Hi everyone:
We have 8 nights total for this leg of our trip and will be taking a train from Paris/return. We will do day trip to Carcassone either on the way from Montpellier to Toulouse or the reverse. Depending on the direction of travel, visiting Carcassone will impact the length of time in either Montpellier or Toulouse. Any thoughts on the best direction to travel? Also, how many nights per city is recommended? All travel is by train Are reservations necessary between Paris>Toulouse/Lyon? What about between Toulouse>Montpellier>Lyon (or reverse)? (Train schedules are unavailable as yet.)
Thanks very much!
Posted by
France Southwest
2320 posts
Since 8 nights means 7 full days, and counting the days of travel beetween 2 cities, I don't see how you will be able to visit (and enjoy) 3 large cities like Lyon, Montpellier and Toulouse which each require more than two full days . Plus a day trip to Carcassonne.
That being said, the journey to go to Carcassonne by train will be twice as short from Toulouse as from Montpellier.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10621 posts
Lyon
Lyon
Lyon
Montpellier
Montpellier
Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse
This gives you just under 2.5 days in Lyon. 1.5 in Montpellier and 2.5 in Toulouse. Be sure your train to Montpellier goes to and leaves from Gare St Roch, not Gare du sud, to save yourself having to get back and forth to a station south of town.
Look at the RENFE Spanish train schedule because they are now running a TGV from Lyon to Montpellier and beyond to Narbonne where you can switch to a local train to Carcassonne. It may work better for you than the SNCF local and Intercités trains.
Posted by
OP
Victoria on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
126 posts
Thank you to those who answered. Unfortunately my info provided was incorrect. We only have 7 ngts in the area, not 8. We may be able to change our Paris rez... Thanks again.
Posted by
France Southwest
2320 posts
Lyon Montpellier and Toulouse are not "a area" but 3 extremely different areas.
With only 7 nights, in my opinion you will have to skip one city
You could start with Paris → Lyon (2h30 by train on average)
And then either:
1/ Go to Montpellier and return to Paris (Montpellier → Paris 3h30 by train on average)
2/ Or go from Lyon to Toulouse (4h30 by train), and return to Paris.
Also note that from Toulouse there are 20 to 30 flights per day to Paris (to CDG or Orly)
Posted by
UK
140 posts
Tgv from Toulouse to Paris takes circa 4 hours and 15 mins.
Ouigo also runs this route.
Flying will just be marginally quicker, considering the check in time and transport to airport.
Posted by
OP
Victoria on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
126 posts
Thanks again for the replies. As mentioned, we might be able to change the dates of our Paris apartment to give us an extra night or 2. As for flying, thank you, but we are not interested in that option. The train from Toulouse arrives Montparnasse with easy access to where we're staying. Budget airlines have such limited baggage allowance & even tho we will be travelling with carry on only, those are "normally" too large for those airlines. In Canada, there is barely any train travel, so it's a treat to travel by train!