Train Travel around France

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Hi,

We want to use the trains to train around France and while the TVG site is great  it doesnt seem to show any local trains.  Is there another web site that we should be looking at. Or maybe I'm not finding the right section.
We are wanting to do something like paris to lourdes then on to Bayonne then maybe another mid way stop before going back to paris or maybe it is better to go direct from Bayonne to paris and then start again from Paris.

Thanks for you help

We want to use the trains to train around France and while the TVG site is great  it doesnt seem to show any local trains.  Is there another web site that we should be looking at.

Hmm... there is special website dedicated to regional TER trains in France (www.ter-sncf.com), but it is only in French. However in terms of connections like Paris to Lourdes or even Lourdes-Bayonne tgv-europe.com should work for you. It shows necessary connections and allows ticket (including discounted) purchase. For example here yours Paris to Lourdes & Lourdes to Bayonne in a few weeks time
&
Besides high-speed TGV trains, it will show you InterCites and TER as well (although for TER trains it doesn't really make sense to purchase tickets in advance, since the fare at the station will be the same and you can buy your ticket just before departure)

We are wanting to do something like paris to lourdes then on to Bayonne then maybe another mid way stop before going back to paris or maybe it is better to go direct from Bayonne to paris and then start again from Paris.

Well, once you decide on all the destinations you want to visit, just bring them up here and we'll try to suggest the best way to organize the itinerary

p.s. meanwhile, we also created recently a step by step guide on how to purchase train tickets using tgv-europe.com, so maybe it can help you a little - http://europetrainsguide.com/Advice/How-to-Buy-Train-Tickets/France-SNCF.html If you have any further questions or something doesn't seem to work out - just ask here 

You know you are a real gem.  We have finished our plan.
Leave Amsterdam on sunday 25 Aug for Paris.  Overnight in Paris before heading to Lourdes on the Monday.  Have read a lot of your info I got  a little confused when reading about international tickets that allowed stopovers in the price of the ticket but I dont think that applies to our destinations.  Two nights in Lourdes then departing on Wed 28th to Bayonne overnight then to Paris on 29th August.
The other trips decided to do as day trips from Paris one to Tour and another to Dijon and possibly Rouen.
With these day trips I suppose it depends on th price whether we book in advance if the TVG or Intercity is cheaper that TER,
Thanks we would not ever travel by train in europe without consulting

Leave Amsterdam on sunday 25 Aug for Paris.  Overnight in Paris before heading to Lourdes on the Monday.

For leg from Amsterdam to Paris you can purchase discounted tickets either via mentioned above tgv-europe.com, thalys.com or Dutch Railways website. Besides stop in Paris for the night, you can as well get an overnight train to Lourdes right away, even possible to purchase one through ticket Amsterdam-Paris-Lourdes

Have read a lot of your info I got  a little confused when reading about international tickets that allowed stopovers in the price of the ticket but I dont think that applies to our destinations.

Well, theoretically such international SCIC-NRT ticket can be used for your journeys, although there are couple rather essential problems in your case: a) you won't be able to buy it in Netherlands and b) it doesn't work for high-speed trains like Thalys (from Amsterdam to Paris) because there a bit different tariff is used. So at the end it is probably not really an option for you, better to stick with discounted tickets purchased online in advance 

Two nights in Lourdes then departing on Wed 28th to Bayonne overnight then to Paris on 29th August. The other trips decided to do as day trips from Paris one to Tour and another to Dijon and possibly Rouen. With these day trips I suppose it depends on th price whether we book in advance if the TVG or Intercity is cheaper that TER

Now you know where to check all the prices and purchase tickets - tgv-europe.com. For instance Paris to Dijon by TER train is 43,8 euro one-way, while discounted ticket for TGV trains can be as low as 22 euro, more or less same story with Paris to Tours - IntetCites & TGV trains can be as low as 20 euro, while full fare for InterCites (no direct TER trains here) train ticket here is 34,3 euro

Thanks we would not ever travel by train in europe without consulting

We always glad to hep fellow travelers 

Hi
Just been checking the TVG website and noticed the date we want to travel in Aug (29th) now show 1 train (Bayonne to Paris.). However has a message
In 'no booking' trains, seats are unreserved.
and only one train is listed departing at 10h28 for 79.80euro.  I am assuming this is for 2 passengers.  How do I know if this is a discounted seat.  Should I book it.
Please advise thanks

Just been checking the TVG website and noticed the date we want to travel in Aug (29th) now show 1 train (Bayonne to Paris.). However has a message
In 'no booking' trains, seats are unreserved.
and only one train is listed departing at 10h28 for 79.80euro.  I am assuming this is for 2 passengers.  How do I know if this is a discounted seat.  Should I book it.

On August 28th it shows only iDTGV train (kind of cheaper version of standard TGV high-speed trains), for those sale opens 180 days in advance. And yes, price per passenger is 39,9 euro, so 79,8 euro is for two and it is a sort of discounted ticket, however not the cheapest type of discount, since if you check the same route for dates within 90 days (standard sale period for French Railways), let's say early June, you can easily find trains (including TGV) for as low as 25 euro, thus 50 euro for two passengers.
39,9 euro is a not a bad price, but maybe it makes sense to wait until it will be 90 days in advance and get even cheaper ticket (+ much more connections would open up, so you would be able to choose when you want to depart or arrive)