If you’re tired of hearing about Paris or the French Riviera every time France comes up, you’re reading the right article.

Route 19 from Caen to Valence is for those who love provincial France and don’t want to struggle with the crowds of Paris.

This journey to France in Europe by Rail starts at London’s St Pancras station, as inspiring a space as any cathedral. After a fast dash to Paris on Eurostar we continue south to the Mediterranean.

A lot of people visit France – some 100 million in 2023, according to recent international tourism stats. The figures, of ...