The Longest Sleeper Train in France - Paris to Nice with Intercités de Nuit -Train Bleu-
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Date: 2024-01-09
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Comments and reviews: 35
-christopdeck3457
Used to make the trip every year with my parents from London to Juan les Pins in the seventies.
We would take the boat train from London Victoria to Folkestone, and then the ferry to Boulogne. At Boulogne, we would sit in the seating car that was going all the way to Naples. The boat train would then go to Paris Nord.
At Paris Nord, the seating and couchette cars for Naples would then be transported as a short train around the Petite Ceinture to the Gare de Lyon where they would be attached to the Rome Express I believe.
Meanwhile, my parents and I would carry our suitcases (no roller wheels in those days) through the station to board the couchette cars on the Cote d-Azur express that was heading to Nice and Ventimiglia. On the adjoining platform was the all sleeping car Train Bleu (Blue Train.
I remember that the Cote d-Azur left at 20: 42 each evening and the Train Bleu left three minutes behind us at 20: 45.
However, it would overtake us in Marseille as our train would reverse in Marseille St Charles station while the Blue train would go via Marseille Blancarde and get ahead.
And then after Toulon, St Raphael Valescure and Cannes, we would get off at Juan les Pins for our two week annual holiday.
We would repeat the same journey back to London. Quite a trip each year and full of memories.
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Used to make the trip every year with my parents from London to Juan les Pins in the seventies.
We would take the boat train from London Victoria to Folkestone, and then the ferry to Boulogne. At Boulogne, we would sit in the seating car that was going all the way to Naples. The boat train would then go to Paris Nord.
At Paris Nord, the seating and couchette cars for Naples would then be transported as a short train around the Petite Ceinture to the Gare de Lyon where they would be attached to the Rome Express I believe.
Meanwhile, my parents and I would carry our suitcases (no roller wheels in those days) through the station to board the couchette cars on the Cote d-Azur express that was heading to Nice and Ventimiglia. On the adjoining platform was the all sleeping car Train Bleu (Blue Train.
I remember that the Cote d-Azur left at 20: 42 each evening and the Train Bleu left three minutes behind us at 20: 45.
However, it would overtake us in Marseille as our train would reverse in Marseille St Charles station while the Blue train would go via Marseille Blancarde and get ahead.
And then after Toulon, St Raphael Valescure and Cannes, we would get off at Juan les Pins for our two week annual holiday.
We would repeat the same journey back to London. Quite a trip each year and full of memories.
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train
Great video and all the better for being very personal. When you talk you can get over more passion than from sub-titles so yes please carry on and your French accent has evolved to be easily understandable so don't worry about that. On the subject of the Train Bleu and French Night Trains I wonder if SNCF are only running the service (with no sleeping cars and no restaurant) just to keep out the open access competition. When it comes to railway engineering France is among the best in the world (if not the best) with Corail and TGV ride quality being examples but when it comes to on-board customer service SNCF make so little effort and these days do everything to make it easy and cheap for them to operate which results in a very, very poor customer experience. History needs to repeat itself and we need a 21st century Niegelmachers to make the effort to look after the customers overnight (although he was Belgian. As you say it's shocking for France to deliver such poor quality in a domain which they are world famous for. Even we British who are not very famous for our food do much better for food on our trains (including night trains) than SNCF. Why is SNCF and its owner the French government not ashamed and embarrassed? (especially as France also has a tradition of national pride in the things it does well)
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Great video and all the better for being very personal. When you talk you can get over more passion than from sub-titles so yes please carry on and your French accent has evolved to be easily understandable so don't worry about that. On the subject of the Train Bleu and French Night Trains I wonder if SNCF are only running the service (with no sleeping cars and no restaurant) just to keep out the open access competition. When it comes to railway engineering France is among the best in the world (if not the best) with Corail and TGV ride quality being examples but when it comes to on-board customer service SNCF make so little effort and these days do everything to make it easy and cheap for them to operate which results in a very, very poor customer experience. History needs to repeat itself and we need a 21st century Niegelmachers to make the effort to look after the customers overnight (although he was Belgian. As you say it's shocking for France to deliver such poor quality in a domain which they are world famous for. Even we British who are not very famous for our food do much better for food on our trains (including night trains) than SNCF. Why is SNCF and its owner the French government not ashamed and embarrassed? (especially as France also has a tradition of national pride in the things it does well)
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train
very interested in the Paris-Lyon-Marseille-Nice-Ventimiglia route. Does this train use the former main line via Dijon, Lyon, Valence? If so what is the route it takes out of Paris? I can imagine when you were younger you will have used the direct Calais-Nice train which was a favourite with the British. As far as Le Train Bleu was concerned did this terminate in Nice orginally or continue to Vintimille (Ventimiglia? I remember the first TGV services between Paris Gare de Lyon and Lyon Perrache via the former Lyon Brotteaux put the nail in the coffin for the TEE Mistral which I loved travelling on as well as train 5050 which was a glorious journey through France's regions leaving at 9am from Gare de Lyon. I think there is no better experience in French rail travel than getting in a sleeping car in cold and wet Paris and waking up to the ever so curvy track on the Cote D'Azur with its beautiful blue waters of the sea and place names that conjure up so much style that you cannot replicate with the Orly-Nice flight, even though the landing in Nice is one of the most spectacular in the world, and yes I did fly in to Kai Tak.
