Why take the train to the French Alps this summer?

Taking the train to the French Alps in summer is a great option (and with lower carbon emissions than flying, it's better for the environment too). Take a Eurostar to Paris, enjoy lunch at a café near the Gare de Lyon then sit back and relax as you speed down to the Alps. We can book your short transfer from your arrival station to your resort.

4 reasons why we love taking the train to the French Alps in summer

Explore a little bit of Paris en route to the French Alps

You could break your journey and stay overnight or, with a longer time to change stations, you can enjoy lunch at one of the traditional cafés around the Gare de Lyon, sit and listen to impromptu piano recital at the station or hop off the Metro early and walk along the Seine or around the Jardin des Plantes.

(This church has beautiful frescoes, a little park in front, feels typically Parisian and is just 3 minutes walk from the Gare du Nord).

It's fun for the whole family

The longer stretch of the journey from Paris to the Alps is the perfect moment to lose yourself in a book, play games as a family or take advantage of the wifi onboard the TGV Inoui services and catch up on a film. (Or just savour a coffee and a delicious pastry!).

A few hours of leisurely, uninterrupted bliss

Breaking the journey down into smaller parts somehow makes it feel incredibly leisurely.

The views

From the train window watch the countryside change as you head towards the mountains, from beautiful fields of crops and green meadows to rivers and lakes, until you finally catch sight of the alpine foothills and magnificent mountains.

Train Services to the Alps

For those who prefer to leave the car at home and enjoy some of France’s prettiest landscapes, the train is a great alternative! Peak Retreats can arrange train travel to the French Alps for you, offering Eurostar and French high-speed TGV (with a change in Lille or Paris).

Which train?

We can book the Eurostar to Paris or Lille and then onward travel with a change to a French high-speed TGV train down to the Alps. We can make taking the train easy by planning your route for you, advising on the closest station to your resort and leaving plenty of time to change stations in Paris (or platforms in Lille).

Peak Retreats can also arrange a private taxi transfer from your arrival station to your accommodation.

Eurostar to Paris

Taking around 2hrs15 to get from city centre to city centre!

Leave from St Pancras International in London with a check-in of around 75 minutes before your train. Arrive into Gare du Nord, in the heart of Paris. From there you can easily reach the Gare du Lyon for trains down to the Alps.

If you'd like to discuss the timetable, where to stay or transfers from the train station, call us on 023 9283 9310 and our friendly team will be able to help.

Eurostar to Lille

Some routes give you the option of changing in Lille rather than Paris. Take the Eurostar to Lille then change platforms to take a high-speed TGV down to the Alps.

Where can I take the TGV to?

Changing in Paris or LIlle, you'll pick up a high-speed French TGV train. Here's where you can take the TGV to and the resorts that you can reach from there. To get to resort, we can arrange private taxi transfers:

St Gervais le Fayet (for St Gervais, Les Houches and Chamonix - you can pick up a local train to Les Houches and Chamonix)
Annecy (for Annecy and Le Grand Bornand)
Cluses (for Samoens)
Thonon les Bains (for Les Gets and Morzine)
Bourg St Maurice (for Tignes 1800 and Tignes Le Lac and Val Claret)
Grenoble (for Les 2 Alpes )

French TGV legs of the journey can usually only be booked 3 months ahead of actual travel dates, but we can book your Eurostar then ensure that these are booked at the correct time for you. Transfers from the station to resort can be pre-booked.

Travelling Times

London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord: 3hrs
Transfer by underground (RER - quicker urban underground train - or Metro) to Gare de Lyon: allow 70-90 mins from arrival in the Gare du Nord to arrival at the Gare du Lyon to avoid rushing.

Average approximate journey times from Paris:

Paris > St Gervais - 4h45
Paris > Annecy - 4h
Paris > Cluses - 4hrs30
Paris > Thonon-les-Bains - 4h30
Paris > Bourg St Maurice - 5h
Paris > Grenoble - 3h

Times are given an indication only and are for direct TGV trains. Other (longer) possibilities are also available with changes in Chambery or Annecy.

Ready to book your next Alpine holiday? Call us on 023 9283 9310 or request a quote and we will find you the perfect ski holiday! Don't forget to sign up to our newsletter to get all the latest Alpine news and deals.