Trips from Montpellier, France - Recommendations.

[Chris Butler]

In Sept I'll be spending a few days in Montpellier, France (see map). Does anyone have recommendations for rail trips to take, especially those with nice enough views to take the family as well ?

The Intercité Aubrac from Béziers to Clermont-Ferrand looks good, but I'm not sure how best to shorten it to a day trip.

Many thanks.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

You can do a round trip from Montpellier to partially include the 'Aubrac' but it would be long day especially with family.

Montpellier (St R) 0828 Beziers 0915 / 0933 Marvejois 1250 / 1332* Mende 1425* / 1454* La Bastide 1602* / 1613 Nimes (C) 1805 / 1826 Montpellier 1948.

* 'Temporary' bus substitution at moment - probably as a prelude to closure in typical SNCF fashion. Both N-S lines are highly scenic - as is the main-line Montpellier to Beziers along the coast

A shorter trip on the 'Aubrac' would be out and back to Millau - but you do go under the the rather fabulous motorway viaduct.

 

[dutchflyer]

On ticketing: note that its just this region-Occitanie, that now offers quite cheap ride-at-will roverlike tickets for 2-3-4-5 days, ONLY vaid in TER=local trains, not TGV, so you also do not have to bother with that new south station along the TGV-line. Some branch lines over there offer that 1€ fare all day-any day. But Montpellier is not very well situated for longer trips-as its only along the coastal east-west line.
I will add that it seems to me its also this region that seems te excel in strikes any time-any day possible.

 

[158801]

Nimes, Avignon & Arles are all worth a trip to see the town centres.
Marseille, a little further away, is also worth doing.
Heading south, there's some reasonable coastal scenery on parts of the line to Perpignan

 

[KeithMcC]

I travelled the whole of the Aubrac line recently and it is very scenic and very slow, with only one train a day - which is an Intercities, I assume for historical reasons as it is the remnant of a through train from Paris to Beziers. The highlight is the Viaduc du Garabit but that is towards the northern end. It is probably a slowest IC train contender!

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Montpellier itself is a very nice town with a modern tram system.
Sète, just down the coast, is an interesting old port (where the Canal du Midi reaches the Med) with extensive quays and a wide variety of shipping.
It was also the point where the original railways met in 1857 (the Bordeaux-Sète (Midi) from the west, and the Tarascon-Sète (PLM) from the east.
The coast line between Perpignan and Girona via Portbou is highly scenic, and you can do it on TER/MD services (no through trains).

 

[Gloster]

When I stayed in Nimes years ago I did a long day trip via Narbonne and Perpignan to Villefranche-Vernet les Bains, then along the narrow-gauge electric Petit Train Jaune to Latour de Carol, then down to Toulouse and back to Nimes. You are also nearer to the Nimes-Le Grau du Roi line.

Most of the services are in the European Rail Timetable ( www.europeanrailtimetable.eu ), which will allow you to do some preliminary planning before final checking locally. The ERT is sometimes better for coverage of local engineering closures.

 

[30907]

Aigues-Mortes (via Nimes) is well worth it, Agde perhaps and the 7 locks at Beziers.

Both the inland lines are superb but a pig to cover, with or without RRBs.. If you have a car you could consider driving to Millau, which cuts off a corner, and taking the train up to St Flour and back.

 

[TRXsouth]

I would be interested to know the source of the maps/track plans you have included in the enquiries you have posted. The detail is impressive so wondering if they from a particular book or website? And only for France or across Europe?

 

[Chris Butler]

I would be interested to know the source of the maps/track plans you have included in the enquiries you have posted. The detail is impressive so wondering if they from a particular book or website? And only for France or across Europe?

They are from a free download from the SNCF website.

https://www.sncf-reseau.com/sites/default/files/2019-04/MEP_POSTER_avril2019_POUR_LE_WEB.PDF

 

[WesternLancer]

Beziers - Clermond Ferrand IMHO is worth going out of your way to do for scenic reasons. Even if a long day. Spectacular views. I did it one way on the inter city service which was a comfortable way to do it.

