Grantier

I'm beginning to plan a trip for May, 2011 for my 30 year old daughter and myself. We'll have 2 weeks. Our focus is cathedrals dedicated to Mary and Mary Magdalene. I'm considering using the train rather than renting a car. Our destinations include Paris, Chartres, Nancy, Vezelay, Rennes le Chateau, Rocamadour, Arles, Avignon and Sts. Marie de la Mer. So, we'll be covering a good deal of the country. Can someone tell me the website that would allow me to see if there are trains that go to each of these locations? That would be my first step...then I can compare costs. I read that buses are infrequent and not convenient. Merci!

nytraveler

The best site for train schedules in all of europe s bahn.de - but it can give you prices only for trips beginning in Germany.

Based on your list of places I would think renting a car once you leave Paris would probably be a much better choice for 2 people.

For instance, Vezelay, although it gets quite a few tourists, does not have a train station (don;t know off hand which is closest). So you would need to lay out your itinerary and see what the options are.

Sarastro

Your itinerary, which spans virtually the entire country, will be very difficult to complete in only two weeks, particularly without a car.

There are several locations such as Rocamador, Vezelay, and Stes. Maries de la Mer which can only be reached by bus. These buses will tie in with rail service but these routes consume a great amount of time.

Still, here are the websites which have the schedules and ticket prices:

http://www.voyages-sncf.com (in French only)
http://www.tgv-europe.com
http://www.ter-sncf.com (in French only, this site has the most complete listing of TER trains)

Christina

Generally, there aren't train stations in small towns in France of less than at least 12-15,000 population. I know Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer doesn't have one, nor Rennes le Chateau. The former is just a small fishing village/resort town in the Camargue, Arles is probably the closest train station. Rennes le Chateau is probably about 25 miles from Carcassonne train station or something like that.

Of course you can get a train to the big cities on your list and Chartres, Arles and Avignon. I'm pretty sure there is a train station near Rocamadour, maybe a couple miles. Sometimes a train station may have a different name than the town or may have a joint name, and won't always be right in town center, like Rocamadour isn't.

kerouac

I recommend renting a car for a couple of days in some of those locations. The train is excellent for long distances, though.

Grantier

Thank you all for the information. It sounds like renting a car would be best so we can go wherever we want, whenever. I may do what my husband and I did 9 years ago - pick up the rental car in Chartres and then drop it off in Avignon, taking the TGV back up to Paris. I appreciate your help and will likely be asking more questions as I go along.

Canuckk

I've travelled France by car. It's such a beautiful country. Likely you'll often want to stop at times are not able to control the train to do so... Go with your own rhythm...go by car. Remember there is a journey on route to a destination.

ira

Hi G.

>Paris, Chartres, Nancy, Vezelay, Rennes le Chateau, Rocamadour, Arles, Avignon and Sts. Marie de la Mer.<

Great motoring trip, but it is somewhat rushed.

Amazingly, I have visited every venue you mentioned.

I would take the TGVEst from Paris to Nancy and get the car there.

If you go from Nancy to Vezelay, Avignon/Arles, Sts. Marie de la Mer, Rennes-le-Chateau, Rocamadour and then Chartres, you will make a big loop, with Vezelay being the only outlier.

"The .... Strasbourg cathedral ... was erected by the bishop Saint Arbogast of the Strasbourg diocese at the end of the seventh century, on the base of a temple dedicated to the Virgin Mary,......" (wiki)

Is that a good enough excuse to visit Strasbourg and other parts of Alsace?

Dijon and Lyon. both on your route, are well worth visiting.

Enjoy your whirlwind tour.

Grantier

Sweet - yes, thanks for the suggestion to include Strasbourg. That's exactly what I love about these forums - gleening bits of information that lead one to places otherwise overlooked. I am also recognizing that adding several days would be wise. It's a big expense to get over there and rushing does not honor my intention - which is a pilgrimage to sites that honor the Divine Feminine throughout time - Goddess/Isis/Mary - and Celtic sites honoring Mother Earth's sacredness. Thanks so much!