The new Mediterranean TGV route has made the southern coast of France easily accessible to British rail travellers - central London to Avignon in six hours.
Clustered on or near the Med are a host of interesting towns - some surprisingly cheap - with a great climate, fantastic food and beautiful sandy beaches.
Perpignan
The town has a rough-and-ready charm with a strong Catalan character. Tapas bars line up alongside boulangeries. There's a beach at nearby Canet, and the Pyrenees are a short drive away.
Travel: Two daily connections via Lille - nine hours.
Where to stay: Hôtel Windsor (8 Boulevard Wilson, tel: +33 [0]4 685 11865), three-star in great position on edge of the old town centre, £45+. Hôtel Alexander (15 Boulevard Clemenceau, tel +33 [0] 4 683 54141) two-star between the railway station and town centre, £20+.
Food: Galinette (23 rue Jean Payra), gourmet fish and meat dishes, three-course lunch £7.50. Tres Soeurs (2 rue Fontfroide) bar and restaurant serving great tapas, lunchtime plat du jour £5.
What to see: The grounds of the 13th-century Palace of the Kings of Majorca provide good views/picnic spots. Derain and Matisse invented Fauvism at he nearby coastal town of Collioure.
Info: The tourist office is at the Palais De Congres, Place Armand Lanoux, (tel: +33[0] 4 686 63030, www.little-france.com/perpigna). They sell "carnets" that let you stay half-board in many hotels; prices start at £81pp for two nights - go to www.carnets-de-route.com.
Béziers
There's 6,500 years of history to choose from, plus a lively Friday flower market and, 10km away, the sweeping sandy beaches of Vendres and Valras.
Travel: Two daily connections via Lille - eight hours.
Where to stay: Hôtel De France (36 rue Boieloieu, tel: +33[0]4 67284471), pleasant family-run hotel in a quiet backstreet, £25 with breakfast. Hôtel Imperator (28 Allées Paul Riquet, tel: +33[0]4 674 90225), grand lobby though simple rooms, pleasant garden, £35+.
Food: Les Caves de la Madelaine (Place de la Madelaine), friendly restaurant set on a pretty square, three courses £9.50. L'Ambassade (22 boulevard de Verdun), gourmet food - the fish is superb - amid sleek contemporary décor, three courses Ffr150.
What to see: Nearby on the Canal du Midi is a series of nine locks built in the 17th century - now an Unesco World Heritage site. Bring a picnic and watch the boats, or rent bikes/boats and explore. The grand Gothic cathedral St Nazaire has red marble columns and an enormous ornate organ. Climb the tower's 168 steps for fantastic views.
Info: The tourist office (29 Avenue St Saens, tel +33[0]4 67764700, www.ville-beziers.fr) has information on boat hire on the Canal du Midi (one week from £320 for two/three people) and B&Bs from £15.
Montpellier
Nestling between the Cevennes hills and flamingo lagoons with glorious beaches 9km to the south, the town itself is growing fast with a massive student population. Join the lively nightlife - Bar Antidote on Place de La Canourgie is one of the best spots. Or stroll the boulevards and the bizarre Antigone district - a neo-classical mini-city built in the 1980s.
Travel: Two daily connections via Lille - seven hours 30 minutes.
Where to stay: New Htel Du Midi (22 boulevard Victor Hugo, tel: +33[0]4 679 26961), a grand old hotel right in the city centre, £55+. Hôtel Du Parc (8 rue Bege, tel: +33[0]4 67411649), charming family-run place with lush garden, near the cathedral, £25+.
Food: Jardin des Sens (11 Avenue St Lazare, booking advised +33 [0]4 995 83838) with three Michelin stars, three courses £25. Also a four-star hotel. Bistrot St Come (Place St Come), easygoing atmosphere with simple well-prepared food; the massive 500g T-bone costs only £12.
What to see: Museum Fabre has a good collection of European 16th-18th century and contemporary art. The old medieval quarter is worth seeing. Look for the massive Gothic cathedral and the Museum of Historic Montpellier.