 

[KeithMcC]

Beziers - Clermond Ferrand IMHO is worth going out of your way to do for scenic reasons. Even if a long day. Spectacular views. I did it one way on the inter city service which was a comfortable way to do it.

I think the IC is the only train that does the whole route, although it was actually a TER DMU and included a change at Neussargues, where the unit from Beziers swapped passengers with the one from Clermont Ferrand and they both returned to their starting points. The whole journey from Paris only cost me €70, in first class on the Paris to C-F train.

 

[WesternLancer]

I think the IC is the only train that does the whole route, although it was actually a TER DMU and included a change at Neussargues, where the unit from Beziers swapped passengers with the one from Clermont Ferrand and they both returned to their starting points. The whole journey from Paris only cost me €70, in first class on the Paris to C-F train.

Yes. Looking at my Thomas Cook it looks like a northbound train from Beziers departs at 09.33, arrives Clermont Ferrand 16.01

 

[30907]

Beziers - Clermond Ferrand IMHO is worth going out of your way to do for scenic reasons. Even if a long day. Spectacular views. I did it one way on the inter city service which was a comfortable way to do it.

To my pleasant surprise it looks as though it is possible to do the circuit anticlockwise, starting on the 0816 from Nimes and with a very comfortable connection at Arvant.
I was lucky enough to be in Millau in the brief period when the tourist authority sponsored a circular tour via Mende, Langogne (lunch), St Flour(local products) and Garabit (photo stop), but the whole route from (say) Alès to Bédarieux is spectacular.

 

[Watershed]

I think the IC is the only train that does the whole route, although it was actually a TER DMU and included a change at Neussargues, where the unit from Beziers swapped passengers with the one from Clermont Ferrand and they both returned to their starting points. The whole journey from Paris only cost me €70, in first class on the Paris to C-F train.

Yes, it's falsely advertised as a direct, IC service when in fact it is neither! That being said, it's a very scenic journey and the seating on the TER units isn't bad.

 

[Gloster]

Yes, it's falsely advertised as a direct, IC service when in fact it is neither! That being said, it's a very scenic journey and the seating on the TER units isn't bad.

I have a very vague feeling that it should be a through service, but there is a ban on locos on part of the northern part of the line, so an EMU is used south of Neussarges; continuing to call it a through service may just be to keep local politicians from going up the wall. The DMU north of Neussarges may just be SNCF being SNCF, probably justified by simplifying the turnaround at Neussarges.

 

[KeithMcC]

I have a very vague feeling that it should be a through service, but there is a ban on locos on part of the northern part of the line, so an EMU is used south of Neussarges; continuing to call it a through service may just be to keep local politicians from going up the wall. The DMU north of Neussarges may just be SNCF being SNCF, probably justified by simplifying the turnaround at Neussarges.

It was 2 DMUs, a 2 car unit from C-F and a 4 car after changing. Seems strange on a line that is wired throughout! Comfortable enough with plenty of space and a table. However take your own food and drink!
There is obviously some freight as we passed the odd diesel in a siding. The central section seemed very slow and I suspect the track wasn't in great condition, it speeded up a bit once we passed an Arcelor steel coil place and it seemed that the track might have been improved south of there.

 

[TRXsouth]

They are from a free download from the SNCF website.

https://www.sncf-reseau.com/sites/default/files/2019-04/MEP_POSTER_avril2019_POUR_LE_WEB.PDF

Thank you for the details.

 

[30907]

I have a very vague feeling that it should be a through service, but there is a ban on locos on part of the northern part of the line, so an EMU is used south of Neussarges; continuing to call it a through service may just be to keep local politicians from going up the wall.

Yes. 25 years ago it was a through portion from Paris.

The DMU north of Neussarges may just be SNCF being SNCF, probably justified by simplifying the turnaround at Neussarges.

It's because the Midi wiring from the south always ended at Neussargues.

 

[robert thomas]

Collioure is a very picturesque village on the coast just north of the Spanish border and is well worth a visit especially with the family. It is,however, a 2 1/2 hour trip each way on a TER. Aigues-Mortes is certainly worth a visit, as is Carcassonne.