Trains du Père Noël — Chemins de Fer du Centre-Bretagne

The Chemins de Fer du Centre-Bretagne, a railway preservation association based at Pontivy station in central Brittany, runs its Trains du Père Noël at the end of the year. The association says they have become a fixture of the year-end holidays: children and their families board in the hope of meeting Père Noël, who, it says, keeps his afternoons free so as not to miss these trains.

On board, Père Noël entertains passengers of all ages and hands out presents to everyone in a festive atmosphere. The association describes the journeys as lasting two hours, long enough for a relaxed family outing in comfortable seats.

The trains leave from Pontivy on some dates and from Lambel-Camors on others. Seats and carriages are reserved, and the numbers are printed on the ticket. The association also operates the Napoléon Express tourist train between Pontivy and Auray and welcomes volunteers to help restore historic rolling stock.

A two-hour train journey with Père Noël on board, who entertains passengers and gives out presents to everyone. Seats are reserved and numbered on the ticket. Children under 3 have a guaranteed seat on board.

The association is based at Gare de Pontivy, Place Alfred Brard, 56300 Pontivy; departures are from Pontivy or Lambel-Camors depending on the date. The operator asks passengers to be at the station at the latest 15 minutes before departure. Seats and carriages are reserved and their numbers are on the ticket. Folding pushchairs are accepted on board; other pushchairs are stored in a locked room at the station. Tickets are booked through the association's online ticket office. Contact: trains@cfcb.bzh, 06 75 15 29 97.