have you enjoyed the European rail system? Do share. And a very happy new year to all. Bonne santé et bonne année!!
In the COMMENTS:Monique, great story about the papillotes, and Sandy how lucky you are to have an annual supply arriving at your door. Natalia, my neighbor said she also printed out the quotes—like Debbie, my favorite one is “I decided to be happy, it’s better for my health”. Peggy, I love the idea of southern sayings for your delicious handmade chocolates. Hmm, we may have to get suggestions from our southern readers. Suzanne (of Living with Loulou), I had forgotten you were in Collioure —what a beautiful place.
Favorite READS: No books to recommmend today, but a new TV show for fellow travelers: A remake of Around the World in 80 Days, on Masterpiece Theater, now showing Sunday evenings, and streaming.
42 thoughts on “Boxcar Blues, but Not in France”
Add the fact that senior discounts on rail fares make these trips even more affordable gives one more reason to live happy in retirement in France.
Bonne année, Lynn!
Add the fact that senior discounts on rail fares make these trips even more affordable gives one more reason to live happy in retirement in France.
Bonne année, Lynn!
Add the fact that senior discounts on rail fares make these trips even more affordable gives one more reason to live happy in retirement in France.
Bonne année, Lynn!
Brilliant post today and yes, the magic and wonder of European trains has somehow eluded the USA. Of course to cross the Rockies is not easy, or the Mississippi, but what the heck, anything can be built if someone designs it well. We pop down to Barcelona from Collioure for the dentist, have a lovely lunch at Bonanova and are back by 6:30, the car at the station for the 20 minute ride home. Pure heaven. Except now…COVID keeps us at home but as soon as we can, we will be shooting past villages, cows, vineyards on our TGV to adventure.
Brilliant post today and yes, the magic and wonder of European trains has somehow eluded the USA. Of course to cross the Rockies is not easy, or the Mississippi, but what the heck, anything can be built if someone designs it well. We pop down to Barcelona from Collioure for the dentist, have a lovely lunch at Bonanova and are back by 6:30, the car at the station for the 20 minute ride home. Pure heaven. Except now…COVID keeps us at home but as soon as we can, we will be shooting past villages, cows, vineyards on our TGV to adventure.
Brilliant post today and yes, the magic and wonder of European trains has somehow eluded the USA. Of course to cross the Rockies is not easy, or the Mississippi, but what the heck, anything can be built if someone designs it well. We pop down to Barcelona from Collioure for the dentist, have a lovely lunch at Bonanova and are back by 6:30, the car at the station for the 20 minute ride home. Pure heaven. Except now…COVID keeps us at home but as soon as we can, we will be shooting past villages, cows, vineyards on our TGV to adventure.
The US had a wonderful rail system. This is why luminaries like Frank Lloyd Wright or Arthur Lunt and Lynn Fontaine could live in tiny towns like Spring Green and Genesee Depot deep in the Wisconsin countryside and still host celebrities like Noel Coward, Ann Baxter, etc. All visitors had to do was hop a train. There were depots in even the smallest villages.
In the first half of the twentieth century auto and tire manufacturers bought up rail lines and destroyed them. They promoted our vast and costly interstate highway network so that people became dependent on their products and they became obscenely rich.
Many of the old rail lines have been converted into bike trails which is nice but can’t we have both?
The US had a wonderful rail system. This is why luminaries like Frank Lloyd Wright or Arthur Lunt and Lynn Fontaine could live in tiny towns like Spring Green and Genesee Depot deep in the Wisconsin countryside and still host celebrities like Noel Coward, Ann Baxter, etc. All visitors had to do was hop a train. There were depots in even the smallest villages.
In the first half of the twentieth century auto and tire manufacturers bought up rail lines and destroyed them. They promoted our vast and costly interstate highway network so that people became dependent on their products and they became obscenely rich.
Many of the old rail lines have been converted into bike trails which is nice but can’t we have both?
The US had a wonderful rail system. This is why luminaries like Frank Lloyd Wright or Arthur Lunt and Lynn Fontaine could live in tiny towns like Spring Green and Genesee Depot deep in the Wisconsin countryside and still host celebrities like Noel Coward, Ann Baxter, etc. All visitors had to do was hop a train. There were depots in even the smallest villages.
