Bordeaux to Paris: Ride the OLDEST TGV still in service! 🚄🇫🇷

[@SimplyRailway]

Hey folks, I hope you liked the video. I'm currently experiencing new style of maps for my intro. Let me know your thoughts :-) Thibault

[@jairiss237]

Hi, I take this line today on the TGV Atlantic but my train was going to Bruxelles (in Belgium). The TGV Atlantic is not the best train, I style prefer the TGV duplex. I have a question, the new TGV Atlantic are also going to 320 Kilometers no?

[@tomsmith5584]

I like the maps showing where the stations are. Perhaps a bit smaller, but fine.

[@ChrisH-1952]

Yep, new map style is good. 👍

[@PessiLillois]

@@jairiss237 il est français

[@jairiss237]

@@PessiLillois Ah ok.

[@michaelhall8586]

I love how quiet everyone on the train is

[@cestmoi1262]

I found the " 95% full" train most reassuring for the future of rail travel.

[@lecatovien78]

La ligne Paris - Bordeaux est très attractive et encore plus depuis la mise en service de la LGV SEA

[@cestmoi1262]

@@lecatovien78 Thanks for your reply. But you're stretching my 2 years of French 60 years ago to the limit. Have a nice day.

[@lecatovien78]

@@cestmoi1262 Sorry. I saw you have a french nickname. I just want to say that prices are often more attractive on "slow" TGVs between paris and bordeaux

[@cestmoi1262]

@@lecatovien78 You can fool people some of the time......LOL

[@asdsdjfasdjxajiosdqw8791]

Instead of scrapping the ones they did they should have slapped an all-second-class interior into them and used them as ouigo ones. high speed yet low cost travel is in high demand at the moment and will only increase.

[@ludwigvonkoopa4998]

Well.there is a rumor sncf is scrapping its old tgv so no futur competitor would lay a hand on.their old stock.

[@KyrilPG]

I've heard there's also a problem with the usability of the old stock as OuiGo due to speed limitations. The most demanded OuiGo services include lines that run at 320km/h and I'm not sure the old stock can run entire services at top speed or any minute at all. And SNCF doesn't want to mix speeds on the busiest lines because mixed speed traffic is a capacity killer. Even though it's more a RFF problem (the rail infrastructure company), SNCF would certainly avoid making a precedent that would potentially allow a future competitor to run slightly slower trains on the fastest lines and decrease the frequency capabilities of said lines. I'm pretty sure that's why they are using this old TGV for this specific service that will probably only join the 300km/h high-speed line between Tours and Paris after having bypassed the long 320km/h stretch between Bordeaux and Tours.

[@TransQB]

@@KyrilPG I'm not completely sure, but I think this tgv is able to run to 320 km/h

[@KyrilPG]

@@TransQB Probably, but is it officially and commercially rated for this speed ? And can it sustain that 320km/h speed for hours like the more recent ones. The TGV Atlantique surely was a record breaker in late 80's or early 90's and the record was around 500 if memory serves. But a record isn't an official certification for commercial speed. That was my point : virtually any TGV, even the original Sud-Est can run at 320 (maybe 360) but it surely isn't certified for that commercial speed. And certifying an old fleet of trains to higher commercial speeds might not be worth the cost.

[@TransQB]

@@KyrilPG after some research, it seems that the TGV A is able to run to 300km/h instead of 320 km/h. So you're right 😂

[@Reens-Rails]

In terms of (ext.) design one of the finest trains around the world. Really nice video as always.

[@tgv3000]

Votre vidéo est vraiment superbe. On voit que vous aimez notre belle France . La gare Saint Jean à Bordeaux est superbe, probablement une des plus belles de France.

[@ChrisH-1952]

They've done a great job of refurbishing these trains. So good to see that not everything old needs to be scrapped.

[@michaelrmurphy2734]

Of course not! I love old things! Just like the Concorde and B747, it sad to think such a game changer in transportation is no more. At least the Concordes were put up on blocks around the world.

