Looking to do a cycle tour in France in the summer. We’re booking the eurostar home from Paris OK, but unsure whether to book a train from end point to Paris.

Has anyone any experience of just rocking up on the day and getting on French trains, with loaded bikes without booking?

Caught the tgv paris to Geneva once, thought they wouldn’t like bikes so part dismantled & wrapped them up in plastic in the end needn’t have bothered & could easily have wheeled them on but got the impression would depend on le conducteur – for non tgv they even have bike racks in the carriages 🙂

Might be some useful info in here:

http://www.seat61.com/bike-by-train.htm#.VrdccPmLT4Y

Can be a problem on express services. The regional TER ones should accept without a problem.

Thanks all. Just decided to book the return trains and have a target destination for the trip.

Looks like we are riding Nantes to Dijon in the summer!