Lone France-(4) the European Inn

4. European Inn

Already heard of France's Eurostar train can reach 400 km/h, but also particularly comfortable, therefore deliberately choose the train from Paris to Avignon (Air France flight from Paris to have the original airport to Avignon airport, approximately 140 euros).

Go to Avignon in Paris Lyon railway station, take the city to the South of France, a common type of trains and the TGV. Common type of takes about 5-6 hours, 40-60 euros, and the TGV about 2.5 hour, 60-100 euros. Basically, from morning till evening for an hour each interval is a class, intermediate stop multiple stations, there are intermediate stops, in ticketing office booklet written very clearly, Avignon is Paris-Marseille between stations. TGV basically from 5: 00-10: 00 in the evening have a car, divided into peak and off-peak periods, morning and evening is a non-peak period, the price will be cheaper to buy a return ticket and discount. The local railway companies also often issued a coupon, Conference meeting Group also give me a mail, it is cheaper to buy a return ticket to buy one-way, i.e. do not enjoy preferential treatment. In Lyon railway station has many automated ticket machine, insert the card directly online and choose what you need to train and then printed. Also provided with artificial ticket window, in a black worker, I bought in window 2 point of the train, 88 euros (I think probably more expensive one), as a result of unsure backhaul, therefore no coupons!

(TGV Lyon train station)

The TGV train station are open, not like China's railway station needs to get in, and for leading wicket boarding, there is no one to do these things, but in the Hall is equipped with the Help window, great e-cards (similar to the airport of transforming machine) just keep scrolling, shows a train number, go to the venue as well as the departure time.

Platform on the rest area, ticketing areas on the edge of the railway station at any time after the bus. Approximately two or so, I take the TGV has arrived, because no one ticket, I was preparing to direct. But I saw many people next to a yellow machine, take a ticket, and then click the "pop" sound, get tickets before you get on the train, I went to try and try again, it was automatically ticket machine, it will play on the travel dates and times. Note: be sure to check, because although none of the tickets on the platform, but the conductor will be traveling on their way to pick up, if you find no ticket or tickets no ticket fines (this seems to be not very fair to foreigners because no instructions tell must check, and the automatic ticket machine for the first time visitor, France is also very difficult to know what it is, perhaps the majority rely on personal France consciously). Entire open station seems easy evasion because, get off nobody pipe, but it is best not to do so, from Paris to Avignon train conductor checked once, but time was not a person I am.

(Open the station platform)

TGV from the outside look, very nice, very clean and the whole car (a car to stop someone responsible for cleaning the body), internal, and now Shanghai-Beijing trains of two-seat compartment, is the double-row four one-way seats, with a few-headed seats, small desk plate can be collapsed and folded, decorative and approaching aircraft interiors.

Other nothing, do not provide food, music and TV.

TGV run speed too almost 300 km/hour, from Paris to Avignon almost 800-900 km, which is equivalent to the distance from Shanghai to Beijing, just 2.5 hour arrived, from Shanghai to Beijing to sit through train takes about 12 hours.

TGV makes France become very small, most from the South to the North, I estimate that 5-6 hours, the key is that tell it basically covered the train mostly in big cities. Such high speeds, rare is it's smooth and quiet. In China one day train ride, we often go to bed at night when you can feel the body shaking, ear is box stalls in box stalls of steel cabinet with wheels of collision, the train to sleep it was quite a pain. Very quiet on the TGV also basic feel shaking, I observed the feeling of Rails, it is very common, and we almost the tracks of the subgrade are alike, but I just don't understand why their trains can run so fast.

Through double Brown window, I appreciate the way rural scenery of France, gradually gone to sleep, but my heart still very nervous Miss station (stop).

About figured was the conductor for half an hour, I wake up from sleep when I open the "confused eyes, who, woke me up!" , A uniformed man, Jack miles Kuala's told me that the French, who next to to curious glances at me (a Chinese man, wearing a casual, relaxed T shirt + casual jackets, trousers, a pair of sacks is used, but also for leisure is a look of confusion). I guess he is the ticket, he looked at tickets left. Since then haven't slept, nobody and I Exchange, I could only stare at the vehicle window, also saw a piece of wood is row fetching BMX bicycles, reminds me of the tour de France, France landscape is good.

2.5 hours soon passed, and the horn sounds, and a bunch of French, but heard a familiar name "Avignon" I know I had.

Avignon TGV station of Lyon Station also clean than, clean many to see pictures you will know that it is hard to like this is the railway station.

(TGV Avignon train station)

(TGV Avignon train station photo)

One day to two cities in France, Paris is Ukrainian somber weather, but here is a crisp, Avignon's days are clear days, the people of Avignon! good like the station to see clean skies with a few cloud, the mood was very good, but I will stay for 4 days trip to a depth

Tour, the happy departure towards the final destination, Avignon on foot!

(2006, October 2, the day is: Avignon clear days, the people's good like Avignon)