In the first half of the twentieth century auto and tire manufacturers bought up rail lines and destroyed them. They promoted our vast and costly interstate highway network so that people became dependent on their products and they became obscenely rich.
Many of the old rail lines have been converted into bike trails which is nice but can’t we have both?
I couldn’t agree more about the joys of French train travel.
Four or five years ago we were staying in Chagny, about 25km south of Beaune and we too wanted to visit Dijon and had absolutely no intention of driving there.
We arrived at the railway station to find that there was a strike on but the very helpful guy in the ticket office said that the train we’d intended to catch was running.
We were a little worried about getting back, but the very helpful guy wrote down the times of three afternoon trains which he assured us would definitely run.
And they did!
We had a slightly anxious moment on the return journey when the train broke down and we thought that we might get stranded because of the strike.
No worries! A replacement train arrived within minutes.
And Lynn, you’re absolutely right about Dijon. What a beautiful city! We had a great day, made even better by a delicious lunch in a lovely restaurant, just across the road from the amazing indoor food market, which is worth visiting Dijon for in itself.
I couldn’t agree more about the joys of French train travel.
Four or five years ago we were staying in Chagny, about 25km south of Beaune and we too wanted to visit Dijon and had absolutely no intention of driving there.
We arrived at the railway station to find that there was a strike on but the very helpful guy in the ticket office said that the train we’d intended to catch was running.
We were a little worried about getting back, but the very helpful guy wrote down the times of three afternoon trains which he assured us would definitely run.
And they did!
We had a slightly anxious moment on the return journey when the train broke down and we thought that we might get stranded because of the strike.
No worries! A replacement train arrived within minutes.
And Lynn, you’re absolutely right about Dijon. What a beautiful city! We had a great day, made even better by a delicious lunch in a lovely restaurant, just across the road from the amazing indoor food market, which is worth visiting Dijon for in itself.
I couldn’t agree more about the joys of French train travel.
Four or five years ago we were staying in Chagny, about 25km south of Beaune and we too wanted to visit Dijon and had absolutely no intention of driving there.
We arrived at the railway station to find that there was a strike on but the very helpful guy in the ticket office said that the train we’d intended to catch was running.
We were a little worried about getting back, but the very helpful guy wrote down the times of three afternoon trains which he assured us would definitely run.
And they did!
We had a slightly anxious moment on the return journey when the train broke down and we thought that we might get stranded because of the strike.
No worries! A replacement train arrived within minutes.
And Lynn, you’re absolutely right about Dijon. What a beautiful city! We had a great day, made even better by a delicious lunch in a lovely restaurant, just across the road from the amazing indoor food market, which is worth visiting Dijon for in itself.
I especially love the 90 minutes to Paris. It always amazes me. So beautiful, relaxing and suddenly we’re in a different world. It is wonderful. We have Amtrack from our town in SW Virginia to Washington as well as NYC but it stops several times and that somehow takes away the fun. I would love to see our rail system in the US improve but of coarse the spaces are so immense it could probably never reach as many people as in Europe.
I especially love the 90 minutes to Paris. It always amazes me. So beautiful, relaxing and suddenly we’re in a different world. It is wonderful. We have Amtrack from our town in SW Virginia to Washington as well as NYC but it stops several times and that somehow takes away the fun. I would love to see our rail system in the US improve but of coarse the spaces are so immense it could probably never reach as many people as in Europe.
I especially love the 90 minutes to Paris. It always amazes me. So beautiful, relaxing and suddenly we’re in a different world. It is wonderful. We have Amtrack from our town in SW Virginia to Washington as well as NYC but it stops several times and that somehow takes away the fun. I would love to see our rail system in the US improve but of coarse the spaces are so immense it could probably never reach as many people as in Europe.
Ah oui. J’en parle tous les jours et je prie que Monsieur Biden change l’infrastructure américaine qui est une blague!!!
Même mon mari fait les louanges du système ferroviaire français! Bravo! You hit the nail on the head!
Ah oui. J’en parle tous les jours et je prie que Monsieur Biden change l’infrastructure américaine qui est une blague!!!
Même mon mari fait les louanges du système ferroviaire français! Bravo! You hit the nail on the head!
