Singing in the Train

Bonjour from Le Marais,

You may or may not know that the French national railway SNCF has started a series regular general strikes one or two days per week. The strikes are ongoing and their purpose is to create disruption of the public transport system between French cities and also destinations closer to Paris such as Versailles. The Parisian Métro network is unaffected by the strikes.

Culturaly the French love to strike, although less now than in the past. Let’s face it, protesting is sometimes warranted. Had they not fought for it, the French would not have one of the best healthcare systems in the world with free treatment for all severe diseases. They would not have 6 weeks' holiday pay. They would not have free schools and universities either, and with regards to the French trains, we have to admit they are still some of the best in the world, along with the German, Chinese and Japanese fast trains. So why are the French on strike at the moment?

On the superfast TGV trains, you can travel from Paris to Marseille in three hours, Paris to Strasbourg in 2 hours, and the same for Bordeaux with the brand new superfast line that opened just a few months ago. The Eurostar fast train can take you to London in 2h20 minutes and to Amsterdam in 3 hours 10 min… Our American visitors are very often amazed by the quality and modernity of our trains. So to explain the context very simply, European laws stipulate that the French National Railway network has to be open to competition from private companies and other European companies. The French government also want to stop the perks enjoyed by SNCF employees, where some retire at merely 50 years old, and having a job guaranteed for life. These advantages were common in France in a lot of big national companies for many years… but those glorious days are gone.

So this is why the French national railway workers are on strike: to keep their status and jobs, and to reject unfair competion from low cost companies … Just like all national plane companies that are fighting against Easy Jet or other low cost companies with poor service and less security. Everyone can have their own opinion, but this should not affect your decision to come to France at the moment. Safety is not an issue in France, and neither are a few strikes.

Paris is still the number one travel destination worldwide, with the Marais being the most popular district of the city. So why not come for at least a week and take a day out to visit Mulhouse and discover the biggest train museum in Europe. Mulhouse is a great city, a 3 hour train ride from Paris, it’s a must-stop city for train lovers.
Be sure to visit "LA CITE DU TRAIN", it is simply magic!

Here follows are our own photos to keep you travelling through time. We thank the Mulhouse Tourism Office and the Cité du Train press service for their welcoming.

So put on your trendiest costume, buy a first class ticket and keep on singing in the train !

Pascal Fonquernie
Chief Editor
PARISMARAIS DISCOVERIES