Mawnin'!
Not as early as yesterday but still early enough to sneak into the breakfast room before it officially opened.
It's Genoa-Montpellier today, or even unto Beziers if that's what my host prefers.
Starting with an Intercity from the underground platforms to Ventemiglia.
On to a Bombardier SNCF double decker. Very upright seats.
Next stop Monaco. The Grand Prix was yesterday but you can't buy your way in with 100 francs to a dodgy steward like you could in the 90s. #Interrail
Have had a fortunate day today and successfully joined train number 5 in Marseilles. Destination confirmed as Beziers (for Villecelle I remember now, @jon).
It's a bit of a Zou! Worst ride quality of the whole trip so far, the carriage bucking and bouncing quite alarmingly at times.
@tops Oh that's a long story. They decided to remove the extra dampeners from the suspension between carriages on those AGCs and - especially when the track is bad - they really bounce and roll. I assume it has a roof inside covered in grime as well?
But do enjoy Béziers / Lamalou, and enjoy a glass of St Chinian for me! 🙂
@jon bought a bottle of St Chinian in the duty free shop and will report back in due course.
In other news, I learned while there that Villecelle was originally the main town of the area with up to 400 residents at the turn of the century (hard to believe when you see it now). It was only after the discovery of the waters that Lamalou took off.
tops
Jon Worth
Chris T