Exploring France by High-Speed Train: How the TGV Can Shape Your European Journey

Why France's TGV network is one of the best ways to link Paris, Provence, the Riviera, and your onward travels to Italy.

Why Choose the TGV for Your France Itinerary?

France's TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) is one of the most successful high-speed rail systems in the world. Since the first line opened between Paris and Lyon in 1981, the network has grown into a web of dedicated high-speed tracks that link Paris with cities such as Lyon, Marseille, Nice (via connections), Bordeaux, Lille, Strasbourg and beyond. Modern TGV sets are designed for speeds up to 320 km/h (around 200 mph) on certain lines, making rail travel between major French cities fast, comfortable, and efficient.^1,2

For many travelers, especially those planning a broader European trip that includes Italy, the TGV offers three major advantages:

Speed: Paris to the south of France in as little as 2.5–3 hours.
Convenience: City-center to city-center travel with minimal security procedures.
Scenery: A front-row seat to French countryside, vineyards, and coastline.

At Italy Awaits Travel, we often recommend building a France segment around the TGV network: use high-speed trains to move efficiently between regions, then layer in slower days for markets, museums, and lavender fields before continuing onward to Italy by train, flight, or cruise.

Understanding the TGV Network

The TGV operates on a mix of dedicated high-speed lines (known as Lignes à Grande Vitesse, or LGV) and conventional tracks. On LGV sections, trains can reach top running speeds of 300–320 km/h, while on classic lines they run more slowly, often still faster than local services.^1,2

Key high-speed axes include:

LGV Sud-Est: Paris–Lyon, the original high-speed line, with onward connections to the Riviera, the Alps, and Italy.
LGV Méditerranée: From Lyon toward Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, and Marseille, bringing Paris to Provence in under 3.5 hours on many services.³
LGV Atlantique: From Paris to the west, serving cities like Bordeaux, Tours, and Rennes.
LGV Est and Nord: Linking Paris with Strasbourg, Luxembourg, Lille, Brussels, and connection points for London and Germany.^1,2

France's national railway company, SNCF, operates the majority of TGV services under the brands TGV INOUI (premium high-speed trains) and OUIGO (lower-cost, no-frills high-speed trains with tighter luggage rules).⁴

How Fast Is the TGV in Practice?

Timetables tell the story clearly. Typical journey times on some popular routes include:

Paris – Avignon TGV: Around 2 hours 40 minutes to 3 hours on direct services, with top trains covering the roughly 700 km distance at average speeds well over 200 km/h.^3,5
Paris – Aix-en-Provence TGV: Approximately 2 hours 50 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes, depending on the exact train and stops.^3,5
Paris – Marseille Saint-Charles: As fast as 3 hours 5 minutes on direct services, making same-day Paris-to-Mediterranean travel easy.³
Paris – Bordeaux: Around 2 hours 4 minutes on the LGV Sud Europe Atlantique high-speed line, which opened in 2017 and shortened the previous journey by over an hour.⁶
Paris – Lyon: Approximately 1 hour 55 minutes to 2 hours on many departures.²

For travelers who grew up thinking of train journeys as slow, these times can be surprising. The TGV effectively shrinks France: you can spend the morning in Paris, have lunch on board with countryside speeding past, and arrive in Provence in time for an evening stroll under plane trees.

Planning a Multi-Region France Trip Around the TGV

Because the TGV radiates from Paris, many itineraries naturally begin or end in the capital. For guests of Italy Awaits Travel, a typical pattern looks like this:

Arrive in Paris and spend 3–4 nights exploring the city.
Take a TGV south to Provence (Avignon or Aix-en-Provence) for 3–5 nights in lavender country, wine regions, and hill towns.
Continue by TGV or regional train to Nice or the French Riviera, or connect onward to Italy via Nice–Ventimiglia trains or a short flight.
Transition into an Italy itinerary that may include Milan, Florence, Rome, or cruise departures from Civitavecchia or Ravenna.

With careful planning, you can experience three or four distinct French regions in a single trip without ever needing to rent a car, relying instead on high-speed and regional rail plus arranged transfers.

Popular TGV Hubs and How They Fit Your Trip

Paris: The Starting Point

Nearly all long-distance TGV journeys begin or end in Paris, which has multiple major stations:

Gare de Lyon: Trains to Lyon, Avignon, Aix, Marseille, the Riviera, and parts of eastern France.
Gare Montparnasse: TGVs toward Bordeaux, Tours, and Brittany.
Gare de l'Est: Services to Strasbourg, Luxembourg, and parts of Germany.
Gare du Nord: Eurostar to London and Thalys/other services towards Belgium and the Netherlands.

The city's dense metro and bus network makes it relatively simple to transfer between stations, though cross-city transfers with heavy luggage can be tiring. For this reason, it often makes sense to cluster your TGV departures around the station closest to your hotel.

