As I mentioned in my post last year about Ouigo, the low-cost TGV service is an incredible deal, given that it whisks you from the Paris region to popular southern destinations (Avignon, Aix en Provence, Marseille, Lyon) in just a couple of hours. If you’re already sold on the idea, go snag your tickets now on Ouigo.com while the promotional rate is still available.

However, there are a few things to keep in mind, as Ouigo isn’t a perfect solution for everyone.

Ouigo provides train service from the Paris region to Aix en Provence, Avignon, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Nimes and Valence.

Pros:

• Astonishingly cheap! Ouigo provides high-speed TGV train service at a fraction of the cost of a normal TGV train. Even once these 100,000 promotional €10 seats are gone, the seats are still cheaper than on the TGV.

• Fast! Ouigo gets you there just as quickly as the higher-cost TGV.

• Convenient booking. Book it all online now, print off your tickets, and voila! You’re done. The booking portion of the website is available in English (although, maddeningly, most of the terms and conditions are only available in French).

A search this morning turns up €10 tickets for June travel to Avignon.

Cons:

• Not in Paris. Ouigo does not serve Paris proper, but instead serves Marne la Vallée (home to Disneyland Paris), which is 40 minutes from the center of Paris by RER A (according to the SNCF website). However, this trip could take you longer, depending on your starting location. You can hop on the RER A line in central Paris at the following Metro stations: La Défense, Charles de Gaulle Etoile, Auber, Chatelet les Halles, Gare de Lyon, Nation. (Check out this handy little map of the RER trip.)

• Limited luggage. Your Ouigo ticket includes one suitcase and one piece of hand luggage for free. You can bring more, but you’ll have to pay an extra charge for it. (Note: If you plan to bring extra luggage, save by pre-booking it. €5 per suitcase if you book it when you buy your ticket, €20 if you show up without pre-booking it. More info)

• No seat selection. Unlike on the normal TGV, Ouigo only guarantees that you will have a seat, it doesn’t let you choose your actual seat in advance. Parties that book their reservations on the same ticket (couples, families, groups of friends) will be given some assistance in finding groups of seats together. (Read more about this — in French.)

• Nonrefundable. Once you buy your ticket, you cannot cancel it or get a refund.

• Pay-to-exchange policy. You can change your ticket up to four hours before the train, however it costs €10 to change by internet, or €20 to change by phone. (Read more about exchange conditions — in French.)

• Online only. To buy tickets, you must go to Ouigo.com or use the Ouigo app. You cannot purchase these tickets in the train stations or ticket offices.

More information

Is it a good deal? We think so, as long as you’re willing to take the RER trip out to Marne la Vallée and are flexible about seating selection. If so, you can speed to your southern destinations (or from your southern destinations up to the Paris region) for almost nothing.

For more information and to book tickets, visit the Ouigo website (available in French and English).

The post Flash: €10 Ouigo TGV tickets now on sale for summer travel appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

The Gard is located just west of Provence in south central France. This magical region abounds with natural beauty and less touristy towns, which makes it even more attractive to those looking for the France Profonde (The authentic France).

Pont du Gard

The Gard’s most popular attraction is the Pont du Gard, an ancient Roman aqueduct that is considered a magnificent engineering feat, but is also an architectural masterpiece. The graceful arches of the Pont (Bridge) cast a warm glow in the sunlight as it frames the lazy Gard River below.

A visit to the Pont du Gard must also include a visit to the recently constructed visitor’s center which contains a museum and a hands-on Children’s Learning Area. There is also a comfortable outdoor café on the grounds serving very tasty lunches and snacks along with an excellent view of the Pont du Gard.

A bull grazing in the Camargue.

Camargue

If you love nature, you must visit the wild Camargue, or more formally, The Parc Naturel Régional de Camargue, a World Heritage site. Located between the Mediterranean Sea, and the two arms of the Rhone River delta, the Camargue and the Petit Camargue are natural wonderlands. Here you will see hundreds of flamingos, plus as many as 400 other bird species. Bring your binoculars!

You can also hike, ride the famous Camargue white horses or take a boat trip within the 360 square miles of this natural marshland. You will likely also observe wild bulls grazing in the long grasses.

Cevennes National Park

For an adventure in nature of a different sort, consider the Cevennes National Park. The Cevennes is a maze of deep valleys with winding rivers and hills covered in forests and mulberry bushes that were planted ages ago for feeding the silkworms which were bred in the mills called magnaneries. This is a wonderful place for camping, hiking and enjoying nature.

There are a few towns that I believe are must-see when you are in this region. Number one has got to be Nimes and of course Aigues Mortes, Beaucaire, and Uzes.

Take a tour of Nimes' Coliseum.

Nimes

Your favorite jeans are made of denim, the fabric originally made in Nimes: de Nimes (of Nimes) beginning at the latter part of the Middle Ages. Nimes was also a center of the silk trade.

Nimes’ Coat of Arms is a crocodile chained to a palm tree. When the Romans conquered Egypt, a coin was struck in Nimes with that depiction as well as the words Col Nem (colony of Nimes) to celebrate the event. The Nimes populace grew to love the coin and adapted it as the city’s crest.

There are several Roman artifacts adorning this compact city. The Maison Carree or Square House is a Roman Temple set in the center of town. Built in the 1st Century AD, it was completely restored at the end of 2010. The Roman Amphitheatre is one of the best preserved of the Roman world. Built in the 1st century AD, it is still used to this day for bullfights and other events.

Walk the streets of Aigues Morts

Aigues Mortes

On the western edge of the Camargue, is the medieval town of Aigues Mortes (dead waters). The city was a Roman town built in about 10 AD. The walled city we see today was re-built by Louis IX in the 13th century as France’s only Mediterranean port at that time. It was the embarkation point of the Seventh Crusade (1248) and the Eighth Crusade (1270).

Beaucaire

Beaucaire sits across the river from the castle town of Tarascon. Like Tasascon, Beaucaire has its own castle and dragon legend. Beaucaire was a rich market town in the middle ages. You can see the vestiges of magnificent hotels, used to house the visiting merchants, now used as apartment buildings and palatial homes.

The Palace of the Duke in Uzes.

Uzes

Uzes captured my heart the moment we arrived. It is a small, walkable town that oozes charm around every corner. I loved the Saturday market, held in the Place aux Herbes. It is a favorite because of the vast variety of market items on sale. If only I could stuff more into my suitcase!

The palace of the Duc of Uzes is set right in town, and there is still a Duc who lives there, on occasion. On our tour, we spotted the Duc talking with one of his employees. Here’s a hint: if the flag is flying at the castle, the Duc is in residence.

Uzes lies at the source of the Eure river, and it is from here that the Roman aqueduct was built to carry the water 25K away to Nimes. The Pont du Gard is part of this aqueduct.

I have honestly just scratched the surface of this little corner of France. On your next trip to France, be sure to check out the Gard.

About the author: Terri Fogarty is the publisher of EuropeUpClose.com.

The post Getting to Know France’s Gard Region appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.