[@Profmhd]

Thanks, greetings from Algeria 🇩🇿

[@Trainsforlife89]

Well done, once again, Thibault! I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. From the classic beauties you call stations to the wonder a TGV is. I love the concept of marrying classic TGV elements with a modern livery and interior. Many of us railfans around the world will be so sad to see them go. Respect and greetings from Athens, Greece.

[@mark_delfino]

Your timing is lucky for me, I'll be travelling from Bordeaux to Poitiers and back in a few weeks. Out on a duplex and back on one of these probably! Thanks for the video

[@josephr9551]

What a gorgeous train station!

[@timnewman1172]

Such a nice trip, I keep saying we need trains like this in North America... and the railway station at Bordeaux, simply magnificent. Thank you Thibault!

[@centredoorplugsthornton4112]

They're older than the Eurostar sets that went to scrap. They're 8 to 12 years older than Amtrak's Acela sets due for replacement with Alstom Avelia sets.

[@AlCapone1920]

The animation with Google Earth is just perfect. Great job Thibault!

[@guillaumedarbin2433]

Ahhhh finally a video about the TGV Atlantique!!

[@jonhartley]

You can tell it's just been refurbed - the SNCF windows were clean (ish). Great and very fair report as always - thank you.

[@danc1513]

I absolutely love the look of the Atlantique TGV, the power car specifically. The mix of curves with sharp lines gives if a distinct iconic look. The Duplexes are nice, but they lack that distinctiveness, to my eyes at least. I hope I get to visit France again one day and ride it before they all retire.

[@odiliusrailfans]

in Indonesia I have an EMU train of the Tokyo Metro 6000 type which is very old but some units such as the 6001F, 6024F and 6029F use IGBT-VVVF propulsion. Until now still operating in Jakarta

[@iamthestig1]

I like the new style of map. Also, Bordeaux station was impressive. Much better than stations we get here in Britain.

[@jaimevelez4534]

Wow it is amazing to see this is still in service nice video!

[@joemeyers3127]

Nice to see such a busy on time train! 👏👏👏👏

[@theobrattinga500]

Great video !!

[@tng2057]

Great to see my old friend, whom I first met in early 80s when it was dressed in orange. I still have a photo of a younger myself with my backpack standing next to it at Geneva. Interestingly I felt at the time, that a Shinkansen ride was smoother. It was France’s pride nonetheless and it made great publicity when it beat the Shinkansen on speed at the time.

[@alaindumas1824]

In early 80s, the orange TGVs had spring suspensions. Train set number 10 was removed from service and equipped with a pneumatic suspension. Testing under various conditions was very successful. Starting in 1986, the orange TGV springs were replaced by pneumatic cushions.

[@michaelrmurphy2734]

You rode both TGV and Shinkansen?! WOW!! Which is better do you think?

[@tng2057]

@@michaelrmurphy2734 80s Shinkansen slightly better than 80s TGV I would say. The Japanese made slightly smoother tracks and the drivers made smoother accelerations and decelerations as well. Ironically when I traveled on the orange TGV on that 80s day my carriage was fully of Japanese tourists, and the Japanese young ladies all screamed with excitement when they saw cattles enjoying their pasture haute cuisines through the windows.

[@Tbpker22]

Thank you, Thibault, for another very nice ride!

[@pandahugs2271]

I think i noticed you in bordeaux. I have been frequenting in and out of poitiers but by then you had already been on your way. I have been travelling between bordeaux and poitiers and love these old trains. Classy and nice and some of these old trains even have services from brussels midi to bordeaux.

[@Professor_Franquêta-SergipeBr]

parabéns pelo vídeo e saudações do Professor Franquêta de Sergipe no Brasil. linda paisagem e viagem.

[@jamesholmes2379]

Great video Thibault! I have fond memories of travelling on the Atlantique sets between Paris and Laval …. pre Lacroix refurbishment when there was conference style layout where the second class small compartment is with cycle spaces now….. the layout in coaches 2 and 3 is unique and very stylish. Good to see some of the sets are still in traffic.

[@anthonywarrener1881]

Thank you for an excellent video. I really like the TGV-A, and the refurbishment has been good. I hope they continue in service for a long time, especially on the old route between Bordeaux and Angouleme.

