Getting to the South of France - Eurostar - Paris - TGV - hire car

[CharlotteBog]

Bon soir,

Me and my 2 sons have an airbnb in a small town about 60km from Montpellier in the middle of August.

I think we will get the Eurostar to Paris, stay overnight (didn't factor that the Olympics will be on but never mind....!) then get the TGV to Montpellier, where I'll hire a car for our duration.

We've done quite a bit of train travel across Europe (which puts our rail network to shame), but I don't know the south of France very well.

Is there anything I need to consider before I book anything?

The cost is about the same as flying, obviously longer, but much nicer and part of the holiday.

I don't want to take my own car over because I don't want to drive that far myself.

I can’t comment on the earlier stages of your plan but I think hiring a car in France is more sensible than taking your own from UK. Having done both it is so much easier to drive a car which is designed to be driven on the right. All you need to remember is that the driver is always next to the centre of the road and then don’t overthink it - except in car parks where it can be easy to get on the the wrong side for some reason.

Have a lovely holiday!

Paris hotel prices will be extortionate during the Olympics (tbh they’re extortionate at the best of times!) so I’d consider getting an earlier Eurostar and doing the trip in a day. It’s about 3.5 hrs direct from Paris to Montpellier. Book your car hire from Montpellier station before you go. Be aware that train tickets will be very expensive while the Olympics are on too, and will get more expensive the closer you leave it to your date of travel.

Oh and download the OUIGO app for cheap(er) trains!

We have hired cars at Montpellier in the past, but I've always flown. Relatively easy to drive out of Montpellier. Where are you headed?

Hotel and Airbnb prices have dropped, over capacity. You need to download a permit to enter certain areas.

Eurostar prices are insane, I'm getting the train to London but flying back. 50€ one way flying or train but 250€ to get the Eurostar back to Paris.

Yes i've heard that hotels/air bnbs prices are dropping in Paris because of low take up at the Olympics.
We are heading in the same direction as you Op but we are driving, with 2 stopovers.
I think it is ok driving a Uk car on the French motorways, no real drama.
I have done it both ways as we lived abroad for a while and had a European car - it seemed weirder driving a French car here than it did a Uk car there . I know that does not make sense, but that's how it felt

Have you looked at the interrail one month pass?
I'm thinking of doing similar journey next summer and it works out cheaper. It can include your outgoing and incoming uk journey too.

The decision to hire a car there is purely because I don't want to use 4 days of my holiday driving there and back. I've driven abroad in both my own and hire cars and agree, it's much easier to be in the 'right' car for the roads.

I will have a think about this. Until I remembered the Olympics was on I was thinking it would be nice to have a day in Paris, but if it looks like it'll be too hectic maybe it would be best to do the whole thing in a day.

Thank you. I've never heard of this App, I'll have a look.

That's good to hear. We're going to Fontès.

Certain areas of Paris? Because of the Olympics, or is this always the case?
I don't know Paris at all.

I'll have to get cracking on booking the Eurostar. When I looked at flights, they were cheaper, but they're at horrible times of day and would mean either a stupid early start (which I hate!) or getting an airport hotel.

I didn't think of this, thank you.
We travelled by train to Croatia a few years ago and did get some very good deals - travelling on a family ticket or the kids being super cheap.
The overnight train was brilliant - our own sleeper carriage.

I do love to travel, I'm just a bit shit at sorting it all out!

So many helpful replies, thank you.

A sound idea, but it looks like they'd only need a 4 or 5 days in one month pass for that trip.

It's definitely worth comparing the price of normal tickets to the price of Interrail passes OP, especially if your DC are under 12 because then they get free passes! You do have to pay for an Interrail reservation on the Eurostar (about 30 euros) and the TGV (10 euros, or 20 when those run out 🙄). But if you're travelling in the school holidays normal train tickets can be more expensive, whereas Interrail passes and reservation fees are fixed.

Oh, and if you're travelling to London to catch the Eurostar your UK train travel is covered on that day (and on your return day), which can be a massive saving.

Booking a Eurostar during the Olympics may well be tricky/ expensive I would have thought 😬.

As I said above, Interrail reservations are only 30 euros, BUT they do sell out at popular times. On the b.europe website (Belgian railways) there is a feature where you can check whether a Eurostar still has Interrail reservations available before you have bought a pass.

If Paris is in very high demand, clever travellers sometimes take the Eurostar to Lille, from where you can get a direct TGV to the south of France.

Ah lovely. We go a bit north, to St Guilhem. Free local buses around 'le grand site' in July and August, if you wanted to have a look around that area.

We've done a similar trip. Have you looked at changing at Lille rather than Paris? It's a longer journey from Lille to Montpellier but there are some fast trains and it's a much easier interchange (you don't have to cross Paris to get to a different station, it's just a different platform in the same station). Lille is also much cheaper if you're breaking the journey and need a decent hotel near the station.

The TGV part of the journey is great. Very comfortable and beautiful scenery to look at.

We hired a car at Montpellier station and it was very easy. I remember it being slightly stressful finding my way out of Montpellier but once we were on the right road it was fine.

You'll have a great time. It's a lovely part of France and going by train is by far the best way.

Noted, thanks. We definitely do want to have a look around.

This is great, thank you.
I will have a look at going via Lille instead of Paris I think.
Yes - the dragging of suitcases from station A to station B when you just want a coffee and croissant is over rated!

We know that area of France well and frequently go by train. London to Montpelier by train is easy in a day, no need for the overnight stay in Paris.

Do you need to hire a car? Public transport is pretty decent round there.

Ahh nist seen you are going to Fontes. Yeah you will probably need a car.

Also be aware Montpellier has two train stations - St Roch which is in the centre of the city and Montpellier Sud De France TGV which is in the outskirts.

If you want the centre be wary of the cheaper OuiGo trains as often they often only stop at the TGV stations which are in the middle.of nowhere (of course if you a hiring a car rather than staying in Monpellier cente the TGV station may be a better bet)

Yes I was coming her to suggest Lille to Montpellier directly on the train!

www.pass-jeux.gouv.fr/en/

Details of the pass needed.