Читать книгу One More Croissant for the Road онлайн

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I’m not saying I’m an expert – the French railway is a byzantine operation – but it may be helpful to pass on some of the scanty wisdom I acquired after six weeks of travelling the network.

First off, if possible, speak to an actual human being rather than doing battle with the SNCF website or (even worse) one of their various apps, all of which are hard to navigate, even in French, and can be temperamental.

Secondly, if you’re taking a non-folding bike, you’ll need a reservation for it (€10) on high-speed TGV and other grandes lignes – unless, that is, you want to take it apart and transport it in a housse, or bike bag, maximum dimensions 120 x 90cm, in which case it travels free. Though the website makes great claims about how many spaces each train has (marked with a blue bicycle symbol on timetables), I found they were rarely available, so make sure you check ahead.

That said, if you don’t mind travelling at a snail’s pace, you can take your bike on any regional TER service for free – the bike carriage is usually at the far end of the train, and newer ones have hooks to hang your front wheel from (top tip: take your panniers off first). Though the steps can be a nuisance to navigate on older rolling stock, there’s almost always staff around to help. Try to lock the bike to something, or itself, if you’re going to sit elsewhere; it’s generally safe, but I have seen things stolen in the past.