Train or Drive from Loire to Provence

Hello... I am a user and contributor to Trip Advisor.. This time I need help..

We will be in the Loire Valley and need to go to Provence without losing a whole day. I have 3 days total to spend in the Provence Area before heading to the French riviera.

I have checked trains and they seem to take 10 hours... Driving is about 688 km which is about 8 hours also...

Is there anything else I can do? I thought about Train to Lyon (spend the day/night there), rent a car and drive to Provence. Spend 2 days in Provence. Keep driving to the riviera. I am still looking at a very long train ride from Loire to Lyon.

Any other options? Please Help!

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You don%26#39;t give a date of travel, and I haven%26#39;t fully checked this, but I believe there is a direct TGV from St Pierre-des-Corps (Tours TGV) to Avignon TGV via Massy and Lyon Part-Dieu. St Pierre-des-Corps depart 14.30, Avignon TGV arrive 19.07. www.voyages-sncf.com/leisure/fr/launch/home/ viamichelin.com gives a minimum driving time of just under 6.5 hours, without stops. I%26#39;m not sure how much faster anyone can expect to travel almost 500 miles?

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We will be there this May.. Will look at your suggestion.. thanks

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Hello,

I%26#39;m having the same problem! I%26#39;ve tried the link posted in the reply to your question and am having difficulties. Were you able to find a ticket? We were trying to travel overnight but I%26#39;m not finding any trains. Any advice?

Thanks!

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%26lt;%26lt;Any advice?%26gt;%26gt;

Yes, post your proposed travel dates. Answers vary by date of travel.

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Thanks. Travelling from Loire to Provence on the 31st of May and Provence to Paris on the 3rd of June. I saw another site where they advised going to Paris from the Loire and taking the high speed train to Avignon from there (2 1/2 hours?). Would you recommend this instead as the best way to save time. I%26#39;m planning this trip for my parents and they only have 10 days total so time is of the essence.

Thanks again.

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Although cross country journeys by rail are not impossible in France, they do tend to be complicated and comaratively slow. The fastest route, with the greatest range of options, is going to be via Paris even though you will have to change stations there.

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By the Loire Valley I assume you mean Tours. By Provence I assume you mean Avignon. On May 31st, there is a 12h09 departure from Tours Gare (NOT St. Pierre des Corps) that will take you to Montparnasse. You will need to change stations.

Montparnasse to Gare de Lyon takes about 15 minutes following the Métro route: M4 direction Porte de Clignancourt, connect Chatelet to Gare de Lyon via M14 direction Olympiades.

Stairs and some walking my be involved so you may want to take a taxi depending upon with whom you are traveling.

Depart Gare de Lyon at 15h16, arrive Avignon 17h56.

Time en route: 5h47

Fare: approximately 101€ first class, 92€ second but you need to book as soon as possible as fares will increase and trains fill up.

www.voyages-sncf.com (in French only)