Riding the TGV

  The ability to get from place to place is one of the fascinations of traveling in France. I know because, along with my wife, over the past decade I’ve traveled throughout much of the country. As a result I have used nearly every mode of transportation available. Most forms of travel are first rate but in not always dependable. On our first trip we brought our transportation with us-our bicycle. The result was a 1000-mile journey that took us from Brussels to Strasbourg. The only adversities we faced were an inordinate amount of flat tires, getting hopelessly lost on several occasions and dealing with a one-day rail strike in Eastern France. On our second trip, a fortnight in Paris, we discovered the Paris Métro and found it to be a fast and efficient way of getting to almost any part of the city. Again, a gentle reminder that we were in France–as if we needed one—was a strike that shut the system down for a couple of days, forcing me to forfeit my $225 seat at the French Open Tennis tournament. On our most recent trip, last summer, we rented a car and went in search of Roman ruins in the south of France. It was a delightful seven-day odyssey along scenic, back roads of Provence, Languedoc and Roussillon. But it was not until we rode the TGV, the French National Railroad’s (SNCF) high speed trains, that we experienced a form of transportation uniquely French. The TGV trains (Train à Grande Vitesse) are often referred to as “bullet trains” and for a good reason–they zip along at 160 miles per hour or more. In 1972 the TGV 001, powered by a gas turbine, set a world rail speed record of 198 miles per hour, a record that still stands. It was during our bike trip that I was first made aware of the TGV and the speed at which it travels. We were riding along a quite country road on our way to Fountainebleau when all of a sudden we had the wits scared out of us by a loud, rushing noise that lasted but a few seconds. Looking up, I caught a brief glimpse of the rear of the train as it disappeared into the distance. I had my first opportunity to ride the TGV on our most recent trip, taking the famed Lyon to Paris run. I was on my way to Montpellier to meet my wife, who was attending a two-week French language school. My train was to depart from Lyon on a Monday morning. In order to assure a passage I made a reservation, which is recommended, several days prior to my departure. With the senior discount, what the SNCF called Decourvere Senior Age A Justifier, the price came to 47.50 Euros. Before departing France I would experience two more trips on the TGV: a round trip from Paris to Montpeiller. Due to my inability to speak or read French I arrived at Lyon’s Gare Perrache in plenty of time to make sure I found the correct train. The station, one of two in Lyon, is a massive three-storey structure that also serves the city’s subway (Métro), trolley and bus systems. It was packed with people arriving and departing on all four modes of transportation. All the information I needed to know about my passage was printed on the ticket; nevertheless, I checked it against the overhead monitors spread throughout the station and, just to make doubly sure, with one of the clerks at the information counter. I found the escalator that led me down to the loading platform and had little trouble finding Voit 7–the car in which my seat was located. The luggage rack just inside the car entrance was already full, but I somehow squeezed my suitcase into the top rack. I took my backpack with me to my seat, located at the other end of the car. Just looking at the train’s aerodynamic nose, one knows the train was built for speed. Coupled together with the cars, the train resembled a missile on rails. On boarding, I found the interior of the car, with its two rows of comfortable, airline-type seats, to be clean and bright. A series of large windows running down either side of the car provide much of the light and gave the passenger a platform from which to view the passing–albeit brief–scenery. Once in my seat I settled back and anxiously waited for the beginning of what would be another memorable adventure. One of my first observations was, unlike with airline seats, there was ample room for my 6 ft. 3in frame. The trip from Lyon to Paris would take slightly less than three hours. Once clear of the city, the train achieved full speed–a speed that made the power poles place along side the tracks appear as toothpicks as they flashed by. One of the amazing aspects of the ride was its smoothness. It seemed as though we were floating on a cloud with only a slight motion from side to side. As for the noise, there was a light humming sound of which you were hardly aware. Once underway, I opened my International Herald Tribune and attempted to read but found I couldn’t concentrate. I was much more interested in the French countryside. I didn’t want to miss anything. Occasionally we would meet a train traveling in the other direction. The passing took but a few seconds, leaving me startled. Despite the fact that we pulled into Paris’ Gare de Lyon 20 minutes late (highly unusual for SNCF), meaning I missed my connection to Blois in the Loire Valley and had to catch a later train, my first TGV ride was remarkable. This train has become a technological symbol associated with the French, and is a unique and highly efficient method of moving tens of thousands of people daily throughout much of France and neighboring countries. I highly recommend you take your own ride as soon as you get the chance. Visit the TGV’s official site. Find your perfect rail pass here. Originally from Canada, Bob Christman lives with his wife Joyce in Portland, Oregon. They travel to France whenever they can.