On an early morning train, surrounded by locals clutching bags stuffed with towels, we hurtled towards the southern coast of France for a day at Narbonne Plage. Here, sprawling sandy shores fill with ...

The thing that I used to love most about France – there are others – was simple: their trains. As a rail enthusiast I’ve always been green with envy about those marvellous TGVs (les trains à grande ...