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very interested in the Paris-Lyon-Marseille-Nice-Ventimiglia route. Does this train use the former main line via Dijon, Lyon, Valence? If so what is the route it takes out of Paris? I can imagine when you were younger you will have used the direct Calais-Nice train which was a favourite with the British. As far as Le Train Bleu was concerned did this terminate in Nice orginally or continue to Vintimille (Ventimiglia? I remember the first TGV services between Paris Gare de Lyon and Lyon Perrache via the former Lyon Brotteaux put the nail in the coffin for the TEE Mistral which I loved travelling on as well as train 5050 which was a glorious journey through France's regions leaving at 9am from Gare de Lyon. I think there is no better experience in French rail travel than getting in a sleeping car in cold and wet Paris and waking up to the ever so curvy track on the Cote D'Azur with its beautiful blue waters of the sea and place names that conjure up so much style that you cannot replicate with the Orly-Nice flight, even though the landing in Nice is one of the most spectacular in the world, and yes I did fly in to Kai Tak.
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-buzzukfiftythree
A fascinating and excellent video as always Thibault - thanks very much. It would be good to have a variety of subtitled and narrated videos. As for your English and French accent, you have no need to apologise. You speak very clearly and can easily be understood. This is a journey I-d love to take, but the thought of my partner and I having to share a couchette even in 1st Class puts me off. Come on SNCF, you should provide some private sleeping compartments and you should also have better catering. So many train companies have cut back on catering but it-s a false economy. If you provide good facilities, people will use them and most will be prepared to pay to use them. The SBB in Switzerland is an example of that - we-ve eaten in several SBB restaurant cars over the years and they-re always busy.
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A fascinating and excellent video as always Thibault - thanks very much. It would be good to have a variety of subtitled and narrated videos. As for your English and French accent, you have no need to apologise. You speak very clearly and can easily be understood. This is a journey I-d love to take, but the thought of my partner and I having to share a couchette even in 1st Class puts me off. Come on SNCF, you should provide some private sleeping compartments and you should also have better catering. So many train companies have cut back on catering but it-s a false economy. If you provide good facilities, people will use them and most will be prepared to pay to use them. The SBB in Switzerland is an example of that - we-ve eaten in several SBB restaurant cars over the years and they-re always busy.
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-H0Simone
Your video-clips are usually very informative.
I truly appreciate that, thank you very much! -
However, I sometimes find it difficult to catch up with you.
No doubt - your french accent really is lovely! -
I however would appreciate if you could speak a bit more clear and not as fast.
This would help me (and others perhaps) a lot to better understand the content and the informations provided by you in english and to compensate the accent by a bit.
Thank you so much for not taking this as a personal criticism but a friendly request from me, a viewer that really enjoys your highly appreciated effort to spread out informations on und about train-travel in europe.
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Your video-clips are usually very informative.
I truly appreciate that, thank you very much! -
However, I sometimes find it difficult to catch up with you.
No doubt - your french accent really is lovely! -
I however would appreciate if you could speak a bit more clear and not as fast.
This would help me (and others perhaps) a lot to better understand the content and the informations provided by you in english and to compensate the accent by a bit.
Thank you so much for not taking this as a personal criticism but a friendly request from me, a viewer that really enjoys your highly appreciated effort to spread out informations on und about train-travel in europe.