Avignon TGV and Aix-en-Provence TGV: Gateways to Provence

Avignon TGV and Aix-en-Provence TGV are high-speed stations located outside the historic centers, connected by shuttle buses, taxis, or private transfers. Both provide swift access to:

Lavender fields in the Luberon and around Valensole (via road connections).
Historic towns such as Avignon, Arles, and Uzès.
Wine regions like Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence.^7,8

For travelers continuing to Italy, these stations also make it easy to reach coastal hubs like Marseille or Nice, where you can board regional trains into Liguria and onward to Milan, Florence, or Rome.

Lyon: A Culinary and Rail Crossroads

Lyon is both a major TGV junction and one of France's great food cities. High-speed trains connect Lyon directly to Paris, Marseille, the Riviera, Strasbourg, and even international destinations like Barcelona. This makes Lyon a comfortable midway stop, especially if you enjoy gastronomy and want to break up your journey into more digestible segments.^2,6

Bordeaux, Strasbourg, and Lille

Other key TGV hubs include:

Bordeaux: Wine country on the Atlantic side, now just about 2 hours from Paris thanks to LGV Sud Europe Atlantique.⁶
Strasbourg: A gateway to Alsace, with half-timbered villages, vineyards, and connections into Germany and Switzerland.
Lille: An interchange for services to Belgium, the Netherlands, and the UK (via connections).

These cities can serve as side chapters in a longer journey that ultimately leads to Italy.

Practical Tips for Using the TGV

Booking Tickets

TGV tickets are typically sold using yield management, similar to airlines: prices vary depending on demand, time of purchase, and flexibility. Official channels include the SNCF Connect website and app, as well as international platforms like Rail Europe and Trainline.^4,9

In general:

Booking several weeks to a few months in advance yields better fares.
Non-flexible tickets (often named "Prem's" or "non-exchangeable") are cheapest but cannot easily be changed or refunded.
Flexible or semi-flexible fares cost more, but offer peace of mind if your plans might shift.

Seat Reservations and Classes

On TGV INOUI services, seat reservations are mandatory and included in the ticket. You will receive a coach and seat number, and trains can sell out, especially on peak travel days.⁴

Most trains offer:

Second Class: Comfortable, with standard seating and luggage racks.
First Class: More legroom, quieter coaches, and sometimes extra services such as at-seat power outlets and more spacious seating layouts.
On some routes, premium services such as Business Première may include more flexible ticket conditions and additional amenities for business travelers.

Luggage and Boarding

Unlike airlines, TGV services do not generally enforce strict weight limits on luggage, though practical limits exist based on space. Overhead racks and dedicated luggage areas at the ends of coaches accommodate most suitcases that travelers normally bring for European trips. OUIGO trains may have stricter luggage definitions and fees.⁴

There is no airport-style security screening, though random checks and ticket inspections occur. Arriving 20–30 minutes before departure is usually sufficient at major stations, compared with the hours often required for flights.

Food on Board

Many TGVs include a bar-buffet car where you can purchase drinks, snacks, and simple meals. On longer routes, it is common to see French travelers bring a picnic—baguettes, cheese, fruit—and enjoy a casual lunch at their seats. First class does not automatically include food service (except on a few premium offerings), so bringing your own snacks is often a good idea.

Connecting the TGV with Italy

One of the biggest advantages of using the TGV is how easily it connects with the rest of Europe, including Italy. Several rail corridors link France and Italy directly:

Paris – Milan: High-speed services on the Paris–Lyon LGV and then through the Alps via Turin, operated jointly by SNCF and Trenitalia or competing operators on specific routes.¹⁰
Nice – Ventimiglia – Genoa – Milan: A coastal regional route that lets you tie a French Riviera stay to northern Italy's cities and lakes.
Lyon – Turin – Milan: Cross-border trains that link central-eastern France to northern Italy, sometimes with changes in Chambery or Modane depending on timetables.¹⁰

Once in Italy, you can transition onto Trenitalia or Italo high-speed services, which connect cities like Milan, Florence, Venice, Rome, and Naples with journey times comparable to the TGV. For example, Milan to Florence can be as fast as around 1 hour 45 minutes on top high-speed services, and Milan to Rome in under 3 hours, making rail an excellent alternative to short-haul flights.¹¹

For guests of Italy Awaits Travel, this opens creative options:

Spend time in Paris and Provence, then take rail into northern Italy and continue by train to Venice, Florence, and Rome.
Combine a Provence lavender stay with an Italian cruise departure: TGV to the Riviera, regional train into Liguria, then Italian high-speed trains to Rome and the port of Civitavecchia.
Use rail for most of the journey and reserve flights for only the longest segments (for example, home–Europe and Europe–home), minimizing time spent in airports.

TGV vs Driving and Flying: Which Is Best for You?

