We meet early (ish) at St Pancras International, then travel by Eurostar to Paris or Lille and on to Lyon by T.G.V. – our hotel is situated immediately outside Lyon Perrache Station.

We go south today, by train to Tournon, gateway to the Ardeche. Our coach meets us for the short transfer to Tournon St Jean. Now, a holiday highlight to kick off the week as we steam through the gorges following the River Doux to Lamastre with the CDF Vivarais. In the afternoon we continue by road to St. Agreve for more steam action courtesy of the Velay Express. A journey of over two hours, though wonderful scenery, follows. Our day is completed by coach and train back to Lyon, pausing in St Etienne where you will be able to find an early evening meal.

Today we explore Lyon by tram, metro, trolleybus, rack railway and on foot (not too much walking though!). The tour also includes Lyon’s famous funiculars, the Traboules, and other major city centre highlights. Lyon is regarded as the gastronomical centre of France, so perhaps the biggest highlight today will be lunch (included) at one of the most famous restaurants in France, Georges Brasserie – magnifique!

The number one railway attraction in France beckons this morning – Le Train a Vapeur des Cevennes. To get there we travel from Lyon by T.G.V. to Nimes followed by a delightfully rural train to the capital of the Cevennes region – Ales. Here there will be time for refreshments before we head for the “Gardon de St Jean” and the steam train ride of the holiday. To enjoy the full flavour of this beautiful region we travel back to Nimes by coach, then T.G.V. back to Lyon arriving mid evening.

To the Alps at Grenoble today, by train and coach, for an utterly fantastic lunchtime cruise on the lakes amid the Drac Gorges. This will be a tour highlight for sure, as will be the stunning trip up to La Bastille overlooking Grenoble City. The third of many memorable days out of the city concludes by train back to Lyon.

It will have been a busy but stunning week of travel, so let’s take our last day nice and easy. Spend some time in Lyon this morning before we embark upon a trip out to St Foy for Lyon’s local tourist railway – the Train Touristique des Monts du Lyonnais. This is a delightful line run by delightful people – the perfect way to round off a railway holiday in the Lyon area.

An easy start to a return journey commences after breakfast with a change in either Paris or Lille and we should be back to London by late afternoon.