Cathédrale de la Major in Marseille (photo © Olga Demchishina / dreamstime.com).
Cathédrale de la Major in Marseille (photo © Olga Demchishina / dreamstime.com).
Along the Côte d'Azur
The train journey east from Marseille towards the Italian border is superb. The route has a grand, almost cinematic appeal when seen from the comfort of a TGV, but suddenly becomes more intimate when you experience it from one of the slower TER services which stop off at lesser stations en route. Many trains on this route are double-deckers, so grab a place upstairs and on the seaward side (ie. on the right as you leave Marseille), sit back and enjoy the view.
MAP Double click on the map (or double tap on mobile) to zoom in. You can connect onto other routes in places shown in red (just click/tap on the red map icon marking the place to reveal other routes linked to it). Zoom out of the map again by cliking the 'minus' sign at the top left of the map.
Whether you are making a long grand tour or just planning a couple of weekend breaks, Europe by Rail is the perfect guide. The book describes 52 key routes in detail. Together, they span mainland Europe and the British Isles. Find out more about the guidebook below.