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-bos2pdx2yvr
What an amazing looking trip! Thanks for another great video, Le Train Bleu has been on my list for a long time. It's good to hear you! I think a combination of some voice videos and some subtitles would be good, I like each type for different reasons. The subtitled ones let viewers hear all of the sounds of the trip, but the ones where you speak let us hear your love for the trains. Keep up the great work, no matter which format it's in! -
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What an amazing looking trip! Thanks for another great video, Le Train Bleu has been on my list for a long time. It's good to hear you! I think a combination of some voice videos and some subtitles would be good, I like each type for different reasons. The subtitled ones let viewers hear all of the sounds of the trip, but the ones where you speak let us hear your love for the trains. Keep up the great work, no matter which format it's in! -
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-christill
The French government sabotaging the night train service reminds me of our UK government continually undermining and working to destroy the rail system (and the buses) to force people to drive. At least in France the service is nationalised and affordable for passengers.
Also, I-d much rather take this over the TGV. We should be focusing completely on night trains rather than HS2 in Britain and any country that-s not too big.
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The French government sabotaging the night train service reminds me of our UK government continually undermining and working to destroy the rail system (and the buses) to force people to drive. At least in France the service is nationalised and affordable for passengers.
Also, I-d much rather take this over the TGV. We should be focusing completely on night trains rather than HS2 in Britain and any country that-s not too big.
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-cokakatze
I really like the video, and the new talking style per se. But, please, please, please: Use a microfon which is near to your mouth like some headset or find a room which have not so much echo, because good and clean audio helps to better understand you. Keep in mind: The subtitles are also clean and perfectly readable. A echo-y audio is subpar and not so professional like before. Beside that, is nice to hear you voice.
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I really like the video, and the new talking style per se. But, please, please, please: Use a microfon which is near to your mouth like some headset or find a room which have not so much echo, because good and clean audio helps to better understand you. Keep in mind: The subtitles are also clean and perfectly readable. A echo-y audio is subpar and not so professional like before. Beside that, is nice to hear you voice.
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train
It's kind for the same for me with the London to Aberdeen sleeper train in the 60's - long gone. But those trains were sleeper car only, 2nd class 2 berth and 1st class single berth with the possibility to link to a next door cabin hotel style. The 1st time I took the Frankfurt Paris sleeper in the late 80's fell off my chair that 2nd class was 6 berth couchette, Went 1st class and still had to share 2 berth cabin.
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It's kind for the same for me with the London to Aberdeen sleeper train in the 60's - long gone. But those trains were sleeper car only, 2nd class 2 berth and 1st class single berth with the possibility to link to a next door cabin hotel style. The 1st time I took the Frankfurt Paris sleeper in the late 80's fell off my chair that 2nd class was 6 berth couchette, Went 1st class and still had to share 2 berth cabin.
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-andrewclark8630
The French accent is nothing to be ashamed of.
Spent so much time in the French canals, also using trains including from Caen, Le Havre and Boulogne down to the south and centre of France back in the 1980s. The food, the hospitality of the people and their impeccable manners have left me with an enduring love and appreciation of the country.
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The French accent is nothing to be ashamed of.
Spent so much time in the French canals, also using trains including from Caen, Le Havre and Boulogne down to the south and centre of France back in the 1980s. The food, the hospitality of the people and their impeccable manners have left me with an enduring love and appreciation of the country.
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-hdjus8653
Hi great video, love your personal experience. In my opinion you could do some videos with subtitles and some with voice over. Have you in plan to travel with treno turistici italiani, a new luxury company owned by ferrovie dello stato italiane, that uses refurbished old couchette and rolling stocks and offers a luxury night train experience?
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Hi great video, love your personal experience. In my opinion you could do some videos with subtitles and some with voice over. Have you in plan to travel with treno turistici italiani, a new luxury company owned by ferrovie dello stato italiane, that uses refurbished old couchette and rolling stocks and offers a luxury night train experience?
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-wavesnbikes
SNCF FAILS again. This is a service most suitable to a low-cost Flixtrain, even after refurbishment. SNCF hates dining cars and bars/cafe service, while other places embrace them and bring them back. Time to learn from Amrak and Nighjet.
Great video and merci for sharing. but France deserves better on non-TGV services. VIVE LE FRANCE!
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SNCF FAILS again. This is a service most suitable to a low-cost Flixtrain, even after refurbishment. SNCF hates dining cars and bars/cafe service, while other places embrace them and bring them back. Time to learn from Amrak and Nighjet.
Great video and merci for sharing. but France deserves better on non-TGV services. VIVE LE FRANCE!
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-timnewman1172
Thank you Thibault for this! While I prefer the other style video because it has more of the actual train sounds, etc, your narration is excellent. Maybe you can do videos like this for more in-depth discussions and explanation videos and keep the orginal format for regular ones. Remember, we are riding vicariously through you, LOL!
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Thank you Thibault for this! While I prefer the other style video because it has more of the actual train sounds, etc, your narration is excellent. Maybe you can do videos like this for more in-depth discussions and explanation videos and keep the orginal format for regular ones. Remember, we are riding vicariously through you, LOL!
