"Are there any favorite train rides in France?"

Bayonne to St. Jean Pied-a-Port IS in France...

The Nice to Digne line isn't bad, either, Nice to Marseilles is good, and I seem to remember Lyon to Annecy was also good.

Also wanted to do scenic train travel in Europe and used the following to accomplish that in 17 days.

Brussels to Mainz via Koln (Rhine River great)
Mainz to Chamonix via Geneva
Chamonix to Lugano via Domodossola (Centovallia wonderful)
Lugano to Interlaken via Luzern (William Tell great)
Interlaken to Munich via Zurich (Golden Pass and Octoberfest)
Munich to Vienna
Vienna to Salzburg (Semmering Pass)
Salzburg to Innsbruck
Innsbruck to Mainz
Mainz to Cochem via Koblenz(included Rhine River cruise)
Cochem to Paris via Trier (wonderful Mosel views)

Other Rail journeys:
Bernina much better than Glacier Express
Brussels to London (Not scenic at all)
Bezier France to Geneva (very scenic)
Budapest to Ljubljana vis Vienna (very scenic)
Rome to Naples (scenic)

As you can see, I enjoy trains in Europe. I planned all using Bahn.de.

Thursdayd refers to the Centovalli (hundred valleys) train between Locarno and Domodossola, a famous scenic ride on a little train. The German train site still lists it.

In another thread, I just got reminded of another little train, the one that goes from Wilderswil up to Schynige Platte in the Bernese Overland. Really good views from that train of the Lauterbrunnen valley and, at the top (off the train) views of both Lakes Brienz and Thur. But then practically any train ride in Switzerland provides great scenery.

I enjoy just about any train ride in Europe. I love to watch the scenery stream by while sitting in a comfy seat with a large window. And I like looking into people's back gardens.

"Apart from Dumbarton!"

If only trains had blinds.

Are there any favorite train rides in France>

Personally I think most any ride in France is scenic in what I consider Europe's most scenic country as a whole outside of Switzerland.

Even the TGV rail line from Paris via Burgundy and Provence to Nice - there is always it seems a small village puncuated by a soaring steeple of the village chruch crowning a hillock in the distance. But in terms of dramatic mountain scenery not on mainlines but yes on the Chemins des Fer de Provence (sp?) that goes from Nice towards Digne yes this is one of my favorite scenic train lines in Europe - following river valleys into the rugged hinterlands of Provence and the Maritime Alps.

Although I said that all the trains in the Swiss and Austrian Alps were scenic, I just thought of a couple of mountain railways in Tyrol in western Austria - Jenbach up to Pertisau on the Achensee and Jenbach up the Zillertal to Mayrhofen. These sometimes have steam locos.

thursdaysd wrote: "(For my mammoth 17,000 mile train trip including Europe see http://wilhelmswords.com/rtw2004/index.html)"

Thank you. I think we may be kindred spirits. I just started on your Russian section (I'll be in St Petersburg in June but I'm flying in and taking a boat to Moscow) but I intend to read the rest during the quiet times on my coming trip. Is your Ramblings list still active? If so, I'll subscribe.

I had a peek at the Spanish section. We took the Renfe day train from Madrid to Granada in 2003. Much more pleasant than your Andalusian Express experience, with pleasant scenery becoming better in the mountains towards the finish.

Cheers, Alan, Australia.
--
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com (Travel, Money, Cards and Cheques in Foreign Lands)

I noticed several UK trains mentioned. I'll have a couple of free days in the Oxford to Birmingham district.

Does anyone know of a working steam train in that region for a day trip?

Cheers, Alan, Australia.
--
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com (Travel, Money, Cards and Cheques in Foreign Lands)

Hi Alan - yes indeed - thanks for your link - I'll spend some time there soon.

The Ramblings list is rather defunct, the action these days is here: http://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com - which also has email sign up.

Can't help much with your UK question, I think the nearest steam trains would be in Wales - see http://www.greatlittletrainsofwales.co.uk/

http://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com

Fascinating coincidence with that link. I'll be in Kerala for four nights next week including Munnar for two nights. I'm going there via Kuala Lumpur to break the journey to Europe from Oz.

Cheers, Alan, Australia.
--
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com (Travel, Money, Cards and Cheques in Foreign Lands)

ttt