TGV - a lovely way to travel

Now that we are here in Provence I am catching up on notes I made last summer but was too ill to blog - including the TGV - France's high speed train. D. had taken it several times from Paris to Avignon but I had not yet traveled that way. It is not cheap, but very worthwhile. It is infinitely easier and more relaxing than driving, particularly after flying overnight and arriving early in the morning on NY time. Instead of a seven-hour drive from Paris, we arrive in about 3 hours, more rested as we have nap time on the train, along with toilettes, so we are not losing time to traffic and stopping in rest stops to stretch and use the bathroom. Tickets can be purchased online via SNCF's website. We don't recommend going through others who do sell the tickets because anytime we've tried it, D. runs into problems. Better to go direct even if it costs a little more. First class means a reserved seat which is quite comfortable. Second class is not reserved but still nicer than most US trains, even Amtrak to Washington. As with almost everything French, there is a food car with a very nice menu, including for children, and contains bio (organic) foods. We always notice everyone buying food and walking through the cars with their purchases, smelling very tempting. Naturally, the French include their dogs in all occasions including train travel, and the dogs are everywhere including the aisles and under the seats, always well-behaved. We look forward to Avril joining us on the train next summer.