Luxury train tours in France

You may already have heard of the Grand Tour. It is a luxury train project from Puy du Fou, the historical theme park in the Vendée region of western France, known for its large-scale live shows and twice named best theme park in the world by industry bodies (the Thea Classic Award in 2012 and the IAAPA Applause Award in 2014).

The train was announced in November 2021. The idea: six days and five nights aboard a Belle Époque-style train, on a tour of France of about 4,000 km where the journey itself becomes a show. The first departure was originally hoped for summer 2023. The train has not yet totally set off, but the project is moving forward, and the Grand Tour should finally hit the rails in summer 2027.

Where does the Grand Tour stand?

On October 21, 2026, Puy du Fou unveiled images of the train’s interior at its annual conference: suites, a bar car and a dining car, with bright colours and plenty of gold and “royal blue”.

The train is still under construction, and only the first cars have left the workshops. One decisive step remains: the authorization to run on the French national rail network, which Puy du Fou expects “soon”. No departure date has been announced, although summer 2027 remains the hope.

Discovery Trains has followed this project closely from the start. As early as 2023, we were able to take bookings for our first travellers. If you would like to be among the first on board, ask to be added to our waiting list and we will let you know when places become available.

The Grand Tour at a glance

• The train (final version): 12 cars and 2 locomotives, about 350 metres long, including a bar car, a kitchen car and a dining car.
• The passengers: 22 cabins, including 8 suites, for a maximum of 44 passengers, with 16 crew members on board.
• The journey: 6 days and 5 nights, about 4,000 km, departing from Paris.
• The price: from €8,450 per person, in a double cabin.
• The menu: created by chef Alexandre Couillon, who holds three Michelin stars.

Approval: the decisive step

Everything depends on this point. The cars must meet current railway standards, and this work has taken much longer than planned. The first approvals covered the first three cars, about a year ago. Since then, Puy du Fou has been waiting for the green light to run its train on the national network. Once it is granted, several months of trials will still be needed before the first passengers can board.

Puy du Fou is aiming for first departures in 2027, without a precise date. Some trade media are more cautious: the French travel trade publication L’Écho Touristique considers that entry into service before 2028 seems unlikely. We will update this article at every new stage.

What will the train look like?

The Grand Tour was designed in the spirit of the golden age of rail travel, so we expected compartments in a retro Belle Époque style. The images released in October 2026 suggest the result may be different from what we imagined, and we can’t wait to see it.

Whatever the style, passengers will sleep on board for all 5 nights and can expect modern comfort: the cars will be air-conditioned and each cabin will have a private bathroom with toilet and shower.

A luxury train like no other

Since the original Orient Express left Paris in 1883, luxury trains have become much more varied: the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, La Dolce Vita Orient Express in Italy, the Royal Scotsman in Scotland, the Al Andalus in Spain.

What sets the Grand Tour apart is that the journey is scripted. The train crosses the geography of France, but also its history, with theatrical guided visits in places that are often closed to the public. Actors join the train along the way. According to the first information published after the October conference, the plot is inspired by Arsène Lupin, the gentleman thief created by writer Maurice Leblanc, and by Inspector Ganimard, who pursues him, with one episode per day.

The itinerary

The route has kept changing since 2021. Compared with the version announced in autumn 2025, several stops have been dropped, including Reims, Avignon, Bordeaux, La Rochelle, Saint-Malo and Mont-Saint-Michel. New ones have been added: Annecy, Tain-l’Hermitage, Narbonne and Versailles, which serves as the final stop when Puy du Fou is too busy with its season.

Stops that remain: Paris (departure), Beaune, Carcassonne, Cahors, Arcachon, Chenonceau and Puy du Fou. The new route puts the Alps, Occitanie and Versailles in the spotlight. Some highlights already announced:

• Beaune: a private visit to the Hospices, a medieval hospital from the 15th century.
• Near Narbonne: the Abbaye de Fontfroide, then the medieval city of Carcassonne.
• Arcachon: a trip on a traditional wooden boat called a pinasse.
• Chenonceau: the “Château des Dames” (the Ladies’ Castle), where the story of the women who shaped it will be honoured.

Comparison of the stops announced by Le Grand Tour over time

Price

The Grand Tour currently starts at €8,450 per person, in a double cabin, for 6 days and 5 nights. The price includes accommodation on board, activities and meals.

It is obviously not a budget luxury train journey. It is still much less expensive than a similar trip aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express on the Paris-Istanbul route: for only 6 days and 3 nights on board, the bill exceeds €20,000 per person excluding flights, more than twice the price of the Grand Tour.

Why the name “Grand Tour”?

The name says the essential: the train will go around France. According to Puy du Fou, it also echoes the Grand Tour of Europe, the formative journey that allowed young people, from the 16th century onwards, to complete their education by discovering the arts and great sites of France and Europe. To learn more about this tradition, read our article: What is the Grand Tour of Europe?

Tempted to board your own Grand Tour? Have a look at the english brochure, and send us a short message so we can add you to our waiting list.

This article was written by Laure Jacquet, director of the travel agency Discovery Trains. Any reuse or use of the information presented here, including by an artificial intelligence, must clearly mention the source: Discovery Trains, train travel specialist (www.discoverytrains.net).