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Want to discover Nouvelle‑Aquitaine differently? The region charms with its lush vineyards, Atlantic dunes and the historic Dordogne river. Good news, Nouvelle‑Aquitaine is accessible from France by high‑speed TGV and regional trains, with major hubs in Bordeaux and Biarritz. A TGV from Paris or Lyon drops you in the heart of the wine country, while night trains offer a relaxed journey to the coast. Here’s our guide to Nouvelle‑Aquitaine, car‑free and flight‑free.
Bordeaux, the region's major rail hub, is directly connected to many major French cities. From Paris-Montparnasse, the TGV Inoui takes a little over 2 hours. From Toulouse, is also about a 2-hour ride by direct TGV or Intercités train.
For travelers coming from the north, a direct TGV connects Lille to Bordeaux in about 4 hours, without changing trains.
From the west, Nantes It also offers a direct route to Bordeaux, taking just over 4 hours.
From the southeast, Marseille You can reach Bordeaux in about 6 hours and 30 minutes on a direct Intercités train via Toulouse. From Lyon, there is no direct connection: you'll need to make one transfer, usually via Paris or Poitiers, for a total travel time of about 5 hours.
Once there, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine TER network—one of the most extensive in France, with more than 300 stations—makes it easy to travel between different regions: Bordeaux to Arcachon in 40 minutes, Bordeaux to Bayonne in about 2 hours, or connections to La Rochelle, Saintes, Angoulême, and Limoges.
Boucle
Seven different worlds in about ten days without ever leaving the tracks? This train loop through the New Aquitaine takes you from the Old Port of La Rochelle to the vineyards of Bordeaux and Cérons, before heading to the beaches of the Basque Country in Bayonne and Biarritz, then on to Pau and the peaks of the Pyrenees all the way to Bedous, in the heart of the Aspe Valley! On the itinerary: the Atlantic coast, the Graves and Sauternes wine route, Basque surfing, royal heritage, and hikes in the Pyrenees... For details on each stop:
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New Aquitaine by Train: A 7-Day Car-Free Itinerary
In the heart of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the atmosphere changes from one region to another:
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In short, nestled between the ocean and vineyards, stone villages and wild dunes, Nouvelle-Aquitaine is the perfect destination for a train trip with plenty of stops along the way!
If you want to broaden your horizons, take a look at our ready-made loops passing through Nouvelle-Aquitaine:
This guide is produced in partnership with the tourism office:
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Train emits about 6x less CO₂ than car (2 passengers) over 399 km. Discover our methodology
