Nice-Paris TGV views
 

I managed to get €25 prems for Nice-Paris 09h39 TGV for 23rd June by booking early (22 March, actually 23 March in France); they had all gone by the following day. Does anyone know where I can get a leaflet or book or website describing views seen from the train?

No, I don't know.

But one thing that you will not want to miss going north is, immediately after leaving the Avignon station, the bridge over the Rhône where the TGV branches off in the direction of Montpellier.

This will be on the left side.

I'm sure there are other sources, but if you look in the large spiral bound Michelen France map, you can see the route the TGV follows...it's labeled as TGV track. Sometimes it parallels major highways, other times it's through the countryside.

On the TGV I took from Nice to Brussels (which may go over a different route from yours), I particularly liked the scenery of the Haute Vienne. Gorgeous. Unlike many Fodorites, Provence itself doesn't particularly enthrall me, I prefer things a lusher green.

Coming from Nice, sometimes right side is good : the white building of la Cité des Papes a bit away from Avignon TGV station.

We can see le Pont du Garde (Ancient Roman Aqueduct) on the left, can't we? I think I recognized it a couple of times not far away but hope someone can confirm. Left side between Nice and Marseile has sea view often so I would like that.

Thanks... I must remember to bring a map. We are on the top deck (storey?) so should get good views. We (me & wife) enjoy mountains, but I like to know which ones they are! We are in voiture 18, place 67 + 68, I wonder if that's left or right side?

How many times have I taken TGV? Yet I cannot tell on which side are seats are. I even had TGV trains with cars put the other way from usual so you cannot be 100% sure a particualr seat No. is on which side.

You can go to buffet/café car (no.14) and stand on which ever side you would like.

Well on morning in question I took my wife for a final early dip in the Med, then rushed away to return the hired car, got to the station nicely in time... but the train was reported late & eventually left 40 minutes late, keeping that up all the way to Paris. Unfortunately we were facing the rear, on left of train, but still enjoyed views over the cote d'Azur coast, caught sight of pont du gard & palace des papes, etc. Thanks for all contributions. After that it was a bit of a blur, pleasant countryside but nothing special, and we were tired at the end of our holiday.

Well, if you know the route the TGV takes, you might try Google Earth and see what you find!

The Pont du Gard is some distance from Avignon; I'd be surprised if it could be seen from the train. Also, the TGV Méditeranée might go via Aix rather than Avignon.

I don't think there's any leaflet of the kind you want. Someone ought to publish one. However, you'll find that the train's speed makes sightseeing somewhat difficult.

Underhill, TGV Méditerranée goes via Avignon AND Aix-en-Provence to Marseille.

I do see a bridge that really looks like le Pont du Gard from TGV somewhere between Aix-en-Provence and Avignon (closer to Avignon) every time I take that route. And on the map, TGV méditerranée line runs not that far from Le Pont du Gard. Still maybe it's not the one I see. I saw it again last weekend. Other people who have done the same route might know.