France is the perfect base for a European vacation ... it borders Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, and it's just a 3-hour Channel Tunnel train journey from London! And the French rail system is one of the best in the world. The new, high-speed TGV Méditerranée train can take you from Paris to sun-drenched Provence in under 3 hours!

The Metro in Paris
The Metro system is a very efficient and cheap way of getting around Paris. Administered by the state owned company RATP.  With one single metro ticket you can go anywhere within Paris city limits as long as you don't go out of the station where you are connecting from one line to another. That goes for Metro and RER, (Rapid transit commuting system within Paris and the suburbs.) 
For more information on the Metro, Bus or RER click here: www.ratp.fr

Trains in France
With some 50 cities linked by the world's fastest trains, you can get from Paris to just about anywhere else in the country in hours. With 24,000 miles of track and about 3,000 stations, SNCF (French National Railroads) is fabled throughout the world for its on-time performance. You can travel in first or second class by day and in couchette or sleeper by night. Many trains carry dining facilities. For more information on the Trains in France click here:  www.sncf.fr or to find out about more services Europe Wide, please click here:  http://www.raileurope.com

Eurotunnel
Since the Channel Tunnel opened in 1994, for cross-Channel travel between the UK and continental Europe-it has captured 60% of the tourist market and 48% of the freight market.

Eurostar trains run directly from London to Paris in only three hours.  Trains also stop at Lille – which is becoming more popular as a weekend and short break destination. Eurotunnel also operates tourist (car and coach) and accompanied freight shuttle services between Folkestone, UK and Calais/Coquelles, France. Other destinations with Eurotunnel include:

• London to Paris, Lille and Calais

• Ashford to Paris, Lille and Calais

• London to DisneyLand Paris

• London to Brussels (Belgium)

For more information on the Channel Tunnel services please click here