Train travel in France

You will have to carry your luggage to your car on the train. The cars have two levels: if your seat number is above 60, you are upstairs and you ought to carry your luggage upstairs accordingly (technically you do not have to, but it would be rude to downstairs passengers and it would make things complicated when you leave the train).

There is a luggage storage area at each end of the car, sometimes in the middle too. The rack above the seats is small, only day packs or small duffel backs will fit.

Luggage theft is extremely rare (especially now that there are ticket gates on platforms) but still, take any valuables with you at/above the seats.

Just to emphasize what Balso wrote.....there is no checked luggage. You are responsible for your own.

Rather than call it the "bullet" train, refer to it as the TGV. You'll be better understood.

Thank you for the info, it helped a lot. I was afraid I'd go to get on the train and they would tell me I had to go back to check my big bag.

"and they would tell me I had to go back to check my big bag."

Just make sure you are able to lift this big bag up the steps to the train on your own. There is no one to help. You may also have to lift the bag to the top shelf of the luggage storage area so try lifting to shoulder height at home before you travel with a big bag.

Depending on what your situation is you may do better with 2 smaller bags and your personal items than one big bag.

We opted for the lower deck because we don’t move as fast going up and down stairs carrying luggage.

You might want to take a look around the France pages of the excellent Man in Seat 61 website - it will help familiarize you with what it's like to take the train in France. Highly recommended !