Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Nice-Milan (around €45/30, five hours)
FROM UK
Highly civilised
Eurostar
( in France 08 92 35 35 39, in UK 08432 186 186;
www.eurostar.com
)
whisks between London and Paris in 2¼ hours. Direct seasonal ser-
vice to Avignon from the UK operates Saturdays, July to early September, from London
(six hours) and Ashford (five hours). Otherwise, consider changing trains in Lille, before
heading south to Provence, which eliminates the schlep across Paris city centre from Gare
du Nord to Gare du Lyon.
Eurostar fares vary hugely. Standard 2nd-class one-way ticket from London to Paris
costs £179; from Paris, standard fare to London is €245. But deals cost as little as £79.
Find the best deals by booking non-flexible, return journeys with Saturday-night stay-
over. Book seven to 14 days ahead - for the best fares, 120 days ahead. Student travel
agencies may have youth fares not available from Eurostar.
Discounts are available for Eurail pass holders and people over 60 and under 26 (on day
of travel, not booking).
Sea
Giant ferries cross from Nice, Marseille and Toulon to Corsica (France), Sardinia (Italy)
and North Africa. Vehicles are allowed; reservations are essential.
From the Rest of France
Ferries from Corsica to Provençal ports are operated by the following companies.
Corsica Ferries
( 04 95 32 95 95;
www.corsicaferries.com
)
Year-round; Nice and
Toulon to Ajaccio, Bastia, Calvi and Île Rousse.
La Méridionale
( 08 10 20 13 20;
www.lameridionale.fr
)
SNCM subsidiary; year-
round between Marseille and Ajaccio, Bastia and Propriano.
SNCM
( 08 91 70 18 01;
www.sncm.fr
; 61 bd des Dames;
Joliette)
Corsica, Sardin-
ia, Algeria and Tunisia.
