What a start to the holiday. A delayed flight or a congested road.

BE, that is. Before Eurostar.

Has it made a difference?

Eurostar now provides us islanders with slick connections to the ever-expanding European network of fast trains.

The hot route to the sun?

Trains not only move fast, they also carry passengers between city centres, cutting out lengthy and costly trips to distant airports.

Train v plane?

More comfortable, less confining (especially for families), more romantic and far more scenic.

I thought Eurostar only went to Brussels or Paris?

Plus Lille, where it feeds British travellers straight on to the French TGV network.

Fast and furious?

It's a 180mph power-drive to the coast of Brittany, the vineyards of Burgundy, the chateaux of the Loire, Biarritz and the Atlantic coast, and to Provence and the glittering Cte d'Azur.

How long is the journey from Waterloo to the sunshine?

A total distance of 1,216km, covered in 10hr 30min.

Is there life beyond France?

Passengers can have breakfast in Waterloo, change trains in Lille, ride the TGV to Lyons and be in Italy in time for a supper bowl of pasta by hopping on fast Pendolino tilting trains to Milan or Turin.

Would I book all trains through Eurostar?

You're better off going straight to Rail Europe (08705 848848) whose train brain covers all types of tickets, passes and services.

At least on a train I could sleep through much of the tedium.

More so on a sleeper. Catch one from Calais or Paris to a raft of destinations in France, Italy or Spain.

Can I take the car?

Load it onto Motorail (08702 415415) and sleep your way south.

Hasn't Motorail gone slightly off the metaphorical rails?

In 1999, the computerised reservations system collapsed. This year, a brand new booking system will whizz you to Avignon, Nice, Brive, Toulouse and Narbonne throughout the holiday season.

At a price?

Return fares for a car and up to six people will start at £618 to Avignon.