Train du Père Noël — Velay Express

The Velay Express, a heritage railway between the Ardèche and the Haute-Loire, runs a Train du Père Noël outside its regular season, which the operator gives as May to October. Its booking page labels the trip a steam train round trip, and the operator invites children and adults to board "for an enchanted afternoon", to go and meet Père Noël and enjoy a magical moment to share with family or friends.

The operator lists its stations as Raucoules, Tence, Le Chambon-sur-Lignon and Saint-Agrève. For the Christmas trains it publishes a separate timetable for each date, with an outward and a return time at each station served: depending on the date the train runs between Raucoules and Tence or between Tence and Le Chambon-sur-Lignon.

The operator publishes few details about the programme on board, so this page limits itself to what it states: a special fare, a round trip with a 14:30 departure, and free travel for babies, leashed dogs, bicycles and trailers.

A round trip by steam train on a December afternoon, billed by the operator as an enchanted afternoon to share with family or friends and to meet Père Noël. The operator's page gives no further detail about what happens on board.

Be at the station at 14:00 for the 14:30 departure. The departure station depends on the date, so check the dated timetable on the operator's booking page. That page has one booking button per date and a special fare for the Christmas trains; children under 1, leashed dogs, bicycles and trailers travel free. Contact: contact@velay-express.fr, +33 4 71 59 68 06.