When planning a France-and-Italy itinerary, travelers often compare three modes: train, car, and plane. Each has its place.

When TGV Wins

The TGV is usually the best option when you:

Are traveling between major cities or known hubs like Paris, Lyon, Avignon, Marseille, or Nice.
Want city-center to city-center travel with minimal fuss.
Prefer to avoid driving on unfamiliar highways or dealing with parking in historic centers.
Value a lower carbon footprint compared with short-haul flights along similar routes.

EU rail market reports emphasize that rail is a comparatively low-emission mode of transport, and passenger rail volumes in Europe have rebounded strongly to near pre-2019 levels, reflecting renewed traveler confidence and policy support for rail.¹²

When a Car Still Makes Sense

A rental car can be useful when:

Your focus is on small villages, remote vineyards, or countryside areas with limited public transportation.
You are traveling as a family or group and want maximum flexibility on short hops between rural bases.
You are comfortable driving in Europe and understand parking, tolls, and local regulations.

For example, in Provence, a common strategy is to take a TGV to Avignon or Aix, then pick up a rental car to explore the Luberon, lavender plateaus, and smaller villages for a few days before dropping the car back at the station and continuing by train.

When Flying Is Still Practical

Flights remain useful for:

Very long jumps (for example, Paris to Athens) where rail would take a full day.
Tight schedules where a 1–2 hour flight plus airport time is still shorter than multi-leg train journeys.

However, for many France–Italy combinations, high-speed rail is competitive in total travel time when you account for airport transfers and security, and it is usually more relaxing.

How Italy Awaits Travel Can Help You Use the TGV Effectively

Navigating French and Italian rail systems can feel complex at first: multiple brands, booking channels, fare types, and station names. At Italy Awaits Travel, we handle those details so you can enjoy the journey.

We can:

Design an itinerary that uses TGV and Italian high-speed trains strategically to connect Paris, Provence, the Riviera, and key Italian cities.
Purchase tickets on your behalf or guide you through booking so you get the right balance of price and flexibility.
Coordinate hotel locations and private transfers so that station arrivals and departures are short walks or short rides rather than complex cross-city journeys.
Integrate rail days with pre- and post-cruise stays, especially if you are sailing from Civitavecchia or Ravenna and want to include France in your wider European trip.

Used thoughtfully, the TGV turns travel days into part of the experience rather than simply time in transit. Instead of waiting at gates, you are watching vineyards, sunflower fields, and rivers pass by as you move smoothly toward your next chapter in France and Italy.

If you are considering a multi-region trip that includes both countries, contact Italy Awaits Travel. We will help you choose the right routes, book the right trains, and weave high-speed rail into an itinerary that feels efficient, scenic, and deeply enjoyable.

Frequently Asked Questions

How fast is the TGV from Paris to Provence?

Paris to Avignon takes about 2 hours 40 minutes to 3 hours on direct TGV services. Paris to Marseille can be as fast as 3 hours 5 minutes. These times make same-day travel from Paris to the Mediterranean coast easy.

Do I need to book TGV tickets in advance?

Yes, TGV tickets use yield management pricing like airlines, so booking several weeks to a few months in advance typically yields better fares. Seat reservations are mandatory and included in the ticket price.

Can I take the TGV from France to Italy?

Yes! High-speed services connect Paris to Milan via Lyon and Turin. You can also take regional trains from Nice along the coast to Ventimiglia and Genoa, then connect to Italian high-speed trains to Milan, Florence, and Rome.

What is the difference between TGV INOUI and OUIGO?

TGV INOUI is the premium high-speed service with first and second class options, bar car, and more flexibility. OUIGO is a lower-cost, no-frills option with tighter luggage rules and limited services, ideal for budget travelers.

Is the TGV better than flying within France?

For most routes under 4 hours, the TGV is competitive with flying when you factor in airport transfers and security time. It also provides city-center to city-center travel and a scenic journey through French countryside.

References

SNCF official documentation on TGV network development, line speeds, and route coverage.
High-speed rail technical specifications including maximum operating speeds of 300-320 km/h on LGV lines.
LGV Méditerranée timetables showing journey times between Paris, Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, and Marseille.
SNCF Connect booking platform information on TGV INOUI and OUIGO service distinctions.
Route planning resources showing typical Paris to Provence journey durations.
LGV Sud Europe Atlantique line information showing Paris-Bordeaux journey times of approximately 2 hours.
Provence regional tourism information on accessing lavender fields and wine regions from TGV stations.
Avignon and Aix-en-Provence TGV station shuttle and transfer information.
Rail Europe and Trainline booking platform guidance on TGV ticket purchasing.
Cross-border rail services connecting France and Italy via the Alps and Mediterranean coast.
Trenitalia and Italo high-speed train journey times for Milan-Florence and Milan-Rome routes.
EU rail market reports on passenger volumes and rail's environmental benefits compared to air travel.