Southern and Central France

Enjoy the natural beauty and rural railways of Southern France and the Massif Central, including the Cevennes steam railway, the Puy de Dôme rack railway and the splendid Cevennes main line with the iconic Chamborigaud viaduct, one of the most spectacular SNCF-operated routes in the country.ost spectacular mountain trains in France.

• Experience the delights of rural France and off the beaten path with charming cities and delightful countryside towns straight out of a picture-book.
• Visit steam, heritage and mountain railways, including Puy de Dôme rack railway and AGRIVAP, with the 42 km long panoramic railway from Ambert to La Chaise-Dieu, the longest preserved railway in France that runs through numerous areas of outstanding natural beauty.
• Based at centrally located quality hotels in historic and vibrant Montpellier, as well as the attractive cathedral city Clermont-Ferrand, surrounded by volcanic hills, you will enjoy a holiday with the right balance of exploration, relaxation and comfortable railway travel, including SNCF TGV, TER and Intercity trains.
• This tour can be enjoyed on its own or conveniently combined with our connected ‘Lyon and the French Alps’ holiday for even more amazement in ‘La belle France’.

Thursday 25 June

London to Montpellier via Paris

Travel on direct Eurostar service from London St. Pancras to Paris Nord and then on a direct TGV from Paris Gare de Lyon to Montpellier Saint-Roch, arriving in the south of France during the afternoon. You have free time to have a look the beautiful old town with elegant buildings, spacious squares, historic sandstone architecture and quaint little alleys. Dinner is provided at your centrally located, smart hotel. (D)

Friday 26 June

Steam at the train à vapeur des Cévennes

After breakfast you have a coach transfer to Anduze, nestled in the Cévennes mountain range. You enjoy a steam-hauled round trip on the local preserved railway, which has operated on the standard gauge line through the River Gardon Valley since 1982. Your vintage train is hauled by one of the railway’s five powerful steam locomotives, all dating from the early 20th century. You have reserved seats and may enjoy the tranquil scenery, before arrival to the St-Jean-du-Gard, where there is time to photograph the steam locomotive and have lunch. This delightful village boasts wonderful stone houses and arched bridges and is straight out of a travel album. After mid-day refreshments you return by steam train to Anduze and from there continue by coach the short distance to the beautiful Roman city of Nimes, where you can view the Roman arena and adjacent old town. Back in Montpellier you may enjoy a free evening in this delightful, typically French city. (B)

Saturday 27 June

On the Cévennes main line over Chamborigaud viaduct to Clermont-Ferrand

Today you travel on the 392 km long Cévennes main line from Nimes to Clermont-Ferrand, a five hour journey that many consider to be the most scenic SNCF train route in France, passing through stunning hillside and mountain scenery in the Massif Central. Along the way are 51 tunnels and 16 impressive viaducts. The summit of the line is reached a La Bastide at an altitude of 1024 m. Other highlights are the 384 m long, curved, stone-arched Chambourigaud viaduct or the even longer 433 m Chapeauroux viaduct. You arrive in Clermont-Ferrand in the mid afternoon and check into your hotel.
For the rest of the afternoon you are free to explore the city, using your complimentary tram ticket to explore. In the evening there’s a group dinner at the hotel. (B D) 

Sunday 28 June

Panoramic trains at the AGRIVAP heritage railway in the Massif Central

After breakfast you have a coach transfer from your hotel to Ambert station, where you board the panoramic sightseeing train of the tourist railway AGRIVAP, formed of observation cars and fresh-air summer wagons. You make the 42 km long journey through the delightful countryside scenery south to La Chaise-Dieu,
a trip that will take you on numerous horseshoe curves and tall viaducts, passing along idyllic rivers and rising to different hilltop summits. At the southern terminus there is time for sightseeing and lunch in the pretty old town with numerous historic churches and other impressive landmarks. In the afternoon you make the return trip by train to Ambert, before the coach returns to Clermont-Ferrand. Tonight dinner is at your leisure in the city (B)

Monday 29 June

Puy de Dôme rack railway amidst volcanic landscapes

The iconic, green lava dome Puy de Dôme is an old volcanic cone that can be seen for miles around the region and prominently rises to a height of 1465 m (4806 feet) to dominate the scenery in this beautiful northern part of the Massif Central. A UNESCO World Heritage site since 2018, the Puy de Dôme is one of the most stunning natural locations in France and since 2012 can be accessed by a newly built, 5.3 km long rack railway with Swiss-made mountain-climbing trains. You make the full return journey on the rack railway, enjoying the breathtaking views during the ascent and once at the top. After the return by train to the base station,
you return to Clermont-Ferrand for some more free time in the city, before a farewell dinner at the hotel. (B D) 

Tuesday 30 June

Return by rail to London via Paris; or transfer by train to Lyon

For the last day of the tour, you will take a direct morning SNCF Intercity train from Clermont-Ferrand to Paris-Bercy, before transferring in Paris Nord for the return to London by Eurostar. Alternately, should you wish to combine this holiday with our conneccting tour ‘Lyon and the French Alps’ you take a direct SNCF TER train from Clermont-Ferrand without change to Lyon Perrache station. At Lyon you then join the next group for the ‘French Alps’ holiday, with the hotel being in convenient reach of Perrache station. You then have a welcome dinner with the new group in the evening in Lyon. (B)