Ah oui. J’en parle tous les jours et je prie que Monsieur Biden change l’infrastructure américaine qui est une blague!!!
Même mon mari fait les louanges du système ferroviaire français! Bravo! You hit the nail on the head!
Totally agree, fantastic service and clean, comfortable and on time. Why can’t the uk provide a similar service, trains are late, cancelled with no warning, dirty and overcrowded. Since privatisation late trains incur a fine for the company but a late train from London to Crewe will also be late on it’s return to London. The solution, stop in Birmingham on the way to Crewe and unload the passengers, so getting back to London on time and halving the fine.
Totally agree, fantastic service and clean, comfortable and on time. Why can’t the uk provide a similar service, trains are late, cancelled with no warning, dirty and overcrowded. Since privatisation late trains incur a fine for the company but a late train from London to Crewe will also be late on it’s return to London. The solution, stop in Birmingham on the way to Crewe and unload the passengers, so getting back to London on time and halving the fine.
Totally agree, fantastic service and clean, comfortable and on time. Why can’t the uk provide a similar service, trains are late, cancelled with no warning, dirty and overcrowded. Since privatisation late trains incur a fine for the company but a late train from London to Crewe will also be late on it’s return to London. The solution, stop in Birmingham on the way to Crewe and unload the passengers, so getting back to London on time and halving the fine.
We were just talking about train rides not long ago & how we missed traveling that way. I’ve only experienced European trains in Italy but I would love to in France. I just makes sense to travel this way in the states but who knows if it will happen. Wonderful post Lynn X
We were just talking about train rides not long ago & how we missed traveling that way. I’ve only experienced European trains in Italy but I would love to in France. I just makes sense to travel this way in the states but who knows if it will happen. Wonderful post Lynn X
We were just talking about train rides not long ago & how we missed traveling that way. I’ve only experienced European trains in Italy but I would love to in France. I just makes sense to travel this way in the states but who knows if it will happen. Wonderful post Lynn X
Merci pour le voyage par procurateur pendant cette pandémie qui continue. Ici à Austin Texas nous sommes encore au niveau 5 – le pire – avec Omicron. J’aimerais bien une journée par train pour faire les achats! Amuse-toi bien!!
Merci pour le voyage par procurateur pendant cette pandémie qui continue. Ici à Austin Texas nous sommes encore au niveau 5 – le pire – avec Omicron. J’aimerais bien une journée par train pour faire les achats! Amuse-toi bien!!
Merci pour le voyage par procurateur pendant cette pandémie qui continue. Ici à Austin Texas nous sommes encore au niveau 5 – le pire – avec Omicron. J’aimerais bien une journée par train pour faire les achats! Amuse-toi bien!!
Lynn, this post is wonderful.
I have happy memories of ,when as kids, our parents would take us to wonderful destinations on the train .
But even then the train stations here in the US (where we were in the Southwest in the 50’s)weren’t the safest locati ons.
Now, as adults, I really wouldn’t feel safe going where the stations are.
Really envy you for having peace and security going anywhere at any time.
Gosh.
Lynn, this post is wonderful.
I have happy memories of ,when as kids, our parents would take us to wonderful destinations on the train .
But even then the train stations here in the US (where we were in the Southwest in the 50’s)weren’t the safest locati ons.
Now, as adults, I really wouldn’t feel safe going where the stations are.
Really envy you for having peace and security going anywhere at any time.
Gosh.
Lynn, this post is wonderful.
I have happy memories of ,when as kids, our parents would take us to wonderful destinations on the train .
But even then the train stations here in the US (where we were in the Southwest in the 50’s)weren’t the safest locati ons.
Now, as adults, I really wouldn’t feel safe going where the stations are.
Really envy you for having peace and security going anywhere at any time.
Gosh.
Sure wish more of the trains would go up to Charles de Gaulle airport and to the little airport in Lyon. But I guess the big cities (even smaller ones) have more traffic than thee airports… It sure would be convenient though! But, gosh, what great connections you have from Beaune. Glad you are taking advantage of them.
Sure wish more of the trains would go up to Charles de Gaulle airport and to the little airport in Lyon. But I guess the big cities (even smaller ones) have more traffic than thee airports… It sure would be convenient though! But, gosh, what great connections you have from Beaune. Glad you are taking advantage of them.