[@scottyerkes1867]

Glad these old TGV A were tefurbished and used. The canopy and station at Bordeaux are beautiful. Thank you Thibault for a good review.😀😀💙💚

[@bzeesrini]

Really like this new TGV!! Even better than old TGV InOui

[@truedarklander]

but his is the *old* TGV

[@Max2kFR]

I traveled from Nantes to Strasbourg with a TGV Atlantique InOui like this one (but with red seats), they're quite comfortable and really long !

[@SimonHollandfilms]

we use this service all the time...thanks for explaining the trains and the 2 routes...i always wondered why some take 3 hours and others 2

[@valeriebassett3107]

Great video! Really enjoy your videos and would not miss any!

[@leferro8444]

Ca reste du super matos ces TGV !

[@gethplatform2392]

The bridge after Poitiers (the shot where you said you were back on the high-speed line, just before the train review) is one of the highest and longest train viaducts in Europe.

[@Lodai974]

which one is it?

[@gethplatform2392]

@@Lodai974 Estacade de la Folie. It's a 1.3km-long bridge, and it goes above 2 express roads, the old railway line, a highway and 2 rivers.

[@Lodai974]

@@gethplatform2392 thks

[@EpicThe112]

Excellent trip report and is there a replacement ordered TGV Atlantique or not? If you are into Railway announcements your TGV Departure is said by Simone Herault SNCF equivalent to ÖBB Chris Lohner Deutsche Bahn Heiko Grauel Rhein-Ruhr Rhein Main Dresden Leipzig Chemnitz use the older Alisa Palmer announcer system. Inside trains SNCF Simone Herault like Deutsche Bahn uses Ingo Ruff. For the conventional Tours Bordeaux line it's built like a German Ausbaustrecke no grade crossings like the Hauptstrecke München Augsburg and Schnellfahrstrecke Köln Aachen. TGV Euroduplex max speed is 320 kmh 200 mph under TVM-430 ETCS but is restricted by LZB to 280-300 kmh

[@Lodai974]

"is there a replacement ordered TGV Atlantique or not" If you are talking about a brand new TGV with one level , ..no!!!. The TGV-M will be Duplex and will allow the oldest Duplexes to replace the Atlantic and network TGVs. No brand new TGV with one level, ordered for the moment.

[@Humberto-F7]

Merci ... thanks for the ride 🇺🇾

[@tomsmith5584]

Thanks for the ride. It gets real impressive when you realize these trains are over a quarter of a mile long. I suspect the new soap dispensers are because the old soap dispensers couldn't handle the antibacterial soap they are using now thanks to the pandemic.

[@reglementme6321]

Have you seen the canopy at Antwerp-central station?

[@fakerating]

great video, thanks!

[@Lodai974]

5:56 ironically in these picture, the TGV is on tracks on the older "Cie du Midi" because we can see "Midi catenary" (Westinghouse system)

[@maxinlux6570]

Salut Thibault! Would these TGV "A" be the same as the TGV Atlantique which I used to take between Paris and Nantes back in the early 90s when I studied there? Then the good old Corail between Paris and Luxembourg, happy days😉

[@Lodai974]

yes they are the same TGV

[@josselinjobert7224]

Salut Thibault, In fact, they installed new soap dispenser to prevent electrical injuries for the clean teams... I know it used to work well for years but incident happened and they decided to had new ones because those ones are filled behind the mirror where there is the power installation for the toilets. Au plaisir de regarder tes futures vidéos

[@tomaspalisek4824]

7:03 - I like more the design of the seats before. So unique - Cristian Lacroix made an excellent job. Does anybody agree with me? 🙂

[@KyrilPG]