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-SimplyRailway
Hi folks, I hope you liked this style of video, this was quite a surprise, I chose to not tease about this voice-over video to see your reaction.
I will edit some video like this in the future, listen to your feedback and see if it's better to continue this way or keeping the good old subtitles: -)
Thibault
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Hi folks, I hope you liked this style of video, this was quite a surprise, I chose to not tease about this voice-over video to see your reaction.
I will edit some video like this in the future, listen to your feedback and see if it's better to continue this way or keeping the good old subtitles: -)
Thibault
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-dav1mic
As a child during 81 and 82 used to travel from uk to St Aygulf by train. From Boulogne the train was called Blue Sky Express. 6 birth compartments and wagon-lits for 2. It was great and seeing the riviera the next morning and the heat. never forgot a wonderful experience. train even had facility to carry motor cars.
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As a child during 81 and 82 used to travel from uk to St Aygulf by train. From Boulogne the train was called Blue Sky Express. 6 birth compartments and wagon-lits for 2. It was great and seeing the riviera the next morning and the heat. never forgot a wonderful experience. train even had facility to carry motor cars.
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-briantoronto999
I honestly enjoy the videos with captions-I find them very peaceful after a long day with people.
But I enjoyed this as well! It felt so personal and nostalgic because of your long connection to this train.
My vote would be to continue the caption videos with these special ones being narrated!
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I honestly enjoy the videos with captions-I find them very peaceful after a long day with people.
But I enjoyed this as well! It felt so personal and nostalgic because of your long connection to this train.
My vote would be to continue the caption videos with these special ones being narrated!
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-raymurphyii
Love hearing your narrative. Love the accent too. My only suggestion would be for you to talk more slowly. It will make it easier for us to understand. Your clear love of this train due to taking it some many times during your life shines through in your narrative. Well done and I look forward to more!
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Love hearing your narrative. Love the accent too. My only suggestion would be for you to talk more slowly. It will make it easier for us to understand. Your clear love of this train due to taking it some many times during your life shines through in your narrative. Well done and I look forward to more!
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-Rezaal
Loved the video and truly enjoyed your voice over commentary and your French accent. Just a little feedback. Like most native French speakers you speak very fast, even when speaking a language that isn-t natural to you. Just slow it down a little, and we will hear you more clearly.
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Loved the video and truly enjoyed your voice over commentary and your French accent. Just a little feedback. Like most native French speakers you speak very fast, even when speaking a language that isn-t natural to you. Just slow it down a little, and we will hear you more clearly.
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-erikstumer4896
Thibault, I love your videos, but honestly your English is quite difficult to understand. You talk too fast and swallow your words. Please continue with subtitles only. I don't mean to show you any disrespect, to have an accent as a non native speaker is normal.
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Thibault, I love your videos, but honestly your English is quite difficult to understand. You talk too fast and swallow your words. Please continue with subtitles only. I don't mean to show you any disrespect, to have an accent as a non native speaker is normal.
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-FromtheWindowSeat
Uber jealous of your cab ride! -
It-s so good to see night trains returning in Europe. I agree - that sleeper cars are needed to meet modern expectations. Still, this is a pleasing start. Good review! (love the drone shots - and appreciate the V/O)
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Uber jealous of your cab ride! -
It-s so good to see night trains returning in Europe. I agree - that sleeper cars are needed to meet modern expectations. Still, this is a pleasing start. Good review! (love the drone shots - and appreciate the V/O)
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train
Enjoyed your work as usual! You lucked out - -inheriting- a private room!
Your English was a bit more rushed in this episode and I understood about 75% of it.
Normally I get about 95% of your English voice track.
No captions needed except for locations.
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Enjoyed your work as usual! You lucked out - -inheriting- a private room!
Your English was a bit more rushed in this episode and I understood about 75% of it.
Normally I get about 95% of your English voice track.
No captions needed except for locations.
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train
Hey,
your review is awesome and really makes me want to go to France again. Id love to take the Intercite de Nuit to Latour de Carol one day.
Also, please continue to talk. It is way more enjoyable to watch a real video than a vid of someone not talking.
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Hey,
your review is awesome and really makes me want to go to France again. Id love to take the Intercite de Nuit to Latour de Carol one day.
Also, please continue to talk. It is way more enjoyable to watch a real video than a vid of someone not talking.
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-user-yk1rj3xs1j
Interesting, the voice-over. Your English is better than my French (not used in 50 years, but your accent is still strong. My recommendation: slow down your speech, not a lot, just a little, and it will become clearer. Keep up the good work.