Sure wish more of the trains would go up to Charles de Gaulle airport and to the little airport in Lyon. But I guess the big cities (even smaller ones) have more traffic than thee airports… It sure would be convenient though! But, gosh, what great connections you have from Beaune. Glad you are taking advantage of them.
Happy Happy New Year Lynne! We’re taking trains from Angouleme to Interlaken Switzerland the first of February. So excited to see snow but not have to drive in it – not to mention the hours I can nap or read in the luxury of a train. I love trains! Grew up riding them from Lynchburg, VA to New Orleans one way or New York City the other.
Happy Happy New Year Lynne! We’re taking trains from Angouleme to Interlaken Switzerland the first of February. So excited to see snow but not have to drive in it – not to mention the hours I can nap or read in the luxury of a train. I love trains! Grew up riding them from Lynchburg, VA to New Orleans one way or New York City the other.
Happy Happy New Year Lynne! We’re taking trains from Angouleme to Interlaken Switzerland the first of February. So excited to see snow but not have to drive in it – not to mention the hours I can nap or read in the luxury of a train. I love trains! Grew up riding them from Lynchburg, VA to New Orleans one way or New York City the other.
Oh, your train trip to Dijon sounds so wonderful. I am jealous. The United States could have had train travel but the other comments explained it well. Rich car and tire manufacturers closed down train travel for their own selfish profit. I used to take a train to NYC about twice a year and go by myself and feel safe but that is not possible anymore. The terminals are put in the worst areas of town. I once had a very scary incident while returning from NYC.
I have seen more security in France than we have here.
Oh, your train trip to Dijon sounds so wonderful. I am jealous. The United States could have had train travel but the other comments explained it well. Rich car and tire manufacturers closed down train travel for their own selfish profit. I used to take a train to NYC about twice a year and go by myself and feel safe but that is not possible anymore. The terminals are put in the worst areas of town. I once had a very scary incident while returning from NYC.
I have seen more security in France than we have here.
Oh, your train trip to Dijon sounds so wonderful. I am jealous. The United States could have had train travel but the other comments explained it well. Rich car and tire manufacturers closed down train travel for their own selfish profit. I used to take a train to NYC about twice a year and go by myself and feel safe but that is not possible anymore. The terminals are put in the worst areas of town. I once had a very scary incident while returning from NYC.
I have seen more security in France than we have here.
Loved train travel on my two last trips in France (far too long ago now) – was so relaxing and beautiful. Agree with Allison that it is disappointing that the TGV from CDG is limited; in 2010, I was able to take the TGV direct to Le Creusot (nearest my family) but just four years later would have had to take a CDG shuttle all the way into Paris (Gare de Lyon) in order to get to Le Creusot. Flew to Lyon instead – bummer. To chime in on the death-blow to public transport in the U.S. by the auto industries, way back in the 90s PBS aired a documentary that explained the corporate shenanigans well: Taken for a Ride. Won’t try to post the link but it’s free on YouTube on a channel called Peace Rebel.
Loved train travel on my two last trips in France (far too long ago now) – was so relaxing and beautiful. Agree with Allison that it is disappointing that the TGV from CDG is limited; in 2010, I was able to take the TGV direct to Le Creusot (nearest my family) but just four years later would have had to take a CDG shuttle all the way into Paris (Gare de Lyon) in order to get to Le Creusot. Flew to Lyon instead – bummer. To chime in on the death-blow to public transport in the U.S. by the auto industries, way back in the 90s PBS aired a documentary that explained the corporate shenanigans well: Taken for a Ride. Won’t try to post the link but it’s free on YouTube on a channel called Peace Rebel.
Loved train travel on my two last trips in France (far too long ago now) – was so relaxing and beautiful. Agree with Allison that it is disappointing that the TGV from CDG is limited; in 2010, I was able to take the TGV direct to Le Creusot (nearest my family) but just four years later would have had to take a CDG shuttle all the way into Paris (Gare de Lyon) in order to get to Le Creusot. Flew to Lyon instead – bummer. To chime in on the death-blow to public transport in the U.S. by the auto industries, way back in the 90s PBS aired a documentary that explained the corporate shenanigans well: Taken for a Ride. Won’t try to post the link but it’s free on YouTube on a channel called Peace Rebel.