I'm planning my itinerary for a visit to Provence and Giverny/Bayeux. Right now, I have planned two nights in Aix, then two nights in Arles, then traveling to Giverny for a two night stay there. It looks like I could either get from Arles to Avignon OR from Arles to Aix and transfer to a TGV in either Avignon or Aix. Does anyone have experience in doing this - would there be an advantage or reason why I should choose Avignon or Aix to start the TGV portion? Also, is the Paris destination for this TGV Gare de Lyon or does it possibly go to Gare St. Lazare?
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
7013 posts
No experience personally but the TGV from Avignon takes about 3 hours as does TGV from Aix to Paris
The train from Arles to Avignon is about 20 min, the train from Arles to Aix is 2 hours.
Seems like a no brainer to leave from Arles/Avignon.
Pretty sure all TGV trains go to Gare de Lyon
Metro from Gare de Lyon to Gare St Lazare for train to Giverny
Use this site to see what's available:
http://www.sncf.com/sncv1/en/passengers
I also like for quick reference:
https://www.rome2rio.com
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33483 posts
The stations in Paris, very similar to the stations in London, are scattered around Paris in a rough circle. Trains from various points only arrive and depart from one of them. For example all trains from the southeast of France arrive and depart from Gare de Lyon (named after the city). Trains from the east are in Gare de l'Est (east). From the northeast, England, Netherlands and Belgium are at Gare du Nord (north).
Trains towards Normandy and Vernon, which is the nearest station to Giverny, go from Gare St Lazare.
They are all linked by Métro trains, RER trains and buses within Paris.
Part of the fun of going across France is the thrill of changing stations in Paris.
Posted by
Kelowna, Canada
118 posts
Travelled from Avignon TGV to Paris in 2016 and it took approx 2 hr 40 mins
However bear in mind if you are taking train from Arles to Avignon the local train does not go to the Avignon TGV station - it goes to Avignon station where you then have to get off and then get train to the TGV (only 5 minutes on that train but you have to allow waiting time)
The TGV goes to Gare de Lyon, so you would need to then get metro/taxi to go to Gare St Lazare.
Posted by
OP
18 posts
Thank you for this information. Would a bus (instead of a train) from Arles to Avignon drop me off at the Avignon TGV station? If not, and I am taking a train from the Avignon train station to the Avignon TGV station, is that easy to figure out when I arrive in the Avignon train (not TGV) station?
Thank you!
Posted by
Corvallis OR
7121 posts
At least some trains from Arles stop at the Avignon central station and then stop at the Avignon TGV station. Check the SNCF (now OUI) website and input Avignon TGV as your destination station.