TGV - France's Bullet Train now goes from Paris to Barcelona in just over 6 hours!!

To me, The Rail system in France is the best in the world and if you have never tried it, you are missing something very special.
Mark Smith, the brilliant blogger behind "The Man In Seat 61" - a website devoted to the wonders of rail travel in Britain and in Europe, has allowed me to share with you - his video log of his trip on the new train from Barcelona to Paris. Its a great insight into how the TGV runs and looks.
http://www.seat61.com/Paris-to-Barcelona-by-TGV-train.htm#.UzmDzKhdVj0
( the click-on above has a larger view of the ride and is recommended to see rather than the smaller version below)

Auberge du Jeu de Paume - Once This Country Estate Domain Illustrious Enough to Entertain Kings, is Now a 5 Star Hotel

Forget Versailles – when it comes to kock-your-socks off beauty; the two most beautiful (anywhere in France) chateaux are the Vaux-le-Vicomte ( south of Paris) and Chantilly ( north of Paris).

Chantilly is only 15 miles from the Charles de Gaulle airport, so it makes a stay over the night before you depart for home or a stay over inbound, to recover from jet lag the way to go!

 Now Chantilly has a hotel to rival its fantastic surroundings –                             The Auberge du Jeu Paume. 

This romantic getaway within an hour of Paris is an example of kid-glove French hotel-keeping at its best. The rooms are cosseting and pretty, the magnificent grounds of the Domaine de Chantilly perfect for long romantic walks. Though the young staff has been trained in the best old-school Gallic grand-hotel traditions, they're still warm, friendly, and eager to please, making this elegant auberge feel more relaxed than a big-city hotel. Chef Arnaud Faye runs two superb restaurants—a gastronomic table and a brasserie—and the bar serves good croque monsieurs, cheeseburgers, and other light fare.

                          Contact me for a special ‘last Night in France Package

                                           Chateau de Chantilly is near-by