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Interesting, the voice-over. Your English is better than my French (not used in 50 years, but your accent is still strong. My recommendation: slow down your speech, not a lot, just a little, and it will become clearer. Keep up the good work.
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-robevans5838
Thank you for sharing! I echo everyone-s support for your voiceover commentary. I hope to be able to make this journey someday. Included breakfast would be nice but I-m fine bagging some baguette and cheese (and wine of course) before boarding!
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Thank you for sharing! I echo everyone-s support for your voiceover commentary. I hope to be able to make this journey someday. Included breakfast would be nice but I-m fine bagging some baguette and cheese (and wine of course) before boarding!
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-richardvoogd3012
Voice over and subtitles both have value. Voice over has the advantage of allowing us to enjoy what we are looking at, and subtitles let us enjoy the ambient sounds.
Thank you for sharing this this video. Merci beaucoup!
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Voice over and subtitles both have value. Voice over has the advantage of allowing us to enjoy what we are looking at, and subtitles let us enjoy the ambient sounds.
Thank you for sharing this this video. Merci beaucoup!
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-johnmehaffey9953
Nice one Thibault, very nice also to hear from your childhood experiences of learning to love trains, I think sncf have a lot of catching up to do regarding overnight train travel compared with other companies
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Nice one Thibault, very nice also to hear from your childhood experiences of learning to love trains, I think sncf have a lot of catching up to do regarding overnight train travel compared with other companies
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-nigeljones3972
Hiya. What a great video. I love it with your audio as I learn so much more. Please do more of these. I would love to know more about the history of the blue train and the corail. Where can one find out more?
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Hiya. What a great video. I love it with your audio as I learn so much more. Please do more of these. I would love to know more about the history of the blue train and the corail. Where can one find out more?
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-enjoypladecorrals
Thanks for the personal side in your video. It explains why you're the nr 1 train vlogger. I don't mind your talk or French accent. You can always switch off the volume. I prefer subtitles only BTW. Merci
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Thanks for the personal side in your video. It explains why you're the nr 1 train vlogger. I don't mind your talk or French accent. You can always switch off the volume. I prefer subtitles only BTW. Merci
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-louiscy
I traveled from Paris to Venice in 2002 on a night train in (I think first class) the cabin only has two beds,
the breakfast was equally awful. But the dinner from the restaurant car was pretty good.
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I traveled from Paris to Venice in 2002 on a night train in (I think first class) the cabin only has two beds,
the breakfast was equally awful. But the dinner from the restaurant car was pretty good.
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-jfmezei
On your commentary: While yoru typical style is great, this one did deserve commentary because you put so much context and history into it. (as well as why this particular trip is so important to you.
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On your commentary: While yoru typical style is great, this one did deserve commentary because you put so much context and history into it. (as well as why this particular trip is so important to you.
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train
Really enjoyed this video. Good to hear your voice and your enthusiasm for the Train Bleu! Your accent is not a problem for me but your presentation, both with or without voice, is always fun to watch!
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Really enjoyed this video. Good to hear your voice and your enthusiasm for the Train Bleu! Your accent is not a problem for me but your presentation, both with or without voice, is always fun to watch!
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-stephan6998
Hi I definitely like your videos and your work, thank you very much.
However, I prefer the subtitle style because it is calmer and I can concentrate on the train sounds and the atmosphere
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Hi I definitely like your videos and your work, thank you very much.
However, I prefer the subtitle style because it is calmer and I can concentrate on the train sounds and the atmosphere
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-jacobsmith385
I took this journey in September for the rugby World Cup. A fantastic sleeper and a lovely way to travel. Waking up to the Provence sunrise was amazing! One of my favourite journeys.
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I took this journey in September for the rugby World Cup. A fantastic sleeper and a lovely way to travel. Waking up to the Provence sunrise was amazing! One of my favourite journeys.
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-annewhite8465
Thanks for another great video. Your commentary is enjoyable including your lovely accent, but would you maybe slow down a little bit. It would be easier to follow and understand.
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Thanks for another great video. Your commentary is enjoyable including your lovely accent, but would you maybe slow down a little bit. It would be easier to follow and understand.
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train
Pretty lovely trip report with a really nice story behind it. To be honest, I am more used to subtitles, as I often watch your videos while eating, but spoken videos have a special vibe: )
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Pretty lovely trip report with a really nice story behind it. To be honest, I am more used to subtitles, as I often watch your videos while eating, but spoken videos have a special vibe: )
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