Info: The tourist office is on the Esplande Comedie (tel: +33[0]4 67606060, www.ot-montpellier.fr).
Avignon
The city centre, within the well-preserved 12th-century walls, is like a huge living museum. It's very much on the tourist map but you can always escape in the narrow twisting backstreets.
Travel: Four/five daily connections via Lille, six hours.
Where to stay: Hôtel de L'Horloge (Place de L'Horloge, tel: +33[0]4 901 64200), quiet rooms in an excellent location in the town centre, £55+. Clotre St Louis 4th (20 rue du Portail Boquier, tel: +33[0]4 9027 55550), wonderful hotel in an ancient cloister - the rooms are simple but comfortable, £55+.
Food: La Clotre de Arts (87 rue Joseph Vernet) serves good, down-to-earth French food, three courses £16. Chez Floriane (23 rue St Agricol), French and Italian - three courses Ffr160.
What to see: The highlight is the superb Gothic Palace of the Popes. Next door, the Rocher des Doms park provides views across the Rhone to the 6,000ft Mt Ventoux. The 12th-century Avignon bridge - half of it swept away in floods - numerous churches and the art collection of the Calvet Museum should keep you busy.
Info: Visit the tourist office on 41 cours Jean Jaures (tel: +33[0]4 327 43274, www.ot-avignon.fr).
Cannes
Flash and very pricey - a sandwich can cost up to £9 and most of the beach is private.
Travel: Two daily connections via Lille - 10 hours.
Where to stay: Modern Waikiki Htel (11 Rues des Serbes, tel: +33[0]4 933 90987), simple rooms, friendly, £30+, studio flats £300+ per week. Le Cavendish (1 Boulevard Carnot +33[0]4 970 62600), a recent four-star boutique hotel in a beautifully renovated 19th-century town house, £100+.
Food: The Beautirul Le Jardin (15 avenue Isola Bella) serves wonderful grilled fish and meat, three courses £10. The friendly La Cave (9 boulevard De Republique) offers excellent home cooking, three courses £18.
What to see: Very little, unless you have a platinum card and like shopping. Sainte-Marguerite Island, where the Man in the Iron Mask was set, is good for picnics. The old town has some charm while La Malmaison on the seafront hosts the occasional decent exhibition.
Info: There's a helpful tourist office on the boulevard La Croisette (tel: +33[0]4 93392453, www.cannes-on-line.com).
Antibes
Just 10 minutes down the coast, Antibes has a bit more character. The Greeks and Romans were here, but these days it's mostly full of tourists and British yachting types. There's a few nice public beaches and miles of azure sea. It's easy though pricey to rent boats - from luxury yachts to zodiacs - if you want to explore the coast.
Travel: Two daily connections via Lille - 10 hours.
Where to stay: Hôtel Belles Rives (33 boulevard Edouard Baudoin +33[0]4 93610279) with art-décor furniture and beautiful Cap d'Antibes setting, the only beachfront hotel in town, £100+. Hôtel Le Pre Catalan (corner of avenues des Lauriers and des Palmiers, tel: +33[0]4 936 10511), family-run villa with a nice garden, £55+.
Food: La Terrasse Juana (Hôtel Juana, La Pinede, avenue Georges Gallice - booking required +33[0]4 936 12037), reputedly the best gourmet cooking on the Riviera - three courses £30. Taverne le Safranier (Place Safranier), excellent affordable Provençale cook ing in an old-town location, plat du jour £6.
What to see: An absolute must is the Picasso museum in the medieval chateau that the artist once used as a studio. There's also a world-class jazz festival every July.
Info: The tourist office is at 11 Place de Gaulle (tel: +33[0]4 92905300, www.antibes-juanlespins.com ).
Way to go
Rail Europe (179 Piccadilly London W1, tel: 08705 848848, www.raileurope.co.uk) sells rail tickets to the French Mediterranean with fares to all the destinations listed here from £95 return, including the connecting Eurostar from London Waterloo or Ashford International.
