You board at Paris’s Gare de l’Est, a station buzzing with everyday life. Then you step into your cabin, and the noise fades. The world outside becomes a soft-focus movie, thanks to the compartment’s gleaming woodwork and crisp white linen.
As the train glides east, the landscape shifts from urban sprawl to the rolling wine country of Burgundy. Pour yourself a glass of Champagne—yes, it’s encouraged—and watch tiny villages drift by like postcards. The dining car is the true star here, a mobile restaurant where silver clinks and laughter rises above the clatter of the tracks.
Don’t expect a rushed meal. Lunch can last two hours, and dinner is an event that demands an evening suit or a flowing dress. The menu is a tribute to French and Italian cuisine, with dishes like tournedos Rossini or delicate pasta that taste better at 100 miles per hour.
Practical Tip: Pack a small notebook.
You’ll want to jot down the fleeting colors of the sunset over the Swiss Alps. Or the name of the sommelier who recommended that incredible Barolo. Wi-Fi is intentionally slow—the point is to disconnect and observe.
As night falls, your cabin transforms. The attendant magically converts your sofa into a plush bed, crisp sheets and all. Sleep with the window cracked open to hear the lonely whistle of the train echoing through mountain tunnels.
