Traveling from Paris to Marseille is a rite of passage for anyone craving the thrill of France’s high-speed rails. Twenty years ago, in the summer of 2003, I first made the 900-kilometer journey by TGV, marveling as the countryside blurred past in just three hours.
That memory—of speed, comfort, and the promise of Marseille—stuck with me. So, during our latest trip to France in the summer of 2023, I suggested we relive it. This time, we snagged cheap tickets on Ouigo, the budget-friendly arm of TGV, and set off from Gare de Lyon.
We arrived early at the iconic station, where I did my best to navigate conversations with the French personnel—my rusty language skills put to the test. Boarding went smoothly, and we settled into what we thought were our seats, ready for the ride. Then came the first stop—likely Marne-la-Vallée (Disneyland)—and chaos erupted.
A wave of passengers stormed aboard, approaching us with furrowed brows. “You’re in our seats,” they declared. I offered a hopeful, “Can we just swap?” but the response was a firm, indignant “No way, go out, you stupid tourists.” Turns out, our actual seats were six cabins away. Problem was, Ouigo’s connected cabins made it impossible to reach them through the aisles. Defeated, we ended up perched in the boarding area, seatless for the journey.
The misadventures didn’t end there. Still rattled, I made a second blunder: we disembarked one stop early at Aix-en-Provence, thinking it was Marseille. Realizing my mistake on the quiet platform, we had to shell out €50 for a Bolt taxi to finish the trip. It was a humbling detour, softened only by the Paul cafeteria and Starbucks I spotted while waiting.
A week later, returning from Marseille to Paris, I was determined to get it right. I triple-checked our cabin and seats, clutching the tickets like a lifeline. Sure enough, we found French passengers lounging in our spots. They flashed sheepish grins and asked, “Please, can we just swap?” I channeled my inner resolve and replied, “No way.” After the chaos of the outbound trip, those seats were ours—no negotiations.
Ouigo may lack the polish of the TGV I remembered, but it delivered a story for the ages. From seat showdowns to station slip-ups, this 900-kilometer ride reminded me that even the fastest trains can’t outrun human quirks—or the need to double-check your ticket.