14:40 In Latin culture, and especially French culture, lunching or dining can take hours. And I'm not joking, a lunch can take up to 2, 3 or 4 hours, no matter the quality or quantity of food. If you put booths with tables like on ICE's, you'll have a few people clogging the place for a large portion of the journey, preventing others from having a seat and the "restaurant" from making any profit. And good luck if you try to enforce a time limit... You'd experience the wrath of disgruntled French to the point you'd just end up letting them have it their way. The bar option is much more indicated so that people do not overstay in this car. They buy something to eat or drink and either stay for a short time or go back to their seats. You'd be surprised by the number of times I've heard ICE's restaurant car attendants complaining about those pesky French (particularly) and other Latins clogging the tables of the car for too long... And if you put table booths in TGV's you could be sure it would be colonized in a matter of minutes by passengers bringing their own food, especially on holiday peak season. The bar car already can be crowded by groups that bring their own drinks on holiday destination services... The choice of a bar is simply the workaround of a cultural specificity. Putting a sitdown restaurant in a French high-speed train would be like putting a pub car in an English train : asking for trouble...

[@SharksEvil]

There are sit down restaurants cars in euro duplex tgv and everything is fine honestly

[@KyrilPG]

@@SharksEvil I've never seen it, not even once in 40 years... Which trains, on which destinations ? How many seats ? Real seats or stools ? Which service ?

[@SharksEvil]

@@KyrilPG perhaps I’m wrong in the denomination but it was a 2 story tgv, from Paris to Rennes. Sitting places with little tables (2 I think)

[@KyrilPG]

@@SharksEvil Yes but this wasn't a restaurant car, I think what you saw was a either regular "quatuor" group of seats, those with a reservation or seats dedicated to phone use. Are you sure they were in the same car AND area that the bar ?

[@SharksEvil]

@@KyrilPG yep it was. You can find images online easily « restaurant car euroduplex tgv »

[@MaxPulse1]

Only traveled on an Atlantique version from Boulogne to Lyon in 2017, and loved the Lacroix interior on that journey. What is the purpose of the pre-boarding, it seems quite strange. Hope to get back to France in 2024 for the Olympics and traveling far and wide. Cannot wait

[@bobmmann3917]

The French always made beautiful train sets. Another nice job Theibault.

[@luisstransport]

Great trip report

[@novatv5508]

14:18 sympa ce maillot du cameroun

[@toussantlbisso]

Grapics are waaay Cool ! Great Station ! Awesome🚄 channel !

[@Backwardlooking]

Might be the oldest but still looks the coolest externally.👍🏻🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@rezaalan3991]

Great trip. For a HST with age around 30 years old, this was great. The route is combinations between classic and High Speed, and also serving some Cities on Classic Line, feels like ICE in Germany.

[@lausimeyer6558]

13:14 - why are there sitting people on those tiny seats next to the door, when seat reservation is compulsory in the TGV?

[@Abnerbandanovotempoinscrito1mi]

Muito lindo trem 🚉 gostei simply

[@rogeriomonteiro760]

É pena que o Brasil nunca venha a ter algo assim.

[@samtrak1204]

It's great to see how Europeans love their trains. Train travel in USA is Third World in comparison so I have to fly to Europe to get my high speed fix. Can't wait to ride ICE from Franklin to Berlin for Innotrans 2022. I want to ride Germany's fastest train so so a side trip from Frankfurt to Köln to watch trains and that awesome cathedral is just what the doctor ordered.

[@Neville60001]

Not just the USA, but also (sadly) Canada. 😮‍💨😥

[@samtrak1204]

@@Neville60001 Yes I know. I’ve ridden VIA and can’t decide which is worst, Amtrak or VIA?

[@Neville60001]

@@samtrak1204, neither of them are truly bad, but we (the United States & Canada) do need to build a ton of HSR lines.

[@tammo100]

Nice vid! I always thought the canopy at Hamburg Hbf is the largest in Europe though...

[@randomstuff42929]

Nice trip report

[@kyllesyt4813]

yes this is why!!! this old interior it compares into a new interior?!

[@claudeleger2296]

Took one of those from Rennes to Paris in 1 class

[@INNOURIDDINE]

Nice video I have seen this tgv in real life same number on the train!.

