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By *otswold OP Man
over a year ago
Cheltenham |
I sent much of the information below to a Fab couple who thanked me and suggested that it might be of more general interest.
There are three options for getting from Central London to Agde town by rail. They are Eurostar & TGV via Lille, Eurostar & TGV via Paris or Eurostar & Corail Lunéa (sleeper) via Paris. All three are comparable from the point of view of price - I paid £114 return for my trip in September. Of the two TGV options, Lille is my preference because it is a same station change. You will find the times and fares if you Google for “Seat61” and then search “Perpignan”. Agde is the station before Beziers and the train gets to Agde station about 10 minutes earlier. As far as I am concerned, going via Paris has little to recommend it because it involves a change of terminus (Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon). For some unknown reason "Rail Europe" (the booking agent I have always used) will always try to put you on that route unless you specifically ask for an alternative. Either way, the TGV is certainly the most civilised way of doing the journey and at 300KPH the total journey time becomes comparable to flying, especially one factors in a transfer from Perpignan or Montpelier airport. But if, like me, you have problems in getting St Pancras by 08:30 in order to check in for a 9am train, then consider travelling overnight.
A comfortable Eurostar connection for the overnight sleeper leaves St Pancras at 16:25. It gives you plenty of time to cross Paris by Metro from Gare du Nord to Gare Austerlitz and have supper there before catching the Corail Lunéa at 21:56. To call the sleeping arrangement a ‘couchette’ is to do it one favour too many. What you get is either 8 bunks (2nd class) or 6 bunks (1st class) in a shared compartment and there is not a great deal of luggage space. I go for a top bunk because it gives me a private shelf (over the top of the corridor) on which to park my bags. I am quite prepared to accept such basic sleeping arrangements because, for me, the pay-off is n+1 days on the beach for n nights in the accommodation. Arrival at Narbonne is 06:17 and my personal choice is to have a coffee, a croque monsieur and a croissant before catching the local train to Agde (30 minute travel time). As far as local rail travel is concerned, the received wisdom is to book by Internet while in the UK, pay in Euros (about 14€ return) and collect the ticket when you get to Paris. What you are supposed to do is put a code number into a machine in order to collect your ticket. I chicken out, and instead, smile sweetly at the lady behind the ticket desk at Austerlitz.
Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
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