City trip France by train 🚅 | 5x special cities

Make one city ​​trip by train to France this late summer! After all, you will be there in no time thanks to good connections. Ideal for a few days away. Below we give five tips train travel combined with city trips that are accompanied by a lot of history, culture & heritage, gastronomy and greenery.

1. Lille | North France

• Travel time: 2h40 from Rotterdam.
• Change: 1 transfer in Brussels.
• Return price: From 71 euros.
• Train tickets: Check availability here.
• Hotel tip: Lille a Part.

Am I in France? Am I in Flanders? Lille, located on the river Deule, is a wonderful mix of two cultures and has a rich history. The old center has a medieval street pattern, but you will also encounter seventeenth-century brick houses, art deco and street art. It is not for nothing that the city was declared the European Capital of Culture in 2004!

Be sure to visit the Palais des Beaux-Arts, the modern art museum LaM in Villeneuve d'Asq and the special museum La Piscine in Roubaix, which is housed in a former swimming pool. To immerse yourself in local life, you can sit down on the many cozy terraces for a good glass of beer. And keep the first weekend of September free as standard, because that's when Lille organizes the largest fair in Europe!

2. Rouen | Normandy

• Travel time: 5 hours from Rotterdam.
• Change: 1 transfer in Paris.
• Return price: From 94 euros.
• Train tickets: Check availability here.
• Hotel tip: Sous Les Etoiles.

When you think of Rouen, you might immediately think of the impressive Gothic cathedral painted several times by Monet. Other Impressionist artists such as Pissarro and Sisley have also fallen for Rouen's charm; the 'city of 100 bell towers' because of the many churches.

In 2021, the atmospheric university city has been recognized by Unesco as a Creative City in the field of gastronomy because of its culinary heritage and innovative cuisine. To experience this for yourself, you can go to the food festival on 14 and 15 October 'Fête du ventre et de la gastronomy'. Other absolute must-sees: the monumental clockwork 'Gros Horloge', the medieval cemetery Aître Saint-Maclou, the countless half-timbered houses and the Maison Sublime (the oldest Jewish monument in France). Moreover, you can cycle well along the banks of the Seine. And did you know that a third of the metropolis consists of forest? Three forest areas have even obtained the 'Forêt d'exception' label!

3.Nancy | eastern France

• Travel time: 4h45 from Rotterdam.
• Change: 1 transfer in Paris.
• Return price: From 106 euros.
• Train tickets: Check availability here.
• Hotel tip: Le Central Victoria II.

Nancy, the historic capital of the Dukes of Lorraine, is dynamic with lots of greenery. Although the city dates back to the 11th century, Art Nouveau predominates in the streets. Just look at the Villa Majorelle! The Musée de l'École de Nancy is even entirely devoted to this art movement. You also can't miss the Place Stanislas: one of the most beautiful squares in the world with wrought iron gates decorated with gold leaf.

Together with the Place d'Alliance, the Place de la Carrière and the Triumphal Arch Arc Héré, it is on the Unesco World Heritage List. If you want to relax, you can go to the brand new Nancy Thermal where you can bathe in healing warm water of 35 ° C, which is extracted from a depth of 800 meters. To explore the area by bike, we recommend the 'Moselle round trip' of 85 kilometers. Don't forget to bring something tasty for the road, such as the famous bergamot candy.

4. Orleans | Centre-Val de Loire

• Travel time: 5h30 from Rotterdam.
• Change: 1 transfer in Paris.
• Return price: From 117 euros.
• Train tickets: Check availability here.
• Hotel tip: The Gogaille Lodge.

Orléans, 'Ville d'art et d'histoire', is inextricably linked to the heroine Joan of Arc who helped to liberate France from the English during the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453). The city is located on the Loire - the longest river in France - which is suitable for water sports, but along which you can also walk or cycle (Loire à vélo). The heart of the city is the Place du Martroi from where it is not far to walk to the cathedral Sainte Croix, the Musée des Beaux-Arts, the Rue de Bourgogne for shops, cafes and restaurants or to the bridge George V.

Moreover, a visit to the Loire Valley is not complete without castles, so why not visit the castle of Meung-sur-Loire or that of La Ferté Saint-Aubin in the wooded and watery region of the Sologne. Orléans is also known for its vinegar, mustard and quince jam: nice as a souvenir!

5. Dijon | Burgundy

• Travel time: 5 hours from Rotterdam.
• Change: 1 transfer in Paris.
• Return price: From 129 euros.
• Train tickets: Check availability here.
• Hotel tip: Dijon La Belle Adresse.

One of the tastiest cities in France! You know Dijon from its mustard, of course, but it is also the gateway to prestigious vineyards that you can discover on the Route des Grands Crus. To learn all about wine, head to the Cité internationale de la Gastronomie et du Vin with bars, restaurants, shops, exhibitions and workshops.

Dijon also forms the northern tip of the so-called Valley of Gastronomy and you can visit the market in Les Halles on different days. In between eating and drinking you can follow the owl route (Parcours de la Chouette) that leads you along nice shops, half-timbered houses and the most important monuments of the historic center. Think about it Ducal Palace which houses the Musée des Beaux-Arts (one of Dijon's free museums), the Hôtel de Vogüé mansion and the Saint-Bénigne cathedral. Is the weather nice? Then enjoy the greenery, for example in the Jardin Darcy, the botanical garden Jardin de l'Arquebuse or the Parc de la Colombière.