[@trainsdu4940]

Est-ce que les TGV Réseau ont subis ce changement ? Ou c'est vraiment exclusif aux TGV A ? Une seule prise de courant pour deux sièges, c'est un peu embêtant pour du TGV. 13,90 le menu ça fait assez cher aussi je trouve... Les toilettes avaient l'air bien sales aussi... Autant pour les prises je peux comprendre, ce sont des rames en service depuis 1990, autant les toilettes, un peu moins quand même...

[@MichaelSmith-jo9oh]

Quand je lis ce genre de commentaire par rapport aux autres, on voit bien qu’il n y a que les Français qui sont jamais content et font que râler. Déprimant. Thanks for the video and great Job for this report. It’s very impressive when two atlantic TGV are connect. The lenght of this!

[@trainsdu4940]

@@MichaelSmith-jo9oh Si donner son opinion veut dire "râler" alors on n'a pas la même définition du mot "opinion" dans ce cas-là. J'ai vu plusieurs train reports de Simply Railway, et j'ai toujours été étonné que les toilettes étaient propres à chaque fois, alors que dans notre TGV, elles sont sales. Pour les menus, j'ai juste dit que c'était un peu cher. J'ai vu bien plus cher, mais ça reste cher tout de même.

[@thefareplayer2254]

16:09 A fallen comrade! 🤣

[@NH22103]

Do these still operate to La Rochelle? I am going on Saturday the 4th of November and returning on Sunday the 5th of November. I would really appriciate any reccomendations on how to travel on one of these to La Rochelle if they still do :)

[@charlesbrenan6269]

Been on the KTX Seoul-Busan. Seriously long train and impressive! 🇰🇷😊

[@lilybertine5673]

What would be great for future trains is maybe a panoramic frontview in the first car🤔 thinking about how they could improve the duplex.

[@jgodfrey546]

Nice to see Bordeaux Stn. What was the arrival station in Paris...?

[@bernardbouzon5499]

Montparnasse

[@jgodfrey546]

@@bernardbouzon5499 Thx!

[@blaythierry8722]

VERY VERY NIICE LOVE ❤❤🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰💥💥💥💥👍👍👍👍👍 THANK YOU BYE

[@Rouxbin]

ohhhh finally :)

[@ironmantrains]

Awesome video, the TGV-A is my favourite type of TGV. Thankfully I cabbed one in 2019 which was cool. How can you tell if your service is being operated by a TGV-A set? Are they confined to the 'stoppers' or can they be found on the fasts occasionally?

[@KyrilPG]

They'll most likely be confined to the "stopper" service. These 10+2 long TGV's are limited to 300kph while the SEA high-speed line that stretches from Tours to Bordeaux is operated at 320kph. The service in the video runs on the regular upgraded and quite straight line between Bordeaux and Tours, on which it may speed up to 200 or 220kph, bypassing the recent SEA high-speed line and joining the old (1990) Tours Paris 300kph line. So I doubt you'd see these old TGV Atlantique on the fast direct nonstop services linking Bordeaux and Paris. You may also find them on the fast nonstop services that do not run further South than Tours. In short : every Southwest / Atlantique services that use only the original 300kph and not the more recent 320kph ones are a possibility. If by "telling if your service is being operated by a TGV A set" you mean at booking, prior to the journey: I'd say they are probably limited to the services that have several stops on the South part of the journey and therefore run on the regular line up to Tours. If you asked about a simple and easy way to recognize and differentiate them from reseau TGV's : TGV A's are the only ones that have a 10+2 set. All other types are 8+2.

[@eds.4815]

I like the 4 seat club compartments in first class, but they also make the single seat side seem like they just put extra seats in a passageway.

[@carlmart]

Bordeaux station is bigger than Amsterdam Central?

[@albe6253]

With this particulary lenght, Atlantiques are only suitable for domestic services. If they were shortened to 8+2, they could do more services outside France. The question is, they will still alive when the new TGV-M ones hit the lines?

[@fabnaya8847]

Is the best the new interior?

[@fabnaya7389]

Is new interior TGV inouï ?

