Which train from SW France to Paris?
 

On our return leg, we're pondering where to drop off the car after our trip thru Lot and Dordogne regions, and return to Paris.
Itinerary is quite flexible.
We've considered Brive, but maybe that's too slow a train.
We've considered Agen, but that apparently requires a transfer and layover in Bordeaux.
We've considered Bordeaux, but the train station is probably in central city, which might require an overnight stay to avoid morning traffic. We were not planning to go to Bordeaux
We've considered Libourne, which would avoid B.. conflicts, but that's seemingly a half day affair as well. Apparently the TGV goes thru there but doesn't stop there?
We'd prefer the TGV, but are open to the non-TGV if it makes more sense.

a few years back we took TGV from Biarritz to Paris Montparnasse...about 5 hours (left Biarritz at about 8 am). Biarrtz may be too far out. Also once took the non-TGV from Brive. If I recall it was a 4+ hour trip. All things considered that may be yor best and least complicated way to go.

The TGV most certainly goes through and stops in Libourne.

There's no reason on earth you'd need an overnight stay in Bordeaux just to catch a train there.

The Brive train isn't slow. It will get you to Paris faster than driving to Bordeaux or Libourne and then taking the TGV.

You can take a slow train from Périgueux through Limoges.

No matter how you do it, the timing from start to finish is about the same.

Oh, and it makes NO sense to consider Agen or Biarritz or Bayonne or anything in that neck of the woods. You'd be driving for hours just to get on a train.

Hey TB,

>Apparently the TGV goes thru there but doesn't stop there?<

The TGV to Paris stops in Libourne. It is only a couple of cars, but it is the high-speed train.

There is a Europcar office and a very nice sandwich shop across the street from the station.

((I))

If you leave from Brive the train takes 4 hours to Paris. Probably faster than most of the other options, depending where you start from.

Another option is a flight from Brive to Paris, from the new Brive airport
http://www.aeroport-brive-vallee-dordogne.com/en

The TGV to Paris stops in Libourne. It is only a couple of cars, but it is the high-speed train.>

couple of car TGVs - impossible I thought due to the mechanics of how TGV train sets operate - they can run in halfs but only two cars - never saw that but would be interested in knowing more about it.

Are you tired of driving? Is France ugly? You can drive much closer to Paris along beautiful roads if you do not dare to drive to Paris itself.

Here's a thread I started a few weeks ago that may be of some help. With help from many Fodorites, we were trying to figure out the same thing, and after looking at many, many options, we finally decided on the train from Brive to Paris. It's at 3pm, arriving, at 7pm, which isn't our favorite time schedule but it will make for a leisurely day leaving the apt. returning the car in Brive, and not being in a huge rush. Our 2nd choice would have been Libourne.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...m#last-comment

We would have much preferred the 9am train, but it only runs until Aug.31st and we will be there in Sept.

Good luck.

No, not tired of driving. But the route down to Avignon was faster, and cheaper, than driving. So we thought we'd take advantage of the SCNF. Trains is our part of the US are not as "accepted" as in France. Could be the experience (3 hours 10 minutes to travel 150 miles to Chicago). Too, per michelin, it's 5 hours, 75 euros, from Brive to Paris. So, at 39.90/per person, it's about a wash, without regard to the hassle of driving. The Brive airplane's in the same ballpark, at 69 euro.

I seem to be erring on the TGV site, in that the drop-down menu seems to give only routes going to Switzerland, or to the Marseille/Nice area, or to Bordeaux/Biarritz. I don't seem to find Libourne as an option for departing.
And France is far from ugly. I imagine the scenery from the train is about equal to that from the car on the motorway.

<<I imagine the scenery from the train is about equal to that from the car on the motorway.>>

Actually, it's significantly nicer.

Okay, I understand completely the interest of experiencing the train. I love to take trains. But in that case, you should not worry about finding the fastest tran. Even if you must change trains somewhere along the line, it is extremely simple.

And you know what? Now that trains go so fast in France, I am frankly disappointed. I take a train from Paris to Avignon every year, which takes 2h45 on the TGV. It's gotten to the point where I don't even dare take a nap for fear of missing the stop, even though napping on the train has always been one of my great travel pleasures.

Some excellent points made, by all responders.

ttt

Tomboy, you should be able to type Libourne in the search box, if you are using http://www.tgv-europe.com/en/

in the drop-down box for ticket collection country, don't select US; choose Afghanistan or Antarctica, or you will be routed to RailEurope instead. (if you select France, you will be routed to voyages-sncf, which is fine if you are willing to complete your transaction in French.)

Direct trains is usually the default; if you want more choices, un-check that box.

There is also direct train (sometimes bus) service betweeen Sarlat and Lilborune in case you want to ditch the car in Sarlat, if possible.

Using ardithl's site above, be sure to put Great Britain as your country or you will be redirected to raileurope which is more expensive.

We took the train from Brive and ran into 2 minor problems. The Europcar (contacted through AutoEurope) office was closed. There was a sign on the door to leave car on street and turn in the key at the front desk of a local hotel. We weren't thrilled with this arrangement but parked the car, took photos and dropped the key. No adverse effects.
We expected the train to have food. We were traveling over lunchtime and could only find a car with vending machines. Had we known,s we could have taken something with us.

<<I imagine the scenery from the train is about equal to that from the car on the motorway.>>

Actually, it's significantly nicer.

I disagree. Best are secondary roads. The motorways tend to flatten out the countryside, but less than the trains and the scenery goes by more slowly.

If you want to check trains in France, you are much better off using the French site, from SNCF http://www.voyages-sncf.com/

To check schedules click on 'Horaires'.

''We would have much preferred the 9am train, but it only runs until Aug.31st and we will be there in Sept.''In fact, although there were no trains shown in September at 9, it now appears on the schedule. Takes 4h15 min. to get to Paris.

Regarding food on trains, not typical on this type of train. Often they do have a sandwich cart going up and down the aisles. Most people bring their own - we had a friend staying with us who was going back by train, and we packed him a picnic. He said he felt quite French opening up his lunch along with everyone else.

And regarding scenery, I don't find this route very scenic, unfortunately. Certainly not any better than driving the autoroute.