Paris to Bayeux

No. You do not need to validate these. Plus they would not fit in the validating machines anyway.

IF you are anxious you can also download the SNCF app and access your tickets thru the app even though you have them printed out as a back up.

When I went to Bayeux last month from Paris, I found that I had to press my QR code (in my case on my phone) down to a reader on a turnstile to enter the section of the station where the Bayeux trains departed from. I am guessing you will have to do the same.

SNCF has indeed started to put gates in the way of passengers at some stations. You open them with the QR code, and later you show the QR code, if so requested, to the conductor.

The QR code is also useful if you want to change your reservation. Go to a ticket vending machine, scan the code, and select a different train, if you so wish (and the fare you bought allows it, which it probably does...)

Validating tickets is increasingly no longer necessary. In the past, when you still had to go to a ticket office to get tickets people would often buy themselves multiple tickets for future use. So someone form Bayeux who regularly would have to go to Paris would buy eg. 10 tickets, and use one each time to travel. This to avoid having to go and queue up at the ticket office each time. Those tickets were not dated, and not valid, unless "validated", by stamping the travel date on them. That is what those validators were for.

Now that you can just whip out your phone and buy a ticket these validators are becoming irrelevant. I think most places that used them have even gotten rid of them.

Thank you! We're on our first train. Just a bit of a hiccup finding the monitor in St Lazare but easy to navigate after that. Appreciate the wonderful forum folks with all the helpful information!!!!

Great ! Enjoy your visit.