[@gandalf7292]

Nope still the Lacroix interior, they changed the seats cover

[@fabnaya7389]

Ok

[@TerminatorMaxBGof33]

Un TGV que je te conseille de faire : le 8657 Paris-Brest du dimanche soir qui part à 23h59 pour arriver à 5h52

[@tgv3000]

6 heures de voyage pour faire 622 km, ce n'est pas un TGV mais un omnibus ... mais si vous dites qu'il est sympa, je vous crois sur parole ... !

[@TerminatorMaxBGof33]

@@tgv3000 c’est fait exprès pour ne pas arriver trop tôt, un tgv de nuit en gros utilisé principalement par les militaires de la marine nationale

[@theexplorerlekhrajsinhrath2198]

16:13🤘🏻🤘🏻👍

[@brooklynelite5428]

One thing I've always admired is how the the trains in Europe are not just a plain boring silver they are beautiful color schemes something In America they don't do and if so it's seen once and disappear. America really needs to severely upgrade amtrak our only rail service which lacks behind in the rest of the world in service availability and expansion as well as electrification to the whole entire amtrak portfolio. The acela is a start but the new one exterior wise especially the front and back engines don't like them the older acela is much better looking going to miss it when it retires. Even the trains in Europe have big huge windows nyc transit is trying to take away the window for wider doors who cares about wide doors I've never had a problem entering or exiting. I think America needs to take some notes from our European friends. It would be nice to see the MTA keep some r46 subways cars and re do the whole interior that's just a dream not going to happen.

[@yeeye3395]

Ok, I just travelled on a Eurostar and TGV in France. How come some of the toilets have pink toilet paper? And why are the ones in the Chemical toilets like wax paper? Or sand paper for that matter LOL! Is there a specific kind of paper used in the chemical toilets? In the UK they are all clearwater toilets, and it isn't that waxy sandpaper type.

[@Militaryfic]

I usually traveling on KTX and always wondered how French people spending much more long time on tiny tiny little cabbin. Same train, same problems predictably, especially toilet :)

[@hollyvasquez2087]

I’m visiting Spain and France next year. I’m having trouble finding a way by train between Madrid Spain and Paris France. Please point me in the right direction to find tickets

[@Delta-pantages]

😍

[@ferroviestazioni]

Nice video

[@southerncrescentproductions]

have you been on VIA Rails Canadian? Thats something I would like to see!

[@_enoha_]

La vidéo doit dater car on voit des AGC avec les anciennes livrées TER Aquitaine et Limousin (2:51) et car tt le monde a des muselières

[@Restlesstiger]

Sncf can make a tergv service between poltiers and angouleme

[@railvideoseu]

Nice report! I recently travelled the same route on Ouigo and it is interesting to see the difference with this InOui service. Not a whole lot actually. The Ouigo trains lack a bar, that’s the only big difference I could see. And the price obviously, with Ouigo being much cheaper. How do you think the two compare?

[@josephturner4047]

I thought the oldest sets were on the Paris Milan route.

[@marcelinoletgv6751]

Ils sont toujours en service les TGV Atlantique ?

[@SimplyRailway]

Oui :)

[@Kapparie]

Almost everyone is still wearing facemasks. Is that still mandatory on the trains in France?

[@MrHabbobeta]

Si tu veux du TGV Old Gen, tu vas en trouver plein entre Paris Nantes et Paris Tours. :)

[@timmethy]

Love French train stations.

[@theg0ldkiller]

💯

[@SiriusXAim]

The little second class compartment at the end of the train used to be the smoking lounge back in the day. 90's TGV's were a sight to behold. Seats were super plush, and bar food was phenomenal. I still have some of the bowls they used to serve real food in.

[@albe6253]

Yes and no. Yes for running a "second life" for this trains. And no because with time, the maintenance and consumption is more expensive than newer sets.

[@arielleblond6201]

I can't understand why they've scrapped majority of them.

[@biscuit715]

All TGV are missing the beautiful orange :(

[@thomasleipzig1]

The biggest railway station in Europe is in Leipzig Germany.

[@gidoras]

TGV is the best train at world!!!!

[@nrjmusicsong]

c’est fou de voir comment c’est bien fait le reseau ferree francais

[@Emilio-fb4em]

Oh ma god