TGV advice from Paris to Avignon (or near-by Provence town)

I took the TGV from Avignon to Paris in May and I reserved my seat about 4 days before. We had no problems getting the time that we wanted.

I did book one Thalys train before I left my trip as it was important that I caught a particular train. I did end up paying alot more than its worth for it, but it saved me the stress of taking the gamble.

You should have no problems reserving seats while abroad as long as you have a few days prior.

Emily, our family of four rode the TGV from Paris to Avignon round-trip in July of this year. I believe Gare de Lyon and CDG airport are both original destinations for TGVs to Avignon. We bought tickets five months in advance using "raileurope.com." It may be true that tickets can be acquired a few days before travel and cheaper than the raileurope tickets but I don't like surprises and my stress level is reduced knowing I have tickets in hand. Also, my understanding was that raileurope was the only option available to those who do not have a French address to which the tickets can be sent. I'm not aware of a will-call option, but I'm not an expert, just going by the info available on this forum and others.

I can tell you that the Paris-Avignon (TGV Centre) was absolutely full but the Avignon-Paris (TGV "south edge of town") had few people. Please note there are two TGV stations in Avignon and Paris trains go to one but not both of them.

Tickets you buy there must be validated in a machine located at the entrance to the boarding ramp. I believe you can take the train for the time you choose, and any time is fine, you just have to remember to validate your ticket. This does not apply to the raileurope tickets which are mailed to you and specify the train and reserved seats.

There are lots of trains on that route every day, and if you don't care which one you take, you can probably buy a ticket the day of in September.

However, discount tickets sell out early, and also the longer you wait the fuller the trains will get. So if you today which train you'd prefer, buy sooner rather than later.

Your options are (1) at any train station in Paris, or (2) online at SNCF's ridiculously frustrating web site, for pickup at the train station in Paris. (There is an English option in there someplace, but oddly if you tell the site you live in the U.S. you will be redirected to the inferior Rail Europe web page. So tell it you are French.)

Tickets for your train can be easily purchased on-line at voyages-sncf.com, one of the websites of the French national rail service. The tickets are available up to 120 days in advance, so you're well within the window. All trains for Avignon leave from Gare de Lyon. When you access the website, click on the "train" tab....the web address will change in your browser. Find the part of the web address where it says, "LANG=FR", change the FR to UK, and hit refresh....it'll come up in English. Fares can be had for as low as 17 Euro...but the cheaper the ticket, the more conditions on them...the PREMs tickets are non refundable and non-changeable. You can either print them out at home or, if that option isn't available for your purchase, then simply choose to pick them up in Paris. Go to the train station with your email confirmation and the credit card you bought them with, and pick them up. Be aware, too, that trains go to Avignon TGV and Avignon Center. If you end up at Avignon TGV, you'll need to take the bus into town.

I also did this trip last fall from the airport. I ordered the tickets from the scnf site almost 3 months ahead. We chatted with another couple at the airport who purchased their tickets there and they paid almost double.
There are really good directions as to how to use the scnf site on the Slow Travel website. I used their directions and really had no problems.
For when you get to Avignon, there is a cab area right outside the train station where cabs show up to take people into Avignon.

Also, if you are renting a car and planning on driving around Provence there is a car rental office at the TGV station that is not in the city center. I took this trip a few years ago and really enjoyed it. Pam

I need to make one small but important correction to Norm's post about how to get to a booking page in English at www.voyages-sncf.com. After you change LANG=FR to LANG=UK, hit the Enter key. (If you refresh the page, everything will stay in French.)

Tim,...thanks for that. My refresh button on IE changes into an arrow (same as enter) when I change an address, so I can just push that....but it's easier to explain with the "enter" key!