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The Independent (2 Aug 08) has another of its “50 Best…” series, this time on Railway Journeys - and includes 2 French ones.

Clermont Ferrand-Beziers

The less well-used of the two lines from Clermont Ferrand through the Massif Central (the other goes to Nimes), this switchback route traverses some of the wildest country in France. Near St Flour the line crosses Eiffel’s Garabit Viaduct and follows the Lot and Tarn rivers to reach Millau and Norman Foster’s viaduct, the world’s highest road bridge.

The journey takes 5 hours and costs about €50. It has to be said that the road journey is pretty spectacular too, whether you opt for the new autoroute A75 or quieter side roads as the route crosses the Auvergne and the Causses before descending to the Languedoc (see www.frenchduck.co.uk/travel)

Eurostar London - Paris

Okay, most of the scenery between London and Paris or Brussels isn’t going to inspire a modern-day Edward Thomas, but the pleasure of using the magnificently restored station at St Pancras and the blissful ease of Eurostar makes it a great experience. Treat yourself to first class and enjoy champagne and a pretty respectable meal at 186mph.

Personally I would also recommend the route from Brive-la-Gaillarde to Montauban via Gourdon and Cahors - it cuts through the dramatic limestone landscapes and valleys of South West France offering unmatchable views of the countryside, the Lot River and the town of Cahors. Time: about 2 hrs, cost about €25.
With RailEurope you can book your rail journey to any destination within France, including Eurostar services, TGV and local trains

See the FrenchDuck article on Tourist Trains in France

Anthony Peregrine in the Times (27 July 2008) embarks on a cheesey tour of France and this would be a great way to have a themed trip - maybe getting you into corners of France which might otherwise be missed. Furthermore there is increasing pressure both from EU bureaucrats, big commercial dairies and undiscerning consumers, which threatens the future of traditional artisan cheese-making.

….It’s good to visit them, too, to get to grips with the subject properly. They need all the allies they can get in the battle against industrial dairy plastic. They’re also to be found in some of the remotest, greenest and loveliest bits of France. Here are five of our favourites. All have an AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée), which, as with wine, means that the item has to come from where it has always come from and be made as it has always been made. All will be glad to see you (and your money). Naturally, they might still drive you crackers with purple prose. You’ll just have to live with that. We’re travelling north to south.

So his tour encompasses Camembert (61 Orne, Normandy), Munster (68 Haut Rhin, Alsace), Epoisses (21 Cote d’Or, Burgundy), Comté (39 Jura, Franche-Comté) and the Auvergne which includes Saint Nectaire (63 Puy de Dome, Auvergne) - all of which are in beautiful parts of France and well worth a visit.

In the Auvergne there is a signposted Cheese route (Route des Fromages) - you can download a map and details at www.fromages-aoc-auvergne.com

In the Jura there is a Cheese Trail - details of creameries and farms open to visitors can be seen at www.lesroutesducomte.com

If you cannot get out to the farm, then these are French Cheese shops we can recommend:-

Fromagerie Marie-Anne Cantin, 12 rue du Champ de Mars PARIS - just off rue Cler in the 7th arrondisement - an overwhelming selection of delicious cheeses - very professional but also very helpful - also run tasting sessions.

To guide you in this wide field of cheese gastronomy Marie Anne Cantin and her husband Antoine Dias offer you tasting sessions.
According to the seasons , they will have you discover the different families of cheeses, their history, their making process , their character and particular flavour. You will learn how to choose your cheeses, eat, present and keep them.

Cremerie Marty Patrick, 160 rue Nationale CAHORS (46 Lot, Midi-Pyrenees) - excellent choice, also includes butter, cream and fresh pasta (see video)

The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 18 is on Friday 25 July 2008 and starts from Roanne (42 Loire, Rhone-Alpes) and runs for 165.5 km to finish in Montlucon (03 Allier, Auvergne) via (Vichy (03 Allier, Auvergne) and Lapeyrousse (63 Puy-de-Dome, Auvergne).
For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com

The Tour de France 2008 (21 stages, 3500 km) Stage 6 is on 10 July 2008 and starts from Aigurande (36 Indre, Centre) and runs 195.5km through the Creuse department (23 Limousin) to
Super-Besse (63 Puy-de-Dome, Auvergne)

For more on the Tour de France 2008 see www.letour.fr/
For details of coverage on ITV see www.itv.com