We are planning to go from Provence to the Loire. Sadly, we will not have time to drive thru Dordogne and must save for another trip. What's the quickest train solution? Do we take the TGV from Aix all the way to Paris, then transfer to Tours? Actually plan to stay in Amboise, but assume that's not a major train stop. Also, when traveling Paris to Aix, either direction, do they make you change trains in Avignon? Can the Aix to Loire trip be made in one day? Sorry, I haven't been on a train since 1962.

www.sncf.com is the official site for the French rail system.

You can type in your cities, dates of travel, and approximate times, and it will offer you all options. You may even buy reduced-fare "Prem" tickets on-line, within 60 days of your dates.

The SNCF site indicates that you would have to take the TGV from Aix to Paris and then take another train (from the Gare d'Austerlitz) to Amboise. So at least there's some good news: no need to go via Tours. You can certainly make the trip in one day; the TGV to Paris takes only about 2-1/2 hours.

You will love travelling on the TGV! I wish we had trains like that in the U.S.

The TGV Méditeranée goes directly to Aix from Paris (and reverse).

You don't need to go to Paris and then back to Tours. I just plugged a couple of random dates into www.sncf.com and it showed trains going to Tours with a change at St-Pierre-des-Corps. The shortest ride was just under 5 hours, though, so probably not a TGV. I didn't see any routes with a change in Avignon.

Thanks. I'll look up St. Pierre des Corps on the map.