The Railway Touring Company · Escorted tour

Lyon and the French Alps

Lyon and the French Alps, a rail journey with The Railway Touring Company

An exciting tour to the beautiful Roman city of Lyon, the Alpine gateway of Grenoble and the highest peaks in the Alps of Savoy, including some of the best steam railways and most spectacular mountain trains in France.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Lyon

    London to Lyon by high-speed rail

    Travel from London St Pancras to Paris Nord by Eurostar, then by SNCF TGV from Paris Gare de Lyon to Lyon. Based at a centrally-located hotel with a complimentary public transport ticket for the duration of the stay. Welcome dinner at the hotel.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Lyon

    Scenic cruise, vintage transport and leisure in Lyon

    Free time to explore Lyon's Metro, tramway, two funiculars, rack railway and trolleybus network, plus a group sightseeing river cruise giving views of the city's landmarks from the water. Dinner at the hotel.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Lyon

    Steam at the Train de l'Ardeche

    Visit 'Le Mastrou', a French heritage railway with a 0-6-6-0 metre gauge Mallet locomotive, for a return steam journey over the 28km line through the Gorges de l'Ardeche to Lamastre, with lunch included. Return by steam train to Tournon St. Jean and transfer back to Lyon.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Lyon

    Grenoble panoramic cableway and Alpine Railway at Chemin de Fer de la Mure

    Stop in Grenoble to ride the 1934 urban cableway to the hilltop fortress of La Bastille, then continue by coach to the Chemin de Fer de la Mure, a narrow gauge railway with historic Swiss-built electric locomotives from 1933, for a full round trip with lunch served at the terminus, before returning to Lyon.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Lyon

    Alpine splendour at the Tramway du Mont Blanc

    Transfer from Lyon to Saint Gervais Le Fayet to board the rack railway, built 1907-1914, for a round trip to Nid d'Aigle at 2372 metres, before returning to Lyon for a free evening.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Lyon

    France's highest steam railway at Velay Express

    Visit the Velay Express, France's highest regular steam railway line at 1062 metres, in the Massif Central, for a 27km steam journey from Saint-Agreve to Raucoules, then coach transfer back to Lyon for a farewell group dinner.

  7. Day 7rail

    Return to London by rail

    Return to London using a high-speed TGV to Paris and then a Eurostar service to London St. Pancras.

Included

  • 6 Nights Accommodation at a centrally located 4* Hotel with breakfast
  • 3 Dinners
  • River cruise in Lyon and cableway ride in Grenoble
  • All train travel and transfers by private coach
  • Complementary public transport rover tickets in Lyon
  • Site admissions to all the attractions as detailed in the itinerary
  • The services of a Tour Manager

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